How an earnest hobby became a seven-figure business

When Jennifer Nisan launched her Instagram account, Front Row Live, it was primarily a passionate escape into her interests. The young mom was carving out much-needed ‘me-time’ when the pastime unexpectedly took off into what is today a seven-figure cottage industry, helping dedicated fashion fans, celebrities, and civilians score those hard-to-find items. FashionNetwork.com spoke to Nisan about how she parlayed a social media feed into a business beyond fashion influencer.

“I married super young at 18 and had my first child by 20. Beyond fulfilling my purpose as a mother, I wanted to fulfill my fashion world desires and passion,” Nisan relayed of her Instagram account and brand that began as a hobby in 2015 and segued into a business in 2019.

A passion for fashion was Nisan’s credentials; before Front Row Live, her only tangible industry experience was internships at Elle and Marie Claire.

“I had no official experience in the fashion industry or retail, but I have always loved fashion and worked hard to become self-taught. I studied brands on Vogue Runway by watching fashion shows. I would take notes on the season’s accessories. I would memorize every price of every bag and shoe; I can give you the price of almost every accessory each season without double-checking,” the now 30-year-old mother of four continued. She funneled her obsession with trends and hot ticket items into her Instagram account.

Front Row Live was an idea and business that flourished during the pandemic.

“My account grew fast during the heart of Covid when stores and restaurants were closed,” Nisan explained. Her relatable approach and deep dive into fashion attracted viewers, including boldface names.

“The first celebrity to reach out to me was Shay Mitchell, looking for a visor for her best friend who had lost hers,” she recalled of the surprise DM, adding, “Over time, just building relationships in the fashion industry led more celebrities to come my way. I have a best friend, Gloria Nakash, a stylist who is well-connected in the industry. She vouches for me and introduces me to other stylists.”

Having forged strong relationships with retail associates in person through her shopping ventures has also been vital to Front Row Live’s success.

“Everything I do in my business is based on trust and long-term relationships built over the years,” she explained, adding that having that inside track due to her tenacity paid off.

“Before the pandemic, I called about 20 Gucci boutiques looking for a particular item, and each answered the phone. Today, it’s tough to reach anybody in a boutique. Clients message me and say they have been on hold for over an hour and don’t have the patience to wait any longer and ask for my help.”

Nisan identifies covetable items, or a client seeks an elusive piece, and parlays those contacts into action for insider access, acting almost as a middleman by joining the customer with the goods.

“This means getting first access to certain things right before they launch. So, for example, if a collection is dropping a week from today, associates will call me a week beforehand and allow me to reserve things because they know that I likely have clients already waiting for these items, resulting in a quick sale. We make every purchase seamless for my followers and clientele, offering access to pieces before they hit sites or stores whenever possible,” added Nisan.

“I go to Jennifer mainly for shoes because they are hard to find because of my common size. She’s responsive and honest, and the speed at which she delivers the product is impressive each time,” said client Alyssa Soto, who lives between New York and Miami.

Soto was an early client who used her services starting in February 2020 with a pair of black and gold Chanel Boy sandals and a Prada nylon mini.
 
“Since, I’ve had her source Chanel clogs and mules, Miu Miu x New Balance sneakers that I had to have. Next, I will reach out about the Chanel Mary Janes,” she added.
 

Generally, each side of the transaction is monetized; a commission is made from stores, and the clients pay a fee.

“I work with various designers and retail partners within their commission structure. It depends on the brand, but commissions tend to start at 5% and up,” she said, adding, “Depending on where I source an item from, fees can range from $100 up to 10% of the cost of the client’s item. It depends on the request. Clients receive a total price once their item has been located.”
 
Predicting the next in-demand item is elusive, but Nisan has homed in on some good indicators. “Anything Morgan Stewart wears becomes a hot item requested via DMs. My followers forward her photos, trying to buy anything she’s wearing,” Nisan said of the Beverly Hills style influencer, wife of Jordan McGraw (son of Dr. Phil), and all-around HNWI.
 
So is Hailey Bieber. “She wore an Acne leather bomber, and my DMs started blowing up. The jacket wasn’t available yet, so I called up one of my retail partners and placed an online order for 20 jackets,” she recalled, adding that pre-buying them was a unique instance as she isn’t looking to become a retailer.

“The second the jackets dropped online, I sold them to my clients. The retailer sold out their stock in about 30 minutes,” she said, adding, “People love buying what celebrities wear, but Chanel is a main request too; Anything from classic ballerina flats to sunglasses.” 

Nisan’s influence in selling items has made her a fashion show fixture.
Right now, Nisan’s team consists of a bevy of assistants located in crucial fashion cities, such as New York, Paris, and London, and she is focused on growth.

“I want to expand my business to become a household name. I want to venture out and do more in-person relationship-building events by meeting my clients in person at pop-ups and events.

She recently teamed up with Saks, who, while they don’t need her help to source, recognize her selling abilities.

“I love partnering with retailers to ensure that my clients always have access to the hottest items,” she said.

Brand directors reach out to ensure her service gets assistance from the stores and discuss sales expansion ideas.

“One just contacted me and offered to host a lunch with my top private clients,” she continued.

Beyond retail, there is room for Front Row Live to team up with technology. She recently partnered with Vêtir, a new AI-driven fashion app launched by Kate Davidson Hudson. The members-only platform allows clients to digitalize their closets and shop stylists and brand-recommended pieces to add to it.

“I do a weekly edit for the app where clients get to see my top favorite picks of the week,” said the Front Row Live founder, who will undoubtedly keep their whereabouts under wraps.