{"id":9356,"date":"2024-09-20T03:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-20T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sidehustlepro.co\/?p=9356"},"modified":"2025-02-07T00:04:38","modified_gmt":"2025-02-07T05:04:38","slug":"how-to-test-out-your-side-hustle-flashback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sidehustlepro.co\/how-to-test-out-your-side-hustle-flashback\/","title":{"rendered":"429: How To Test Out Your Side Hustle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-fusebox-player-single\"><script data-type=\"track\" data-hash=\"Zwg0pOdgzq\" data-track=\"436\" src=\"https:\/\/app.fusebox.fm\/embed\/player.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In this Flashback Friday episode, we\u2019re taking it back to the steps to take when starting your side hustle, specifically how to test it out. All the research in the world can\u2019t compare to actually launching and testing your side hustle out. This may feel like the hardest part, but don\u2019t let perfectionism get in the way. You\u2019ve already done all the prep work, now it\u2019s time to see the fruit of your labors. You\u2019ll learn the steps needed to launch the side hustle of your dreams.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the episode I discuss:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How to put yourself out there and get your side hustle recognized as a brand<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What platforms you\u2019ll need to set up\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How to be brave and just start<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Highlights include:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>00:00 Intro<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>03:22 Naming your podcast<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>05:00 Importance of domain names and websites<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>09:30 The starting elements&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>12:30 Refine your starting steps<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>15:30 Block out the noise<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The Side Hustle Bootcamp is designed to help busy, multi-passionate professionals just like you discover your perfect side hustle and get it up and running. Join us over at <a href=\"http:\/\/sidehustlepro.co\/bootcamp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">sidehustlepro.co\/bootcamp<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out episode 429 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on <a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/side-hustle-pro\/id1126021323\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Apple Podcasts<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/13qDj08lBR4ymzGhXIKy8t?si=8fcfd638a59949a4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Spotify<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@SideHustlePro\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Links mentioned in this episode<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>My old blog: <a href=\"https:\/\/cailakspeaks.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">https:\/\/cailakspeaks.com\/<\/a>\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>WordPress Theme Detector: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wpthemedetector.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">https:\/\/www.wpthemedetector.com\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Side Hustle Pro Bootcamp: <a href=\"https:\/\/sidehustlepro.co\/bootcamp\">https:\/\/sidehustlepro.co\/bootcamp<\/a>\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Podcast Moguls: <a href=\"http:\/\/podcastmoguls.com\/join\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">http:\/\/podcastmoguls.com\/join<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): <a href=\"http:\/\/sidehustlepro.libsyn.com\/rss\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">http:\/\/sidehustlepro.libsyn.com\/rss<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Announcements<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Join our Facebook Community<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: <a href=\"http:\/\/sidehustlepro.co\/facebook\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">http:\/\/sidehustlepro.co\/facebook<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Guest Social Media Info<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Side Hustle Pro \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sidehustlepro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">@sidehustlepro<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/explore\/tags\/sidehustlepro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">#SideHustlePro<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this Flashback Friday episode, we\u2019re taking it back to the steps to take when starting your side hustle, specifically how to test it out. All the research in the world can\u2019t compare to actually launching and testing your side hustle out. This may feel like the hardest part, but don\u2019t let perfectionism get in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":9357,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spt_transcript":"Nicaila Matthews Okome  0:02  \r\n<p>If you're listening to side hustle Pro, the podcast that teaches you to build and grow your side hustle from passion project to profitable business, and I'm your host, nicaila Matthews okome, so let's get started. Hey, friends. Hey, welcome. Welcome back to the show. It's nicaila here, and today in the guest chair, I have Philomina Kane, aka Philo, who is a Ghanaian American entrepreneur and content creator. In 2017 she graduated from Princeton University and began to cement herself as a hair care YouTuber, garnering a following of nearly 200,000 subscribers, she became a guiding force empowering black women to embrace and care for their natural hair. Then in 2020 Philomena officially founded kin apparel, a brand dedicated to crafting satin line hoodies and hats for both hair protection and comfort. The innovative approach of kin apparel caught the attention of Shark Tank, and in 2021 Philomena landed a six figure deal with skims Founding Partner Emma greed. Philomena is also a winner of the prestigious Pharrell Williams black ambition prize and a Forbes 30, under 30 Lister. Today, she remains committed to the growth of her brand and shares her wealth of knowledge with aspiring entrepreneurs, teaching them how to monetize their passion. In today's episode, we get into how she got started, some of the challenges she's had as she's grown, some of the ways that she's been able to use her resources and be really scrappy to start growing her brand, her amazing marketing insights and tips and so much more. So let's get right into it. Philo, welcome to the guest chair. How are you?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  1:51  \r\n<p>I'm feeling great, excited, blessed, fulfilled\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  1:56  \r\n<p>all the things, all the things. Likewise, I am feeling gratitude to have you here today. I think your story is so dynamic, and I want to take it back a little bit. So you're Ghanaian American. Where did you grow up? And, you know, when did you start to really explore the arts? Gotcha. So\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  2:11  \r\n<p>I was born in the Bronx, the boogie down.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  2:19  \r\n<p>So I'm from the Bronx as well, well, from Jamaica, but grew up in the Bronx. So Wow. So how did that shape your upbringing and who you are today?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  2:32  \r\n<p>Got you so I was born in the Bronx, but 40 days later I was shipped to Ghana, and now let me stop childcare, because I can relate. I was I was taken to Ghana, and that's where I lived with my grandmother for the first five years of my life. So yeah, I actually grew up in Ghana, and actually grew up thinking my grandmother was my mother. Even though my mom would visit frequently, I didn't know who she was, but it make the connection. Never, I was young and I was I just was always by my grandmother's side, and that's really where I grew. A love for my culture, for my Ghanaian background. She she really instilled in me compassion, faith and just always just loving humanity and and learning and trying to help people. So from a long young age, I've always just loved making people laugh or or helping them in any way. And I really get that from my Ghanaian upbringing.