Natalie Nolen is the owner of Rhea Lana’s of Midland-Odessa, a bi-annual children's consignment event that extends beyond clothes to include children's furniture, baby essentials and toys.
Growing up in Midland, Natalie and her husband Chris started their family at a young age and are now parents to nine children. Before Rhea Lana’s, Natalie was a stay-at-home mom and sought ways to generate additional income while sharing her passion for children's clothing. This led her to consignment stores, where she discovered Rhea Lana's, a franchise she and her husband bought in 2015.
"Once I became the owner of Rhea Lana’s, this whole other side of me came out. I didn’t know that I would have such a competitive drive because at that point in my life, I was really geared towards motherhood only," Natalie told Midland Times in an interview.
Balancing home and work life is a continuous learning process for Natalie. "It’s ever-changing, so once you think you have it all figured out, the next season you’ll probably have to figure out a new way of things," she said.
With a family that has grown to nine children, Natalie acknowledges the “busy and chaotic” times but emphasizes the “joy, fun, and purpose” in the midst of it all.
“Being a mother has and always will be my first desire and first love, but Rhea Lana’s has been this other outlet where I’ve been able to create a meaningful community for moms and families, and it’s been such a rewarding part of my life,” she said. “It’s more than shopping and it’s more than just an event; it’s really an experience."
Natalie instills the importance of empathy in her team at Rhea Lana’s and emphasizes that “everyone has a story.” This approach contributes to the level of customer service Rhea Lana’s is known for. "You never know if someone is going through a divorce or has a sick child or can’t pay their bills that month or if they just have a screaming toddler inside the store,” she said. “At Rhea Lana’s, we remember to treat everyone the same and acknowledge that we have all been in their spot, too."
Teaching her kids about entrepreneurship involves connecting hard work with the ability to enjoy certain things in life such as vacations. According to Natalie, involving her children at Rhea Lana’s has been “both a gift and a life-skill” for them.
When asked how Rhea Lana’s contributes to the local community, Natalie said, “We’re local Midlanders running a business here and we work with over 1,200 local consignors. When you shop with Rhea Lana’s, you are putting money back into all of those local family’s pockets.”
She also revealed the perks of consigning with Rhea Lana’s. “The average consignor’s check after the event is $585, so if they’re consigning twice a year, then it’s truly helping local families by shopping with us," she said.
For women balancing business and family, Natalie emphasizes the importance of asking for help. "As women and mothers, not only have we heard that we can do it all, we also want to do it all, and it’s okay to ask for help along the way,” she said. “Just know that needing help doesn’t make a woman less than a mother. I always tell other mothers ‘you’re doing a better job than you think.’"
The upcoming Rhea Lana’s consignment event is scheduled for Feb. 18-21 at Midland County Horseshoe Arena. For more information about Rhea Lana or to learn how to consign, visit https://midlandodessa.rhealana.com/ or their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/rhealanamidland/.