Alli Knits
Name: Allison Lau
UBC Major: Psychology, Minor in Sociology
Year in E101 Class: Sept. – Dec. 2015
Name of Current Business: Alli Knits
What we do in our business:
Alli Knits is a handmade knitwear business that focuses on selling modern, comfortable and functional knit accessories for men and women. Vancouver’s laidback lifestyle and mild temperatures influences the colours, design construction and yarn used. Each item can be customized to fit your personal style and I strive to make knit pieces that can be easily worn everyday.
Online Profile:
Website: https://alliknits.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alliknits/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopalliknits/
Why this particular business?
I love using my imagination to create tangible things that people would use. I have always been a creative person who likes to experiment with different mediums to produce a sellable product or enhance someone’s experience. I used to sell handmade bookmarks to fundraise for charities, make sewing video tutorials on YouTube, and design posters for events. After experiencing these different creative projects, it felt natural to use my entrepreneurial spirit to create a business around something I love: knitting!
Biggest day-to-day challenges as an entrepreneur:
Staying motivated to continuously improve Alli Knits when life hits me in all directions. It’s difficult to establish a balance between knitting (a very time-consuming activity in itself), branding Alli Knits, doing well in school and managing other commitments. I seriously love working on Alli Knits, but sometimes that exam the next day has priority over creating a new product.
Greatest delights in being an entrepreneur:
I have three main delights. I love having the creative freedom to work with different mediums to produce quality work, whether it is through knitting or building online marketing strategies. I see everyday as a potential learning opportunity to improve both the business and myself. It also makes me so happy when I can personally interact with customers and see their excitement. When I see customers smile after receiving their purchases, I know my hard work has made someone feel special. Lastly, I’m very grateful for all the cheerleaders who shown their support throughout my business journey. The confidence that my customers, friends and family have in me motivates me to keep working harder.
Four Key pieces of advice you would give to future entrepreneurs
1) Passion is what attracts people. If you put passion into your work, people will notice and support you.
2) Expand your network. They can help bring awareness to your business or be customers themselves! Take every opportunity to talk about your business to others and it may just open some doors.
3) Recover quickly after failures and learn from your mistakes. If you fail at something, dwell on it for a short period, and then bounce back up again. Being able to overcome failures and recognize that your experiences are a part of a learning process will help you think of bigger, better ideas in the future.
4) Have fun with what you’re doing! It’s common to lose sight of your original business intentions when you’re overwhelmed by challenges. Step back, reflect on your core values, and venture back in with a sense of what drives you to be an entrepreneur.
Where do you see yourself going as an entrepreneur in the future?
I want to grow Alli Knits’ online presence while maintaining its personable, handmade roots. My goal is to design new products, expand on social media & website channels, and be at more handmade fairs. My big long-time goal is to open my own physical store where I can sell not only my knitwear but other budding designers’ items as well. 2016 will be a transition year for Alli Knits and myself (I’m graduating university), and I’m excited for what’s in store!
