Building a Sustainable Brand in a Modern World

All right, Calling all of my manufacturing and I want to build a wholesale brand. Friends, this episode is for you. I love hearing this story from my friend Stephanie, the founder of Kofi Leathers. I have known Stephanie and Kofi for quite a while now, since man early project days when the Boutique Hub got started. I always fell in love with her boots and her sneakers. So today we're bringing you behind the scenes to hear how she built this brand, how she's built not just a beautiful brand that's carried in so many boutiques, but a sustainable brand on top of it and what is being sustainable in today's day and age actually mean and look like? I really love this conversation because we're also wrapping in this conversation around things that are made in America or price points of more sustainable or handmade goods and how any boutique of any size, no matter what type of things you carry, can actually find success in this category as well. I overall think that so many different silos, I'll call them of our industry, whether it's home and gift or apparel or items that are a little bit higher price point or fast fashion, there's just so much overlap today and there's room for everyone to be successful testing and trying all different categories. So I hope you love this conversation and meeting Stephanie. She's an awesome, busy mom who has built a tremendous brand. Get ready to meet my friend Steph, the founder of Ko Fi Leathers. Let's talk about your business strategy and the juicy details of what actually works, from mainstream fashion to fashion on Main street and the entire ecosystem behind it. How do we scale your company and do it with the balance and the happiness that we all seek? Let's hear from those insiders, experts and strategists that actually make it happen. I'm your host, Ashley Alderson from the Boutique Hub, and I can't wait to chat. Hey, guys. Welcome back to the podcast this week.

Stephanie, I'm so excited to have you.

Thanks for joining me today.

Thank you for having me.

I feel like our. Our paths have crossed quite a few times in this industry so far. I'm trying to remember how many years ago it's been several that I first met you. I believe it was at Project. It's always been at Project that I've been able to run into you and even before. I feel like right now we're living in this period of time where, like, there's such a fad and trend around sneakers, but even before it became what it is today, like you were cutting edge of that in my opinion. So it's been amazing to watch your journey unfold. Thanks for being here.

Thank you so much. Yeah, we've, I've known you now for quite a few years really in the early phases of when we first started, which was with boots and sneakers and bags. So it's been quite a while. So thank you again for having me. It's fun to see you.

Awesome. Well, let's talk about the story behind the brand today. So if anyone has not met Kofi yet, just give me the origin story. Talk to me about how you got into this industry, what led you to sneakers and boots and bags originally.

So it did start as a family business and my dad has been in the leather business for 45 years now. So he is very well versed in everything leather from manufacturing to tanning the leather, etc. So any questions I've ever had, he's a great resource. Back In I think 2014, we started sort of with the iteration of sneakers or actually we started with ballerina flats and handbags. We actually started with the Molle crossbody clutch which happens to be one of our best selling handbags and people still love it just because of its versatility. But my dad and I actually were in Mexico at a leather show and, and ran across this man who does these incredible printed leathers. So he, we import Italian papers and foils from Italy and he learned in Italy to do this manufacturing process where you transfer the papers and foils onto the leather to custom create these really cool and unique leathers. And I just thought they were so incredible. And I've always loved fashion and style and we thought, you know, this, this could really be something super cool and unique and you know, make women feel great about themselves. Because I always like something that's a little fresh and a little different. So we started working with this gentleman in Mexico to create bags and shoes and, and then boots and kind of wrapped to sneakers. So a little bit of, of everything. And that's how it really started. And the name Kofi is actually named after my kids, Colson and Finn. And my parents will argue which one of them actually came up with that, but it was sort of a combined effort, I think.

I love that about your family. Like just thinking about your dad, I think every time I've run into you at a show, your parents have been there. Like your family seems incredibly like tight knit and supportive around building this business together.

Yeah, they, I mean they absolutely, they adore going to Vegas. And my dad kind of jokes that he's the gc, he's like the gopher chauffeur because he just runs around, which I love. I'm like, can you go do this for me? And then my mom is just an incredible salesperson and has always sort of been great and chatty with people, so they do love coming and supporting me. And, yeah, in 2014, my dad actually ended up. They moved to Palm Springs. So I sort of. He vouched for me, and then I kind of took the brand on and grew it. But again, I just. They're such incredible supporters, and, you know, I certainly wouldn't be in this position without them. So I'm grateful for. For our family. Family first. Yeah.

