Meet Alise Kabakoff of West Hills

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alise Kabakoff.

Hi Alise, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Alise Kabakoff is the Owner and Creative Director of Knit Me Sew Me, a 100% made in the USA handcrafted business. Alise has been knitting, crocheting and sewing for almost 60 years. Knit Me Sew Me provides an array of products that are not available in mass retail. Custom requests are welcome, and Alise thrives on making her customers’ visions a reality. Alise worked in retail throughout her life and has brought personal customer service to the forefront of Knit Me Sew Me. Her ultimate goal is to bring handmade back into the marketplace.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Absolutely not! Starting a business when you know nothing about doing so is a very long and hard road to travel. Like all new business owners, I have made my share of mistakes; however, learning from them has helped me along the way. Some struggles were creating a great website and how to draw more people to it, learning about social media (and how it changes from day to day) and networking. All are ongoing processes. Time management is probably the most important aspect of being a solopreneur as everything lands on my shoulders. Setting up some guardrails really helped me make the most of my time. As a handcrafted business, blocking out chunks of time to create products is tantamount to the business being successful. I have also been fortunate to have some great mentors who have supported me with suggestions and advice.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I was raised “old school retail.” That means personal customer service. I learned this while in college working a ladies wear store. This is the backbone of Knit Me Sew Me. Everyone is treated like family. Anyone visiting my booth at a boutique is welcomed. All questions are answered, and folks leave feeling great about their purchases. If someone has a question about products on the website, I am quick to respond. This is what sets me apart from others. Personal customer service is nonexistent in mass retail; so it’s quite a nice surprise that folks get “white glove” treatment. My mom taught me how to knit and crochet when I was 13. I learned how to sew in grade school at the same age. Throughout the decades, I have honed my craft by keeping at it to learn even more stitches and patterns. None of my products are mass produced, and I fulfill lots of custom orders. Giving folks products that are made with expertise and a piece of my heart is what I’m most proud of.

How do you think about luck?
I don’t think luck has played any part of my life and business. I believe being open to what comes along and trying to make the best of every situation is what really counts.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.knitmesewme.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knitmesewme
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knitmesewme
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alise-kabakoff/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@knitmesewme
• Other: https://www.alignable.com/los-angeles-ca/knit-me-sew-me-by-alise-kabakoff?user=3021832

Image Credits
Alise Kabakoff and Kim Schlereth