So something folks are constantly asking me is if it takes us 12 hours to knit a glitten, how will KUSIKUY scale? The answer is through place. We will continue to seek out enclaves of amazingly skilled artisans with access to local natural fibers and work with them to keep expanding the KUSIKUY line. Building capabilities and opportunities. After Bolivia we can expand to Peru, where KUSIKUY has worked int he past and still is in contact with its former producers. Then it’s off to Africa for a summer line of hand made brilliantly dyed cotton dresses and shirts for men and women and then on to Asia for some silk.. All the while maintaining Fair Trade standards, celebrating the artisans, delighting the consumer, and making gorgeous clothing that lasts, is loved and makes everyone feel wonderful.
Archives for March 20, 2016
Scaling KUSIKUY – $5 million in 3 years
Building a Team
I’ve been listing to Alex Blumberg’s podcast, startup, and was intrigued when he talked about valuing a business that did not yet exist – at $10 million and then working backwards to see what was needed to get there. So I did the same with KUSIKUY – valued it as $5 million in 3 years and realized I needed a team (and some more money but that comes later)!
I also know from when I grew KUSIKUY before, that I did not like running a large firm alone. I felt lonely with no one to celebrate successes or commiserate over setbacks with. I wanted this to be fun and I wanted fun people around me to share this with. I also did not want them to be my employees, because I did not want to have to constantly be directing everything, I wanted folks also being in charge and sharing in ideas, direction and talent. I wanted a team.
So I looked over my favorite friends made these last 6 months of growing KUSIKUY and found three people I would love to have on board – ones with a proven track record of success in their own work, with independent flexible work schedules, and an interest in KUSIKUY. J: a wonderful visionary of people and the online user experience, J2: the systems guy who could take our inventory control, ordering systems and fulfillment software though our current Bolivia production to Peru, Africa, Asia and beyond (more on that in the he next paragraph), and T: an amazing men’s fashion guru who also understands wool. 
It was spring break. I had some free time. So I set up meetings with each of these great people and pitched them my idea. They were intrigued. I am waiting to hear back what they decide. We have a get together party scheduled for May…
Getting the Branding just right
It’s ha
rd to find time to write when things are progressing so quickly with KUSIKUY. We have finalized the logo design, colors and hand tags, the final product has been designed and is in production, the web site is being assembled and we’re looking at a May roll-out!
It’s interesting being on the other side of things. I ran my own advertising agency for years and would be the one designing and selling clients on my art and concepts, now I’m on the other side of the experience. it’s nice waiting to be delighted with Jon’s latest concepts and having Caroline coaching me through the process, though it’s tough sometimes to maintain my place as the client and not the designer! Never-the-less, we have all been very pleased and excited with the results.
This KUSIKUY re-launch has evolved much differently than I would have ever imagined. If I were to done it alone it would have been a smaller DIY approached with a crowd sourced 
logo and homemade knitting designs. Now with the support of Valley Venture Mentors, my mentors, associates, friends and the NYC design team we are so much more than that. Colorful, vibrant, strong with a joyful lightheartedness, KUSIKUY is the perfect accent to brighten up the neutral earth tones that make up so much of today’s fashion scape.
Here’s our symbol – inspired by the amazing weavings from the Jal’qa people in Sucre, Bolivia.
