We were lucky to catch up with Kailey Gonzales recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kailey, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with something countless entrepreneurs have had to figure out on the fly – how have you dealt with the rise of remote work?

Kailey’s K-pop was never just a location. It was a dream that was made possible through friends, family, and our very supportive community. As I look back to where our store was versus how it’s changed today, there isn’t much. Our name is very much alive in any events we may participate in. Staying at home and pushing our business on all social media platforms is the new norm in this century. We bring our merchandise wherever to whoever at any time. I feel that remote work allows us to branch out in new ways while focusing on different aspects of our lives as a team.

Kailey, 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?

My family and I created this business through a simple idea in the year twenty-twenty. It had always been a passion of mine and was really something I thought would be amazing to share with the public. As a merchandise store, we sell a variety of items, even creating some pieces ourselves. This can range from Albums, Posters, Lanyards, Jewelry, Apparel, Decor and so much more. We as a store, and now vendor for public events want to stand out amongst the others, this can be through the items we provide or the family-like service. As a small business owner, we strive for satisfaction and happiness. I can proudly say everything we have accomplished as a team has made a great impact on my life. In everything we do, there is something to learn and take. We want to strive for a family environment inside and outside of our store, almost a sense of returning home to great friends with similar interests.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Social Media seems like a scary place for any sort of business, but I see it as a place to grow tremendously. I still remember starting our account on Instagram with twenty followers and a few likes on two posts. It did take a lot of patience, as most of the people interacting with the page were my friends or family members. As time went on our best friend was communicating. People in our community spreading the news in person or online about us skyrocketed our numbers in just a few months. I, as the owner needed to make it my job to learn the do’s and dont’s of running a social page. I turned to friends, and local shop owners, and even took random surveys to increase our potential of being noticed. If I had to give any piece of advice to anyone, it would have to be to learn the true meaning of patience. It’s all new to everyone at some point, making mistakes is a part of the job. Sooner or Later you will find what benefits you and your business.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Resilience is a great word to describe our journey as a shop this year. As most know, I am a college student. This semester I made the tough decision to pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a pre-med student. I have been through many challenges this semester physically and mentally, almost to the point where I was thinking of closing our doors permanently. With the love and support of everyone in my life, we made a system that works best for us. From our team doing events when we can and trying to stay consistent with our supporters, Kailey’s K-pop is still alive and better than ever.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: kaileyskpop

Image Credits
Kailey’s Kpop