“You love working in retail or you wouldn’t be in it.”

That’s a phrase we’ve all heard over the years. Margo Andros is proof that it’s true. Who would’ve thought someone would be selling $20 designer panties, bras and bustiers at Grand Central Terminal in New York? Andros did. So she begged, borrowed and stole (an investor’s heart) to open her tiny boutique, which now boasts annual sales approaching $1 million.

Andros combined her passion for finding funky, closeout clothing with her desire to sell it in her own retail store. After a successful holiday sales fair at Grand Central, she convinced the Metropolitan Transit Authority to lease her a tiny spot there. It’s called Pink Slip.

The story didn’t mention that Andros now has a Pink Slip website. By looking at it, you’d think her shop is a major player in the lingerie world. But it’s really a bedroom-sized store wedged in among the name-brand shops at Grand Central.

I like her reply when asked what surprised her most about her success: “That I could follow (my instincts) and, if I followed it, it would work out OK.”

Many of us who’ve stuck it out in retail feel the same way. I can relate to Andros because, like her, I had to reinvent my company to fuel my desire to stay in retail as a designer and supplier.

Andros isn’t slowing down. She wants to set up shop in airports. After initial rejections, she’s going to try again. You have to admire that kind of persistence. And emulate it. Otherwise, you might give yourself a pink slip back to the non-retail world.