Today we’d like to introduce you to Katty Aoun
Hi katty, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up working in my family’s small business, my parents own a feng shui shop in west Kendall, I’ve worked there my whole life, we’re a family business. I am also an artist and apply creativity into everything I do, whether it’s a costume, accessories, baked goods, gifts, clothes, etc. I find joy in making my own things, I enjoy the process of it. I want to live a creative life, so I opened up my shop Koi Infinity during Covid, a shop for the jewelry and sunglasses I make using crystals, gems, and wire. I applied my knowledge of running a business to my creative pursuits and it was also a medium to keep me sane while we were in quarantine and the future was uncertain. I started making wire wrapped sunglasses and wire wrapped uterus pendants and I enjoyed the different possibilities I was creating for people who truly enjoyed wearing what I made. I did this for a few years making original designs and custom work and then for my 1 year anniversary with my boyfriend I pondered on what I should give him. I remembered when we first started dating that he sent me a video of a bouquet of kittens and he said this is what I want, and we both laughed. I thought about how I could make a bouquet for a man and one specifically for him. So I searched online for cat plushies and found these One Piece kitten ones, which was perfect because, One Piece is his favorite anime, so I ordered them and researched how to make a bouquet and applied it to an original design. It took me a few weeks to construct the bouquet and figuring out how it is made, I changed the bouquet paper color a few times until it was what I had envisioned. When the day came I gifted it to him and I saw how his face lit up. He was so happy and it made me so happy to see him that way. Something in me wanted to explore the idea of making these available for other people looking for anime bouquets, plushie bouquets, niche bouquets, or even bouquets for men. So I posted images of the bouquet I made for him and purchased enough material for 2 more bouquets and within days it sold. I was shocked and grateful. I felt inspired and motivated to create more designs, I had many ideas for original bouquets and I started working. I was excited and motivated to create new designs and post them as soon as I could, and I was getting good reviews and feedback, but most importantly I was happy reading how my bouquets were part of people’s special moments and memories. I was blessed at how my bouquets brought happiness. I was seeing so much love in the world, people telling me why they were purchasing the bouquet, how special the person was to them, and it was just beautiful seeing how thoughtful people are and how much they pay attention to their loved ones. It is the first time in my life that I felt fulfillment in my career. I found my path in life and most importantly my artwork was bringing happiness to people. I changed the direction of Koi Infinity, and my plush bouquet store began and I see it as being in the business of helping people spread happiness, gratitude, and thoughtfulness to the special moments we hold dear to our hearts, the moments you look back with a smile and warmth, plus I get to be creative. And it is healing for both myself and the customer.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I balance both my full time job at my family’s business and my small business, at times it can be overwhelming. I give 100 percent to everything I do, my heart and soul, and I’ve had to learn to balance work and life, though I would say it is true that when you do something you love, time passes fast and I can get lost in the process, I constantly have to remind myself that being well rested will give better results in the long run. I open and close my parent’s shop, so after I close, I work on my small business and orders so they can ship out as soon as possible because I know people are ordering the bouquets for certain events and dates, and I want to make sure it gets there on time. I think of the times I’ve ordered a gift online and how upsetting it feels when it doesn’t get to you on time. I’ve stayed up countless nights working on my small business so it grows and is a true representation of what I have to offer.
I manage my business myself completely, from sourcing the materials, keeping track of the cost and sale price, taking images and videos for listings and social media, shipping them out safely and on time, to keeping track of what more I need to order so I don’t run into a situation where I cannot complete a time sensitive order. I also pay attention to what is trending, and at times I’ve invested in the wrong plushies that don’t sell, but you learn from all that. I see mistakes as a chance to grow, to level up, and come up with solutions and new ideas. I think this mindset has helped me keep going through hardships and setbacks. For example, at the beginning I wasn’t sure how much to sell an original plush bouquet, I went with what I knew and that was how much it cost me and then I added a little more for the time and fees I was going to pay after it sells.
I lost a lot at the beginning. The fees taken away from the sale was more than I had anticipated and the shipping since I offer free shipping was also more than I had estimated, I also forgot to take into consideration the shipping material cost like the boxes and bubble wrap. But that was okay, I made enough to cover the material, I learned what I needed to adjust and I got a beautiful review from my first customer that helped bring me new customers. She loved the bouquet so much that she posted and tagged me on her social media and left me a raving review. That was my first ever sale, and it gave other customers the confidence to take the chance on someone new like me, plus I felt so fulfilled, and from there I only went upwards.
I also wasn’t sure how to ship the bouquet out, so I experimented with different size boxes, bubble wrap, etc. until I figured out a method that worked for me through trial and error. At first I used newspaper, but I found the ink rubbed on my fingers and I was worried it would ruin the bouquet and the wrapping paper. But then I used too much bubble wrap, that kept the bouquet safe, but the paper arrived wrinkled, so then i came up with a way to hold the stem of the bouquet using a T method with cardboard I cut to the shaped and size of the bouquet and box and it would keep the bouquet from moving during transportation, and I used only 1-2 layers of bubble wrap to protect the bouquet if anything were to happen. I also thought about creating a experience when receiving one of my orders. I’d ask myself how would I like to receive a bouquet? How can I show my gratitude for the customer purchasing a gift from me they’re gifting to someone special in their life? How can I personalize each package? How can I make each order special? And how can I have fun with process, so the enthusiasm comes through? After these adjustments I’ve actually gotten many compliments and positive reviews on my shipping and how well the bouquet arrived, people could see the care I put into the package.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I graduated with a degree in Fine Arts and a minor in art history from FIU, though I originally studied biology, 3 years in, with only the chemistry requirements to finish I decided to go all in on myself and switch to fine arts. I was much happier studying art and getting lost in my figure drawing courses. It was meditative for me and I realized how much I enjoyed being in that state of creativity, I want to feel that everyday. It was my passion, and that’s when you know your purpose in life, it’s your passion, and oftentimes it is what you enjoyed doing as a child. My thesis graduation project was a stop motion film that I wrote, built the puppets and sets, took the photo stills, edited them to make a moving picture, and even recorded and edited the sounds for it. It was a lot of trial and error and learning the craft, tools, and computer programs, but I enjoyed every moment of it and I was passionate about it. That film ended up winning the Betty Laird Perry Project and my film became part of the Frost Art Museum collection, and that is when I felt like all the hard work and risk I took switching majors was the right direction for me because, when you truly set yourself for what you want, the whole universe conspires to give it to you, you just have to trust in the process, and believe in yourself and your dreams. I had a few more art shows after graduation, but it was during quarantine that I opened my online business Koi Infinity and started posting and selling things I made, things I can see myself wearing or using, and from there I kept growing.
What does success mean to you?
I define success as 4 things, one being truly happy and at peace, two having the confidence to explore your passion, three being comfortable economically, mentally, and spiritually, and four being both mentally and physically healthy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.koiinfinity.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koiinfinity/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@koiinfinity?lang=en
