Interview With Katie Johnson, President & Chief Design Officer of Kix By Katie

(www.bizchicksrule.com) — You know how you just look at some products and say, "Why didn’t I think of that?" Well, Katie Johnson did think of that with her brilliant product to get rid of the annoying heel wedgies that plague us all. Here, she dishes on the company and her life as an inventor and entrepreneur.

Kristen, Biz Chicks Rule: Tell me about your company and your products. When was the company founded? How long did it take you to get rolling?

Katie Johnson, Kix by Katie: I started my company Katie, Inc. about a year and a half ago. I invented the innovative fashion fixer product called Kix By Katie that keeps the fabric of your pants from bunching between your heel and shoe. A common wardrobe malfunction that occurs while wearing long pants and open back heels. I’ve affectionately dubbed this fashion faux pas a ‘Heel Wedgie!’ Kix By Katie temporarily adhere to the inside back hem line of your pant leg. Acting much like a collar stay in men’s shirts, they add just a little extra weight and rigidity to the pant leg to keep them hanging nicely. Voila, no more Heel Wedgies!

It took me about a year, from the time I decided to seriously pursue developing my invention, until I actually felt like a real business. During that year I put in place a process to manufacture my product. Searching out suppliers for needed materials as well as a manufacturer who could apply a self adhesive backing to my desired fabric. I also enlisted a graphic designer to help me design a fun, sassy, eye catching package.

I also joined a networking group of women entrepreneurs called Ladies Who Launch at about my 6 month point and found it to be the best thing that I could have done for my business at that point. I found my marketing partner, Cindy Aggson of The Carpe Viem Group while taking the Ladies Who Launch Incubator Intensive course and have since formed many other lifelong friendships as well as valuable business connections from that experience. I soon made a wonderful friend, Gordon Collett, who did an excellent job in getting my website up and running.

Working solely from our own seed money I found it more cost effective (albeit more time consuming) to set up a mini factory where I die cut the components for my product and packaged them for retail myself. I soon hired my son as well as a teenage niece and nephew to help me on a part time basis. Now, I have my manufacturing company die cut and ship the components to me but still do the packaging out of my mini factory. I soon expect to out source all of the manufacturing and packaging.

Kristen: What prompted you to start the company?

Katie Johnson: Necessity really is the mother of all invention. Being vertically challenged (and okay maybe a few pounds over my desired weight) — I love to wear long pants with high heel shoes for a long slimming silhouette look — ahh don’t we all. But when I wore my favorite open-back heels with my long pants I experienced the dreaded Heel Wedgie! Don’t you just hate that?

Frustrated by this problem, and a lack of a commercially available solution, I created a prototype by cutting strips of plastic from discarded packaging and attaching them with surgical tape to the inside of my pant legs and an idea took flight. It wasn’t pretty but it worked and I knew other women would want it too. As a wife and mother of two great boys, I understand that a woman’s time is valuable. We don’t have time to muss and fuss over all these little wardrobe malfunctions that stand in our way of getting the important things in our day done.

Kristen: How was it starting up a new company on your own? Did you have a lot of prior business experience? What kind of help did you receive along the way?

Katie Johnson: It has been very exciting! I’ve always wanted to do something like this and I am so grateful that I get to pursue my dream. I have a very supportive husband and family. The house rule is that this is to be an enjoyable experience, fun, light and positive. I try to surround myself with things that make me happy and only work with those who share that view and add to that experience. That doesn’t mean that everything has always gone perfectly. As with any business there are things that come up that need to be addressed but I choose to deal with them in a, constructive way. Focusing on solutions not problems.

I have learned so much during this process! I had some previous experience in business. My family runs a successful construction company, building and remodeling custom homes. I’ve been able to share in many parts of that including bookkeeping, office management, dealing with clients, etc. I was able to develop many skills that have been beneficial to me in my current business. I did not, however, have any prior experience in product development and design, manufacturing, marketing, public relations or sales. And I had very limited computer skills.

As I mentioned before, I have enlisted a wonderful marketing partner who has taught me so much and has really helped me guide my business in a successful direction. Cindy has extensive background in marketing and a real knack for recognizing good opportunities and quickly formulating a plan to act on them while keeping within the parameters of our budget and business model. She really has the best interest of my business at heart and to have her on my team has been a real blessing.