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  3:35  \r\n<p>Yeah. So when did you come back to the Bronx? Yeah,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  3:38  \r\n<p>so five years later, my mom brought me back, actually, our her uncle brought me back. So and I remember this vividly. It's so crazy the things I remember. But I remember that day coming back to TB Avenue. We used to live on 1\/80 and T bout, and the guy told me to knock on the door. So I knocked on the apartment door, and my mom opened the door, and\r\n\r\n<p>I'm standing there, like,\r\n\r\n<p>Who is this? And then, Hi, I'm your mother. So my my mom told me stories about how I cried every single day I didn't eat her food. I was like, Who is this? Where is my mom?\r\n\r\n<p>But, yeah, I was brought back to start school, to start kindergarten. Eventually warmed up to her and yeah, that's so heartbreaking on both sides, right? No,\r\n\r\n<p>my grandmother said she missed me. Yeah, I was basically her youngest, but yeah, eventually, that was my mother and I just grew up.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  4:41  \r\n<p>Do you remember your impression when you go from being in Ghana to coming back to the Bronx? Like, what? What were your thoughts? Honestly,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  4:47  \r\n<p>I was like, where am I? Like, I don't remember vividly those moments, but I definitely remember just missing the lady that was was there for me from the beginning. Like. It because, you know, because that motherly bond is one of the first, if not the first, bond that you have as a child. And for me, it was through my grandmother, so and it was in Ghana, where the standard of living is not crazy, is not high, it's very peaceful. So it was, it was crazy coming into a high rise building and living through that. But,\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  5:22  \r\n<p>and for those of you who haven't been to the Bronx, like it's busy, it's noisy, it's crowded, it's smelly, they're beautiful aspects of the Bronx as well. But you know, definitely, it is urban, right? It's working class, and there's a lot going on. It's not like the Zen piece of where you might have been in Ghana, but you, you made the best of it, and you have done a magnificent job. So it seems like you quickly found your footing. Maybe not quickly, but you found your footing because you ended up going to Princeton, right? So once you got to Princeton, by then, where you started to think about career paths, like, what did you major in?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  5:59  \r\n<p>So back in high school. I went to high school in Spanish Harlem, at a school called math and Center for Science and Math. So yes, yes, yeah. And at Manhattan center, I really did love science and math, so I actually thought I was going to be either an engineer or a scientist. So when I got to Princeton, I started in the engineering path, and then realized that wasn't for me. So then I went into the sciences.\r\n\r\n<p>I was like, one thing about Princeton, it will humble you, because when I tell you I had about five breakdowns during my tenure there,\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  6:35  \r\n<p>I'm laughing because my husband, Moyo, graduated from Princeton with an engineering degree. He got there, it was definitely humbling. And he was like, Wait, I thought I took sciences,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  6:47  \r\n<p>especially like, for me, being an inner city kid High School did not prepare me for Princeton. Yeah, not at all. Not at all. And one of the biggest reasons that I got into Princeton, besides, like having straight A's, was I joined the program called Lida, which is the leadership enterprise for a diverse America, and it's a program committed to bringing the nation's brightest students into the nation's top schools. So I got into that program after my junior year of high school, and that program helped me get into Princeton. So, very,\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  7:21  \r\n<p>very interesting. And so you shifted to the sciences. So you were still doing sciences, so you switched to, what was it? Biology?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  7:29  \r\n<p>Yes, I switched to ecological and evolutionary biology. What\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  7:33  \r\n<p>So, okay, what happened between majoring in that to now being an entrepreneur with an apparel line. All\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  7:42  \r\n<p>right, my hair started falling out. That's\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  7:47  \r\n<p>black women at college. The hair falling out. What did you start to do? Yes,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  7:53  \r\n<p>you know, there's the phrase that goes, When a girl cuts her hair, she's about to change her whole life. And I always tell myself, like, that's really, really my journey. So during my freshman year, I was humbled again, because I was like, Wait, so it cost $100 to get a perm at Princeton in this area, like it costs less to go back to the Bronx, take the tree and get my hair done and come back. So I was like, I can't do this, because growing up in the Bronx, like my mom did hair. My grandmother eventually came to America, she does hair, and my aunt, so getting my hair done was never an issue until I entered college, and I'm like, Whoa, I can't do my hair because they did it for me my whole life. And at the time, we were all permanent our hair. My hair just started falling out because I wasn't taking care of it. And then this was around 2013 2014 when we started seeing a shift in black women and hair care. And a lot of YouTubers like popping up showing how to take care of your hair naturally, right? And at the time, I was playing rugby at Princeton, and my late friend Ozy, actually went natural. So during spring break, I asked her to chop off my hair, and that was the beginning of my natural hair journey. I was rocking this teeny, teeny, teeny afro. Shout out to you for\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  9:13  \r\n<p>the big job. I could never do the big chop, but I relate to you. You know, it's funny. My mom didn't allow me to get a perm until I was like, 17, and I always joke I only had a perm two years of my life, because once I got to college, I was like, Oh, I can't take care of this.\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  9:28  \r\n<p>I'm going exactly, exactly. So I\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  9:30  \r\n<p>didn't go in natural, because it fell out, yeah.\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  9:34  \r\n<p>And when I tell you, I became so obsessed with it, I was like, if I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do it right? So I was, I became a product junkie. I was watching every YouTube video I could find. I was even reading books, like, there was this book called The Science of black hair. I read that book like two times, right? I, I was like, You know what? I'm gonna grow my hair healthily. Yeah. And all right. Your YouTube Channel? Yes, so it's funny, because at the time I was on Snapchat. Snapchat was very popular in 2014 and every day I would make a video saying, This is day one, being natural. Day 20, day 25 day 30.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  10:13  \r\n<p>And you were like a early tik toker, okay,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  10:18  \r\n<p>and then doing little baby hairstyles and stuff. And my friends would be like, Filipina, this is not YouTube. And I was like,\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  10:28  \r\n<p>you sure, right? For you, you had the vision. Yes, you\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  10:33  \r\n<p>sure, right? This is not YouTube. So then the summer of 2014 I started my YouTube channel to document my journey as my hair grew, not, not thinking of building a community, not thinking of people watching my videos. Literally, I wanted a place where I can come back and see my journey and how my hair was growing over the months and years. So that's how my youtube channel actually got started. Actually,\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  10:56  \r\n<p>wow, that's so interesting. And I always loved that kind of organic story of, you know, I was just documenting what is going on and documenting. Nowadays we flip to content creation like we talk content, content. But honestly, documenting is an easier way to look at it. If you just look at it like I'm just documenting. It takes the pressure off, and you never know where the documenting will lead to so as you were doing this, did this become your side hustle, as you worked at other jobs on campus and then eventually graduate and work at a job?