Today we’d like to introduce you to Kat Guillo.
Hi Kat, 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?
I’ve always been a creative person, and have grown up googling or YouTube-ing how to do different craft projects. It’s always been something that is a stress reliever for me. During the time when Houston was shut down from COVID, I, like everyone else, had way too much time on my hands. I decided I wanted to learn how to hand-embroider, and I started making a sweatshirt with my sorority’s name on it.
A few of my friends told me I should think about selling them, and once I made an Instagram account for them, they took off!! I was shocked at how many people wanted an embroidered sweatshirt from me! Being a full time Engineering college student, it was hard for me to keep up the pace, so I pivoted to making the popular smiley trucker hats and custom vinyl trucker hats as well. I still make the sweatshirts occasionally, but only when I have time. Over this summer, my business Instagram tripled the number of followers it had, and I started getting order after order of trucker hats! Once August hit, I packed up all of my supplies and took it with me to Tuscaloosa!
I’m still making and shipping orders and loving doing it! I really love what I’m doing because I can make someone’s idea of what they want on a hat come to life. I’ve even gotten a few bulk orders which I never expected! I’m so so thankful for the support and the encouragement from all of my friends and family, and customers too!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Once things started opening back up after COVID shut down, I started back with school. For a while, I was trying to keep the pace of embroidering so many sweatshirts, and it came to a point where I needed to take a break from them or slow down the number of orders I was taking of the sweatshirts. That’s when I came up with my trucker hat idea! I still make the embroidered sweatshirts, but only on occasion. Made By Katelyn has turned into a trucker hat hotspot and I am loving it!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I’m most proud of the immense growth I’ve seen in orders and engagement in the last summer. What sets me apart is that I’m a full time college student running a small business that has started taking off. I love that I can really connect with the customers I have, and love getting to see how excited they are when they get their trucker hat!
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Not to sell myself short! I really did not think I would be able to keep up with the growth of Made By Katelyn, be a full time student, and continue my leadership positions in different campus organizations. Don’t get me wrong, I stay very busy – but I have gotten better at time management, and carry my planner with me everywhere haha!
Pricing:
- Smiley Trucker Hat $17
- Custom Vinyl Trucker Hat $17
Contact Info:
- Email: shopmadebykatelyn@gmail.com
- Instagram: @ShopMBK_
Image Credits
Kat Guillo
