Wednesday, March 4, 2020

From Hobby to Business


By: Nicole Babauta
Center Director/Certified Small Business Adviser
CNMI SBDC
      
      Mrs. Diana Benavente Hocog was born and raised in Saipan and moved to Rota in January 2017 as her husband’s career progressed. Since her younger years, Diana had always loved fashion. She traveled to many different cities and enjoyed shopping. Her love for boutiques grew more and more as she was able to find quality clothing that were both affordable and fashionable for years to come. After moving to Rota and falling in love with the island, Diana quickly realized how challenging it was to find clothing. Diana asked herself, “Why not share my love for quality and affordable clothing with the people of Rota?” And so she decided to start her business – JD’s Boutique. JD’s Boutique is located in Sinapalo II (the former Rainbow Store) and is opened from Monday through Friday from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. The boutique offers a wide range of clothing and accessories for men, women, and children of all ages and sizes. Additionally, JD’s Boutique seeks to bring creative experiences to the families of Rota to include our most recent Mother’s Day Tea and Cupcake Event and Ship, Shop & Style.
      When asked, “What was the start up process like?” Mrs. Hocog shares, “The start-up process was the most fun because it was a time for me to begin shopping for what I was going to sell in the boutique. Everything was falling into place faster than anticipated.” Mrs. Hocog shares that one of her biggest challenges was learning and understanding the tax payments and procedures; however, after working with the Rota Tax and Revenue Division she was able to get her questions answered.
      The CNMI SBDC assisted Mrs. Hocog by providing resources and one-to-one business advising. Mrs. Hocog has following advice for others who want to start their business, “Visit your CNMI SBDC and share your ideas. They will be able to guide you in the right direction in making your dream of opening up your own business become a reality!”
      Diana shares that her most memorable triumph includes the endless smiles and positive feedback that customers have on their faces as they visit JD’s Boutique with the ability to try on clothing before purchasing. Her long term goal is to host a fashion show that will be fun and unique for the people of Rota.