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  11:30  \r\n<p>Yeah, so it became a side hustle when I realized it was making money, like, like, what I said was, in the beginning, it was just like you said, Me documenting my journey, but I realized people started watching and subscribing and telling me I was inspiring them and motivating them to also go on their natural hair journey. So then I realized a community is actually blossoming from this. Let me take it more seriously. Let me interact with the community, eventually growing it to about 180,000 subscribers, and that community became known as the kinfolk. The\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  12:12  \r\n<p>kinfolk so we see the seeds being planted Exactly.\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  12:14  \r\n<p>And kin stands for keep it, keep it natural. Keep it naturally. A play. It all worked. It all when you're\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  12:24  \r\n<p>a natural marketer.\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  12:28  \r\n<p>Okay, we'll get to that later, because I really think I was innately made for this.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  12:40  \r\n<p>So you start this community, but at the same time, you were trying to go down the traditional path, right? That I'm sure your parents and family were expecting you to so talk to us about that. Like after you graduated, what did you do? Yeah,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  12:54  \r\n<p>so after I graduated from Princeton, my goal was to take a year off to work and then go get my master's. So at Princeton, in addition to my major being biology, my certificate slash minor. It's called certificate there was in global health. So I wanted to actually become an epidemiologist, which is basically a scientist that studies like infectious diseases. So I was, and that's what my thesis was on, too. So I was like, All right, let me take a year off, because this four years has been a lot. Let me take a year off to work, and then I'll go back to school. So I ended up getting a job as a marketing director for a new startup, a hair care company called naturale club. So that's what I did right after college. How did\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  13:38  \r\n<p>you get that job? Getting out of biology. It's\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  13:41  \r\n<p>because of my YouTube channel. So, yes, so this being a hair care brand and also a startup, literally, I was their first hire. They saw that there was they believed in me and saw that there was some talent in me from my YouTube channel, because at the time it was amazing, like it was doing really well, and I was really able to make fun informative videos, and people really loved it and learned from it, and I was really good at just selling product and showing people what works. And I think they wanted that in in a marketer, basically. So that's that's really how I got the job, even though I study your\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  14:18  \r\n<p>biology, that makes so much sense. Know that they were really smart to do that. I love seeing content creators recommend things and show me how they use it, because I can see if it works or not like you. Sometimes you could tell when, oh, I'm just doing it because it's sponsored. But when you see them incorporated into multiple videos and rave and you can tell they love it, boom, I'm sold. That's it. So how long did you do that before you ventured out to do your own company?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  14:44  \r\n<p>Gotcha. So I worked there for three years. So from 2017 to 2020 so 2020 rolls around. This is like around January, and I'm beginning to think you know what, I've been here for three years. But. Will happen if I leave and put my all into actually growing kin apparel. Because at the time, Kin apparel was a side hustle. I was selling my hoodies as merch for my YouTube audience. So yeah. So I asked myself, like, you know what? This was the biggest risk I've ever taken, because I but one thing on me is I'll always have a plan. Always have a plan B. So I told myself, I'm gonna leave natural club, put my all into kin apparel, and if nothing, and if it doesn't amount to anything, I'll be a full time YouTuber. That was my plan B, yeah. So\r\n\r\n<p>both plans were like entrepreneurship, but I know right. I know right. Different ways. Had a successful\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  15:40  \r\n<p>channel, and you mentioned that you were selling kin apparel as merch for your YouTube. But let's go back a little bit what made you decide to do merch, and what was kin apparel at that point? Was it sat in line, or was it just hoodies?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  15:57  \r\n<p>Gotcha. So let's go back to college. In college, because I basically had a my model on my YouTube channel was keep it naturally, right? So it being an acronym kin, I started making baseball caps in college that had the kid logo on it. At the time, the logo was bulky. It was like made with the Kente print that originated in Ghana and but, and there was no satin in the baseball caps. It was just cute baseball caps that said kin on it with kente. And I will sell that on in school. And let me tell you, like, it will sell out in like, a day or two, and I will also, and I also sold it on my Snapchat, because some of my subscribers, like, followed me on Snapchat. So that's really how Ken started. Like, literally, were you selling those for? I was selling hats for $25 on campus. Nice. How\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  16:50  \r\n<p>much did it cost to make\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  16:52  \r\n<p>it? It was like, $5 each. Okay,\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  16:55  \r\n<p>we love it. We love\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  16:55  \r\n<p>it. Okay, you know what? People, people love the model they love the Kim they love the Kente. So this was my little side hustle on campus, but prior to that, so I was when I was playing rugby at Princeton. I played all four years when I eventually went natural. After my freshman year, my hair, I saw that I will always put a scarf on my head during practice because I don't want to be laying on the floor with all this debris and stuff getting into my hair, or putting our hoods on, and then my hair just like the cotton, just sucking up all of the moisture in my hair. So I would always put a scarf on before putting a sweater on, before putting a hoodie on, and then, in passing, one day. I was just like, You know what? I'm gonna make satin line hoodies one day. And I just like, forgot about it. I just said it and forgot about it. But that was that's really, really how it started from, like my experience at practice, with my hair just always being dry and me always having to put a scarf on. And then as my hair started to grow, no hood even being big enough to fit my hair so smart. Yes, it was all because we\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  18:05  \r\n<p>have the big froze and we like big hair. Like, even when it's not our fro, we just, we like big hair. But I never even thought about that, right? Like, every single thing that's touching your hair is friction. It's sucking moisture out of it, and everything from your sheets and we have pillows now we have sheets, but we don't have hoodies and sweaters that protect it. So what were the next steps? When did you start go from the hats to the hoodies? Yes, so,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  18:33  \r\n<p>and this is a testament to just having a YouTube channel and putting yourself out there. You never know who is looking who is watching? Because one day this was around 2018 end of 2018 I get an email from an agency that collaborates with content creators or influencers to make products for their audience, and they said that they saw that my community is really receptive, engaging, so they would like to make a hair care product with me at the time. At the time I was working for non natural clubs. So it was a non compete, like, I couldn't make a hair care product, because whatever hair care product I wanted to make, I already made it with natural club. Like, I gave them so many ideas, but then I asked them, can we make hoodies? Like, can we make satin line hoodies? So they got back to me a week after and they said, Yes, we can make satin line hoodies with you. So the first ever sat in line hoodie that I brought about was a collaboration between me and an agency, and it was a six month collaboration where they fronted everything, and all I had to do was market the hoodie. And it was like, we have one black hoodie and one green hoodie, and those were the kin apparel. It said kin. It said kin on it, okay on it, with the bulky logo that has now changed to this cutesy very demeanor.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  19:59  \r\n<p>What. You hear this episode, you know exactly\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  20:03  \r\n<p>when everything came out, which one.