Kiya Tomlin is a fashion designer and entrepreneur. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Pre-Medical Studies at the College of William & Mary, Kiya pursued her lifelong love of fashion by studying Fashion & Apparel Design at the University of Cincinnati. She later established her own brand and line of clothing for women, dedicated to helping her customers live their stories purely and fully, without restrictions or limitations.

Kiya joins us today to share the story of how she started her fashion brand. She discusses her background and what led her to the fashion industry. She explains how she found her first customers and describes how selling online contributed to their growth as a custom design business. Kiya also outlines how she managed her team through the pandemic and highlights the power of email marketing.

 

“There is no perfect time nor set of circumstances. Be confident and take the steps.” - Kiya Tomlin

If you’re looking to take your business to the next level, join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!

This week’s takeaways from Entreprenista:

• Kiya’s background and her path to fashion design and entrepreneurship
• Deciding what she wanted to design and how Kiya found her first customers
• How Kiya got the word out about her business
• Launching her website and how she got her first storefront and studio space
• Getting into the wholesale business and how Kiya learned to work with a factory
• The first steps Kiya took to find manufacturers
• How Kiya knew the number of dresses to order from manufacturers in the beginning
• Her initial marketing strategy and trying her luck in trade shows
• How Kiya’s fashion brand has evolved over the years
• Driving traffic to your website, attracting customers, and the power of email marketing
• Building Kiya’s team and making her first hire
• How Kiya managed her team through the COVID-19 pandemic
• The Kiya Tomlin team’s role in producing one million face masks and collaborating with the Pittsburgh Steelers
• Kiya’s go-to fashion tip and her advice on growing a business while staying present with the family

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “The responsibility of providing for someone’s livelihood is serious—it is not something to be taken lightly.” - Kiya Tomlin
• “The apparel timeline is stressful. But with selling online and direct-to-customer, you can have your own timeline.” - Kiya Tomlin
• “Being an Entreprenista means I get to live my story — and create with it.” - Kiya Tomlin

Connect with Kiya Tomlin:

• Kiya Tomlin
• Kiya Tomlin on LinkedIn
• Kiya Tomlin on Instagram
• Kiya Tomlin on Facebook
• Kiya Tomlin on Twitter

If you’re looking to take your business to the next level:

Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and MORE!

Whether you’re looking to scale your existing business and want to make the right connections, or you’re thinking about finally taking the leap to launch your business, we’re here to give you access to a community of women who will celebrate your every step, and with whom you can share the candid reality of building a business from scratch.

Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!

Introducing… Startups in Stilettos Podcast

Have you recently started a business? Are you considering taking the leap to start? Do you find yourself alone and overwhelmed in the whirlwind of early challenges in your entreprenista journey?

Then our newest podcast – brought to you by the Entreprenista Network – is for you.

The Startups in Stilettos Podcast helps you learn what it takes to grow your startup from your peers in the startup world and those who are in your shoes… or your stilettos, if you will. Each week, you’ll hear from startup founders from the Entreprenista League who are in the trenches and building their businesses from the ground up.

Learn more about the Startups in Stilettos Podcast by visiting www.entreprenista.com/startupsinstilettos/ and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Startups in Stilettos launches on March 8, 2022 – on International Women’s Day. We can’t wait to share everything we have in store with you.

Become An Entreprenista!

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