This is a paid release.
When Veronica Higdon visited the campus of the University of Mississippi, known by most as Ole Miss, she told her mother, Jennifer Higdon, that this was where she was supposed to be.
“I am not sure where her fascination began with Ole Miss. She’s talked about wanting to go there for a few years. And when she went for a campus visit, that was only solidified. I do love the campus, too. It’s a quiet little town with a huge university,” said Jennifer Higdon.
Veronica Higdon has been in a hurry to get there. At the end of 2023, she was just finishing her sophomore year at Owensboro Catholic, but she pleaded with her mom to help her find a way to get to college faster.
“My best friend in Nashville told me about the International Virtual Learning Academy, so I gave them a call to tell them about how Veronica wanted to accelerate her high school studies and complete two years in one year. They said that if she put in the work, it was possible,” said Jennifer Higdon.
“I would stay online for hours, doing lessons and studying,” said Veronica. “Looking back now, it amazes me that I did it.”
Veronica Higdon earned her high school diploma from the International Virtual Learning Academy just this past week.
“We are in the process of doing all the things- college orientation, senior pictures, a graduation party, and more,” said Veronica. “But the biggest thing we are doing is working to fund my college tuition to Ole Miss through an online boutique I am launching with the help of my parents. My dad told me if I wanted to go out of state to school, I was going to work for it. One morning at a breakfast with other Ole Miss moms, the idea of College Bound Boutique came to my mom.”
For months now, the mother and daughter team has been doing the groundwork to begin the business. “The things like getting your EIN, registering with the Secretary of State, applying for a sales and use tax number, and opening a business bank account take time,” said Jennifer. “We also had to secure a domain and learn to use Shopify.”
Earlier this month, the two finally had a chance to go to market. “I took my time choosing the items I wanted in the boutique. I focused on finding items not on discount online sales sites, I focused on quality material, and I focused on styles you can’t find just anywhere,” said Veronica. “The targeted buyers of College Bound Boutique are college students interested in game day attire, class essentials, Greek life, etc. There’s a certain aesthetic/vibe I’m striving to maintain; otherwise, you can lose your focus.”
College Bound Boutique launches online this week at www.collegeboundboutique.com “Somehow I have got to raise a little over $20,000 between now and August,” said Veronica. “We hope to sell out fast and return to market in July for a second launch.”
“It’s an experiment, with a big learning curve,” says Jennifer. “She plans to major in Business Entrepreneurship, so this is her first business. She’s doing all the product selection, online photos, and shipping. My role is to supervise and advise.”
College Bound Boutique will be set up at Preservation Station Market and Event Center at 9661 Hwy 56, Owensboro KY 42301 by Thursday, June 27th for any local students wanting to try on items before they buy.