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  20:13  \r\n<p>So I'm guessing that when, well, did you do like a 7030 split, or something like that from the revenue,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  20:18  \r\n<p>I'm trying to remember what split it was, I think it was 5050 Okay, yeah, I think it was 5050\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  20:24  \r\n<p>so once you saw that, hey, people loving this, what did you do next? Is that when you left on natural,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  20:30  \r\n<p>so we did this for six months. So it dropped, january 18 of 2019, right? That's when it dropped. And then when the collaboration ended, they shipped me any hoodies that weren't sold. And every time I would make a YouTube video, I would promote the hoodies that weren't sold until they were all sold out, right? So by the end of the year, I was like, damn, I have no more hoodies. Who am I even going to contact to make these hoodies? Because remember, they fronted everything, so they were working with the manufacturer. So I reached out to them, and I said, Hey, I would actually like to continue making this and they were so cool. They gave me all the information. So then I Yeah, so then I put in an order, and then the orders came in, like, February of 2020 so now we're in 2020 I'm feeling like I need to leave natural club. So then I tell myself, I'm gonna take a risk. Mind you, I did not know we were about to be quarantined a month after. I mean,\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  21:24  \r\n<p>no, nobody. But did you have savings at this point? And was your YouTube making a minimum per month in at least just AdSense?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  21:34  \r\n<p>Yeah, my youtube channel at the time was making like two to 3k a month. And my savings, I probably had like 10k save. I had like 10k save, yeah. So it wasn't like anything crazy, but it was definitely something that like, if I continue promoting a product or making YouTube videos, I could still sustain a living. So I left natural club. I believe it was April 5 of 2020, I gave them a one month notice because I had a critic,\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  22:05  \r\n<p>even after the quarantine went into effect. You said I was still quitting. Why was that? Yeah, I\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  22:12  \r\n<p>put in my one month notice before the quarantine went into effect. Yeah. So looking back, I would have still left.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  22:22  \r\n<p>Because you were just ready. You were just ready to try this out. I\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  22:26  \r\n<p>was ready. And there's money in content creation. I love my YouTube channel. So what\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  22:30  \r\n<p>were you pricing the hoodies at? And then what? How much did it cost to make? Yeah,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  22:35  \r\n<p>the hoodies cost $13 landed. And landed the dumb with shipping, with shipping from the manufacturer to me. So it was about $13 landed, and I was selling them for $60.60 $5\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  22:50  \r\n<p>nice, because that set does that satin up the landed price, I'm sure, right, definitely, definitely,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  22:57  \r\n<p>especially when you're using high grade satin. So there's so many different types of satins and silks, but I wanted to make sure I picked, like, high quality ones. And at the time, we were double layering every satin to make sure it was thick and and sturdy too, in the hood.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  23:14  \r\n<p>So did you go through a few prototypes? Oh, yes, make sure. Yeah. And then, what with the washing of it? How did you ensure that it would still maintain the quality needed to protect the hair? What\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  23:29  \r\n<p>was great about it is the agency had low key done the initial work, because they were sourcing and sampling. Whenever samples came in, they came directly to me, so I would tell them, hey, this hood is too small. It doesn't fit my hair, or this satin quality is not good enough. So when it came time for it to switch over to me handling everything, we still did the same thing, because now I wanted more colors. So they will send me satin books and and I will pick the satins that I want, and then they'll send me a hood, a hoodie sample, and then I'll wash it, I'll dry it to see if the satin was coming out of the hood once it's been washed. And it did. So I was like, hey, you need to find out a stitching way that can actually secure this. And they did. So, oh,\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  24:14  \r\n<p>it's so smart, because sometimes we're not open to collaboration, and you have to be open to the possibilities. And you know, that's really teaching me something right now as well. Because sometimes you're like, oh, I don't want to split the money, 5050, what? But look where it's it's exactly,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  24:30  \r\n<p>exactly they were doing a lot of, a lot of work at the end of the day. And even, even with marketing. I mean, they wanted to feed off of my community, which, which they did, because we sold a lot of hoodies, though.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  24:42  \r\n<p>Yeah, so let's talk about the marketing piece. Now, you know you love content creation, which is a plus, but it's work, and there's strategy involved in it. So how were you marketing these hoodies so that people not only liked it and said, Oh, that's cute, but actually bought it\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  24:57  \r\n<p>got you so with this question, are we. Talking about, like the initial stages of kin apparel when it was being sold to just my youtube channel\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  25:06  \r\n<p>both. I love that you clarified that. So let's start with the initial phases, right? The initial phases with your YouTube channel, and then we'll get into once you actually launched it as a business. So\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  25:15  \r\n<p>one thing I would say is people are more inclined to buy something from you when they like you or when they trust you, yes. So just starting a community before starting a brand was definitely a big plus, because it didn't seem like I was just advertising to people something that they should buy. They already had a connection with me because they love my channel. They love my personality and my videos. So with this product coming out. They were like, oh, let's support Philo. I'll support video. I'm like, I'll support Philo. And it was more than just like, she's selling this, alright, I'm a support it was also like, actually, this is a product that would do more for me, because there's nothing like it on the market. So it was a win win for them. So it was very easy to sell on my YouTube channel because people already knew who I was and already loved me and trusted me and loved my videos. So every time I would make a video, and I used to make videos with one of my good friends, performance, we would we had a series called two different hair types same products. So I have, like, 4c I have four a hair, and she has 4c hair, and we will try the same products to see how our hair types or and porosities reacted to it. So that series did really, really well on my channel. So every time we will make a video, we'll be wearing the hoodie at the beginning of the video. So after introducing the products that we'll be reviewing, we'll be like, okay, so what we wearing today, what we wearing today, and then we'll do a little like 32nd advertising about the hoodie, and people will buy it. People will buy and then we'll go straight into what we were reviewing that day. So that's definitely how I sold the hoodies on YouTube. Yeah. Music.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  27:03  \r\n<p>So for people who don't have a YouTube channel nowadays, you know you see UGC content creators making so much money, so that's user generated content, and basically, companies will pay people who are content creators to make content that seems organic for the platform. So for like Tiktok and things like that, but they'll be using your product or wearing your product, and they'll just make a whole video about it. So for people who don't have a YouTube channel and aren't creating content but need to promote their products, do you recommend them going that route? Or what are some ways that they can have that organic feel while they're selling?