Growing up in India, many of us are surrounded by a good old memory, woven with the threads of time, love, and nostalgia. One such memory that stands out vividly in my mind is of my mother, gracefully guiding the needle and thread through a piece of cloth, painstakingly crafting garments that fit me perfectly.
We belonged to a humble background, where buying ready-to-wear clothes from the market was a luxury we could seldom afford. To ensure that I always had something decent to wear, my mother came up with an ingenious solution. We would purchase clothes a size larger, ensuring they would last longer as I grew. The loose-fitting clothes would then be modified by my mother, turning them into bespoke pieces that catered to my growth spurts.
This daily act of love and care by my mother planted a seed of curiosity in my young mind. I would often find myself sitting beside her, watching intently as the rhythmic movement of the needle created magic. These moments ignited a passion for fashion designing and everything related to it. The allure of creating something beautiful out of a mere piece of fabric was enchanting.
I remember, as a child, pretending that the tailor’s machine was my car. Those days, simple yet filled with warmth, were undoubtedly some of the best days of my life.
As time passed and I grew older, my priorities shifted. The demands of education took over, and stitching became a distant memory. After completing my Intermediate, I started learning and doing job as digital marketer.
Why I Started My Tailoring Shop?
During the COVID pandemic, I lost my job and found myself grappling with financial problems. With no employment, I initially opened a ‘Women’s Clothing Shop’. However, it didn’t take off as expected, so I had to shut it down.
One day, while having a conversation with my mother, I struck upon the idea of starting an online tailoring shop. After all, my mother knows tailoring and my father, a retired professional tailor, could guide us.
How I Started My Tailoring Business
As I mentioned earlier, I am a digital marketer well-versed in creating websites, promoting businesses, and managing them. While I might lack legal expertise, I believe it’s not very important, especially when one is just starting out.
So, the following are the steps I took to start our custom-tailoring brand.
1. Market Research:
Before taking the plunge, I spent months researching the local market. I identified gaps in the tailoring industry, such as the need for quick alterations or custom-made clothing for special occasions. I’ve had numerous conversations with relatives, including my aunt and cousins, who consistently said that local tailors failed to deliver on time
2. Building a Business Plan:
I didn’t possess substantial finances or deep knowledge of tailoring. To fund the venture, I used my credit card and availed a loan against my mother’s gold. As for expertise, I had two skilled tailors right at home – my father and mother. With my background in digital marketing, I created a comprehensive plan covering aspects like financing, marketing, location, and potential challenges.
3. Finding the Perfect Location:
Having previously closed a shop, I understand the significance of an ideal location. Thus, I spent months searching for the perfect spot for our ladies tailoring shop. However, in the end, I initiated the business from our home. The highlight is that we offer doorstep services, so having a high-end shopfront isn’t crucial during the initial days. But the COVID-19 lockdown unexpectedly played to our advantage as no one is going to visit our store during this period.
4. Marketing and Branding:
I started promoting my services even before the official launch. Using social media platforms, I showcased before-and-after images, client testimonials, and time-lapse videos of the tailoring process. I also invested in a professional logo and created my own website.
7. Continuous Learning:
Fashion is an evolving industry. To stay ahead, I took advanced tailoring courses and attended fashion shows to understand the latest trends and learnt a lot from YouTube.
8. Customer Feedback:
Listening to my customers was paramount. I made it a point to gather feedback regularly and adapted my services accordingly. This not only helped in retaining clients but also in getting referrals.
Conclusion
Starting out as a digital marketer, I dipped my toes into the tailoring world, realising expertise wasn’t just in degrees but in passion and research. Months of market analysis unveiled the industry’s untapped potential, like quick alterations.
Looking back, starting my tailoring business was a mix of passion, hard work, and continuous learning. While there were challenges, the satisfaction of creating custom pieces and seeing the joy on my customers’ faces made it all worth it.
I still face problems in client handling and working with tailors, but this is part of business and if you completed reading this article, I can say that you don’t need to worry too much to start your business journey. Just believe in yourself and start it. Sooner or later, you will realize that you have come too far.
