Ke’Koqueta has grown fairly well for a startup, how did you get the word out?
The first stepping out for my line was in Las Vegas where I had my first show. I forked over $5,ooo to get a booth, created a banner, prepared some samples, invested in some advertising and my business took on a life of its own. There, I saw first hand the reaction to my pieces and it was so rewarding. Having women walk up to me and share how necessary they felt my line was in the women’s market, was the biggest thrill. It was also where I landed a deal with Zappos. From there I was written up in trade and consumer magazines. The internet made it easier to spread the word as I had a low budget. The brand gradually became popular. What Challenges did you encounter along the way? When first starting out, I had some negativity thrown my way, but was determined to not let anyone shoot me down. I’ll never forget meeting a male investor in New York who asked: “Why would a man want to see a pregnant woman in a teddy? Why bother, she’s already pregnant.” This viewpoint infuriated me and highli
