We caught up with the brilliant and insightful LaParis Hawkins a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi LaParis, thanks for joining us today. Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?

One thing I know for sure is that everything happens in perfect timing. I started Tailored Pieces in April 2020 at the height of the global pandemic. I was furloughed from my luxury retail job on Madison Avenue in New York City. I was redecorating my apartment and decided to make pillows out of head wrap material. I posted the pillows on my Instagram stories and finished decorating. Later when I checked my phone I had so many messages from people asking if they could place an order. Two and a half years later and our product list has grown so much and I have became a full-time entrepreneur.

I moved to New York City to pursue a career as a writer in 2012. I wrote for a plethora of magazines and then the internet and influencers changed the industry completely. I shifted to work in luxury retail while freelance writing in between. I had quite a few odd end jobs that taught me so much about business and creating meaningful products for consumers. At the time I had no idea that those jobs were preparing me to start my own brand. If I’d started Tailored Pieces any sooner I wouldn’t understand the persistence and perseverance it takes to build a brand.

LaParis, 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 am a writer as well as the creator and designer of Tailored Pieces. Tailored Pieces is an eccentric lifestyle brand. We currently provide pillows, head wraps, head bands, and our popular non-slip reversible bonnets. I curate every detail of every product from the fabric choice to the quality of satin used. I also sew most of the products however, as the business continues to grow it’s becoming harder to keep up with the demand alone. Recently, I’ve started a partnership with a manufacturer. I still currently sew the satin reversible bonnets myself. It took months for me to perfect them. I wanted to be sure if I told my consumers that they are non-ship then it was true. I value building a brand that has integrity. I also listen to the consumers. They tell me exactly what they are looking for or how the products they have don’t work for them.

Have you ever had to pivot?

In 2016 the world had completely changed. I worked in magazine publishing since 2011, and the industry was well aware of how the internet was shifting the landscape. The days of the editor’s suggestions had quickly been replaced by influencers. Layoffs were becoming more frequent as budgets continued to shrink. I was a freelance fact-checker for three years at one of the largest women’s magazines. My editor warned me that they weren’t able to bring me back next month because of budget cuts. I knew I had to make an adjustment and pivot. My first job at 15 years-old was in retail and I knew that luxury in New York was big business, so I decided to apply. I dealt with a lot mentally, letting go of a dream of owning my own magazine one day. It was a season of uncertainty, but I had this deep confidence that something better would come along.

I mourned one dream while continuing to write and work in retail. Tailored Pieces came to me and I am so glad it did. Entrepreneurship is growing me in so many ways. I get excited and motivated all the time to continue to create and grow my brand. I still love the words, and I still deeply desire to be an author, but right now I’m focused on Tailored Pieces.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

After the first set of pillows sold out in minutes, I knew I had something special. The momentum kept building until I returned to work 40 hours a week. It became difficult to find time to sew and the business eventually came to a halt. In June of 2021 I moved back to my hometown St. Louis, worked an odd end job while also growing the business. As of May 2022, I became a full time entrepreneur. It was one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made. The business has grown tremendously and we are starting to have loyal customers. Witnessing people love a product I create is so fulfilling. Throughout this process I have had to trust my gut and silence the noise. Intuition is one of the greatest gifts we have as humans. I encourage more people to listen to that still small voice.

Contact Info:

• Website: tailoredpieces.com
• Instagram: @TailoredPieces

Image Credits
Head shot: Kuro Blackk