We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sukie Wiggins. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sukie below.

Alright, Sukie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Success, for me, has been about consistency, resilience, and staying deeply connected to my why.

When I started Stitched by Sukie, I wasn’t backed by a huge team or endless resources I was designing, sewing, marketing, and shipping every bag myself. In the early days, I didn’t have viral moments or overnight sales. But I showed up consistently posting my work, improving my craft, and learning from every small win or setback. That slow, steady growth built the foundation I stand on now.

Of course, things haven’t always been smooth. There was a time when business slowed down dramatically. Sales weren’t where I wanted them to be, and I knew something had to shift. That’s when I decided to pivot not by chasing trends, but by realigning with what I wanted to be known for: quality and creativity. I stopped trying to please everyone and started focusing on making bags that felt like me. I learned how to digitally create my own patterns instead of sketching with pencil and paper, and it changed everything. The designs became more structured, more intentional. I realized I could produce a lot of bags but without structure and purpose, more didn’t always mean better.

Another big shift? Silencing the outside noise. A lot of people had opinions about how I should run my business. And while I value feedback, I always told myself: I have to remain 100% authentic. If I lose that, I lose the heart of what Stitched by Sukie really is.

To me, success isn’t a destination. It’s the quiet discipline of doing what you love, day in and day out, especially when no one’s clapping yet.

Sukie , 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 journey started at Morgan State University, where I studied with a curiosity for business and creativity. After graduation, I worked in high-end retail, which gave me a firsthand look at luxury products and what makes them special how quality materials, craftsmanship, and presentation come together to create pieces that people connect with. One day, I picked up a bag at work, turned it over in my hands, and thought, I could make this. That one thought turned into a spark—and soon after, Stitched by Sukie was born.

At Stitched by Sukie, I design and create handbags and accessories that blend fashion-forward aesthetics with practical design. One of the ways I’ve made my work stand out is through embossing. I began embossing leather and faux leather materials to give my bags a custom, luxurious edge and it quickly became a defining element of my brand. It started as a creative experiment but turned into something signature. My embossed bucket bag, in particular, has become one of my standout designs a mix of sleek structure, unique texture, and effortless style that customers immediately recognize as mine.

I’ve always wanted my bags to do more than just hold your stuff. They should elevate your look, reflect your personality, and feel just as durable as they are beautiful. That’s why I pay close attention to the details from digitizing my own patterns for precision, to testing different structures and interfacings, to adding finishes that feel high-end but still grounded in handmade quality.

Beyond the product, I think what sets me apart is the energy behind the brand. I’m not just making bags I’m building a creative space where people can embrace boldness, authenticity, and function all in one. I’m proud that I’ve carved out a lane that reflects me, even when the market felt crowded. I’m also proud that I’ve stayed true to that vision, even when it meant slowing down, pivoting, or saying no to trends that didn’t feel aligned.

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

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was that success equals constant hustle and high output. For a long time, I believed that the only way to grow Stitched by Sukie was to produce more bags, stay booked and busy, and never slow down. I thought if I wasn’t working nonstop, I wasn’t working hard enough.

At first, that mindset felt productive I was getting orders, staying visible, and constantly creating. But eventually, it started to drain me. I was making a lot of bags, but I wasn’t giving myself the space to grow creatively or strategically. I wasn’t refining my patterns, improving structure, or even checking in with what I really wanted my brand to stand for.

The turning point came when sales began to slow down. Instead of panicking, I gave myself permission to pause. I asked myself what Stitched by Sukie was really about and that’s when everything shifted. I stopped chasing volume and started focusing on quality, design, and innovation. I taught myself how to digitally draft my own patterns, how to emboss materials to give each piece a custom feel, and how to build bags that were both beautiful and structured.

That season of slowing down helped me realize that intentional work done with vision and authenticity has way more power than nonstop output. Now I build from a place of alignment, not burnout.

So the lesson I had to unlearn?
That doing more is the same as doing better.
It’s not.

How did you build your audience on social media?

When I first started Stitched by Sukie, I didn’t have a big following or a strategy. I was just sharing what I was creating posting the bags I made, showing behind-the-scenes of my process, and talking about what inspired me. At first, the likes were low and the audience was small, but I kept showing up. That consistency built trust. People could see that I wasn’t just selling bags I was building something real, with heart and intention.

As I grew more confident in my voice and brand, I started leaning into what made my work different. I showed the embossing process, shared the textures and tools I use, and gave my audience a behind-the-scenes look at how I turn raw materials into bold, structured bags. That creative transparency helped people connect not just with the product, but with the craft behind it.

But another big shift came when I allowed my full personality to show online. That’s when I started my “Sukie Just Be Doing Stuff” series. I launched it because, yes I’m a bag maker but if you know me in real life, you know I randomly jump into other creative projects too. One day I’ll be designing a structured tote, and the next I’m making a full outfit from scratch. It felt right to share that side of myself. I wanted people to see the unfiltered, spontaneous, creative chaos that makes me me. And that series resonated because it wasn’t curated, it was real.

By showing both the craftsmanship and the chaos, I built a space where people could connect with the full story not just the product. That’s what turned followers into a real community.

One of the biggest growth points came when I stopped trying to make “perfect” content and started focusing on connection. I’d talk to my followers in captions, respond to DMs, share my challenges and wins real stuff. That’s what builds loyalty.

For anyone just starting to grow their presence:

Don’t wait until it’s perfect share what you have now. Progress is part of the story.

Be consistent even if it’s once a week, make it count.

Talk to your audience like people, not numbers your voice is your superpower.

Show more than the product show the process, the story, the emotion.

And most importantly, stay true to your vision. Trends fade, but authenticity sticks.

It took time, but I’ve built a community of people who connect with my work, my brand, and my story. That’s more valuable to me than a million silent followers.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.stitchedbysukie/com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchedbysukie
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchedbysukie
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/saidasukie
• Other: Tik Tok: www.Tiktok.com/stitchedbysukie

Image Credits

YRN Photo
Austin