Meet Kyle Walotsky, a young entrepreneur and the face behind the jewelry brand, Kyle Cavan. We were lucky to have the opportunity to ask her some questions about her brand and what it is like to be a new business owner!
HC: What can you tell us about your company, Kyle Cavan?
KW: “Kyle Cavan is dedicated to creating timeless jewelry collections that allow fashion-conscious college students and alumni to connect with their school or alma mater. At present, our collections are exclusively focused on partnering with elite academic institutions, allowing students, parents and alumni to share the pride in their affiliation and express through luxurious contemporary designs their personal stories and cherished memories.”
HC: What was your inspiration for starting your company?
KW: “The inspiration for Kyle Cavan came almost a decade ago when I found myself at a loss for what I would like as a graduation gift. I was looking for a piece of jewelry that would capture my college experience (that was not the typical class ring). I ended up asking for a blue enamel bracelet to showcase my school colors but it was not at all representative of my college years and did not carry the significance that I wished it would.
If I could have imagined the perfect graduation gift it would have been our Signature Bracelet. Over time our collection expanded to include more understated and abstract interpretations of the college experience including our Iconic Bangles and the Shield Pendants and Cufflinks. The evolution and expansion into a full jewelry line led us to the realization that our collection was not just the perfect graduation gift but could suite anybody’s preference and style for any occasion.”
Living in New York for the past decade influenced my aesthetic and preferences (try the Transit Museum for your next NYC visit). Our entire Shield series came about because of my fascination with the ceiling at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC. The gothic architecture of St Patrick’s Cathedral is very similar to the Duke University Chapel ceiling. Math was never my strong suite so studying architecture or engineering was out of the question but one of my favorite parts on designing this collection is how I was able to incorporate my love of architecture into relevant and wearable designs. The shape of the shield is a tribute of sorts to the family crests frequently represented as a shield or coat of arms bringing a historically significant shape/ design back into focus with architectural details.”
HC: How did you come to make this career path decision?
KW: “About 10 years ago, I was where a lot of current Villanova students and recent alumni find themselves. I was not 100% sure about what I wanted to do. I eventually went to work in real estate in New York City, but in my gut, I knew I wanted something more meaningful out of my career. When I came up with this idea, I was in my early-20s but had no background or relevant experience to get it started. I was very fortunate to have family and friends around me who were enormously supportive so when I was still talking about my idea years later – I knew the time had come that it would be now or never.
HC: Do you have a favorite piece among your collection?
KW: “That’s like asking a parent to pick a favorite child! If you forced me to pick, I think it depends on the situation. Day to day, I really love the pendants as they transition easily from jeans and sneakers to heels and a blazer. They go with everything. But for going out at night, our signature bracelet is perfect — it provides a pop of color and is a great conversation piece that gets noticed.”
HC: What advice would you give college students looking to start their own company?
KW: “I think the key to developing a really successful business of your own is to do as much homework as you can in advance of pushing all in, and then learning quickly from failure once you’ve started in earnest. These days, there’s a popularized perception that starting a business is an easy way to make lots of money, especially in tech. It feels like every week we hear about companies that are two or years old getting valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. What doesn’t make the news is how many of those businesses fall flat on their face. The “fail-fast” idea you often hear doesn’t mean you get unlimited chances at failure. Starting your own business is going to be the hardest, scariest, and most meaningful thing you’ve ever done. But becoming an expert on what you want to do and having a clear, articulate vision for how you’re different makes things a whole lot easier. Once you are an expert and have a clear vision – be adaptable.”
HC: Where do you see Kyle Cavan in the next five years?
KW: “In the short term, our goals are to perform well at the schools where we’re available, and identify the right set of schools to expand to next. Beyond that, we have some exciting ideas, but my sense is our customers are really the ones who will show us where to go next. Kyle Cavan is about enabling you to tell your story. I tend to think the customers we’re helping to do that are the real experts on the products we’re designing.”
Be sure to check out the Villanova collection at kylecavan.com HERE! Follow Kyle Cavan on Instagram @kyle_cavan for an inside look at their collections and styling ideas.