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As a part of the Morning Lazziness collection highlighting empowering ladies who’re making a outstanding influence with their concepts, I had the pleasure of interviewing Katya Komarova.
Katya Komarova started her profession in style greater than 20 years in the past as a mannequin, working with famend manufacturers and creatives across the globe. Throughout one in all her contracts, she found a ardour for leatherwork—a talent that led her to check Bag Making & Design in Florence earlier than ultimately relocating to Australia.
As we speak, Katya is the inventive power behind her namesake label, celebrated for its distinctive minimalist, stitch-free designs. By pioneering revolutionary strategies, she creates clear, seamless silhouettes that spotlight the pure fantastic thing about premium supplies, whereas providing practical versatility—equivalent to foldable luggage ultimate for journey.
Sustainability is on the coronary heart of the Katya Komarova model. From eco-conscious manufacturing practices to the round financial system method of its Second Likelihood initiative, the label is devoted to lowering style’s environmental footprint. Along with her distinctive mix of artistry, craftsmanship, and duty, Katya has constructed a model that embodies timeless magnificence, innovation, and conscious residing.
On this interview, she displays on the pivotal moments, hard-earned classes, and defining wins from her journey in constructing thriving on-line ventures.
What impressed you to begin your corporation, and what downside had been you enthusiastic about fixing?
I spent years within the style trade as a mannequin working for wonderful manufacturers world wide, and I couldn’t not strive creating one thing of my very own. Once I began engaged on my purse label, I began uncovering the problems within the trade and the challenges my future prospects face. These learnings stored inspiring me to create the product that addresses the sustainability points and helps men and women have extra enjoyable with their accent recreation whereas nonetheless being a accountable client.
How has your corporation advanced since its launch, and what key selections have helped drive that progress?
Oh, it’s been a journey. A number of main milestones included transferring manufacturing from China to Australia, which utterly reshaped the product and the way in which we do enterprise, then rising the group and studying methods to delegate, discovering new income streams to be disaster resistant and a lot extra. And in every of those moments, the selections that made it work had been those of asking for assist, signing up for an additional on-line course, agreeing to yet one more loopy alternative. You solely see outcomes, the place your focus and energy is.
In your view, what really units your model aside in right now’s aggressive market?
A number of the key factors of distinction embrace the accountable manufacturing in Australia, the stitch-free approach that our luggage are made with, which allow our shoppers to unfold luggage for simple storage and touring, and naturally the interchangeable straps and handles that allow you to look totally different on a regular basis. We’re presently engaged on incorporating AI and permitting our prospects to design their very own prints on their luggage as effectively. Our mission is to encourage everybody to specific themselves by style, but do it mindfully with respect for the planet.
What has been your only advertising and marketing technique to date, and why do you suppose it labored so effectively?
All through the years in enterprise, I’ve come to the conclusion that there isn’t any one instrument that may ship the outcome that we would like. So, our technique has been a mix of constant social media posting, occasional media mentions, academic blogs on our web site, seasonal offline occasions, and paid promoting, focusing on those that had a contact level with our model earlier than by the above. And as soon as once more, you actually see the outcome in the event you put within the effort. It’s significantly apparent once we present a sure styling tip on our Instagram after which this specific type performs the very best on the web site.
How do you keep linked to your ultimate viewers and perceive their wants or behaviors?
We’re fairly engaged with our prospects by social media and naturally the offline occasions. It’s a problem when working principally on-line, however there are methods. Additionally, we’re all the time very open to any suggestions and have processes in place to gather the continuing knowledge on what our prospects like or dislike.
What’s one branding transfer or marketing campaign that helped elevate your corporation to the subsequent stage?
It was a choice to maneuver away from massive sale occasions like Black Friday and create our personal. We run it throughout my birthday week and provides a reduction equal to the age I activate that yr. It creates loads of buzz across the model and we generate months of income in only one week. This birthday sale week additionally brings loads of new prospects, which is nice,
What does success appear like for you, not simply in numbers, however in objective or influence?
I believe it begins with numbers anyway. That manner you’ll be able to actually measure the influence. For instance, our buyer return fee is 50%. This implies half of people that store with us come again for his or her second, third, fourth buy. There are some prospects who personal greater than 10 of our luggage. It’s so heartwarming, figuring out there are individuals who admire what we do and perceive our philosophy. That’s true success to me.
How do you personally outline success, past income and progress metrics?
I really feel profitable when I’ve the liberty to do what I like and when no matter I like and create for different folks is appreciated and chosen over different choices. It feels very particular. I additionally really feel profitable in my private life as a result of I’m in wholesome relationships and these relationships usually are not interfering with no matter I select to do professionally.
Are you able to share a problem or setback that in the end turned a turning level to your model?
I bear in mind again in 2018 my model was barely rising and my husband was questioning if I ought to hold doing it. I sat down with a thought – can I simply kill my model? I realised, I can’t. It’s such an enormous a part of me and who I’m. At that second one thing really particular occurred. I made a pact with myself that I’ve to make it work. I enrolled in a social media course, I discovered partnerships, I felt the urge and starvation for achievement. On a regular basis I began asking myself ‘What can I do right now to make a sale?’. It labored. I believe till you really and really feel like it’s important to have it, there isn’t any manner again, you don’t know your full potential. I needed to develop into offended with myself, in a manner, to essentially push by.
What day by day habits or rituals hold you targeted, inventive, and grounded as a frontrunner?
I do have a little bit of a routine. I write morning pages to maintain the ideas flowing and to provide myself an area to get all of it out. I train, I eat wholesome, I sleep 8 hours, I recurrently stroll. All this provides me sufficient vitality to be productive and tick off loads of issues in every week. I additionally learn loads of enterprise literature, encourage myself with style studies, and watch stunning films to remain linked with my inventive self. These sorts of actions are very distinctive for me and my trade, however one factor that works for everybody is your physique. I consider in the event you eat wholesome, take care of your self, you’ll be able to obtain unimaginable issues, as a result of your wholesome physique and thoughts will all the time drive you to make use of your potential.
How do you method innovation and threat in your corporation technique?
I’m utilizing one of many effectuation principle ideas – reasonably priced loss. We have now to innovate to be able to keep related, but it surely needs to be finished inside the out there sources and investments or losses that don’t destroy what’s working right now. I strive to not rush and set life like expectations on what and when could be finished, whereas attempting to go forward of the competitors.
What recommendation would you give to somebody beginning a enterprise in right now’s fast-changing digital world?
I like to recommend embracing this digital world and utilizing it in full. It’s wonderful what you’ll be able to presently do with AI. Use it! I can also’t stress sufficient on the facility of individuals. Discover partnerships, develop your group, don’t do it by your self. It’s a lot simpler to do it with like-minded.
The place can our viewers join with you and study extra about your work or choices?
Our Instagram account
Our website
I additionally love connecting with different entrepreneurs and having significant discussions.
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