So many. Oh, man. So many of us can just really appreciate what that means to have that type of support behind your brand.

That's a big deal.

When you. When you first took it over, took it on and really started to grow in the category. Talk to me about some of the early challenges that you faced. What were you up against?

I mean, there's always so many challenges. I think when you're coming into a really saturated category, like handbags and shoes, people always wonder, you know, where would you fit in or how would you stand out, really, compared to other brands? And for sure, our distinct leathers is what differentiates our line and our brand from others. So we have these just very interesting and cool patterns. And again, it's sort of the feel that you can wear something really different and cool and chic, but and get noticed for something that you're wearing that's Kofi. That is just. Again, it's different from what everyone else has, which is something so cool. And we keep being different, so we keep introducing new letters so that you can constantly feel that. Of course, we have our tried and true that are just amazing, like platinum and gold. The metallics are pretty phenomenal. But we also introduced something new, like a rattlesnake blue, where you have this really cool bag that really no one else. Not many other people have.

Yeah, I. So several years ago, when I ran into you, you were gracious enough to give me a pair of sneakers. And I don't know what is. Do you remember what the name are? They're blue, and they have gold foil in the middle of them.

Yeah. I think they're probably the holly fashion sneakers in navy with the rose gold accents on them.

Yes, yes, I.

And.

Oh, go ahead.

Yeah. And they're. I mean, again, they're just a really. They're. They're super cool. They're comfortable. They're really fun. And they're just a little different.

Yeah. Every. I still wear them. Every time I wear them, I get compliments on them. And as I was thinking about this podcast today, I was like, gosh, sneakers have become such a trend, right? Everybody has sneakers, especially since the pandemic, but everyone has the same sneakers. Like, we can only have so many golden goose dupes in the world with stars on them before we get bored of that. And so talk to me about not just obviously the look of the sneakers are different, but quality is such a big deal when it comes to sneakers. Talking about the.

It is. And I will, yeah. And I will say, I mean, making shoes, people are like, you are crazy. Like, it's such a hard. It's really, really hard. And I promise I work incredibly hard at making them comfortable and making sure that they're great. We've had some other sneakers in the line that I've pulled from the line that I felt like weren't perfect. And I know that the Holly fashion sneakers, I wear them all the time. I know that they're comfortable. I know that they're great. We now have a removable insert in them. So we're constantly trying to upgrade them and listen to what people have to say about how that, whoa, there's the wind slamming something in the house. They, they're. We're constantly working on them to make them more and more comfortable. I will say that they do have a little bit of a narrowness in the toe bed. So some people do want to do a half size up because they like a little extra wiggle room. And they also, I mean, they're not going to fit everybody. You know, everybody has a unique and different foot. So it doesn't fit the masses, but it does fit many, many people. And a lot of people just love them and think they're incredibly comfortable. So they have an Evie a foam memory foam insert in them and they're all leather, so they stretch to really mold and meet your foot. And I, I mean, they're also just really, really cool looking and they're different and they're unique. And I have my, my son's on a baseball team and I think half the moms are always wearing their Kofi kicks to the baseball games, which are super cute.

I love that when you show at market, you', project.

Right.

And so typically you're. You're selling these sneakers into stores that are a little bit. I don't even know if higher end is really the word, but I think there's maybe a Misconception. In stores that are shopping at Project versus Magic or, you know, shoes of this quality and price point versus just fast fashion, are there misconceptions you wish more boutiques and retailers knew about going to a show like Project and buying with brands like yours? Like, how can we bridge the gap so people can understand quality that is available at.

At shows like. I mean, I think it's great for something that I'm planning on working on doing is to help stores be able to sell the sneakers better. In terms of just. In some boutiques, they might have one or two runs of shoes, but they're not a shoe store. So there is a little bit of an art in terms of selling sneakers. I think what's important is when someone says, I'm a size 8, I'm always a size 8, I'm a true size 8. What you do is you bring out a size 8 and a size 8 and a half and you give them one of each to try so that then they can see which one really does fit their foot better. Because every sneaker company is a little bit different. And the way that the sneakers are made is that they're put on a last that helps sort of stretch out the sneakers. So it's going to fit a little bit differently. So I feel like, you know, it's a little bit of that is also just learning as a boutique how to sell that particular item. But in terms of Project versus Magic, I think it's, you know, I can tell you from a brand's perspective, it's hard. We never know which place to go. And at this point, it's like, you know what? I'm going here because it works for me. It's always sort of worked for me and it fits. But it doesn't mean that I don't have varied price points. So I have products that can fit into different categories in different places. It's just a matter of coming and taking a look at it and then working with those customers to be able to see who their customers are to see if it's a good fit for.

