You can wear this new Katydid Tee in so many ways! A casual bohemian styling, combining antiqued brass and turquoise accents with fringe and studded details.

Check out this new Katydid Vintage - Washed Cross Tee! Here is a cute way to style out your Katydid vintage-washed tee, khaki shorts, antiqued silver mini-bag, camel woven belt, and wedge shoes with a touch of gold jewlery.

Check out this new Katydid Peace, Love and Cowboys Rhinestone Tee! You can create this look easily by mixing in leather accessories and hammered brass jewelry with your favorite pair of jeans.

Today I am going to share a little story…of the “I can’t believe I did that, but I am so glad I did” variety. So, I’m a big Dallas Mavericks fan and have always admired owner Mark Cuban. As an entrepreneur, I find his story very inspiring. (Have any of you watched Shark Tank? I’m a big, big fan.) Last February, Dallas hosted the Super Bowl, and I had heard that Mark Cuban was hosting an invite-only party – the type celebs and VIPs go to, and maybe you see some photos in US Weekly the next week. Let’s just say the kind of Super Bowl party I am usually invited to is the kind where I show up with cool ranch dip…not a soiree.
But for some reason, I set my sights on this party and decided to email Mark Cuban and explain why he should give me tickets to his party. Seriously…who does that?! But I did…and friends, it worked! After telling him a little about myself and my company, he not only gave me tickets, he emailed me back congratulating me on my success. I was over the MOON! The party was a blast, and I even got up the nerve to introduce myself in person to Mark, which was the best! (He – by the way – was super nice and congratulated me again, remembering “Katydid” before I could even remind him of who in the world I was.)
The point of my story is that sometimes, you just have to GO FOR IT. There is no reason that I should have expected my email to work, but I wanted something and I went for it. Sometimes, you just have to ask…what have I got to lose?! I would have missed out on a really cool experience if I’d let nerves or pride or a “this will never happen, why try?” attitude get in the way. It doesn’t always work out, but sometimes it does, and you get to say you went to the same party as Usher. Ha! It’s true.
So…I encourage each of you to do something just a little bit brave or out of the ordinary this week. If you’ve already got your own “I can’t believe I did that, but I am so glad I did” story, I would so love to hear about it! And if you don’t, go create that experience…that story…and then [...]

Today I’m thinking pink…not baby pink or bubble gum pink…not even hot pink (a personal favorite). Today I am thinking of POWER PINK. Or rather the power of pink. For those familiar with Katydid Collection, you know we are big supporters of breast cancer research and awareness. I think it’s pretty awesome that the cause of breast cancer awareness and prevention has transformed such a lovely color into such a force. I’m so thankful that the color is a reminder that there is an ongoing fight…one that is very real…one that will impact every one of us if it hasn’t already – if not personally, through a friend, family member or coworker.

In creating pink ribbon tees each year, I’m not only excited to financially support the cause – I feel a true kinship…all those who buy the tees (or otherwise support breast cancer awareness and prevention), we’re on the same team. We’ve all been touched in some way and are working toward a common cause – fighting the disease, speaking out, supporting research for a cure – and there’s something very powerful in that. Feeling connected to total strangers through a tee shirt…that shirt meaning something very special and different to each one of us.

I’ll be honest; pink – in all its power – is for me a beautiful, but bittersweet reminder these days. My Aunt Jean passed away last year after her fight against breast cancer. She was always an inspiration to me, and she remains so. It’s with her in mind, I’m thinking pink today. What about you – who or what makes you think pink?

Hello blog buddies! I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed this new blogging adventure and appreciate your visits and comments. Thank you for all the encouragement…which is actually the topic I want to discuss today. What makes you feel encouraged? Empowered? Confident? If you’re familiar with Katydid, you probably know that at the core of our mission is helping women feel confident and empowered.

