Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kat W. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Kat, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
Growing up during a time where mixed heritage children were just starting to become common and doing so in a neighborhood that was beginning to become somewhat homogeneous in ethnic makeup has set me up for a lifetime of “being ready for anything.” For years, I was the only one in the room that did not speak Chinese fluently in addition to English – with my appearance but Spanish as my other language, this seemed difficult for others to comprehend. I had the best grades with minimal effort, I was praised by teachers, and then I was told by peers that it was impossible that I could be scoring well in school when I was “not 100%.” These were different times, and this prepared me to succeed in everything I put my hands on.
By the time I was in high school, I had faced prejudice a few more times for the same reason even though the school was more diverse. My previous experiences conditioned me to be resilient to peoples’ words. My work ethic never changed because I wanted to make my parents proud. I had seen what this had done to others I knew where were the minority amongst a minority majority, and I was not going to let that be me. I plowed through high school and powered into further education, constantly telling myself that the world was now becoming more diverse, and the idea of being singled out for something this trivial was going to be outdated soon, that only my efforts would matter and not my ethnic makeup.
In current days, I am sometimes the only one in the room at events with the word “Witch” in my brand name. People ask me why I don’t do more metaphysical events where that is more common, and honestly, those are sometimes boring because everybody is trying to sell the same kinds of items, and visitors get bored after seeing the 700th candle, and they will not even look at yours assuming that you have the same thing even if you do not. So I often go out to events for your everyday family. It took a little courage to be open about the fact that we include a different spirituality in some items but include things that an average person can use. We do not put anyone down, but we are here to show that even if you are different or misunderstood, we are all humans inhabiting the same space with similar needs. It’s not about me identifying as a “witch” to offend anybody. It’s about coexisting and creating something that allows everyone to feel included, with a bold name like that because honestly, what would be someone’s first take if they saw that on a banner? Would they come closer or would they walk away without taking a look at what’s on the table?
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
The Sugarwitch Co. was founded on a few principles in direct relation to my personal struggles, which stemmed greatly from being the only person I knew personally with now 27 food and skin allergies. In practicing my spirituality and also just attempting to live life, I found myself unable to buy a single body lotion on the market, and a lot of spiritual tools became questionably and possibly dangerous for me to use. With those things in mind, I began to seek out the best all natural materials to make what I needed, and in thinking of others, there had to be other folks like myself who needed this as well.
My goal is to bring to people safe alternatives to products they already know and love so that more folks can feel included in being able to purchase these things safely, whether it be candles, lotion, room and body sprays, lip balms, and other spiritual care items. We are currently working on certifications stating that all of our items are guaranteed free of at least the top 11 allergens, with the exception being candles because they are made with soy wax and produced in a separate area from everything else. Having dedicated areas of production are what folks like myself struggle with when trying to figure out what is safe for them to buy, as well as disclosure of ingredients or safety data sheets because for non-food items, the requirements are a lot less strict. We provide this information whenever requested to ensure the comfort and trust of those that enjoy our products.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
One of the areas of knowledge that was impactful in this journey was having taken several food handling courses, as well as culinary courses in my early adult years. This helped foster the ideas of cross contamination and product preparation, which sets us apart from many people who make DIY bodycare.
Another quality that was impactful in this journey is the constant will to want to learn more about anything – this handmade business is constant trial and error, and we are always striving to improve recipes, packaging, and more, and by taking the time to learn more about these topics, it helps to benefit our customers.
And finally, my dedication to detail shows in the way that we present at events or even via mailed orders. Appearance is a lot of what draws people in, and once they learn that the attention to detail is more than just in the appearance of the products, it is then that they usually decide that these products are for them.
For those that are just starting out, pay attention to your audience. If you don’t know who your audience is, get out in the world and meet people. You never know where you will find your niche.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
Previously, I had thought that my time management skills were already pretty well controlled, but with the growth of my small business and still working in the medical field by day, I had to manage time even better than before! In doing so, I did give up a few things while taking on new and unique projects, and I feel that through these experiences, I have definitely grown as a person. No matter how old you get, there is always room to grow somewhere, and this is definitely still happening for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thesugarwitchco.com
- Instagram: @thesugarwitch_co
- Facebook: Facebook.com/thesugarwitchco
- Other: You can also read my articles on life threatening allergies at www.allergies.net !
Image Credits
Bozu LA The Sugarwitch Co.
