Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cassidy Burel. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Cassidy, thanks for joining us today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?

Tracing my design journey, it’s hard to pin down my first official client. I began sewing in 2016 and soon started making custom pieces for friends and family, often taking on projects at cost so I could learn while I worked. My first bridal commission was a wedding gown for my best friend in 2020; given the times, we even made matching face masks for the bridesmaids. I charged mostly at cost, and she generously added a few hundred dollars to compensate for my time.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a Custom Apparel Designer and the founder and owner of CassB by Design. CassB Studio specializes in bridal and evening wear, wherein I, as the head designer, inspire each design to instill confidence in the wearer and bring out the beauty and uniqueness of each of my clients. My studio is located in Kernersville, North Carolina. In this dynamic creative space my sewing team and I bring the dreams of each of our brides to life in the form of a stunning gown that is a reflection of their best selves. As a fashion designer, entrepreneur, and social media influencer, I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, UNCG with a BS in Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies, CARS. My concentration was in Apparel Design. I graduated from CARS in May of 2020 at the peak of the COVID19 crisis. This prompted many challenges and caused a pivot in career planning for me from my original short and long term goals. My goals as an entrepreneur and private business owner were fast-tracked by necessity leading to the launch of my own fashion brand. CassB was officially established in 2022 and my design work has been published over 15 times including in The O’Henry, The Greensboro News and Record, and The NewlyWed Magazine, in addition to my self published magazine, The Modern Bride by CassB. My goal is for CassB to be a valuable couture fashion presence in theTriad and I seek to further put North Carolina on the map as an up-and-coming fashion center in the years to come.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

My business is unlike others in that it didn’t require investors to come to fruition. As a sewing apprentice working in a bridal boutique, I was able to learn the ins and outs of client interaction and experience what brides and custom design clients expect when stepping into either the alterations or custom design process. At first, I thought it was necessary to have a brick and mortar store for my clients if I branched out. But as soon as I stepped down from my position there and began investing my time completely in CassB, I found that my home studio business model actually provides an even more personal and intimate experience for my clients. So for this business model, acquiring capital wasn’t the determining factor for starting my business. And as it’s grown over the years, yes we will expand. But I will likely build a stand alone building on my residential property that will continue to act as a home studio and give a very personalized custom experience for my clients. And all this took, was hard work at my business, and saving every dime I made from it.

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

In a customer service business, eventually you’re going to have clients who are unhappy. This can be due to a variety of reasons. As a designer, every look I create I invest so much of myself into. And so, eventually when you do receive a bad review from an unhappy client, it hits a bit harder than if you’re working for a large corporation. However, with each negative experience, is always a learning opportunity. There are some individuals who are just unhappy with themselves and the situation they are in and sometimes, has nothing to do with your work. Sometimes, it is okay to simply disagree with their opinion. The learning opportunity here, is knowing when there is a fault in your work, or an unachievable expectation and flaw in the behavior of the person you’re attempting to please.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cassbstudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassbbydesign/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083299962883
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@cassbbydesign

Image Credits

elliemckinneyphotography
liaroseweddings
savannah.nicole.photography
ashdingessphoto unveiledandco
cesarsanchez.photography
lauramemoryphotography