Today we’d like to introduce you to Cindy Kieng.
Cindy, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I don’t take the word passion lightly as I know it’s a very strong word to use but I guess I’ll have to as it is the only fitting word that would describe how I built this company.
Cutie Patootie Clothing started in Downtown LA as Letonco Limited designing and producing lingerie, PJ’s and active wear sets for many other well know companies in the USA and UK markets. It was then that we accidentally found a big opportunity, Close-out deals from Asia to US market. We also found out that USA has a missing market for girls and tween’s (4–14 years old) sizes and this got me excited because apart from being a business woman I am a typical doting mother to a young daughter who is very crazy in styling and dressing up my girl. So I grabbed this opportunity and made sure that I personally design our products and raised our bar when it comes to quality. My passion with fashion coupled with my maternal instinct of providing the best quality and design for kids is what made this company thriving.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Every company has its own share of ups and downs. Starting from the ground up, it is challenging for any person. My husband and I worked 24/7 for 365 days of the year. When owing your own business, there is no boundary between work and personal life. Your life does essentially equate to work for the first couple of years. I remember there was a time that we had to iron about more than 100 dozen shirts in one night because we wanted to ensure that the quality of the shirts was presentable for our retailers. We went to great lengths to make sure every detail was on point because in the end every detail does matter.
When we first started, we exhibited for our first Apparel Trade Show in Las Vegas. I remembered that we had to set up our booth by ourselves and carry all of our merchandise to the booth from our car. The other big companies had hired professionals to set up their booth display and their own sales representatives to display their merchandise. We literally had only two people including myself setting up the booth, displaying all the merchandise, selling the merchandise, then breaking down the booth. It was tough, there were times I would just go without breakfast or lunch because I needed to stay in the booth. However, I can say that I was blessed that we were busy.
Our items were a hit and I wanted to make sure that I provided our customers the best products at the best price. Owning your own business is always a challenge. It is not easy to have a business survive for more than 20 years, I have watched many of my friends and colleague’s businesses take a toll during the recession, but I wanted to challenge myself to keep growing my business. There is never a day where I look down from climbing a mountain because all I ever want to do is aim high and reach for the top. It’s a continuous struggle of keeping on top of your game and designing is a constant challenge too while keeping our prices affordable.
I need to constantly evolve made sure that the same passion and grit I have when I started this company is there, so I can still provide them with the best. It’s tiring but fulfilling us well.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Cutie Patootie Clothing, Inc. – what should we know?
I think what sets us apart from other company is the fact that we stay focused on what matters most to our buyers. I wanted to make sure that our brand consistently delivers something that our buyers wants, needs and appreciate and to be able to do this, I make sure that each style that we launch passed a series of process.
Our brand takes pride in the fact that we design all our apparels and make sure that all the nitty-gritty details are being covered by us. From choosing the deigns to be launched, our own fabric, thread to be used and even the little buttons have to be quality approved by me to ensure that we deliver high-quality and superior design apparels that last.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Of course there are many people who helped me along the way. However, I would have to say that my family deserves the credit. It starts with my mother who has bestowed upon me many business techniques, from being able to negotiate a deal to paying attention to the details. I learned that when it is time to work, you have to put your 100% into anything you do. My husband has always been a supporter of the business. He plays a key role in the business through the work he does behind the scenes. People do not see his effort from the outside, but his work through keeping our finances in check and seeking business opportunities has helped our company grow. Lastly, I would like to give credit to my daughter. I have been doing this business of more than 20 years, and I realize no matter how much experience you have there is always room to grow.
The world is always changing, thus the way we do business is changing. Therefore, we must learn from the new generation. My daughter has always been interested in the business since she was a little girl, so having her integrated in the business is such a blessing for me. Although I have much to teach her, she surprisingly has also taught me a lot too. I hope her the best and hope she strives for what she loves. Also, I thank all the employees of our business. Since the role of family is such a huge part of the business, we treat our employees like our family. I am grateful to be working with such great and hardworking people every day.
Contact Info:
- Address: 650 E. 16th St #C
Los Angeles, CA 90015 - Website: www.cutiepatootieclothing.com
- Phone: 213-747-1504
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/cutiepatootieclothing
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/CutiepatootieclothingLA
- Yelp: www.yelp.com/cutiepatootieclothingco
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