Kristen: You were selected as a Top 10 Finalist for the Inc. and Fast Company Great Idea Contest. That must have been so exciting! What was going through your mind when you found out?

Katie Johnson: How that came about was kind of funny. It was one of those emails you get from a friend saying "you should enter this." So, late one night I filled out the online entry form and submitted it and quickly forgot about it. Several weeks later I got an email saying that I was one of the ten finalists in the nation! I didn’t save a copy of what I had sent them and so had my fingers crossed that my marketing partner would approve. I did learn that when they ask you to attach an image file ….. usually they mean of the product your entering and not one of yourself! : ) We had a good laugh over that one.

Of course I was over the moon and very thrilled to be mentioned among such talented inventors! I wasn’t the grand prize winner but it gave me a real confidence boost to have Kix By Katie recognized by such well known and respected magazines as Inc.com and Fast Company.

Kristen: What’s a typical day like for you? How do you balance being a mom and being president and chief design officer for a successful design company?

Katie Johnson: Balance is something I struggle with as I’m sure every working mom does. House rules are that spirituality and family come first, then business, etc. I’ve found that things work out really well when I follow that rule. However, I do admit to being a bit of a rule breaker at times and having to realign my priorities.

A typical day goes something like this: I generally get up at 7:00 am and enjoy a cup of coffee while I catch some Good Morning America. Since I home school our 11 year old son, Hayden, it’s important that I get him squared away with his assignments right away. We have some breakfast and do a little housework. I also try to get in a little exercise. I’ve found that the more I do before I enter my office the better because once I check my emails it’s all over. My day can go in any direction after that.

I work from a MAC laptop which makes my life a lot easier. I can take Hayden and a friend to the skate park or arcade and still get some work done. I generally print out things I need to read and take them with me. Add my mobile phone to the mix and ta da! A mini office wherever I go.

I feel very privileged to be able to do what I love. I’m grateful to live at a time when women have so many opportunities available to them. Women are starting businesses at twice the rate of men these days, many out of necessity, and it’s not easy for them. But the modern technology that we have now has enabled many women to be able to work flexible hours or from home allowing them to spend quality time with their children and run a household while still earning a living. My hat goes off to all of you hard working wives and moms!

Kristen: What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you started? What kind of mistakes did you make and how did you move forward?

Katie Johnson: I wish I would have realized that to know your limitations is a strength and not a weakness. To take on more than you can handle is not being humble, but proud.

Sometimes I would feel overwhelmed by the thought of something but would feel like I should do it for one reason or another. I’ve since realized, with the help of my husband, that if something doesn’t fit our house rules, isn’t fun for me or is causing me too much stress that it probably isn’t worth it.

I have a hard time saying "No", but I’m trying to be aware of my personal limitations and make good choices as to how I spend my finances and my time. There are a lot of things that a person can do but I have to stop and ask myself – Is this necessary? Will this positively impact the value of my company? What is the cost to benefit ratio? How does this translate into sales? If it turns out to not make sense for me or my business model – Axe it!

Kristen: What advice do you have for other women, and especially young moms, who want to do their own thing?

Katie Johnson: Just do it! Did someone already coin that phrase? : )

There is never going to be a perfect time or the perfect circumstances. If you know what you want to do then start working toward it. Write down short term and long term goals then organize a plan to reach them. Even if it is just one thing a day or a week. You have the choice: Tomorrow or next week you can be where you are right now or you can be one step closer to your goal. So what are you waiting for? Hop to it!

Kristen: Is there anything you thought I’d ask you and you’re surprised I didn’t? What was it, and how would you have answered?

Katie Johnson: Something you didn’t know before you contacted me is that Kix By Katie was selected to be featured in the "Everyone Wins at the Emmys" EMMY Nominee Gift Bags. It’s very exciting to know that some really awesome celebrities have Kix By Katie as we speak! As a result of being featured in the gift bags I had the privilege of being interviewed by Better TV. A syndicated news show that airs in 36 cities. I’m very excited about that!

Order your own Kix By Katie online or at select West Coast retailers.

Contents © Copyright 2008 Kristen King

Tags: womens business blog, biz chicks rule, kristen king, katie johnson, kix by katie, heel wedgie, female executive, female entrepreneur, starting your own business, female inventor