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  27:40  \r\n<p>Yeah, I really think realistic marketing is what supported me and helped me, because at the end of the day, I can't only sell to my YouTube community. When I ventured into Instagram and Tiktok, and I have, like, so many different strategies that have really helped me, I would say realistic marketing, meaning that marketing that's not polished is very real and it's very relatable\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  28:04  \r\n<p>marketing that's not polished. I love that. Yeah. So I\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  28:09  \r\n<p>always say, like imperfect actions lead to actual results, so you don't have to be always crisp all the time with what you're showing people. Honestly, sometimes people just want to see that this is real. That's why a lot of the times my marketing includes behind the scenes of making the product, of doing photo shoots and doing video shoots so people could see the steps and what it takes to actually roll of us right now, it's real. Is real and and we even see celebrities doing it, like Beyonce finally showed us what sacred look on her hair after everyone was\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  28:49  \r\n<p>that took so much out of her. I know she was like, I guess, right, this was,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  28:56  \r\n<p>but these days, that's what's selling. Product Issa Rae with her line Sienna naturals, she made a whole ad, and literally she was, she said, enough in the ad, I'm a dry ass bitch. And she was, she was referring to her dry hair. That's relatable. People want to hear that, because once, once you sell me on readability, I'm gonna look up that ad. Now, marketing to me like the desire is the backbone of marketing. How can I make someone crave and yearn for my product so much that they are going to want to buy it? And it starts with not pitching your product, but pitching the problem that you're solving like the solution to the problem. And that's always how I look at look at marketing. What am I solving for the average consumer? What feeling or what experience do I want them to go through once you can hit them with that, that's when you have people listening, and the easiest and most, cheapest way to do it is with realistic marketing, when you put yourself out there. So I That's why I feel like UGC content. Really works. Yes,\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  30:01  \r\n<p>I love that you just dropping gems right here. You y'all hear that desire is the backbone of marketing. And I love that you said that, because what I find when I talk to clients, for example, anytime they are creating a business or product or what have you. A lot of times, there's a lot of I focus going on. There's a lot of I want this and I and you have to flip that. You have to think about what people want, and how can I give it to them? How can I make them realize this is what they need based on what they want exactly thing, right? Well, how can I let them understand that this is actually a solution for this problem they've been having, and not just try to shove down someone's throat. Like, buy this, buy this. Like, No, you're not solving any problem. Like, they're gonna scroll right past that exactly.\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  30:53  \r\n<p>So that's how I'm always thinking about marketing. Like, I don't sell shot in line hoodies. I sell protection and comfort skincare brands don't sell body butters. They sell a lifetime of no ash. Like, you know, Gucci's not selling you luxury bags. They selling you exclusivity and quality. So it's like, what would\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  31:16  \r\n<p>a member of a certain echelon, you know, when you buy that? And that's what people want,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  31:21  \r\n<p>and that's what people desire Exactly. So that's always what I'm thinking about when it comes to marketing.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  31:33  \r\n<p>Let's talk about finances now. So a lot of people lose money when they start any kind of business. What has been your experience, did you lose money? Did you make money?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  31:43  \r\n<p>Yeah, I definitely lost and made money. Kinder parents made about 10, 10 million since starting, yeah, starting in April. I\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  31:51  \r\n<p>love that. Insert, claps, claps, claps.\r\n\r\n<p>Unknown Speaker  31:57  \r\n<p>So I\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  31:58  \r\n<p>don't know why I was not expecting to say that girl, I didn't know that. But this is, again, why I just love talking to phenomenal women like yourself, because like you're talking about an apparel company, and sometimes people see something like that, and they don't realize the scale you can grow to with that. So kudos to you. So yeah, tell us more about the financial journey with it, though. Yeah.\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  32:23  \r\n<p>So when Ken apparel started, I started applying to grants. I started applying to grants. There was a grant that Jamie Schmitz, who was the ex CEO of Schmidt's naturals deodorant, and she sold that, okay, yes, Miss natural. She sold it to Unilever a couple years ago and during the pandemic. When I tell you, there were so many grants focused on black homes, everybody\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  32:46  \r\n<p>comes on the show. Let's talk about the pandemic, the pandemic, oh my god, wow,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  32:51  \r\n<p>we're seeing oh my gosh, yes.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  32:55  \r\n<p>For like a moment, we're coming out of it now. We're like, trying to hold on, okay, tell us how it impacted your business. Yeah.\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  33:03  \r\n<p>So Jamie Schmitz came out with this grant called the entrepreneur dream grant, and she was given $50,000 away to two businesses. So $50 $50,000 each for, you know, a business that one was was growing, wanted to was like, starting out, needed some funds, so I applied, and I won. I won that grant. I won $50,000 so that was the first insertion of cash into kin apparel. And I was like, Oh my gosh. Like, it was, it was amazing. I was able to buy inventory, able to put some money into marketing. It was, it was amazing. So that was my first one, and then I won another $20,000 from Shea Moisture slash Brown Girl, Jane. They gave $20,000 away to 1010, black women owned businesses. So I came out of 2020, with $70,000 in grants. So that was initially I was able to fund the company and buy by all the hoodies that I wanted to and eventually hire some support. I\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  34:09  \r\n<p>was going to ask you about the hiring piece. So who did you hire to help support with things like shipping, customer service, managing orders and all that got you?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  34:20  \r\n<p>So in the beginning stages, I would make a basically, I'll put a call out on my Instagram asking for, hey, I need an intern, someone to come in and help me pack orders. And I actually got my first two people that way. One girl helped for a couple of months, and another girl helped for a couple of months. They'll come in, help me pack orders and then do customer service and then leave, and\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  34:41  \r\n<p>did you pay them anything? I was like, wow, this is some nice volunteers.\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  34:47  \r\n<p>They definitely got paid. They definitely got paid. And then when, when things got crazy, because we had an ad go out on the Shade Room. So after I won some money, I paid for a Shade Room. Ad, which, like, I don't recommend, unless I do have money to spare, because they cost a lot. At the time, they were doing a special for $3,000 but usually Shade Room ads go for 6000 and up. So I paid the 3k for, I mean, I just won a grant. So this was the best investment, and that ad was amazing. It got, like, over 100,000 likes on the Shade Room platform, which brought in over like 500 orders. So it was, yeah, it was going crazy. So I hit up my friends, and they came from Jersey and the Bronx to come help me pack orders. And that was, they were my friends. They were like they were supporting me, helping me pack orders, pack orders. And then I realized I needed to get someone that was hired solely to help me fulfill orders, so I put something out on the kin apparel Instagram, and that's how I got my first like person who helped me pack orders, and she did customer service too, and then eventually she became like my Operations Manager The following year at kin apparel. So it's really a lot of like trial and error, and just seeing who's who's willing to help and and also understanding what type of field you're in, like, this is a startup at the end of the day. So you need people that are very flexible, understanding and dedicated to the cause, which is basically growing the brand, because it's not a corporation,\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  36:21  \r\n<p>no? And I love that you just put it out there, right? You never know what people will say. That's also inspiring, because there's this fear sometimes of asking or looking like you don't have it all together with your business, which we don't. We're a startup, right? So you just have to ask, and you be surprised at who's out there willing and wanting to be a part of a movement. No, I'm still helping grow a company. So that's so cool, and I think so even though the Shade Room ad was expensive, I mean, it was what, like, 10 times.