Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in clothing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Artesha Lewis, Owner of KennDance Apparel, located in Dallastown, PA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
KennDance is an online dance apparel company. At the moment, our apparel consists of t-shirts and hoodies that can be worn in and out of the dance studio and represent the lifestyle of a dancer. We also sell mugs, headbands, and tote bags. Our goal is to launch a custom dance sports apparel collection. Our customers are dancers, dance teachers, dance moms, and individuals who just love dance in general.
Tell us about yourself
KennDance is owned and operated by a dancer (Kennedie) and a dance mom (Artesha). We launched on May 2, 2020, during COVID. Kennedie has been dancing since the age of three and became a competitive dancer in 2015. During our journey in dance, it has been challenging to find dancewear that supports Kennedie's body correctly, which sometimes affects her confidence while dancing. We know we aren't the only dance family with this problem, so we decided to work on a dance brand that supports all body types, and looks fly at the same time. To help raise money for our sports apparel line, we designed a collection of t-shirts and hoodies to help with start-up costs.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Our biggest accomplishment thus far has been staying devoted to our brand and during challenging times as we grow the business. The first year of launching sales was good, and it was an exciting and new experience for us. The second year not so much. We took that time to educate ourselves on our target audience and worked on our marketing. In 2022, our sales doubled from year one. We still have plenty to learn as we expand our brand.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The most challenging part of business ownership for us is work-life balance. Kennedie and I both have busy schedules. I work a full-time job in healthcare, and Kennedie is 14 years old, so she attends school and dances afterward for several hours. Between the normal schedule, we have to find time to create content for marketing and process orders. Sometimes business and personal schedules conflict, but we often find ways to incorporate fun and stay on task without feeling overworked.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be patient. Slow progress is still progress. If you use social media for marketing, try not to compare yourself or your business to others on social media.
- Stay constant. At times in business when orders may not be steady, it's easy to stop posting or create content to promote your brand. Keep showing up no matter what. People are always watching.
- If you are thinking of starting a business, just do it! Don't overthink it. It doesn't have to be perfect now.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.kenndance.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kenndance/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kenndance1/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenndance-apparel-25b726263/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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