Their store, I think anymore. Like, our industry used to be a little bit more segmented. Where there was maybe the stores that were at Magic or stores that were at project or even stores that were in home and gift and then stores that were in apparel or shoes. But any more post pandemic with online selling the way that it is, social selling the way that it is, and just the way consumers shop today in the last two years is totally different. And there is so much crossover. So I, I just always encourage stores like, don't miss out on the hidden gems that are in places you may not have visited before because you thought you were in a certain category when really there's so many options. You talked.

Yeah. And there's no go ahead. Oh, sorry. Well, I was gonna say also, I'm sorry to interject, but there's also. So fair dot com. Are you familiar with that platform? I mean, I think they're great because they allow you to try out some new brands and then there's. They have a return policy. So if things don't work for you on the first time you order, you can return certain items and you can. Can start small and you can kind of test run some new categories. So we are on fair.com and I think it's a great way to sort of segue and get your feet wet in Ko Fi if you want to see how it, you know, a little bit of what, how it does at your store. And then also, you know, we always try to provide information about bestsellers so people can kind of go with gusto and try. Try out the best and see how it works for their. Their clients. I love that.

I love the, the opportunities that Fair has opened for so many, both on retail side and on the wholesale side. It's an awesome platform. What else do you feel like your most successful stores that carry the line have in common? What are they doing that makes them stand out?

I think, to be honest with you, they just have some incredible sales staff that love the product. I mean, the more people love the product or even use it themselves, then they can sell it. And, you know, as a brand, I'm always open to having those conversations with the brand. Especially, you know, in the boutique hub, if somebody wanted to try out a pair of sneakers for themselves, and then they sell them that way. So if they order a run of sneakers, they also are wearing a pair, which again, I really believe is the best way to sell the product is to own it yourself. Because you will see when you walk around, as you said, people will stop you. You will get compliments when you wear cozy.

I totally agree with that. It's so funny. I feel like I've asked that question too numerous wholesale brands lately, and that's always the answer. The answer always is if they do well selling my product, it's because they personally use it and love it. And I think that's a really good tip for retailers to remember, no matter what you're selling like that, personal testimony, whatever you're excited about is going to show. And you can't fake it. You absolutely can't fake it.

Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. And just also knowing then you can talk about the versatility of the bag and say, oh, you know, this is where I wear it. I wear it out for dinner, you know, as a clutch. And then we went to this concert and I turned it into a crossbody and it was so great and I had it on my person, I didn't have to put it down. So you can have that versatility with the Molly, for example, and you can talk about it and then that's how people will say, oh, that's such a great idea, I should get that and wear it like that. So I feel like for sure it's loving the product wearing it yourself. And again, as a brand, I mean, we're open to having those discussions when people place orders if they want to get something for themselves as well. I mean, that's why when I do sell app project, I always do, you know, one piece. Well, I don't always do this, but I did this last time and I'm planning on doing it moving forward. Where you get to sort of get one other item that you didn't already purchase when you place an order so that you can test run something else that we have and see how it does for you.

What are you. So speaking of like being at project and strategies for sales there, speak to me like wholesaler to wholesaler. If there's other brands who are listening and they're thinking about showing at any show and do you find like there's other maybe things you wish you would have known sooner, things you wish you would have tried sooner? When setting up at a trade show.

I mean, I have to say I. When I started the project shows such a long time ago, I always talked to people and found out what worked for them, what doesn't work for them. Listening to other people that are in the same position, I feel like you get so much information from them and you also can collaborate with people. So I think it's really creating this sort of community of networking. So when you are there, even if you're having relatively a slow show, it's going and talking to other owners and other people and seeing what they are doing and what's working for them and how you can maybe incorporate something that someone else is doing. Again, not sort of copycatting their product, but also learning some sort of sales tactics or strategies that they're using. And a lot of people that are in this business know how hard it is. And they're always willing to chat with somebody else who's sort of coming up in the ranks because there's enough room for everyone to be successful. So I feel like people, a lot of people are incredibly kind and supportive and go talk to those people because they will. It really will give you tons of tips on how to be successful.

