Some people spend their childhoods dreaming about their future careers and then passionately pursue those dreams.
Others stumble into their professions by chance.
Sharona Rosen, owner of Matok Baby, a classy boutique selling imported baby clothing in Beitar Illit, followed a winding path.
“When I was growing up, my parents had two closets in their room — one for their clothing and one for baby clothing.
“My mother adored baby clothing, buying it frequently and generously gifting beautiful outfits to every acquaintance.
“When I moved to Eretz Yisrael, she’d send me kids’ clothing. There was so much that I started having clothing sales in my home four or five times a year.”
This was fifteen years ago, when little was available in Eretz Yisrael. “People would be snatching the stuff out of my hands,” Sharona relates.
She was working full-time at Meor seminary as an administrative assistant.
It became too difficult to work full-time, run the sales, and b’H raise a growing family.
Eight years ago, Sharona quit her office job, transformed her storage room into a cozy store, and launched a nightly sale of children’s clothing.
Things went well for a while. Then, the landscape of children’s clothing in Israel began to shift. Local stores started carrying better-quality outfits, and online shopping gained momentum.
Sharona decided to join a Temech networking group.
“I had never planned to open a business; it simply evolved.
“Temech taught me how to run a business properly, including financial management, marketing, and branding.
“It helped me laser-focus on my ideal client and their preferences, and to carve out a niche.
“I loved how steps were broken down; it gave me a roadmap for moving forward. There was focus and accountability and support.”
Eventually, Sharona realized most people were coming to her store after they’d tried all the larger stores. She wanted to be their first stop.
She decided to focus exclusively on baby clothing, with a focus on gifts. She tweaked the store name and brought in a vast selection of everything baby – layettes, outfits, blankets, bibs, and more.
Shortly after that, she joined another networking group.
“My store had changed identity, and I wanted a refresh of core business principles. Plus, I knew several women attending. I loved the interactive element of the group, and these were women I wanted to hear from.
“When others give you direct feedback or speak about their business – even if it’s in a different market — you gain valuable fresh perspectives.”
Last year, the business grew enough that Sharona moved into a central storefront.
“I now have the biggest selection of baby clothing in the city, most of it imported. I’ve become the first stop.”
