Today we’d like to introduce you to Kasandra and Allyson Co-Founders of Be Bougie.
Hi Kasandra and Allyson, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Be Bougie started in 2018 from a conversation between two friends (Allyson and Kasandra) about random life events. People have called us “Bougie” for having particular interests. Examples include the men we prefer to date to the standards we set for ourselves in the workplace, down to the type of stationary we like to use. In response, we created a brand that provokes a conversation about expectations.
Our company has a mission to promote confident, purposeful living and pay it forward. A percentage of our profits is earmarked for a non-profit that builds the confidence of young girls & teens. We want them to believe beyond what others expect from them.
We were those young black girls. And benefited from a village that surrounded us with love and conviction and supported us to become two full-time obstetrician-gynecologists. We created this company to serve women with a higher standard of living unapologetically. Our tribe includes professional women whose backstories are often left out of the narrative about their success journey. We sell affirmative apparel that showcases the complexity of women who desire more out of their life beyond the expectation of others.
We want our customers to Be Bougie! We want them to strive for greatness, no matter where they come from. Our customers share stories on how their current life struggles resonate with our content and tees. We offer a friend who sees them, provides encouragement, and is committed to helping others along the way.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
When the pandemic hit, its impact was felt in our day jobs, as essential healthcare workers, and in our e-commerce-based company. Due to the stay-at-home orders, we had limited control over when our products were processed, with significant shipping delays. The manufacturing and distribution from our vendors were unpredictable and did not meet our messaging of maintaining higher standards. We lost in sales during this time. Still, we remain committed to serving women by providing timely content on navigating the bailout and stimulus plans and providing resources for homeschooling their families. This strategy allowed us to stay connected to our customers in non-monetary ways. Being able to pivot in business is critical. We had to think about if we would continue to keep our shop open. Like many businesses, the supply chain shortages are impacting us, so we are constantly considering ways to pivot to meet the needs of our customers and grow our brand.
What has kept us going was believing in the mission for our brand and pressing into our why. This is critical if you want to thrive and continue to invest in your dream.
We are also first-time entrepreneurs who work full-time in a completely different field. So our learning curve over the past few years has been steep. Learning the brand’s legal, technical, marketing, and product development has been a fun experience-mainly because we are nerds and love to learn. However, running a business is not for the faint at heart. You have to know what you don’t know and when to hire others with specific expertise, invest in coaching to learn a skill yourself. If you have a partnership, it is vital to work as a team to understand your individual strengths and operate in your zones of genius. You also have to be good at time management and being organized. It is important to be strategic in knowing the essentials of getting your business running and functional. It’s easy (and more fun) to focus on superficial things, but the foundation of your company has to be solid. Setting the foundation takes time, and you have to be willing to invest for the long haul. That can be challenging, particularly if you work full time like we are.
The Be Bougie brand strives for excellence. We are the quintessential definition of a small business. At present, it is just the two of us who manage the majority of our business roles. I recall a customer who reached out to us to help with an order, and when I called her back and introduced myself. She was surprised to be speaking to me as one of the companies’ Founders. I could only chuckle and say to her-“Yep, we are truly a small business-how can I help you today.” We then connected about life, and I was able to help her to place her order.
These are the moments that matter to us as a small business. It keeps us going, even amid challenges. The reality for many small business owners is it can take some time to build an entire team around your brand.
We LOVE hearing stories about how our tees and messages speak to them, their family member, or their friends. We want our customers to stand taller when they wear our tees and messages.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Be Bougie is a black woman-owned tee and apparel company that serves women with higher standards who are unapologetic. We celebrate your wins and encourage you to be the best version of yourself. We cheer you on while you tap into your superpowers.
We want our customers to feel great about every purchase with us. Ten (10) percent of all sales are donated to a non-profit that builds the confidence of young girls and teens. Our current partner is the Pretty Brown Girls Foundation. This key component of our company sets us apart from other t-shirt brands in the same space. Every purchase with us matters.
We offer shirts in Unisex sized shirts because we believe in body-affirming apparel. Our shirts range from sizes XS to 5XL. We recommend choosing one size down if you want a more fitted look. We’ve designed and curated several collections for the diverse aspects of what it really means to Be Bougie. With statement pieces from our #Blessed to the Timeless, Woke, and Unapologetic collections. We know our High & Mighty friends will love our pieces that give you the freedom to express your inner BOSS and rock your greatness in a way that only you can Define. We also carry a small capsule collection, Bougie Like Me, that has sizes for our littles ranging from newborn babies to toddlers and kids sizes. There are matching adult sizes available.
How do you define success?
Success for us is having peace of mind. Peace of mind to know that we have done our best at the end of each day. To know that we can thrive and shine in the place we are right now at this moment while continuing to take one step closer to fulfilling our purpose. We have been blessed to achieve so much in our lives, and we are grateful for each moment. Success goes beyond tangible things like degrees, careers, or physical items that look pretty. It’s can I look at myself and wake up happy and go to bed at peace. If the answer is Yes, then we’re winning no matter what.
Pricing:
- Adult Tee Sizes XS-5XL: $29+
- Kids Sizes Newborn-5T: $20
- Accessories: $15+
- Free Shipping is available for qualified purchases
Contact Info:
- Email: media@bebougie.com
- Website: www.bebougie.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/shopbebougie
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/shopbebougie
- Podcast Too Bougie Friends: http://www.bebougie.com/
podcast
Image Credits
Ashleigh Bing Photography
Vivian Nguyen
