After years of selling clothing at trunk-show parties, mother and fashion-lover Doni Orsini took a leap of faith when opening her own store, Olivia’s Closet Boutique, in Rancho Santa Margarita in 2010. Named after her daughter, Olivia, the boutique features fashion apparel, shoes, accessories and more. Ten years of success later, Doni is opening her second store in 2020.

“She opened up her first store and during the Great Recession, so everyone thought she was crazy. Ten years later, she’s doing it again during another crazy moment in history, the Covid-19 recession,” Doni’s daughter Olivia said.

Olivia has witnessed firsthand the work and struggles that go into running a business.

“There were a lot of bumps in the road,” said Orsini. “My mom encountered gender inequality. The guy who owned the property thought a woman owned business wouldn’t be able to own up to their commitments or pay rent.”

She explains that this is not the first time her mom has faced discrimination in business. Luckily, Orsini found woman who believed in their company and sold the property to Doni.

“My mom has made me an advocate for women because she encourages women to be unafraid in starting their own businesses,” said Orsini. “Women are just as powerful as men, maybe even more so.”

Beyond acquiring the property, many steps went into opening the new storefront.

“A lot of people don’t realize how much goes into it, but we wanted to get this store going,” said Orsini. “We opened it in a span of six weeks.”

Within those six weeks, the Orsini’s brought everything together. From ordering merchandise, to staging furniture, and even setting up check-out kiosks, the family did much of the work themselves.

“It took a while to look at the store and think, ‘It’s ready, the store is ready,’” said Orsini.

Opening in Sendero meant a new clientele for the Orsini’s. At this location, their selection focuses on millennial style. The store front even sells a few baby clothes and toys because of how many families surrounded the area. More antiques and house décor appeal to the large elderly population from the retirement homes surrounding the area. Olivia enjoyed helping her mom pick out merchandise.

“The best part of it all is making women feel happy about themselves in what they’re wearing,” Orsini said. “It just puts a smile on my face to see women supporting women and feeling confident. It’s why my Mom opened her store.”

So, whether you’re a Mom, teen, or Grandma, check out the new Olivia’s Closet Boutique in the Sendero Marketplace. In doing so, you can support a women-owned business and get some feel-good confidence while you’re at it.