Earrings, bracelets and necklaces; accessories are a staple in every Collegiette’s wardrobe. Imagine your career was based on shopping for whatever you wanted to add to your closet, and then making a profit to top it off.
For two University of Illinois alumnae, this is their life. Class of 2010 graduates Jane Kim and Theresa Spencer created their very own online business, Cuvvet, this past June. Cuvvet started as a casual dinner conversation and a dream, but it soon turned into a reality as the two young women decided to quit their full time jobs as account executives in Chicago and take the risk of starting their own online business.
“We were out to dinner and thought of an online business. We were discussing, and my idea was to start up a fashion merchandise website,” Kim said.
Spencer, not necessarily having an exact idea how to start a business, agreed that selling fashion merchandise was a great plan.
“Jane asked, ‘can we do fashion?’ I said, ‘let’s do it!’
Kim asked Spencer if she believed that they could do fashion, and Spencer said “let’s do it.”
“That’s kind of how it happened,” Spencer explained. “It was really just one of those conversations people have all the time, but we actually went for it,”
Spencer’s drive kept her going throughout the founding process of Cuvvet.
“We’re passionate about it” Spencer said. “I know that this is definitely the direction I wanted to go in, and same with Jane. We have the same ambitions and ideas, and even in college, we weren’t the best friends, but it just happened. We clicked with this idea and I knew this would be a good partnership.”
Spencer and Kim have the deciding factor on everything across the spectrum with Cuvvet, including choosing the name, which was an important part of the process.
“We wanted one simple word,” Kim said. “We like the meaning of covet,” Especially, you know with fashion, everyone’s saying, ‘I want those boots, you go to the mall and you want everything you see,’” Spencer added.
Cuvvet merchandise comes from boutiques all around the world, and there are even international customers.
“We currently don’t design our own pieces, but we get them imported from boutiques overseas,” Kim said. “My mom actually used to own a boutique herself, so she has helped us out a lot with the process. We wanted to start out with something that we knew.”
While online shoppers covet the merchandise, Kim and Spencer have also promoted their business through Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, achieving more “likes” and sales everyday.
“Sales vary; if we have a Facebook status or post that day, we may get more sales,” Spencer said. “It’s pretty much how well we market ourselves via the Internet per day.”
Although customers cannot see the jewelry in person, the Cuvvet website and social media sites feature all the merchandise to help customers have a better shopping experience.
“When I buy jewelry, I like to look at it and try it on too, but Facebook helps show our customers pictures,” Kim said.
A typical day for the duo depends on what needs to be done for the business, whether it’s taking inventory or doing online work. Kim said it’s a long process with some days having 12-13 hours worth of work.
The “little” improvements to their business, however, keeps their motivation, Spencer said.
“In the beginning, we would get so excited if anyone repinned an item,” Spencer explained. “It was one Friday night, and we had just put up our Pinterest, and within minutes, someone repinned one of our bracelets, and I just wanted to stay on the computer all night long and keep checking our Pinterest.”
Th Cuvvet owners actually experienced real customer reactions during the summer at a fashion festival in Chicago.
“We had people coming back, and it’s great because you can’t see people’s reactions through the internet, and we finally got to experience that with our customers,” Kim said.
“Our pieces are made of very good quality so it was interesting to see the customers hold it and feel it,” Spencer said.
The Cuvvet accessory line was showcased again here in Champaign on Monday, Oct. 8 at the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority house. Kim, a Theta herself here at the U of I, connected with the chapter to set up the event. Alongside Cuvvet, another business started by Illinois alumus, Amel Hair, was also featured at the event.
“We are trying to bring our stuff to campuses, doing jewelry parties,” Spencer said. “People can be wary. This way we can get them to see our stuff in person.”
Although Cuvvet only sells accessories at the moment, Kim and Spencer said that they want to continue to branch out in all areas of fashion merchandise.
“We eventually want to design our own jewelry,” Kim said. “We also want to expand to men’s accessories, and then eventually do women’s and men’s clothing,” Kim said.
As the two alumni continue to reach their dreams and goals, their advice for students is to stick with what they believe in and do not let anything stop them.
“Your plan is going to change, but just don’t lose sight of it,” Spencer said. “My original plan is never going to go through, there are so many obstacles. “My advice is to look at the end of the day, not the end of the week. If you think about what you’re going to do this week, it’s so overwhelming. Setting goals to accomplish, that’s what gets us through.”
Check out www.cuvvet.com to see all their merchandise.