Meet Katie Cornejo, a 21 year old full time student at CSU Fullerton majoring in Business with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship. She is also the Fundraising Chair member of the Entrepreneur Society at CSUF and has already taken her first few steps towards one day being her own boss full time. Katie has always been quite crafty and with her savvy salesperson mindset, she decided to turn her talents into a small business all her own.
Her hobbies: SEWING!!!!, horseback riding, beach volleyball, eating, hiking, and exercising (sometimes).Fun Fact: I am Salvadorian, Native American, Spanish, Czech, and German. I hope to incorporate some of my heritage into my business ideas.
Her Campus: How did you get into sewing?Katie Cornejo: I learned to sew when I was 10 years old. As I grew older, I found it really fun to be able to fix my own clothes and add little details to outfits to make them my own. I loved creating new things, such as small sling bags, that were my own creation and one of a kind.
Fun Order Idea: You can bring in your own fabric to Katie for a more personal/one-of-a-kind product!
HC: What made you decide to start Sew What?KC: I have always dreamed of owning my own business and being my own boss and I decided to do so given the talent I have. I want my business to be custom-based, so if a customer has a certain pattern or product they would like, I can provide it for them. Even though I am making their product, I want my customers to know it is their creation as well.
HC: How many different kinds of products do you make?KC: I currently have about 10 different products that I sew my using a machine. I am extremely open to new ideas and products that people think will sell well, but as for now I am in the process of selling headbands, laptops cases, drawstring bags, pillowcases, make-up and pencil bags, and headwraps.
HC: Where does your inspiration come from when picking fabrics or deciding what kind of products to make?KC: A lot of my inspiration comes from things I see everyday. Although I like my products to be different by the fabrics I have to offer, I am inspired by what I see people using in their everyday life.
HC: What is your favorite outfit to wear one of your headwraps with?KC: I love wearing my headwraps. They are made from stretchy polyester and are really comfortable. They are really cute to wear while working out, dressing up or dressing down, or even just around the house!
Patriotic headbands/headwraps ranging from $5-$8 – IG: Sew.What **Mention Her Campus UCR when ordering for 10% off your whole purchase!**
HC: Was this the first small business venture for you or have you crafted and sold other goods before?KC: This is my first actual step towards starting my own business. The very first time I sold any of my products was at a Hawaiian festival. All I sold were drawstring bags and coin purses. I sold out of my coin purses (35 purses) and 20 of my drawstring bags. I made no profit but broke even exactly. Although no one is ecstatic about not making any money, I was happy because I knew my products could sell! I am currently trying to enter different craft fairs and get involved in street fairs as well.
HC: This new business venture is just in its beginning stages, but what would you like to see be the future for Sew What?KC: I hope to venture out to more social media, such as Facebook and Etsy. Maybe someday, I will have enough courage to start my own website. But as for now, I am perfectly content reaching people through word of mouth and Instagram.
‘America’ burlap decor – $5
For more products, pricing, and custom orders, please contact Katie at SewWhatCustomProducts@yahoo.com and on Instagram: Sew.What