We recently connected with Katy Rand and have shared our conversation below.

Katy, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

I have always wanted to start my own business and had ideas of what I thought it could be but it was never something I felt hit that spark I was looking for. In an extremely saturated space, it had to stand out. I wanted the items to be relatable and affordable while still feeling elevated and unique.

I started working on small projects here and there, freelance opportunities and random ideas I had of items I would want but could never find. I then began to realize the style and type of products I was gravitating towards. During the beginning stages I met Andrew and he quickly jumped into the business with me. There was a LOT of research and development that when into Kat & Crew. We didn’t want to rush into anything and carefully built the first collection of items at a pace we felt was neccessary to make sure what we were putting out was the right choice. Timing wise it was about a full year, if not a bit more, from the very beginning to our introduction of the company/soft launch.

From the beginning, we had big plans but had to stay as grounded as possible without jumping too far ahead. It’s okay if you can’t do every single thing you want to do right at the start. Do what you can and then slowly get better as your able to. We had a lot of failed attempts at things we were extremely excited about about, those low moments were a huge bummer when something you are passionate about doesn’t work out – but that doesnt mean it never will. And we’ve worked extremely hard and grown in ways we are still wrapping our heads around.

There are a lot of moving parts with owning and running a small business. You wear every hat, are responsible for every aspect of the company and if you aren’t well versed in something, it feels like you’re getting thrown to the sharks trying to navigate waters you’ve never experiened before. We both work day jobs on top of Kat & Crew which presents its own challenges as well. You always have to do your best to be on your A game and prepared to handle any issues or the unexpected. One of the biggest and most important things we had to figure out was our online presence and what that looked like. I have a background in graphic design, video, marketing and social media which helped a lot but an ecommerce platform was a big undertaking. Our website took a substantial amount of time to build and is still evolving to this day.

Andrew and I love the creative part, but had a lot to learn on the business side of things. My advice to anyone starting a business is to do your research, ask questions and don’t bite off more than you can chew. There’s no rush and it’s better to do things right than to force something that’s not ready.

Katy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have been a creative my entire life, my mom is an artist and that heavily influenced my love for art growing up. I knew from a very young age that I wanted a creative career and that was always my goal. I love to learn and try new things. I am constantly working on new skills and advancing the ones I have. I have had a lot of really amazing opportunities throughout my career but it has always been creating for someone else. Kat & Crew is a passion project and it has been gratifying having the outlet to try new things and push myself in ways that I wouldnt necessary get the chance to in my day to day 9-5.

Andrew is extremely talented, espeically in his ability to take a concept and turn it into reality. His father taught him to be observant and understand how things work from a young age which was the foundation that allowed him to build a wide range of skills that have helped make Kat & Crew what it is today. He is a modern day McGyver, that mixed with his carpentry skills and professional experience in production line management and project management have helped bring Kat & Crew to the next level. We both play an important role in the company and together we balance eachother out in our skills and abilities.

If you haven’t heard of Kat & Crew before, we are so excited to introduce you to our little corner of the universe! We’re just a couple of punk kids who grew up to handcraft alternative home décor, clothing and accessories heavily influenced by music culture and traditional flash tattoos. A one-stop-shop for the “elder emo” aesthetic and like-minded people who find as much joy in everything we create as we do. Finding items to match the “standing in the back at the show with your arms crossed while still having the time of your life” alternative vibe is easier said than done. That’s where we step in, but wanted to make it elevated. We create affordable products that feel special and relatable. Something you’re excited to put on display or wear, that represents your personality and what make’s you unique. Each piece is unashamedly “us,” a tiny glimpse into our quirks and interests that forges each item an identity all its own. And we make everything ourselves, out of our home. But it’s not just about the products, it’s about the community we build every day. When you support us and join our journey, you’re a part if something special, a part of the Kat & Crew family. Welcome to the crew, we’re so happy you’re here.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

In-person vendor events/art fairs have been the most successful for us and we love attending them. Online sales are great but nothing beats getting to meet people in person, talk to them and build a real connection. They also get to see the products in person before they purchase, ask questions and get to know us which is difficult with only online shopping. It’s also really amazing to see the same people visit us at multiple events throughout the year. It starts to feel more like friends are visiting us rather than customers and we absolutely love seeing everyone.

Another one of our favorite things about vendor events is getting to see peoples real time reaction at discovering us for the first time. Kat & Crew was made to fill a space we felt was missing and seeing like-minded people walk up to our booth and get excited is the best feeling!

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

A lot of thought went into how we wanted to set up our ecommerce platform. There are tons of options out there and we wanted to choose something that felt right for us. We decided not to start on a marketplace like Etsy and instead built out an ecommerce website. We wanted our website to feel like an experience and an extension of our brand – not just items listed. Kat & Crew has a personality and it needed to shine. Pro’s to building out a website is that you have more customizable options and capabilities, less hidden fees and you don’t have a high percentage taken from each sale. Cons is that you are responsible for everything and making sure people can find it. A marketplace like Etsy has a massive following. People shop there every day. Set up is easy, you load images and information about the products and publish it. There are a few customization options but everyting is basic and straight forward. With a website, there are endless options and there’s more work that goes into someone visiting and making a purchase. I have web experience so it was more accessible to us but there are great website builders like Shopify and Wix that make it easier for anyone to create a fully functioning ecommerce website.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.katandcrew.com
• Instagram: kat.andcrew
• Facebook: Kat & Crew

Image Credits
Images belong to me