\r\n\r\n<p>Unknown Speaker  36:57  \r\n<p>Oh yeah.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  37:01  \r\n<p>I hope that's results for other people as well. But you have to have a good product too, right? You see nowadays, like sometimes ads go out there and they miss the mark, yeah?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  37:09  \r\n<p>You have to have a good product and also know how to market to people, yeah. So you have to market to people the way they consume content on that particular platform. So especially on good note. So especially on Instagram, a lot of the times, headline posts do really well. So like, I have a big title headline and maybe a video and an image right underneath it. So knowing that does that as well, how can I remix my content or my ads or my product to fit into that type of template?\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  37:39  \r\n<p>So, make it organic for the platform you're advertising on. I love that.\r\n\r\n<p>So now I see you've expanded. You have things like car seat covers, what? What's the full, what's the full suite of products that you now offer?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  37:58  \r\n<p>Yeah, I always tell people my goal is to sat in line the world, wherever your hair touches. I'm gonna be that, that meme that's like\r\n\r\n<p>people, yeah, I hate to see Ken apparel coming your hair touching that all right,\r\n\r\n<p>yes, so Ken Apparel has expanded to different types of hoodies. So we have thin hoodies, we have thick hoodies, we have teddy bear hoodies, we have shirt hoodies, we have lightweight cargo set hoodies, we have athletic hoodies, and then we've also expanded into sets. So now a lot of our hoodies come with the matching joggers or the matching pants or the matching cargoes. We've expanded into dresses. We make everyday, casual dresses and fitted dresses. We've expanded into satin bonnet pillowcases, so pillowcases that are elastic and can easily fit onto your pillow, and can also double as a bonnet. And then my personal favorite people love our hats. We've expanded into bucket hats, but not only bucket hats, bucket hats that come in four different sizes, so you can actually find something that fits your head, because the big head market was not being served until came along.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  39:25  \r\n<p>Okay, do you have kids sizes? Because I need that for my son. We\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  39:29  \r\n<p>Yes, we do. We have kid sized bucket hats? Yes,\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  39:35  \r\n<p>a regular size right now, but yes, I love that.\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  39:37  \r\n<p>Bucket hats, beanies, Dad hats, visors, like we do, we do it all, and it's still we have some really cool things coming out this fall too. So\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  39:46  \r\n<p>I love that. What's your approach to expanding the product line? You know, people always say to start small with the SKUs, aka the different selection of products and colors, because you don't want to end up with too much inventory. So what's your approach to it? Yeah.\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  39:59  \r\n<p>My approach to it is listen, listening to the consumer and seeing what colors actually sell. So for example, our most popular hoodie is the all black one. All black hoodie with the black satin most popular basic hoodie. But people love it. People love the color black. So in every collection, we make something black. So really, actually listening to the consumer, looking at what the data is saying, and making sure you always have, we call it our core product. So our core products will always be the one black hoodie that you need to make sure you have in stock year round. Like, that's the product that's never out of stock, right? And then you have something that comes after that, what you have novelty, which is, like, you know, you just sprinkle a little something there to get people excited, because one thing you never want to lose is momentum in your brand. So, so, yes, yes, it's great to have things that basic, things that people love, but also just bringing in things that are exciting. So people can be like, Oh my gosh, yeah. Like, y'all always expanding. Okay, let me get that one like we made onesies and then sat in line onesies and Saturn line windbreakers. So yeah, Saturn line coats.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  41:10  \r\n<p>I love it. And before we jump into the lightning round, I'm curious to know how you are navigating the changes in the economic landscape these days, the changes since 2020 as far as funding, how's it been for you?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  41:24  \r\n<p>Amazing question. Amazing question. I will say that it's very important to make sure you're applying for grants and accelerators. So Ken Apparel has been fortunate enough to win over 250,000 in grants from different programs. Is very important to follow organizations that are there to support black owned businesses, especially black women owned businesses, so or organizations like black ambition, the new voices fund, so organizations like that, and even this website called Hello Alice, where you can go on, make, make a a profile, and then they frequently send you grants that match your profile right grants to apply to. There's so, so many out there that, and I'm forgetting some of them. I'm sorry about that, but there's so no\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  42:16  \r\n<p>even that that's so helpful for for folks. I love when people share real resources. So are there any tips, though, for getting the grants? I think sometimes it can be a little discouraging when you apply for a bunch and you don't get it. I know you have to keep pushing. But what are some things that you think have helped you be so successful with it?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  42:33  \r\n<p>Yeah, so definitely telling your story. You really have to lead with why this is important? Like, okay, you have your products, but why should I care? Why do you care? Is there something that happened in your personal life and that that's what made you start this product? Like kin apparel was very like dear in and dear to my natural hair journey. One of my friends who started an energy drink started it because she was in a coma after suffering a really bad year reaction to a horrible energy drink. So then she started her own all natural energy drink company called rejuvenation. So it's like telling people that story, pulling on their heartstrings from the beginning of the application. And also sometimes, if you don't get it, email them and ask them why get the feedback directly from them. So you know you can change it up and work on it in the future. So, yeah, I'll say those things too, and and having someone take a second look at your application too before you send it. Yeah.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  43:42  \r\n<p>So you have to tell us you were on Shark Tank. So how did that come about, and was it helpful?