Embracing the Building of Your Business with Kirsten Halik
Jul 09, 2024In the latest episode of "Keep What You Earn," host Shannon Weinstein sits down with Kirsten Halik, founder and CEO of Crown Athletics, a women's luxury activewear brand known for its modern and chic designs inspired by popular fictional characters. Kirsten shares how her passion and a near-death experience motivated her to create a brand that not only looks great but also feels magical.
Kirsten started Crown Athletics without any previous experience in the clothing industry or running a business. She educated herself using YouTube videos and online resources, showing a proactive approach. Despite challenges like persuading factories to produce small quantities and navigating social media marketing with limited funding, she launched her first product in 2018 after a lengthy development process.
One significant challenge was the high initial product prices and a limited size range. Kirsten overcame this by partnering with an overseas factory in China to improve manufacturing. Surprisingly, the COVID-19 pandemic increased demand for her products as people looked to enhance their home workouts. This growth validated the strong community Kirsten built around Crown Athletics. She refers to her customer base as the "crown crew," fostering connections and friendships globally.
Shannon and Kirsten emphasize the importance of patience, consistent improvement, and the potential downsides of rapid, risky growth. Kirsten reflects on the valuable learning experiences gained from being hands-on in every aspect of her business, from sourcing materials to managing production and packaging.
Kiersten’s journey with Crown Athletics shows the power of passion, persistence, and community. For aspiring entrepreneurs, her story is a reminder that success often comes from steady, thoughtful choices and a commitment to continual growth. To explore Crown Athletics and its offerings, visit their website and social media channels, and don’t forget to leave a rating and review for the "Keep What You Earn" podcast.
Kirsten Halik is the founder of Crowned Athletics™, a brand that combines activewear with a princess twist. Her journey began in January 2017 with a homemade prototype and a dream. Starting with handmade headbands, she launched her first tank tops, Mermaid Princess and After Midnight Princess, in the summer of 2018. This marked the beginning of Crowned Athletics™. Kirsten's passion has driven the brand's evolution, expanding the collection to include sports bras, skorts, leggings, and jackets.
Kirsten's life took a dramatic turn in college when she survived carbon monoxide poisoning, which left her in a coma for 24 hours. This experience inspired her to make a meaningful impact with her second chance at life. Struggling with depression, Kirsten discovered the importance of fitness and movement for mental health. She aims to bring the magic of working out to women, drawing inspiration from fairytale heroines. Kirsten's mission is to make women feel magical and confident through Crowned Athletics™ activewear.
Website: https://www.crownedathletics.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crownedathletics/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@crownedathletics?lang=en
Free E-book - https://yoursalesmaven.com/keep
What you'll hear in this episode:
05:58 Creating modern, chic Disney princess-inspired athleisure.
08:55 Learning about tech packs and production processes.
10:52 Sourcing materials and packaging for garment production.
15:06 First business building, slow growth, thoughtful choices.
17:32 Starting small, faced challenges, grew through persistence.
22:08 Entrepreneur found success through time management and expansion.
25:09 Creating crew, sharing commonalities, and building community.
If you like this episode, check out:
If I Started Over, Here's What I Would Do First
Why You May Not Want to Start a New Business
CFO Q&A - Naming Your Business
Want to learn more so you can earn more?
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Watch this episode and more here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMlIuZsrllp1Uc_MlhriLvQ
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