Today we’d like to introduce you to Jodi Pinske.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I became interested in gowns while watching Miss America and Award Shows. I loved how elegant the women walked and looked in their gowns. I competed in a Junior Miss pageant in High School and was hooked. I then began competing in Miss Minnesota locals, earning a title in 1985. I became a volunteer with a local festival royalty program in 2002 and was active for 6 years. In 2013, I became involved with the Miss Minnesota system as a volunteer assisting with a local pageant, which evolved into joining the State leadership team. Today, I serve on the State Executive Board as the Vice President.
The woman whom I joined in 2013 owned a bridal shop that also carried prom and pageant gowns. I began working for her part-time a few years later. I am grateful to her for teaching me the business and for helping me open The Elegant Edge in January of 2023. I met a man in 2022, while judging the Miss Nebraska pageant, who owned a store in Kentucky. He has been a great support and mentor.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I would say the biggest obstacle is having a vision and knowing it might need to change as you go. I really liked a couple of spaces in the Hutchinson Mall. I wanted the biggest one, but my budget said otherwise. I wanted the wallpaper off the walls and thought that should be easy, but it was my first big expense, and I ended up needing new sheet rock on all the walls because I basically destroyed them.
My other biggest obstacle is that I still have not mastered QuickBooks. Thank goodness for the guidance I have received and a good accountant.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Elegant Edge?
I believe what sets us apart from others is our customer service. I have had several customers come in after being at another store and telling me how much they appreciate our help and guidance. From the moment you walk in until you leave, we are available to guide you in finding the right fit, style, and color. I have learned how to negotiate the delicate balance between what the adult wants and what the teen wants. As a mother of two daughters, I know how helpful this can be.
How do you think about happiness?
What makes me the happiest is seeing the smile on the girl’s face when she has found the “right one.” You can tell that’s the one. I discourage the girls from asking their friends what they think; I tell them you are the one wearing the dress, not your friend. I carry dresses in sizes 00-22. The girls on the outer edges of these sizes tend to think they will not find anything. I love it when they find the right dress for their frame; it brings me such happiness to know I could help them.
Pricing:
- $50 – $1000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theelegant-edge.com
- Instagram: @elegantedge.1
- Facebook: The Elegant Edge
- Twitter: elegantedge.1
- Other: TikTok @elegant.edge00