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  43:49  \r\n<p>So 2020, I'm on the phone with my Bob. This is when I had left natural club to pursue Kim full time. And my mom is like, Have you ever thought about being on Shark Tank? And I was like, No. Like, what are you talking about, mom? Because at the time, I love Shark Tank. I watched Shark Tank all the time to learn about business jargon, but I never connected that the entrepreneurs on the screen were just like me. And then, literally, a year later from when my mom asked me that question about Shark Tank, I get an email from a casting producer asking me if I ever thought about being on Shark Tank. Crazy. I called my mom immediately, and she was like, I told you so. And when I tell you, I was just like, whoa. I was never dreaming big enough. Like, why can't I be on Shark Tank? So, so that's really how we started, and the application process started March of 2021 I ended up recording in July of 2021 and being on season 13, episode one October 8 of 2021 So honestly, it happened really fast. I got on Shark Tank almost a year and a half after really starting my company. So that's really, I always credit shark tank for being that push that my brand needed to get into the faces of the masses, because it really, really propelled the company. Prior to being on Shark Tank that year, Ken apparel had made 355,000 before we were on Shark Tank October 8, and at the end of the year, we ended up, at 1.2 million after Shark Tank. So you can imagine, like, the exposure was extraordinary. People really took to the product and and also understood it too. So yeah, Shark Tank is amazing. I always recommend it,\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  45:38  \r\n<p>yes, and I think a lot of people see it as like, do you make a deal or not? But then there's also the exposure aspect, that no matter what happens that you can't pay for that kind of marketing and exposure, so it's free. Were you able to make a deal? Number one, and then number two, how was the fulfillment after the exposure? Gotcha?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  45:59  \r\n<p>Yes. So I made a deal with Emma greed, who is the CEO, good American. Yeah,\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  46:08  \r\n<p>that's amazing.\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  46:10  \r\n<p>And she's amazing, like, literally, I can text her. She texted me amazing. She's still, she's still my investor. So today. Thank you so much. As far as fulfilling orders? Yes, so we went from fulfilling orders in the kin office to transitioning into a fulfillment center, which is called a three PL third party logistics. So we moved all of our inventory to a warehouse, and they started fulfilling our orders. But I've been through four warehouses Since 2020 why? Because you could never trust them honestly. This year has been the hardest year of kin apparel, where my third fulfillment center shut down, literally at 7pm on a Friday in June, I received an email that said, we are shutting down. You have one week to get your stuff out. Mind you, this is one of the biggest fulfillment centers in the country, literally fulfilling for brands that are 200 times my size. And they didn't give us any notice and told us to get out of there. And this was in Ohio. I've had a fulfillment center in the Poconos in Minnesota, Ohio. And now Thank God we're in one in Jersey, which is very, very close to me, because I live in Philadelphia, but yeah, warehouses. The thing with three pls is you never know what to expect until you're actually in there and they're fulfilling your stuff. Because they can say all these good things, and you can look as many case studies as you want and speak to as many clients that they have as you want. But you never know until you get there and you're like, actually, you said you had this, but you actually don't have it. This is not really built in. You still got to code it, and you're doing this manually\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  47:47  \r\n<p>in the video on the tour.\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  47:49  \r\n<p>Yeah, your software is actually not good for a company that has hundreds of SKUs. Like, you don't even have the bandwidth to fulfill this on a timely manner, like we've been through so much, but the current one seems promising, and this is the first time our fulfillment center has been so close to me, like I can literally take a 20 minute drive there. Yeah, I\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  48:11  \r\n<p>love that. I love that you share this story, because that's so helpful. And I'm sure you know if anyone is getting ready to move their products into a fulfillment center that you can reach out and talk to people who've been through it because you don't even know what to ask until you go through and realize, oh, wait, I needed this thing, and they don't have it like you don't know what you don't know. So thank you for sharing that. And I have this, I have this new motto. My husband gets tired of me saying it, but I'm always like, you know what like when you take your foot off people's necks?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  48:48  \r\n<p>I wish this was longer. I wish. I\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  48:50  \r\n<p>wish this was longer. Can we talk about you have to keep your foot on people's necks, because that's when things start to just, you know?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  48:57  \r\n<p>And honestly, one piece of advice I will give with your entrepreneurial journey, don't hire too fast, or hire fast and fire fast. And also,\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  49:12  \r\n<p>you find good people, hold on to them. Hold\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  49:14  \r\n<p>on, yes. But also, don't put people on salary too early. And this is something I've learned just going through my experience. It's better to hire contractors. They have a set work that you're asking of them when a set time that they need to get it done, and if they get it done, great if they don't get it done, on to the next what? The minute you start having salaried individuals, at some point they start to take advantage, because they're like me. I'm getting this every two weeks. Like, why I gotta do? Why I do a lot? Like, I know this is coming in every two weeks they start to coast, or they start to do their own thing, unbeknownst to, you know?\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  49:53  \r\n<p>Like, yeah, yeah, no, I believe you because I know, like, it's tough, right? Because we were entrepreneurial, we know what it's like to, like. I have a job to pay the bills, so it's like, it's dicey, because I get it. I've been in the situation where, like, I'm there, I'm showing up, but really, my mind is elsewhere. So I get it, but I guess that it's something to keep in mind as well. With hiring that makes it so challenging to think of well, what do I how do I create the environment where someone doesn't want to check out, right? And someone is really into it, yeah,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  50:24  \r\n<p>I mean, and it's also very hard, like, I would say, if you have people that have been with you for over three years, start to evaluate if you even need them moving forward. Like, what exactly are they that because, and this is something I've been through, and I don't want to say any names or be specific, because I don't know who's gonna be watching, but especially\r\n\r\n<p>not just being real, like\r\n\r\n<p>with a brand like kin apparel, of course, in the beginning you need a lot of hands on deck, like you need People we I lived in a townhouse where the first floor was the kin apparel office and the second floor was where I lived, right? And that this was at a time where we were fulfilling everything by ourselves, everything the operations marketing was, everything was being done in their customer service. So as the company grows, you start to outsource things we didn't. We no longer had to fulfill orders, right? Because we outsourced it to a three PL, we outsource customer service, right? We have new people that join the team. We and the more you begin to outsource, you start to think, well, so what are the current people in my company doing? And now what used to be your role, we've outsourced. So now we either change your role or there's no need for you. That's That's what I mean. And if you're trying to change these people's roles, and they're not being receptive to it, it's like, do you really want to continue working here? Because, and that's what I mean, like the people you start with. And this is something Emma green told me, my investor, the people you start with are not the people you end with. So really, really, yeah, like, make sure you really understand there's a time and place for everything. And as your company grows, the people that grow with you also changes.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  52:16  \r\n<p>That's why it sounds like your needs have shifted too. Yeah,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  52:19  \r\n<p>it has. It has like Ken apparel in 2020. Is not kin apparel. Now we've grown significantly, and that also means a significant change in the internal team. So it just honestly is what it is, but, but when you do find really, really good people, it's important to make them happy.