Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Lee.
Hi Kayla, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Kayla Kabnag Lee and I am the proud owner of XOXO KK BOUTIQUE. I was born and raised in Saint Paul, MN. I am a Hmong American woman. I am a mama of two, a happily married woman, and a part-time business scholar.
I love fashion and beauty As a little girl, I’ve always loved seeing my mom apply makeup to enhance her beauty. She also had so many fashionable pieces of clothes hanging in her closet and I used to sneak into her room and pretend I was in a fashion show wearing her trendiest outfits in the standing mirror she had.
As a teenager, I continued to carry my love and passion for fashion and beauty. On school mornings, I would set an alarm for 5am to apply makeup and wear the boldest outfits to school. My classmates probably thought I was crazy wearing high heels to class when there were five inches of snow outside. But I never really cared for anyone’s opinion because I felt confident wearing what made me feel great about myself.
January 2021 was the start of my journey in creating the brand. As a stay home mama, I was inspired by so many Hmong WOMEN within my community who were establishing their own businesses despite the hit of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was such an inspiration to see so many thriving women be their own BOSS! XOXO KK BOUTIQUE was established afterward.
Now, I am extremely happy and honored to be able to express myself in the best possible ways through XOXO KK BOUTIQUE. It’s become such a special platform for not only myself but for all my #lovers to not only look beautiful but feel confident in the collections we have provided for our customers.
Our brand provides trendy clothing and fashionable accessories that will not only fulfill your closet but your lifestyle as well. We want our customers to not only look beautiful but to feel confident in styles embracing themselves.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting XOXO KK BOUTIQUE has been one of the best decisions of my life as it has brought so many amazing opportunities, life-long friendships, and everlasting knowledge. I’m grateful that I started this business as it has only confirmed all the more that taking risks in doing what you love is something everyone should pursue. However, that’s not to say that my path with XOXO KK BOUTIQUE has been easy because truthfully it hasn’t been.
As a starting business owner, one of the biggest struggles I have is comparing XOXO KK BOUTIQUE with other businesses. Don’t get me wrong, I am always so inspired by all the businesses that I see on my social media and businesses in my community. I love seeing businesses succeed and achieve! But I also admit that this makes me wonder what I’m doing wrong and maybe I’m just not good enough.
It can get depressing especially when you manage every area of your business on your own and you feel like no one understands the amount of work you put into launching your products. It’s not easy and it requires a lot of time to put out content and when you don’t get the results you expect, it can get depressing. Then the impacts of scrolling through social media make you feel even worse as you’re seeing all these other businesses succeed and get consistent sales.
But I’ve learned after endless nights of crying, feeling defeated, and being clouded with doubts that if I never compared myself to others, I wouldn’t be able to improve as a brand. As I stated, be inspired by others and never give up, and hopefully, in time all your dedication will be worth it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about XOXO KK BOUTIQUE?
Our products are meant to be lifelong pieces for your wardrobe. The styles we bring in are high quality as this is important because clothes that are well-made feel better, bring more confidence to a person, and make a more enjoyable experience.
Buying high-quality clothing is important for many reasons. One significant reason, quality clothing provides a huge boost to the environment. Our brand works with environmental-friendly vendors who provide high-quality products. Quality clothing provides a huge boost to the environment. Here’s why:
1. Lasts for a longer period of time
2. Great condition and holds well
3. Slow fashion means fewer chemicals in the environment
4. Excellent clothing may not need to be washed as often
5. Opting for better clothing means that you may be able to give it a second life
6. Timeless styles will always be TRENDY
7. Your bank account will thank you
Our brand has taken the steps to incorporate eco-friendly packaging supplies. Eco-Friendly packaging reduces carbon footprints. Using compostable, recycled, or recyclable packaging can have a significant impact. It diverts waste away from landfills and encourages our brand to be more mindful of the waste that we are producing.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My advice would be to start that business you have been dreaming about soon. Invest in yourself and take that risk. You’re going to thank yourself for it. It’s been eleven months since I started XOXO KK BOUTIQUE and I’ve already come such a long way. I love my customers, small business friends, and the amount of wisdom I have acquired. Starting a business is going to be life-changing and you’re going to love and hate the process but trust me when I say it’ll be worth it.
Contact Info:
- Email: xoxokkboutique@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.xoxokkboutique.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xoxokkboutique/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/xoxokkboutique
Image Credits
See Yang (@seeitsmesee)
Cathy Vang (@caatvee)
