We recently connected with Sadreaka Ogletree and have shared our conversation below.

Sadreaka, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?

I love to tell this story of my first client because it’s funny and it shows my growth and determination in this business. I had a family friend’s daughter who was going to her senior prom. She had heard that I was into fashion design and asked could I design her daughter’s dress for prom. Now I was fresh out of fashion design school and had made a dress before but not for a client, so I was extremely excited and nervous at the same time. She sent me the picture of want she wanted, I took her measurements and went to work. Now the dress was beautiful, but poor thing. The dress was full of stones that were falling off, the top was big, and the dress was too long. But because she lived out of town and I had to ship the dress to her, she didn’t get any alterations done. But she wore that dress proudly, held the top up with her hand, because it kept falling down, and took beautiful prom pictures. She told me she received so many compliments on how beautiful her dress was, and I was just amazed on how she pulled it off. But to see my creation on my first client is a feeling that I will never forget. To me it was a disaster, but my client wore it like I had been designing for years.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My passion for fashion started at a young age when I use to cut my socks up and use them for my barbie doll gowns. I also use to study fashion magazines that came in the mail. I was always dress to the nines in high school and was known for being stylish. After a few unfulfilling career choices, I decided to take my passion for fashion and create a career. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with fashion, I just knew I had to be a part of the industry. I began taking styling workshop, reading books, studying celebrities, and styling my friends for special occasions. I eventually enrolled in a Fashion Design course at my local community college just to enhance my sewing skills and learn new techniques.

I started House of Cavone ( Cavone being my middle name) in 2011. I started it as a clothing boutique first, selling clothes online then using my sewing and creative skills, I expanded to creating custom garments. I now create custom designs for men and women and specialize in tailoring, alterations, wedding gowns, prom, red carpet, and special events.

I’m most proud of my brand because I’ve participated in various fashion shows worldwide like Paris and New York. I mean 10 years ago, when I created my first dress, you could have told me I would be in these fashion shows, and I wouldn’t have believed you.

I love to build real relationships with my clients. Most of my clients hire me to assist them for a special day so I love to help bring out their creative side and together we design the perfect garment for their style and personality. So, they are actually part of the design process from start to finish.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn that everyone who you thought was going to be rooting for you, will not. I tell every new business owner that I come in contact with, that strangers will make you rich. Seriously, my social media friends have referred more customers to me than my personal friends and family. As you become more successful, your circle will become smaller. And I use to take it personal when I first started, but it just gave me fuel and motivation to keep going. I’ve not surrounded myself with genuine and like-minded people who want to see me win. Unfortunately, you can’t take everyone with you or your way to your destiny.

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

In 2020 when Covid 19 hit the US and events were being cancelled including prom, which is my busiest season, my business took a dip. My clients usually start booking and paying deposits for prom around November/December of the previous year, so it was nightmare. Fabric and materials had already been purchased which is nonrefundable. Parents were understandably frustrated as was I. I had no control over a natural disaster and some parents understood and of course some didn’t. My business was shut down for a year due to covid and as a business owner, you have to take the good with the bad. Business began to pick it as the world opened back up and now House of Cavone is stronger than ever. We’re now booked and busy and it’s looking like it’s going to be prosperous year.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.houseofcavone.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/houseofcavone
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/houseofcavone