Today we’d like to introduce you to Suzie Hauptman.
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?
When first graduating from college, I worked in retail. I always thought one day I would open a chain of stores for women and men. I had unique names picked out for them as well. Life took a different course and I started a career in the business of healthcare coding and compliance. I took on several different roles throughout my career. I became a Compliance Officer for a large national healthcare company. I was laid off from that in the spring of 2025 and decided that I needed to take control of my own destiny. I would start the company that so many years ago, I had dreamt about. Polly and Esther PGH became a reality for me in April of 2025 with the help of many, many organizations and mentors along the way. As a native Pittsburgher with a dad who owned his businesses in and around the east neighborhoods, I knew I wanted to be part of the fabric of Pittsburgh and specifically the neighborhoods in the east. I grew up in Sq. Hill, I had a lot of family in Stanton Heights and East Liberty, my dad’s businesses were in Shadyside and Bloomfield, so it was only natural for me to find a home for the business in the east. I settled on Garfield with the vibrant diversity, energizing community, and ease of access. I also involved myself in the Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship, The Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence, the Neighborhood Community Development Fund, and the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh. It was through all of the hard work of these folks driving me through the steps that I was able to open the brick-and-mortar store that is POLLY AND ESTHER PGH.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No road is smooth in starting a micro business. Getting funding, proving your worth, getting the support of friends and colleagues, pounding the pavement in unchartered territory are all of the challenges that make a business stronger. Marketing is a 24/7 job. Inventory tracking, display organization, accounting, security, and so many other areas all take time. The time you spend on these makes your business strong, but without customers service, a true passion for your brand, and an unmatched enthusiasm for all things Polly and Esther PGH, the bumps only get bumpier.
You love your business, but you have to convince others to help your marketing strategies, help to find you funding, help you to pick out the best product lines for your brand and help keep you on track. If you keep your energy positive and open yourself to criticism, suggestions and even failures, you will move your business forward.
Starting a business is not easy. And I don’t think it should be. It should be your passion.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I was the first person in my family to attend a university. I didn’t realize the challenges this came with nor did I really understand what I wanted to do with this degree. I majored in journalism from the EW Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, Athens, Ohio and thought I would fall into the great world of media promotions. Reality set in upon graduation when the offers didn’t flood in. I took a job at a retail clothing store and from there became a mall rat. I worked at several stores in the various malls around Pittsburgh and Columbus, Ohio. This was hard work, but I loved how I made my customers feel. I’ve always been creative and artistic but never pursued that angle when it came to a career. But, helping customers felt like I was using my creativity.
I was told to apply at an insurance company as they had lucrative job opportunities and I was finding that retail management was not a high paying, life sustaining career. I found a job incorporating my skills from my journalism degree and so my career in healthcare revenue cycle and compliance began. I moved back to Pittsburgh finding that the business of healthcare had many jobs for which I could thrive and enjoy. I received several certifications in coding and compliance and took on roles that advanced my career forward. I wrote several books about the world of coding and compliance and became a nationally recognized speaker on these various topics. But, the reality of the corporate world could not shield me from layoffs and uncertainty. When I was laid off for the fourth time from a large national healthcare organization I realized I needed to take control of my own destiny. I didn’t want to rely on the whims of the volatile healthcare systems to determine my fate. I wanted to determine my own fate.
I took all of my skills in customer service, my creativity, my drive, and frankly my courage to create my new chapter.
My brand is very special to me. I worked hard to create the style and the feel for the store. I had designers, architects, and contractors help to make this a reality. I could not have launched without the help and strong shoulders of my friends. They helped by helping to decorate the store. They have volunteered to work at the store. And creating a resale component to my company, many became founding members of the store by donating gently used clothing to initially start that piece of the business.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We have both retail and resale at the store. People can bring in gently used clothing and instead of going through it and deciding what to accept and giving the customer a small stipend for said item, I accept the whole lot (bag, box, etc.). In turn, I give them a discount card good to use either that day or within the next 30 on items they find in the store. I will then go through the bag, wash the items I select and donate the others to a thrift shop that works with the women’s shelters around the city. I will then price the selected items at a very low price to essentially cover the cost of the discount so that others can enjoy the clothing my customers have brought in.
Joint marketing is another way to help. I love creating programs that will promote the store and if I can help to promote another business, all the better. This can be another business or perhaps a non-profit organization.
Shopping at the store and talking about the store are great ways to collaborate. Following my on the various social platforms, posting photos in your new outfits, boasting about the unique finds at the store all help to solidify the brand that much further.
I love the be able to help others and if Polly and Esther PGH can do that, I’m all for the collaboration.
Pricing:
- We sell both retail and resale.
- Items range for $5 to $200
- Retail and resale are mixed together
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pollyandestherPGH.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pollyandestherpgh/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PollyandEstherPGH
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/polly-and-esther-pittsburgh