Yeah, I totally agree. I feel like community over competition isn't just like a tagline. It's not just what boutiques do. But I feel like that's very true in the wholesale side space as well. Have there been other great collaborations that you've built along the way that you feel like have helped you reach new audiences?

I'm. I'm working on one right now which is a little bit more challenging, so I'll kind of save that one. Hopefully it will pan out. But I. I would say just working with other wholesalers, we've done some, you know, Instagram giveaways, or I've shared a booth with other people at a wholesale show, which is always nice because you're bringing both your customer base and theirs to the booth. So that piece of it has been great. And then again, as I said, I feel like, you know, in a lot of ways, I'm really an open book. So I try to share, you know, a rep that I might have that would work for somebody else or I think just again, that community feel and community building, I love that.

Do you, as you look back, like on this journey, right, of building this business so far, is there a best mistake you feel like you faced along the way?

Hmm, let's see. I mean, I think all the mistakes that you face, you grow from. So, you know, back when, at the beginning I had made a mistake by saying, sure, of course, but definitely, you know, use your own, your brand on the product and try to sell it that way. And I feel like it wasn't. Didn't work out for us. And then we had a lot of product that was branded with their brand. And long story short, sort of learn from that sort of mistake not to do that again, based on that, it was just a little bit of a hiccup. But I think, you know, I guess. I guess I feel like nothing was really a mistake because again, it's all sort of a learning. You learn from all of it. And I also really calculate my risk so that I don't make any sort of really insane mistake that could put. Put Kofi under. You know, even at the beginning, I was like, let's see, like, what's our risk level on that in terms of where we spend our money. You know, you have to just be careful that you're not doing anything just because it sounds glossy, because it's not always. And you really have to make sure you take your time to decide if you want to commit or work with somebody and then you find your gems. Like, the Boutique Hub is incredible and Accessories Council has been amazing. And so I have Fash Wire has been amazing and Vera Shop. There's so many different collaborations and now we're on Zappos and they're incredible to work with, so I just feel like it's finding those pieces. But a lot of that takes time and really takes your due diligence to.

Make sure that you find the rightful. There's always those gems out there. One of the gems you just mentioned, Accessories Council, I know you're doing some work with them right now on sustainability, because that's a big piece of your brand, and not just that it's become such a tag word or a tagline that people are focused on right now, but just what does it really mean to walk the walk in the sustainability conversation? I'm curious. Just tell me more about kind of the work you're doing there and education that maybe some of us are missing out on. What does that really mean to be a sustainable brand?

Yeah, and I'm so happy you brought that up. So, yeah, I mean, we really. I wrote a recent blog, which is on our website, about how Kofi is sustainable, specifically. I mean, first of all, leather is a byproduct of the animals that we eat. So I feel like in and of itself, itself, leather, the hide, I should say, of the. Of the animal is a byproduct. So using that is. And I can kind of show you.

Props. Look at you. You guys are looking on YouTube. Cute.

Yes. So. So that's the first piece of it. But that being said, I mean, obviously there's a lot of things that people can do to focus on sustainability. And I will say that as a brand, I'm constantly learning. So I don't. I don't attest to saying that we know everything about it. I just know that I'm constantly open to learning about it. So something that we do is we work with somebody in Mexico for all of our byproduct that we have any excessive leather. And again, we use Italian papers and foils. So any of the excessive papers and foils, which we recycle, and we also use recyclable bags for our handbags. So that we make sure that we're consistently kind of working on being a brand that focuses on the sustainability piece. And again, I feel like it can be sort of just a, like a tagline sort of in. Some people will say, you know, we're vegan leather and that's incredible and we're way more sustainable than, you know, real leather. And I think in some cases that can be true if you're using cork or fruit rinds to create your vegan leather. But a lot of people also do use polyurethane and the polyurethane is a byproduct of plastic and that actually is much more wasteful than real leather. So I think it's just really educating yourself and knowing what it is that you're espousing and what brands are doing in terms of what their recyclable materials are that they're using. And again, we're always open to learning more and trying to continue to be more and more sustainable, just because as we all know what's going on in our world today, we want to make sure that we keep our world as long as we can for our children and their children. So I feel like just being mindful of all that is really important especially.

