Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Giavonna Taylor . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Giavonna, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
I decided to start The G’s Knees in 2022 with a rebrand in 2023. While the initial start was a risk in itself, it was the rebrand which made me take risks beyond my expectations. What started out as only creating customized bleached bandanas with patches, evolved into an entire exclusive experience. My rebrand totally changed my business and showed my true passions — ultimately leaving me with having to make the choice of continuing in my full time retail job (which i loved so much) or pursuing this dream. I knew since the start The G’s Knees was something I would always want to pursue, and I knew if I wanted to do that, I would have to take the biggest risk and go all in, quitting my full time job. So i did! It was probably one of the scariest choices I’ve ever had to make, and truthfully I didn’t really want to do it, but in my heart I knew I had to. Despite it being so extremely difficult, it was the best choice. Opportunities I had prayed about for The G’s Knees suddenly started falling into place and I was able to begin creating a vision and business I loved. The risks are always worth it!
Giavonna, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
When it came to standing out, it was something I was never afraid to do, especially when it came to my wardrobe. I have always filled my style with pieces that are filled with color, fun designs, and no neutrals. Thanks to my mom, I love brands that don’t fit my budget, but she taught me how to discover deals and find fab pieces at a great price. Because of this, I’ve also filled my closet over the years with amazing consigned and thrifted items, which are some of my all time favorites. I have always loved searching for and creating pieces that are true to myself and one of a kind. People would always tell me they couldn’t pull off what I wore, and that they didn’t want to stand out. Since that is a very silly misconception about yourself, I decided to start The G’s Knees in 2022 with a rebrand in 2023. I started with creating hand bleached bandanas in my 650sqft apartment tub (talk about fumes) & adding patches for customers. It was so much fun! As life happened, I hit the pause button to see what my next steps should be. In late 2023, the passion was still there, so I decided to hit the go button (luckily, this time around I had a balcony to use). I was working full time in retail, which is how I gained so so much knowledge about all that I was doing. I quickly learned I wouldn’t be able to make TGK anything other than a “fun hobby” if I was just making bandanas, since you can’t really make a living off $15-30 merchandise, ha. In late 2023 I started creating custom clothing, mostly flannels and sweatshirts. This was fun, but not truly me or my vision for TGK. I was seeing the potential growth of I really took the time to invest in my dream, and I knew it was what I wanted to do. My husband and I had purchased a home, and I made the garage my “Garageficce”, and that was when I knew this dream could be a reality! In February of this year, I took a huge risk to step away from my retail job and start working towards transforming TGK. It was the hardest but best risk I’ve taken yet! I began taking action in what I’d always envisioned, thrifting and consigning every single piece as well as finding so many crazy add ins for customers. I created the Be Bold Bar, which is a custom pop up bar experience — customers can choose from thrifted tees, denim, sweatshirts and completely customize the piece to be true to themselves. It is crazy to see how taking that risk allowed me to say yes to opportunities I never thought I would be able to. I have a very strong Christian faith, and that was the sole source of inspiration and passion moving me to make a change. Along with pursuing my business, I also work part time as a pre-k teacher at our church, something I also love to do. Even though I’m “working” who knows how many hours, and staying awake until the early hours of the morning researching products, I feel the most content and it feels so right!
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
In the best way possible, I think a lot of people believe they can do this, that choosing a creative vision is the easy way out. While yes, it is so much fun to do what I truly love, it is so much work, way more work than people would ever want to do. Even though I am a bit extreme, it is because I’m willing to do what it takes to set apart. When I find new pieces, I not only spend all day at thrift stores, I also spend countless hours on different resale sites trying to find pierces that are one of a kind. In addition, I provide embellishments, fabric, and patches for customers to customize with. Again…I do not want this to come across condescending, but a lot of people truly believe they can quick search any patch, trim, etc., find it, and do it themselves — I know this because people have said this about my pieces. In reality, I spent most nights awake until 2am (again, I am extreme) to find so many of my pieces, ensuring they are from the USA and unique. I love it so much and it is so rewarding…but it is so rewarding!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding part of The G’s Knees is watching customers create a piece they love. This didn’t truly come into play until I started the Be Bold Bar, and since then, I’ve watched hundreds of customers create denim jackets, bandanas, tees that truly make them feel confident enough to stand out. It is so rewarding to watch this God-given dream be put to use, working in ways that are so much bigger than me!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @shopthegsknees
- Other: email [email protected]