When Tran Wills found herself pregnant and homeless in high school, she couldn\u2019t have imagined that one day she would have two successful businesses, a loving husband and four great kids.<\/p>\n
It started with her now-husband, Josh, working nights so she could finish high school. Together, they opened their first business, Fabric Lab, which sold local designer\u2019s wares out of the basement of a hair salon in Denver, Colo. Friends and family thought they were crazy, but the rent was just $200 per month\u2014cheaper than daycare.<\/p>\n
Since then the 33-year-old has opened and closed several businesses and now owns the Super Ordinary art gallery and retail store as well as the Base Coat Nail Salon, which offers non-toxic, chemical-free services. Both businesses are also in Denver. And she\u2019s not done yet: Wills and her business partner just inked the lease for a Base Coat in Los Angeles and hope to expand further in the coming years.<\/p>\n
Her oldest son, Noah, is now 16 wants to pursue a music career while her youngest son, Hesh, 5, is often seen accompanying his mother to meetings while his sisters, Quynh, 12, and Elliot, 10, are in school. Josh recently left his position as the creative director of Factory Design Labs, working with clients such as North Face and Oakley, to open his own design studio, Consume & Create.<\/p>\n
Wills spoke with\u00a0Fortune\u00a0about how she got her start and how she maintains both her family and her professional life. The conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.<\/p>\n
Wills: When I was 15, I was just trying to survive. My parents kicked me out because I met a boy whom I loved. I house-hopped at my friends\u2019 homes. Then, when I found out we were pregnant with Noah, Josh told his parents, and they took me in.<\/p>\n
It was crazy to graduate with a 6-month-old\u2014that\u2019s for sure. Finally after Noah turned 1 we were ready to move out on our own, and then life started falling into place and here we are: married for 16 years and counting, and four kids later.<\/p>\n
I always knew I wanted to open my own business, but I didn\u2019t know I\u2019d be here and giving people jobs. Base Coat has nine employees and Super Ordinary has two. That\u2019s amazing to me.<\/p>\n
I wanted to choose my own path. Josh was an artist, and I was making clothes at the time that we started the first store. I didn\u2019t want to live with regret. When you\u2019re a young mom, people look at you like you have no worth. We wanted to prove to everyone we weren\u2019t going to be like that. I\u2019m doing this for my kids. If it weren\u2019t for them, I\u2019d probably be working a job that I hate.<\/p>\n
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