Party On

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: San Clemente-based Posh Party Box owner Susan Pierce exemplifies that it's never too late to follow your dream.

Posh Party Box 806 E. Ave. Pico, Ste. 1 #324, San Clemente 949.498.0664 :: poshpartybox.com

Susan Pierce began her business at 58 – a time when most others are thinking about retirement. But her party-in-a-box concept was something she always wanted to do.

“I’d be sitting in board meetings and I’d have my notebook where I’d write down ideas I had for themes,” Pierce, now 62, recalls.

As a mother of five, she realized the importance of birthday parties and hosted many while her children were growing up.

“Everything had to be perfect,” she says. “Everything had to match and everything had to have a theme.”

And as a full-time working mom, she also knew how time-consuming birthday party planning could be. So after 25 years of selling educational software, she began Posh Party Box, selling prepackaged, themed birthday kits including tableware, invitations and party favors. She began with a website of about seven themed party boxes. Today, she has over 40 parties in a box, including bridal shower parties, baby shower parties and more. And each party box, which is delivered in a white box with big bow on top, includes an activity.

“That way they are not only engaged in the party but they’re learning something too,” Pierce says. “It’s not just about opening presents, eating cake and going home. There’s no reason why kids can’t learn something while having fun.”

Posh Party Box continues to be successful four years after its inception – Pierce has even developed a blog and a quarterly newsletter, Posh Party Tips. But it hasn’t always been easy.

“I thought, 'If you build a website, they will come,'” she says of her early Posh days. “And it doesn’t exactly work that way,” she says, laughing.

She did some heavy promoting on morning talk shows and in magazines. And she had to tackle social media.

“Who would have thought that Facebook and Twitter would be so important? I didn’t grow up with that," says Pierce.

She also credits her success to organizations, like Ladies Who Launch and the National Association of Women Business Owners, that put female entrepreneurs in touch with each other to brainstorm and hold roundtable discussions.

“It’s so helpful," she says. "I’ve met a lot of wonderful, successful and experienced women. You can learn a lot from networking.“

Her family also plays a large role, with her son, daughter, daughter-in-law, and even her mother involved in the business. And of course, her 10 grandchildren act as a focus group of sorts.

“If they like it, then it’s in," she says of new products or themes. “If not, we need to tweak it.” They are also the models you see on her website. And they're compensated in the form of party boxes.

“They always say to me, 'Grammy, can we go shopping in your warehouse?'" she says.

For other women looking to start their own business, Pierce offers this advice:

“Get out there and let people know what you do. Research your competitors. See what they do best and what they do poorly, and learn from it. Do something different and ask for help.”

And take it from a successful grandmother: “It’s never too late to do your passion.”