Today we’d like to introduce you to Koriann Holloway.
Hi Koriann, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Garment/Apparel creation and decoration has been my passion for many years. I come from a long line of seamstresses. I have always sewn for my family and the public, but after a major employment and life change, I decided to venture out into new avenues. That’s when I started embroidery.
I spent more than a decade working in a field that (at that time) I thought was going to be my life long career. I started in the field fresh out of college and climbed the “corporate ladder”. A lot of blood sweat and tears went into that career. I spent a lot of early morning and late nights working to provide the best possible service. Then, it was decided that the company would go a different route and myself along with several members of my team were laid off.
Even though I worked so hard to get to where I was, the lay off was no where near as devastating as most would think. I worked so hard building another company, that it was truly time for me to invest in myself and create new opportunities for me.
My husband and I opened a cleaning service (Upkeep Cleaning Services) where we provide office and janitorial services in Shelby, Fayette, Tipton, and Lauderdale counties. This provided me with income so that I would truly be able to work on what I really enjoyed.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Smooth road?? Definitely not! Social Media makes entrepreneurship look so glamorous. You get to work when you want, make your own hours, be your own boss- yea right! Entrepreneurship is hard, hard, hard. Every decision that is made whether good or bad is yours and you have to own it. You have a team of YOU! You’re the sales rep, marketing director, developer, shipping manager, financial advisor, etc. You have so many hats to wear all while also maneuvering a family life.
When I first started my entrepreneurial journey we only had one child. At that time, she was 13. Since then, we have added two additions. We have a 16, 3 year old and 18 month old. Our household runs on coffee and chaos is an understatement!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I currently specialize in multi needle embroidery. I enjoy creating cute embroidered items for myself and my children. I try to make pieces that gives me the opportunity to express my creative space as well as things that are just fun!
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I’ve never owned a single needle embroidery machine. You know, like the small home additions that you can get at your local craft store. I skipped right over those. I went straight to a large industrial grade 15 needle machine with NO EXPERIENCE! Looking back at it now, a lot of things could have really gone wrong and made me give up. I had no experience using such a large and heavy machine, no experience digitizing designs, nothing. I just woke up one morning and told my husband that I needed a way to generate money from
Home so that I can be home with my small children, but also do something that I enjoy! Even though my experience was extremely limited, I knew I would figure it out. I’m
an extremely driven person and once I set my mind to something, you can just step back and watch me turn it to gold!
My products can also be purchased at my
Booth inside the Painted Tree Marketplace (8045 Giacosa Place – Threads 360)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://threads360.etsy.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/threads_360_?igsh=MWM0dm1iMmY3ZXl3dg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/158ABMCkoD/?mibextid=wwXIfr
