With a fashion degree from The London Fashion Institute to a career managing wardrobes for major Hollywood films, Lynn Manock understands fashion and how to dress her customers. As the owner of the popular high-end boutique, Ziabird, Manock has relied on her experience, the support of family, friends and community to create a store that delivers global style mixed with local flair to Wilmington, NC.

Owning a thriving small business doesn’t come over night. For Manock, it’s taken lessons learned over 13 years in of running Ziabird. From understanding budgets, finding the perfect mix of inventory, opening and discontinuing an online store, finding her work-life balance and growing her group of customers, these trial and errors have resulted in a success. According to Manock, learning to delegate is something new business owners need to get used to, “I suggest spending most of your time at what you thrive doing and hire experts for the rest. In my case, I have an accountant. And an invaluable business coach that keep me grounded in the realities of the business side.”

As she surrounds her business with experts, Manock travels the world looking for truly special pieces that will make her customers stand out. Buying trips to Marrakech, Madrid and Italy plus a network of American clothing and jewelry designers are the inspiration behind the selective inventory at Ziabird.

Manock has been integral in choosing the clothing her customers love and this understanding of her customers and their families has given her a place in their lives. With this connection to her customers comes the support of a community dedicated to artists and small businesses.

In 2020, when COVID-19 hit and the business was forced into temporarily closing, Manock saw opportunity to reassess her business and evolve into something new. That's when the idea of ziabird.com came to be, with people increasingly relying on e-commerce services, Manock wanted to make sure Ziabird could be accessible to clients from their homes. Today, the Ziabird website thrives and continues to have products added in, with beautiful imagery, nearly every day.