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  52:39  \r\n<p>Yes, that too, and really find out what makes them happy, right? It's not what you think. And don't just put, you know, we all have those companies that we've worked for where they come in with pizza and donuts on Fridays. It's like, I don't want that. I've been to her bonus\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  52:54  \r\n<p>and also give them\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  52:58  \r\n<p>equity. Yes, I'm so glad Emma greedy. I mean that, like before she is she a guest or permanent on Shark Tank. I just think that that is just such a that is just so clutch. You know, having her, because I just think she's done this, she knows this, and not to say the other sharks don't, but that's just such a blessing that you can have her to call on and consult with. So kudos, kudos. So now let's jump into the lightning round. You just answer the very first thing that comes to mind. Are you ready? Yes. All right. So number one, what is another resource that has helped you in your business that you can share with the side hustle, pro audience, following\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  53:43  \r\n<p>black ambition and the new voices fund being on their newsletter so you could actually get their emails, because they're always sharing gems and grants\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  53:52  \r\n<p>nice. And the other one was, hello Alice, right?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  53:54  \r\n<p>Yeah, hello Alice. Where you sign up, you make a platform, and they consistently send you new grants, boom.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  54:02  \r\n<p>Love it. Number two, who is a non celebrity, black woman entrepreneur that you would want to trade places with for a day. And why?\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  54:10  \r\n<p>Damn not celebrity? Do we consider Judy, the founder of Kaleidoscope hair products,\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  54:16  \r\n<p>a celebrity? No, no, we consider her. No, we don't consider her a celebrity. So tell us more. Why would you want to trade places? To trade places with\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  54:23  \r\n<p>her? I love Judy because I feel like she motivates me. She inspires me. I'm kind of like following her footsteps the way she's been able to grow her company so big, but also still be grounded and still be relatable and still have a community, and also support the community too. Like she, she does, um, tours, where she does marketing tours, and people come to her classes and and learn from her. And that's low key, what I've started doing now. So I really, I love you, like she's amazing. Oh, okay,\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  54:54  \r\n<p>I gotta, gotta have Judy in the guest chair number three. What? Is a non negotiable part of your day these days,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  55:02  \r\n<p>going to the gym. I go to the gym five days a week. I wake up every morning. It's part of my routine. Like I can't I can't really have a good day if I didn't go to the gym for at least an hour in the morning. So yeah, it really wakes me up.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  55:19  \r\n<p>Irene number four, what's a personal trait that has helped you significantly in your business? Can\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  55:25  \r\n<p>I say being goofy?\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  55:29  \r\n<p>Lighthearted, lighthearted? Yeah. Definitely feel that in your spirit,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  55:34  \r\n<p>yeah. Just, I think people underestimate what a good spell can do for you? Just showing up and just showing some teeth. Yeah, show it up and show some teeth like it's true. Enlightens the environment. Enlightens the conversation. It makes you feel and make you be relatable and just be, be genuine. And people really, really flock to people with that type of personality. And it also shows the confidence that you have in yourself. And you know the root, the root word and confidence, is confide like, if I trust you, like I'm gonna confide in you if I trust you. So I always tell people, really trusting yourself, the more you can trust in yourself, the more confident you are, and the more people will flock to you. So yeah, I would say, like, Goofy.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  56:33  \r\n<p>You're so right about that. And I think it also disarms people. I mean, as long as they're not too, you know, guarded, but yeah, it disarms people, and you're right about that confined root word. You can tell you're a smart cookie talking about root words. And then finally, what is your parting advice for fellow Black women entrepreneurs who want to be their own boss but are worried about not having a steady paycheck, I will\r\n\r\n<p>Unknown Speaker  56:58  \r\n<p>say,\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  57:00  \r\n<p>Stop making excuses. Like,\r\n\r\n<p>what you could do it is okay. I think people, it goes back to the whole confidence thing. Like, people don't have confidence in themselves and don't believe in themselves, and you really got to just take a risk. Start small, start imperfect, and really be consistent. I think people need to create more than they consume, like people wake up and go on their phones every single day and they're sending reels and Tiktok videos to their friends. But how about instead of that, waking up and making one piece of content before you consume a piece of content, and the more you can do that, the easier it becomes, and the more of a routine or a habit it becomes. So I will say they need to get out their heads. I'm a prime overthinker. I overthink everything. So, so being in your head is definitely something that, like, people are always at and it really stops them from really pursuing their dreams. So, so create, like, create more than you consume, and have that be in your head all the time. Yeah, oh,\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  58:06  \r\n<p>I love that. That's a challenge. I accept that challenge. Create more than you consume, and I hope you all accept it too. So the next time you're about to whip out or scroll, just think, like, What's one thing I can share today, create today, or even just record and share later. So I like that. Now, where can people connect with you, as well as Ken apparel. After this episode, people can\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  58:27  \r\n<p>find me at naturally fellow on Instagram. Naturally fellow that's P, h, i, l, o, and you can find kin apparel on at kin apparel underscore on Instagram, tick tock that's Ken apparel, underscore, and if you will love to buy some of our satin line apparel, like the one I'm wearing now,\r\n\r\n<p>Speaker 1  58:46  \r\n<p>let me show you guys. Oh, look at that.\r\n\r\n<p>Philomina Kane  58:53  \r\n<p>You can find this kin apparel.com.\r\n\r\n<p>Nicaila Matthews Okome  58:57  \r\n<p>All right. And there you have it, you guys. We'll talk to you next week. Hey guys, thanks for listening to side hustle Pro. If you like the show, be sure to subscribe rate and review on Apple podcasts. It helps other side hustlers, just like you, to find the show. And if you want to hear more from me, you can follow me on Instagram at side hustle Pro Plus sign up for my six foot Saturday newsletter at side hustle pro.co\/newsletter when you sign up, you will receive weekly nuggets from me, including what I'm up to, personal lessons and my business tip of the week. Again, that's side hustle pro.co\/newsletter to sign up, talk to you soon you.\r\n\r\n<p>Transcribed by https:\/\/otter.ai\r\n<p>","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[128,215,397,21,7,105,8,9],"class_list":["post-9356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-solo-episodes","tag-black-women-entrepreneur","tag-black-women-founders","tag-black-women-side-hustlers","tag-entrepreneurs","tag-podcast","tag-side-hustle","tag-side-hustle-pro","tag-side-hustles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sidehustlepro.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9356","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sidehustlepro.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sidehustlepro.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sidehustlepro.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sidehustlepro.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9356"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sidehustlepro.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9356\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9358,"href":"https:\/\/sidehustlepro.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9356\/revisions\/9358"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sidehustlepro.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sidehustlepro.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sidehustlepro.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sidehustlepro.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}