Salomeh Zohouri, a young dynamic woman that graduated with a Chemistry degree and started her carrier as Analytical Chemist in Johnson and Johnson where she worked for 5 years.

During her college days she worked in boutique stores and at Nordstrom. But at one point she realized that chemistry was not her passion. The young ambitious woman started dreaming about her own business, a retail woman’s wear boutique, and at age 28 she decided to open her own boutique. “SCORE made my dream comes true”
she said joyfully.

“I started Kitsch Couture in Nov of 2006. I was unsatisfied and unfulfilled working for others, and like many, had always dreamed of having my own business.” She added.

She then started researching and putting her plans together to start a business in California for a year prior to opening. She read manuals, guidebooks, and also attended a few tradeshows to narrow in on her product lines and the customers she wanted to reach.
Her educational background also helped, as she loves numbers and calculations and she truly believes that running any business, numbers and hard work is very important.
Kitsch Couture, a woman’s apparel boutique finally spread its wings in Nov of 2006, in a Historic building in Saratoga. She felt that Saratoga was lacking in retail outlets. The demographics were good, she didn’t have a lot of competition and she was filling a niche.

“I first heard about SCORE from ‘Bella Mia Bride’as they were moving out from Saratoga location and I was moving in. The owner of Bella Mia Bride recommended SCORE, and with all the hustle & bustle of opening up Kitsch Couture, I quickly realized I need help in Marketing, Business planning and I decided to contact SCORE.”

However, when her lease contract with the store ended in Nov of 2009, she was given notice to leave the Saratoga building by the landlord. “That’s when my SCORE Counselors advised and helped me to see the larger picture through my move and I found my Kitsch Couture’s new home in Downtown Los Gatos in Feb. of 2010.”
She also added “My SCORE counselors Mike O’Connor and Bob Goedjen really helped me sort out the facts, my goals, what I wanted, and separate those from emotional ties to business ownership during that hard economic time.”

She also explained how she was helped by the SCORE Counselor MikeO’Connor
And Bob Goedjen with the exit plan, laws and procedures.

“They made me realize how hard it was to close up a business. I wasn’t sure if my new location was going to work out. My SCORE Counselors helped me sort through all the fine details, all the licenses I would need, and the documents I would need to change.”

In a very high spirits Salomeh explained that her sales and profit have at least doubled this calendar year, since she moved. She has been able to hire another full time employee as well as some extra summer help. Her inventory turnover has also doubled if not tripled. She would like to open a second location eventually. She sincerely hopes that SCORE will help her in determining when to open or if at all, what are the legal procedures that need to be taken. Also when is the right time to expand, as well as the licenses needed and determining the best location and marketing plan.. “If a second location is in the picture, I would need help with marketing and branding of Kitsch Couture.” Salomeh ended her story very happily.