“Not until we look back at our lives do we realize, oh, maybe this stemmed from there; or I understand now why I’m doing what I’m doing.”
Rosie, Founder and Creative Director of Whimsical Charm, reflects on her upbringing, on values instilled in her, on years in the workforce; and notes that everything has come full circle.
At the early age of seven, Rosie had learned to sew by hand from her mom, a skill which not only represented a creative outlet that brought her great joy, but also inspired her to dream big.
Years later, Rosie realized that her ability to sew could be much more than a creative outlet. When she was invited to baby showers, her go-to gift was a baby blanket. But when she searched for a particularly special blanket to give to her friend for an upcoming shower, Rosie concluded that the options in stores were too cookie-cutter, standard, unextraordinary. She proceeded to make a blanket herself, and it was a hit at the shower. Unbeknownst to Rosie at the time, that very blanket would inspire the official launch of Whimsical Charm.
A couple years later, that same friend told Rosie that that was the only baby blanket they carried with them. This feedback not only humbled Rosie, but it also prompted her to ask herself: What else can I do? How can I use my skill and create a platform? At the time, Rosie had already been considering starting her own business, but she wasn’t sure in which industry. The positive feedback about the wonderfully extraordinary and ideally designed blanket validated it for her, and she took the leap.
Launching her business
Rosie attributes her decision to pursue a career in Fashion Design to the creative and entrepreneurial environment in which she grew up – her father was self-employed, and both of her parents were always working hard to provide for the household.
Like all good things, the launch and establishment of Whimsical Charm took time. Rosie felt deeply grateful to have extensive industry knowledge going into this endeavor — knowledge she had acquired over various years of working as a technical designer for renowned companies such as GUESS and Vince. This knowledge, she believes, allowed her to better manage the risks associated with launching this specific type of business, and she knew which types of tests to prioritize in the research and development phase: wash tests, wear tests, and fit tests, to name a few.
This behind-the-scenes work would be critical to the later success of her brand. The tests would ensure that the fabrics used were most appropriate for babies as well as caretakers. Rosie was patient and trusted the process: in 2013, almost two years after the official incorporation of Whimsical Charm, Rosie made her first sale during a “soft launch” at a local church boutique in her community. That day, she was thrilled to have sold seven blankets in just a matter of hours.
Fast-forward 10 years, and Whimsical Charm products – uniquely embroidered blankets, robes, accessories, and other apparel – can be found at Knott's Berry Farm (a theme park located in Buena Park, California); at the main storefront in San Pedro, California; at pop-ups across the country, as well as online.
It wasn’t always easy. “After a happy launch, I was confronted with the challenge of financing my business. I had to keep my full-time job, work on weekends and evenings and miss out on family events in order to finance my business. As a single mom with a family-oriented household, this was very difficult,” says Rosie.
“Regardless of the challenges, and sacrifices, I kept pushing forward to create a brand that would not only produce a unique gift but would ultimately provide a warm, comfy, and soft baby blanket that would allow babies to feel comforted as if they were being hugged by their parents.”
A lifelong pay-it-forward mindset
Just as the environment in which Rosie grew up provided her with the freedom to explore her creative interests and later encouraged her to pursue her entrepreneurial aspirations, her upbringing also taught her that giving back is part of the cycle of life. She remembers annual trips to visit Mexico with her family each holiday season, and how her parents would pack clothes that no longer fit and give those as gifts to kids they encountered on their 3-day road trip. This giving became second-nature to Rosie, and she taught it to her daughter, as well.
She also remembers the challenges she and her friends faced as students when it came to finding a paid, reputable internship opportunity – they would have to commute 30-40 minutes from their home in the Harbor and Long Beach area to get to Downtown LA or West LA. She was determined to do what she could to make quality work experiences accessible for youth in similar situations.
“I knew that at some point, if I ever had the opportunity, I was going to create a space for that [accessible and quality work experience for youth].”
And Whimsical Charm provided Rosie with the perfect platform for such a space. As her business grew and she began needing additional help, she reached out to local organizations with whom she wished to collaborate to bring in youth from underserved disadvantaged neighboring communities. Before long, there were students, young teenagers all around the same age in her workspace, coming from the Long Beach, Wilmington, and San Pedro areas, from schools like Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, Long Beach City College, Los Angeles Harbor College, and El Camino College.
Despite being from different backgrounds, the individuals formed strong bonds with one another, almost becoming a family. They networked amongst themselves, supported one another, and were united through this formal work experience in which they were trusted with significant responsibilities as well as empowered to learn a variety of skills — fashion design, retail, wholesale, trade, and entrepreneurship — which would serve them for years to come.
“There’s so much more here than what I could have ever imagined that I could have provided for these youth. I didn’t realize how much I was going to get out of it — as much as they were.”
A few years ago, Rosie decided to establish the Fashion Academy at Whimsical Charm – a more formal job skills training program designed for youth who are furthering their education in a creative field. For example, there are youth who are studying photography, but are interested in photography for fashion design. Or perhaps they are studying marketing or finance, but are interested in working for a fashion brand.
“This is the team that you need in order to be able to produce a collection from beginning to end, and that’s what the Fashion Academy is about,” she says. “We’ll have a team member in each of these different categories, and they’ll be able to see that product land on shelves of local retailers.”
A Kiva loan helped bridge the gap
“I came from the same roots, I grew up in their same area, I’m super relatable to them. And it’s like there’s this sigh of relief from them when they realize ‘This can also be me’.”
Rosie came to Kiva towards the end of 2021 seeking a loan primarily for inventory purposes. As Rosie said on her Kiva loan profile, “The purpose of this loan is to help stabilize my business as I expand and grow into new territories. It will establish working capital as I have always self-funded my business... This will allow me to create jobs and hire cyclical staff members including three youth from underserved disadvantaged communities.”
The $9,500 loan which she successfully crowdfunded was powered by 147 contributing lenders worldwide and endorsed by the City of Long Beach Economic Development Department. This partnership, she notes, was key to her success in the Kiva fundraising process, and she encourages prospective Kiva loan applicants to engage with Small Business Accelerators (SBAs), Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), and Economic Development Centers; as these can facilitate access to large networks and a wealth of resources meant to improve one’s business.
With the loan, Rosie was able to purchase fabrics, trims, and threads; hire a pattern maker and sample sewer; maintain production within her local community in Southern California; and create jobs for youth in underserved disadvantaged communities.
Bringing these individuals on board has given both Rosie and Whimsical Charm even more purpose. When reflecting on what she’s most passionate about when it comes to running her business, Rosie highlights once again the space to provide local youth with this work experience and training, as there’s nothing like that in the area, and she’s thankful to be able to do what she can to bridge this gap.
Aside from being able to enjoy what she does, to take her gifts and make a business out of it, and to consistently receive support from fans, followers, customers, at pop-ups; Rosie emphasizes once more that being able to provide this work experience for youth, giving them something that was never available to them, never within their reach in their community, is something that inspires and motivates her on a daily basis.
“I came from the same roots, I grew up in their same area, I’m super relatable to them. And it’s like there’s this sigh of relief from them when they realize ‘This can also be me’,” she says.
Another full circle moment, and another example of how one of her decisions – hiring additional staff at a time in which she needed help running Whimsical Charm – proved serendipitous.
“The Kiva loan has really opened up so many different opportunities and it’s been a huge blessing for me and I’m just very happy to be able to do what I’m doing.”
Learn more about Whimsical Charm here.