Yeah, I really like that. I appreciate that conversation. Just because there is such a misconception out there, like your conversation. I think you and I actually had this conversation the last time I saw you in person was about vegan leather and just some of the misconceptions that do come along with that. But I also think post Covid there was such a calling for things that were made in America or just how things were ethically sourced or if they were more sustainable. And this, this all wraps back into that conversation of am I shopping with something that is handmade? Am I checking out some of the brands that are at project, or is this just fast fashion? And there's a different price point that's called for when something is handmade in this way or it is more sustainable. So again, just like putting the full circle on this, this is not just about sustainability, but manufacturing process, price point, brand story, and your job as a retailer. If you're listening, if you're a boutique owner, how do you wrap that together and educate your customer on all of those pieces? Why does the price point match?

Yeah, absolutely. And you're right, because sometimes that is, sometimes it is more expensive, you know, and at. For, for our brand, I can speak to what we do. And we also have free range cattle. And because we have free range Cattle, they might have some imperfections on the leather. So there might be, you know, where they scratched their back on the tree and that might come across in some of the handbags. And so for people to be sort of mindful, like that's in some ways also what creates the character of leather, is to have that. I mean, you could. Some people and some brands that, you know, that are very well known have kept animals sort of in a cage and kept their hides pristine. And your bags will be very pristine and not have any of those mars or imperfections, but then what, at what cost? So I feel like, again, as you said, it's also just about educating your customers when they do come into the store. Well, you know, this is why there's this mark on here is the vein of the cow, or this is from where, you know, the back of the hide. And this is how this works. And so trying to educate, you know, educate the store owners, but also the end user on why the leather looks the way that it does so that you can be proud of the fact that you're working with a more sustainable and a more ethical. Yeah, I appreciate that.

As somebody who grew up on a cattle ranch, I understand that probably in far more detail than a lot of people. But I just want to mention, like, there's always someone there to answer that question of why. Why things are the way they are or how those animals are cared for. I think that's important to note as well. There's a lot of misconceptions about agricultural. So it makes me happy that we're having this conversation about how good agriculture can be in these instances.

So I appreciate that. I want to shift gears a little bit.

So I know you have a wonderful brand, growing brand, creative products, all these things. You're also on the flip side. You're a busy mom with two kids. Right. And a busy life. And the wholesale game can be a bit of a racket. Like, it can be a lot of travel. It's very demanding. There's production schedules, all the things that you're trying to meet. I personally believe this word balance is just total bs. I don't know that perfect balance really exists. But instead there's boundaries that we put in place for our lives. I'm curious how you approach that in your life. How. How are you working on being successful not just in business, but also at home?

Yeah, I mean, I think it's being mindful about the needs of your family and what the needs are of your business and making sure that you have those touch Points. I mean, there' so much to, to juggle being a business owner. And I think, you know, taking care of myself, taking care of my kids, taking care of my relationship with my husband, my friends, my parents, you know, all of that is really of primary importance. And we've always sort of been a family first type family. So we have to prioritize the needs of our family. But they also have an understanding that mom works and mom travels for work. And so it is a little bit about finding, you know, finding the moderation, if you will, in doing, doing a little bit of everything, but also as you said, creating those boundaries. So, you know, I need to. Sometimes I'm not great about it and sometimes I'll jump on and I try to respond right away to people and that usually isn't always the best way to do it. If it's 6:30 at night, I really need to wait and answer that email or answer that text message the next day. So it is kind of a, again, another constant work in progress that, that I have to work on. And I have, you know, two kids and a husband that are very. Can remind me to, you know, mom, you need to put it down and we need to spend some time. And I'm like, yep, you are right, I get it. So I feel like, you know, as a business owner you could be working 24 hours a day and But I also know that that's not a healthy way to be when you have a family especially. So I guess it's just a constant work in progress and it's a constant, you know, kind of check in with myself and am I doing what I need to do to stay mentally healthy or my. Is my family mentally healthy? Because there is a whole piece of mental health in today's day and age with COVID as well. And especially I have, you know, one teenage boy and another one who's going to be entering that phase soon. So having teenagers, you want to make sure you're just.

Are there daily habits and routines that you have found to be most helpful either at home or with business?