It’s not often that you come across an organization that so perfectly represents what’s on your own heart, but this is what I’ve found in Dress for Success, an organization with whom I proudly partner in Dallas. A lack of professional attire can keep smart, talented women from gaining or keeping employment, and DFS meets this need in communities across the country by providing interview suits, career development tools and a support network. These stepping stones make a real difference in a woman’s ability to gain self-sufficiency. As a female entrepreneur, I am so inspired by the work of DFS.

While I would encourage everyone to partner with this tremendous organization in your own community, it’s only one of many ways we can be a source of empowerment for other women. Maybe it’s mentoring a young woman in your neighborhood or a timely word of encouragement to the new co-worker down the hall. Think about how an hour of your time or simply a kind word or small donation can change someone’s life…talk about feeling empowered!

Tell me…how are you giving back or empowering others? Any examples of how someone’s encouragement or support has made a difference to you in a time of need?

So…could anyone use a break from political news? Let’s take one together. J But I do have to say that all the talk about whether our country is headed in the wrong direction or an even worsedirection (depending on who you’re listening to)...it does have me thinking. I am all for trying to improve the things that are broken, but l’m taking a moment to be thankful for all that is right – the many things we have in this great country that can be so easily taken for granted.

While we are far from perfect, and it has admittedly been a tough season for so many people across our country – I still firmly belief it’s the best nation on the planet. Yes, cue the cheesy, patriotic music…I’m proud to be an American! This pride is one of the reasons that Katydid Collection is made in the USA, and I’m hopeful that this decision has and will play a small role in our economic recovery.

I’m curious…does “Made in the USA” factor into your purchasing decisions? Are there other ways you are supporting our country? I hope voting and supporting our troops are on everyone’s list!

Picking up on my last post, I want to share some background on how Katydid came to be. I always had an entrepreneurial spirit, but that wasn’t my career path directly out of school. I enjoyed my job, but it wasn’t my passion. I determined I would start my own retail company, regardless of the sacrifices that lay ahead. For anyone who has started a business (or gone to school or raised a family, etc.) on top of a full-time job, you know there were plenty of sacrifices.

I started as an online wholesaler (a business I continue today), before I launched my own designs. During those first months and years, I learned so much about running a business and about the retail industry, and eventually the success of my wholesale business allowed me to start Katydid. My first “warehouse” was my garage…and the inventory quickly overtook most of my home.

Eventually, I went from full-time to part-time at my “day job” and ultimately made the leap to full-time at Katydid Collection. There are so many wonderful (and sometimes tough) things that happened along the way, and I remain forever grateful to the family, friends and colleagues who showed me patience and encouragement along the way – and certainly to the retail community and terrific customers that embraced me.

For those who have a similar dream, I can only share what worked for me – a clear vision, faith, a willingness to learn and adapt along the way, determination in the face of setbacks, and knowing what is and isn’t worth sacrificing (sleep…usually yes; relationships…no!). And because it’s worth mentioning twice…the support of those in your life makes such a difference!

Katydid: it all started in Africa

I hope everyone is having a good week. My first – and most recent – post was all about looking ahead to exciting new things. I had the BEST time reading about the big things everyone is going to tackle this year. I tell people all the time that my customers are my biggest source of inspiration, and your comments are such a perfect example!

And so even though I’m all about looking ahead, today I want to briefly step back in time and talk about how Katydid came to be. The question I’m so often asked is how I got started. Well, it’s actually been a decade since the Katydid seeds were planted. I was in Ghana to volunteer at a women’s prenatal clinic, but my luggage never made it. Ugh.

I started working with local seamstresses to create my attire for the trip. I was in awe of the creativity and resourcefulness of the women, not to mention the gorgeous colors of the fabrics. I learned so much and a creative fire was set inside of me which has (thankfully!) never gone out. So, that’s how it all began. Isn’t it funny how problems can be the start of something totally great and unexpected?! Have you experienced something similar?

Next time, I’ll share a little more about how that vision turned into the reality of Katydid.