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So we left off with a reality show pitch that was in fact my life:
"Young girl in her early 20's wants to build a global resort wear brand, with a full time job, a small budget, little experience and no leads....on an island." (can't forget the island!) ...and like any top selling script, the next chapter begins with a kind-hearted, crazy family:
#FunFact: This is actually my first boss (w/ her sweet sisters)
haha Hey T!
So the journey of Couttsea leads us here:
Jumping onto the support wagon, my grandmother and cousin came home one day smiling from ear to ear, "We have a surprise for you."
My very own sewing machine!
"Oh.my.god. Move aside Melissa Odabash I have arrived!"
Beyond thrilled with Couttsea's first business asset, I felt as though there was nothing that could bring me down....Until reality (as usual) hit like a sack of bricks.
That reality is always such a bully, right?😅. As it turned out, I was not a domestic goddess with the luxury of my own schedule, but a work-a-holic engulfed in the non-stop event industry. The hustle was real, and I could not commit to the times or expenses of a sewing class. Couttsea deserved my time and attention, but I also had bills to pay. #Adulting101
I was determined to transform the sack of bricks into stepping stones - But how? Allas! In my pockets of free time, Professor Youtube came to the rescue.
Measure. Snip. Cut. Sew - *BAM*
I draped the constructed fabric over my shoulders, as a little voice in my head morphed into the world's most sought after hype man, "Prodigy I tell you! Look at this work of art. MAGICAL."
Yeahhhh yeaaah okay, so some of the edges were a little frayed, but I strategically made sure to hide the imperfections when I modeled around the house for anyone that would stand still long enough to entertain me.
The verdict was in, and I was a sewing prodigy! Fine, mostly a prodigy.
Kind of a prodigy? Your average human with Youtube? WHATEVER I was, I was darn proud.
It was the most exciting thing that I had ever created.
Here I was, finally taking my first step onto the road to success.
Until I realized that I had no patience, my goals were larger than my skill set and my true passion lay in the people.
Did I say road to success? I read that sign wrong - keep going.
It was important to me that I had a foundational understanding of the craft before I took on the world, but I also knew in my heart that the direction of Couttsea needed a seamstress. I felt nervous that there would be judgment cast for not "doing it all", but I also accepted that we all shine in different areas. My 'area' was finding ways to foster confidence through conversation and creativity over the craft itself.
Having spent a large portion of my life outside of Trinidad and Tobago, I always returned home with a deep sense of pride and appreciation for my twin islands. It was important to me that anything that I did professionally was done locally.
With the birth of Couttsea Resort Wear and the decision to outsource talent, my mom and I called upon all of our local resources who we believed could guide us on this beach wear venture. Yet be it the way of the world or genuine oversight, everyone’s lips were sealed. General information and public knowledge was all that we could muster. Determined to find a local partnership, we continued to do our research until we found a talented seamstress willing to work with us!
- Except, before we truly got started, she stopped answering any calls.
Thankfully we found someone else:
-Who pushed every deadline to the following month (or two).
But then we met someone great! - Who took our prototype material and disappeared ... And so it continued.
While their work was well done and I had immense respect for their talent, there was a huge gap that needed to be patched with professionalism. I considered reverting to the idea of doing it all myself, but I was confident as to where my time and skills were best placed. If I was going to do this the right way, these had to be obstacles to overcome, not barricades forcing a change in direction.
Reflecting on the situations, I told myself that the timing was off. I convinced myself that they could have had more pressing matters to deal with in their personal lives. It was possible that I simply had not found the right match, as I KNEW that my islands were bursting with talent... Or hey, maybe this was just another pivot point leading me to MY path.
After countless unanswered calls, months of delay and a few frustrated tears later, it was obvious that I needed a new plan. Already deep into my budget with little to show for it, my brain brawled with my emotions.
"What next?!"
I needed to make a change, and I needed to do it NOW.
I could not fail before starting!
The road less traveled is usually winding.
You may get lost, you may stumble, but there IS a way out. Don't turn back -
If you can relate to the madness of being a small business owner, you're currently facing the world of #adulting head on, or you simply just enjoy a good story...Make sure to stick around, as the journey of Couttsea continues 💃🥰😁.
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