Dallas-based apparel designer Katy Messersmith is the founder and owner of Katydid and Katydid Wholesale, the brand that did what others couldn’t transform the basic casual sportswear tee and trucker hat into a fashion-forward staple of women’s closets throughout the South. Katydid’s designs are modern, flattering, and confident. Katy is known for embracing saturated colors, mixed motifs, detailed embellishments, and incredible quality that endears repeat customers and continually captivates new audiences. 

Can you tell our readers about your background? 

After graduating from Texas A&M with a degree in community health, I spent my early career as a pharmaceutical project manager and got my start in fashion thanks to a fluke event that happened during a volunteer trip to Ghana, Africa. I came back from Africa with a greater purpose for what I wanted to do and for years the Katydid brand was only a side hustle. Hard work paid off and the side hustle’s revenue increased enough to support me on a full-time basis. 

What inspired you to start your business? 

Before beginning my new corporate job, I traveled to Ghana, Africa to volunteer at a prenatal woman’s clinic for two months. The airline lost my luggage, leaving me with only the clothes on my back. I worked with a local seamstress in Ghana to design a replacement wardrobe of colorful local fabrics and found my calling. When I returned to Texas, I placed my designs on eBay which sold like lightning and so I began to create more and more, as well as, reselling other brands and designs on eBay.

Where is your business based?

Dallas, TX

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

After a few years of selling on eBay, someone offered to create a website for $200. I took them up on the offer and while initially, the business was retail only, I received multiple requests daily if I would sell my bags wholesale. Realizing the huge opportunity to be one of the first companies to wholesale online, in 2004, I changed my retail handbag website to a wholesale handbag website, which catered to small boutiques nationwide that couldn’t afford to travel to markets and trade shows across the country.

As the company grew, I realized I didn’t want to quit my corporate job to just sell other people’s bags for the rest of my life so I decided to start my own brand and call it Katydid! Today we not only sell bags but women’s hats, clothing, luggage tags, phone rings, earrings, swim cover-ups and more. We are truly now a lifestyle brand.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business? 

I learned the hard way that you can’t put all your eggs in one basket and only survive on a handful of accounts or platforms. For instance, if you are a brand, you have to sell online via a website, do social selling via Instagram and Facebook, etc, sell offline at events or trade shows, on third party marketplaces, retail and wholesale, and so on. You must be everywhere now!

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them? 

There are many challenges when you own your own business! Keeping up with the ever-changing fashion demands and trends is for sure a challenge, especially since the world is now online and consumers expect “fast fashion”.  You don’t have as much time to plan like in the past, you have to act quickly.

How do you stay focused?

I love that the business is at a place where we can truly give back and help make a difference in the world. Whether that be helping employees through rough times or donating money to different charitable causes or individuals in need.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition? 

Creativity! I could hire an FT position to just sheriff the Internet as much as my designs get knocked off and some designs and sayings are trademarked.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business? 

Since we were one of the first companies online 18+ years ago, we have a very large customer newsletter list. Email marketing is our most successful form of marketing, but we are looking into heavily expanding into social and influencer marketing which we feel will surpass email marketing at some point in the near future.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs? 

I was very savvy and was very interested in learning anything I could to help the business grow, but I wish I would have had a business mentor in the early years. In the early years, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out things on my own and teaching myself while a simple friendship with a business mentor probably would have gone a long way. Today, I have many successful friends or mentors in business and they always help when needed.

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

IG - I just keep up with friends that way….and competitors too!

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

I read numerous newsletters weekly to stay informed and my sales reps also are a great resource for staying ahead and what the competition is doing.

Who is your business role model? Why? 

Sara Blakely! She saw a niche for a new product. She developed the product and she went essentially from store to store until she got her big break and she scaled with the right people. And she loves to empower other women.

How do you balance work and life? 

It’s tough. I have a little toddler now and I want to spend more time with him more than anything, but I also have a financial responsibility to him and my husband, so I continue to push forward growing the brand and sacrificing a little time now so I can be even more present in the next few years for the both of them. I also really try to make a difference in other lives that touch my brand or that help my brand or that purchase my brand. I want to give back and that drives my balance too.  

What’s your favorite way to decompress? 

A nice relaxing day that includes going to my chiropractor and being readjusted!

What do you have planned for the next six months? 

Growth by filling a void. This virus is horrible, the lockdown is something we had to do, but I feel for the smaller retailers and wholesalers as it is going to be rough to restart these small businesses. But, if you can make it through there is market share to be captured. We try to help our retailers and customers all we can. Through low to no minimums, we do dropshipping now, and a lot of discounts through our newsletters until customers can get back on their feet.

How can our readers connect with you?

IG: www.instagram.com/katydidusa

Twitter: https://twitter.com/katydidusa

FB: www.facebook.com/katydidcollection

Retail website: www.katydid.com

Wholesale website: www.katydidwholesale.com