It was eerie, but something about it still drew me in — maybe my days of playing with dolls,” says Judi Henderson, 67, owner of Mannequin Madness, a million-dollar mannequin rental business that has grown thanks to her willingness to embrace digital tools like AI, social media and online learning. Mannequin rental is as unique a niche as it sounds. On a day-to-day basis, Henderson might be loaning her mannequins, typically recycled from department stores, to fashion students, luxury stores, or for events. Sometimes her warehouse is rented for photo or video shoots, too. Social media didn’t exist as a marketing tool 25 years ago when Henderson launched Mannequin Madness, but now Digital Ready has helped teach her how to utilize it for business, including understanding which platforms are most strategic. She has also embraced AI as a tool for business, using it to generate images to revamp her website, to help create content for her blog, or even to add whimsy to her writing. Also having taken advantage of live coaching events and 1:1 Reviews on the Digital Ready program, Henderson appreciated seeing diverse people, of all ages and races, taking part in the program. “You can see people who kind of look like you, who were giving you advice. I like that,” she says. And the price point can’t be beat. “I’m amazed that something that's free has so much value,” Henderson says. Even as the landscape for her business changes with metamorphosis of the retail market, Henderson is putting off retirement and pivoting her company to focus on art projects, DIY crafting, and more. “I am a little bit past retirement age, but I still love what I’m doing.” Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is part of Verizon’s goal to support 1 million small businesses by 2030 with free resources to help them succeed. Visit https://CitizenVerizon.com to learn more about the company’s responsible business efforts. To sign up for Digital Ready, visit https://digitalready.verizonwireless.com. An individual user's experience may vary and results are not guaranteed.

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