Model makes career dreams come true, despite pandemic

A former model is following her dream of becoming a business owner and she's doing it in the middle of the pandemic. Her leap of faith is what's right with Tampa Bay.

"I always wanted to be an entrepreneur since I was a little girl," Shanae Simon said. "I was willing to win or fail and I was like, I'm just going to do it."

What the 29-year-old former model decided to do was open up a business three months ago, in the middle of the pandemic.

"I figured if I could make it now, I can definitely make it through anything," she said.

Simon took her love of fashion and her dream of wanting to own her own business and opened a resale store.

She called it Closet Of Classe.

"I know most people think it's not the most opportune time, but I think it couldn't be a better time because everyone is about supporting small businesses right now," she said.

Simon buys her clothes from people in the community.

"It's like going through your best friend's closet and looking through her clothes," she said.

Items are $20 or less.

"I love resale clothes," said Simon. "I love shopping on a budget and I feel like most women are on a budget when they go shopping."

The clothes that she doesn't buy she takes to The Spring of Tampa Bay, a domestic violence shelter.

"Definitely one of the main reason's I wanted to have this store was because I wanted to make sure that I gave back in some way," she explained.

Simon is proud of what she has created.

"I love what I do for women. I love what I do for the community and I'm just so very excited about it."

Simon says the decision to open the business was simple.

"How am I going to build for the next generation if I don't take those risks?"

View her store at facebook.com/Closetofclasse.