Name: Barbara Kavovit (a.k.a. Barbara K)
Age: Just old enough to make a couple of solid mistakes, but young enough to tell you about them!
Job Title and Description: Serial Entrepreneur & Inventor of things that help make women’s lives easier!
College/Major: SUNY Oswego/ Finance
Website: www.DIY-VA.com
Twitter Handle: @barbarasway
What does your current job entail?
Barbara Kavovit: An abundance of screwing, banging and drilling. Some cursing and screaming, too.
Is there such a thing as a typical day?
BK: If being stressed out is typical and wanting everything done last week, then yes, it’s pretty typical!
Why did you choose to dedicate your career to DIY projects?
BK: I chose to dedicate my career to empowering myself as well as others to be independent and to never rely on anybody but themselves.
What inspired you to design your Macy’s collection, DIYVA?
BK: DiYVA is a collaboration of two words coming together to join forces. Doing it Yourself-DIY- represents independence and strength. DIVA represents being feminine and fabulous. By combining them together –DIYVA- something creative and unique was born. Once this very important step was achieved, it gave me the inspiration to create fabulous products for women who are fashionable, perform a function and solve a problem.
What is one thing you wish you knew about your industry when you first started out that you know now?
BK: Two things hold true for any industry:
1. Under-promise and over-deliver.
2. Have a short-term memory and skin as thick as a python (that’s when it comes to setbacks or any kind of failure).
Both are important traits and necessary for success.
I’m assuming your alma mater didn’t have a DIY major when you were an undergraduate. How did your college experience help your career?
BK: My alma mater had some great bars and a theatre group where I learned exemplary communication and public speaking skills.
Who is one person who changed your professional life for the better?
BK: Terry Lundgren, [who is the] CEO of Macy’s. He is the one person/mentor that has always inspired me to never give up. He encourages hard work, focus and passion – he believes that anyone can have the potential for greatness.
What words of wisdom do you find most valuable?
BK: “Life is always under construction.”- Lily Tomlin
What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?
BK: The same ego that drives your success can also drive you to failure. It’s important to realize which side of your brain is the stronger. It’s impossible to be great at everything.
What do you look for when considering hiring someone?
BK: A self-starter and someone who takes initiatives to solve problems, initiate deals and complete tasks on his or her own.
You already have a collection for a major department store, what else do you hope to accomplish?
BK: To inspire Martha Stewart to retire.
What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?
BK: Be prepared for success, be prepared for failure and have a sense of humor. Listen to people who are older, wiser and have lived through a couple of solid mistakes.