Innovation

Frox is a women-owned business that employees all women as well. This serves SDG 5 (Gender Equality) because the importance on women leaders and empowering women is engrained in the Frox business structure. Frox offers a place for women to unite and grow in terms of leadership. For example, every month Frox has a team meeting where employees are invited to share their thoughts on changes that should be made in the store, product for the owner Jill, and ideas on marketing for the next month. This also provides a great opportunity for women to lead and promote change.

In addition, Frox pays their employees above minimum wage. Since the business is small and employs only about five employees at a time, it is great that they value their employees enough to pay them a decent wage. Jill also provides opportunity for growth within the business which comes with a pay raise as well.

Frox works with local designers and businesses to ensure that they are supporting those who need it. They provide support to designers who are producing quality clothing and accessories that will last customers longer than some of the fast fashion companies that exist today.

Inspiration

The owner, Jill Strickland says, "Shopping at Frox feels like opening a vintage sewing box and discovering all of the hidden treasures inside." Jill began her journey in the fashion industry working at a sweater manufacturer in New York City. This was like a treasure hunt that eventually led to her desire to open a store of her own where she could have her own impact on the small town of Perkasie, Pennsylvania. Frox is best known for their one-on-one styling services where the style team helps customers find the perfect items that suit their lifestyle needs. As Jill says, "customers come to the store a stranger and leave as a friend."

Jill wanted to hire all women in her store to continue to empower other women to be leaders in her community. She wanted women of all shapes, sizes, and ages to join her in her journey to make others feel empowered in their own body. She made sure to uphold her employees' value and dignity by only hiring a select few to ensure she could pay them decent wages. She also wanted the women her joined her to last within the business and grow as leaders.

Overall impact

Frox offers a place for customers to shop and socialize with women who empower each other to be the best version of themselves. A woman-owned company supports other women and local community members by making them feel good. Frox hosts events such as fashion shows and fundraisers where they use customers and friends as models. By doing this, they have built relationships with customers and created an atmosphere that welcomes others to join the “Frox Gal’s Club.” Additionally, the store has partnered with Sister’s U which is a local women’s empowerment group. They have hosted events alongside them. Frox has a good reputation with the community and relationships with all local business owners and township leaders.

Business benefit

Frox has been able to increase their customer base by continuing to promote the empowering of local women. Through the events they hosted and the community they built, women from all over the country have found Frox. Frox hosts a Facebook live sale that engages with women near and far to Perkasie, Pennsylvania, and allows them to keep up on the Frox happenings. In addition, the town of Perkasie has flourished in the past year by opening a number of small businesses and restaurants. Frox remains a cornerstone for the town of Perkasie and continues to thrive in the small town.

In addition, Jill Strickland wrote a book titled "Behind the Button" that explains her life story and how Frox came to be. The book releases on June 7, 2021, and this opportunity was provided only through the support of the small town. Frox was able to empower so many women in the store that now the opportunity to write a book and promote empowering women outside of the store came to be.

Social and environmental benefit

Frox benefits society and the environment by providing an alternative to fast fashion in the local community. The store provides quality clothing that will last customers for longer than just a single year. The clothing Frox sells are considered staple pieces that can go from season to season and year to year. As Jill says, "Frox clothing is on trend, not trendy." This means that some of the clothing you find in your typical fast fashion companies are pieces that might only stay "trendy" for that particular season. Frox refrains from selling clothing that isn't going to last customers for longer than a single season. This reduces the amount of clothing that is going to landfills and provides women the opportunity to feel good about themselves in the clothes they wear and also help the environment.

In addition, Frox encourages women to dress the body they are in today. Frox sells clothing sizes ranging from extra small through extra large. Frox wants their customers to feel beautiful and happy in the body they are in rather than encouraging unnecessary changes. This promotes positivity in society by encouraging others to feel good in their own skin and refrain from "body shaming."

Interview

Jill Strickland, Owner/CEO