—————————–

Kathryn designs and creates beautiful, original children’s boutique clothing.

Kathryn tells how she started her venture,
TikiBoo Kids

What was the idea that first got the ball rolling?
When my daughter was born I spent hours shopping for delightful clothes for her, only to discover that everyone else was dressing their little ones in the same delightful outfits. As a result, her doting grandmother Christine was called upon to create something unique and we spend many hours lovingly creating original outfits for her. Mum has been designing and creating everything from babies booties to wedding gowns for more than 40 years, so when she decided to retire the long simmering idea for our own children’s designer fashion label, TikiBoo Kids, finally boiled over into reality.

What got you excited enough about the idea to put it into motion?
I discovered the concept of “Custom boutique” which is huge in the USA. I showed mum some ideas and she couldn’t wait to get started. We’ve had to simplify our designs a little– the Australian market wasn’t quite ready for the original designs we had!
The response from friends and family when we suggested the idea was phenomenal. Some of the original product “testers” are still my most devoted customers– it’s lovely.

Where did the name for your business spring from?
My daughter is the original TikiBoo. It was a nickname we coined when she was a few months old and it stuck. It’s cute and catchy and suits the designs we create.

How is TikiBoo Kids original?
Probably experience. There are certainly a lot of mums starting businesses sewing children’s clothing, however most of them don’t have 40 plus years of sewing experience! Really, anyone who puts their mind to it can sew– however I am a firm believer that to become a true sewing artist you need the years of practice behind you. I can explain an idea to my mother, and in a few hours that idea is wearable.

What was the most difficult part in getting your business off the ground?
Getting it started was easy– growing it has been more of a challenge. Deciding where to spend money on things like advertising has been difficult, it’s always a gamble.

Has any part of your business gone down a different path than you first anticipated?
The TikiBoo Kids label original started as modern cloth nappies. It was too restricting creatively. There are only so many different materials and designs possible for a nappy– and your customers only have a limited lifecycle– once their children are toilet trained, your relationship tends to end. Deviating into clothing has been far more creatively rewarding.

What do you enjoy most about running your business?
There are so many facets I love. Selecting fabrics is so much fun, I see a fabric swatch and instantly start planning an outfit in my head. I enjoy working with my mother, although there are certainly times we clash, most of the time it’s a lot of fun. It’s also wonderful being able to run the business from home and have my daughter with me, she loves to help as well.

Do you belong to any networks that have helped you grow your business?
I’m a member of two online business forums – Business Women Unite and The Messy Desk.

What are your future goals for TikiBoo Kids?
We want to become a well known and respected Australian children’s fashion label. We’re in the process of investigating outsourcing some of the sewing and intend to wholesale.

What advice would you give another woman wanting to start a business of her own?
If you’re passionate enough about it, you can do it. Start small but dream big.