Did you happen to catch Women in Business with Nell Merlino and Rhiannon Ally on Better this week? Rhiannon asked Nell how business owners can thrive. It’s a great interview, offering entrepreneurs solid thinking:

#1: Do you have something people really want to buy, not just what others think will do well?

#2: What problem are you solving for customers, and how do you envision your product being sold?

#3: Ask for help!

#4: Make friends with your financial information; understand how you are making $ and how you are losing it.

#5: Go after it! Failure is not final. Learn from your mistakes and move forward.

Part of the segment was filmed at Peonies consignment shop, and owners Pam Williams and Laurel Peters were interviewed. You can watch the video here.

Do you wish you could shop at Peonies, but can never quite make it by the time the shop closes on weekdays? We hear you (and you can stop hounding us with emails, lol.) Peonies consignment shop is now open on Thursday evenings until 7pm, starting this week.

This Saturday, Peonies will donate 20% of its sales to the Child & Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut. This dovetails with Peonies’ support of the Essex Holiday House Tour.

The event is an annual fundraiser for The Child & Family Agency given by The Essex River Valley Auxiliary — an organization whose staff and volunteers assist children and families-at-risk locally with programs that deal with the prevention of child abuse, the treatment of family violence, teen pregnancy, children’s health care, childcare, parent education and children’s mental health. The Essex Holiday House tour takes place Saturday, December 12, 2009, from 10am to 4pm. See all events CFA events here. Ticket info here.

She knows cheese, wine, design, and style. If you haven’t already met Maggie Lukas from Old Saybrook, CT, you are in for a real treat. Maggie is the latest addition to Peonies, the high end designer consignment store in Centerbrook, Connecticut.

Maggie graduated from the University of Connecticut with a degree in Management Information Systems (IT) and a concentration in Marketing. (We can’t wait until she’s ready to take over all of our IT and our marketing!) Maggie began her career at CIGNA Retirement and Investments. When CIGNA sold her division, it freed her to pursue a more creative side.

Maggie then became a mixologist, and eventually head bartender at the Wine Bar at the Griswold Inn in Essex.  During that time she also worked at Fromage, the wonderful gourmet food and cheese shop in Old Saybrook. Wonderful customers and friends who knew Maggie from the Gris and Fromage introduced her to the next step in her career: Maggie was hired to open and become the general manager of Liv’s Oyster Bar. Through Liv’s, Maggie met Julius Angelini, owner of Angelini Wine, and found the next stop on her career path, enabling her to realize her marketing and design skills. She loves working with people and takes great satisfaction from helping customers.

Maggie lives in Old Saybrook with her husband, Scott Lukas. In her spare time, Maggie loves to read and practices yoga.  Please join us in welcoming Maggie to Peonies.