Shop Talk in every issue
“( London and Lace ) is special because it is made of the stuff of which wedding days are made : love , hope , dreams ...”
Lisa
Lisa credits many people for helping her create London and Lace . The sentiment , “ Behind every successful man is a good woman ,” has been repeated for decades as a way to give credit to women who stand by their men and provide the support critical to their “ making it ” professionally . In today ’ s world , where there are as many women climbing the ladder of success as men and , according to recent studies , more women starting their own businesses than men , the presence of a good man to offer support and to lend a hand with the duties at home that still await us women can mean all the difference in the world . If we flip the record on the “ stand by your man ” tune , the hero in this story becomes Lisa ’ s husband . Enter Kevin Kyzer .
On the second day of our meeting , when Kevin joined us , I immediately felt his presence as being one of offering protection for his beautiful wife . Not that I offered any threat to Lisa , as overstaying my welcome would have been as much damage as I could muster . Yet , I still felt that , and I wondered if he would have been surprised at my feeling that way . It was obvious that he takes his role as protector of his wife seriously , just as he does his role as helper and supporter of Lisa ’ s dream . She piped in to tell me about that with a smile that spoke volumes . “ Kevin has been here for me every step of the way . He encouraged me to live out my passion – to not give in or give up . He helped to create beautiful spaces for me , both inside the boutique and on the website as well as on social media . His creative spirit and eye for photography and website design have given the boutique a notable presence in the bridal industry .”
Kevin ’ s love for Lisa is evident , and he works with his wife as much as he can , even though he has another full-time job that demands his attention as well . Ever the adoring husband , Kevin described the partnership with his wife , both in business and in marriage , and shared quite eloquently , “ The best thing about working together for me is that I get to be around my best friend all day long . I get to watch her live her dream as it is happening . I don ’ t have to wait until dinner time to hear how her day went ; I was there to see it . I met the brides and saw how remarkable they looked in their gowns of choice and was able to help Lisa hang the gowns back up for the next bride to come in . And now , as fate would have it , her dreams have somewhat become mine . I love watching the brides and seeing how happy they are , and I am able to get a lot of wedding gigs out of it . It is hard to believe that this old skateboarding fool cares about something as feminine as bridal , but I do . I love it !”
As further proof of Kevin ’ s belief in his wife , he offered this bit of advice for other women desiring to have a business of their own , “ If you are a small business owner , or if you are sitting there dreaming of someday being one , my wife is proof that you can do it the right way . She is proof that you don ’ t need to cut corners to be successful . You don ’ t need to be dishonest to make a living . And , most importantly , faith in the Holy Spirit within you can knock down doors that others haven ’ t even reached . I am my wife ’ s biggest fan . My real life did not start until I married her , and I am not only proud but also grateful that I get to stand by her .”
120 FEBRUARY 2017 SHEMAGAZINE . COM