More Than WE Know

One of the biggest challenges any entrepreneur faces is getting others to believe in her dream.

What she can see so clearly, looks gray and doubtful to others.

This can be especially challenging to an entrepreneur who sells handcrafted items - her creativity and talent as well as her business skills can all be called into question.

Tiesha Houston, founder of Flytie once bought into other’s doubts about her potential. She has since learned to listen to her own beliefs about her abilities and to follow her dreams.

She is here to encourage other entrepreneurs to do the same.

This is her story.

Tiesha, tell me about your business.

Flytie is a line of women’s clothing consisting of numerous pieces with a common theme of natural tones, simplistic shapes, and eclectic designs. The fabrics composing the pieces in this collection range in texture and span across various genres.

Flytie is a one woman show run by me, Tiesha Houston. I am responsible for all the necessary activities involved in the business including formulating design ideas, garment construction, photography, and packing and shipping.

What is your best holiday item?

The holiday seasons brings on parties, socials, and family gatherings. It’s a time when many women are looking for something beautiful to wear.

My flowy, knit asymmetrical dresses are the perfect choice. Their versatility make them suitable for formal gatherings as well as more casual events. They are available for custom order in a variety of colors.

What inspired or motivated you to start your business?

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in apparel design in May 2005, I found myself working as a visual display associate at a nationwide department store. My job was to organize merchandise in a way to make the store and front display windows visually appealing to the customers. The experience was valuable, and I enjoyed the work.

After a year, though, I decided that it was time for me to focus more on designing and sewing. Where I live there aren’t many opportunities in this field. Out of a need, want, and sheer interest in working for myself anyway, Flytie was born.

What keeps you motivated?


Positivity is my biggest motivator. This positivity can come in any form: a bright, sunny day; a nice compliment on my work; great music; watching people engage in fun activities, etc. I also enjoy meeting and reading about others who do what they love and support themselves financially in doing so as an entrepreneur.

How did you fund your business?

Funding for my business mostly comes from circulating back into the business any profits generated from selling my clothing. When I was employed elsewhere, financing came from my salary.
Who is your target market?

My garments are geared towards women and girls who have an interest in simple, stylish clothing that are varied in make-up, yet consistent in visual appeal.

What percentage of your business is online? What is your ideal percentage?

Currently I’d estimate that approximately 70% of the business is conducted online. This includes transactions made through my online Easy shop as well as those conducted with people outside of Etsy who I’ve formed online connections with and do custom work for. In the past my business was split 50/50 between online and offline transactions. My intention is to get back to that point.

Where do you get most of your customers?

Locally, my customers find me via word of mouth, advertising, and through the boutiques where I sell. Online I believe my customers come across my shop while browsing Etsy. Also, I am a member of various online communities and network and promote through those.

What is the biggest challenge you faced and how did you overcome it?

I am very radical in my approach to being self-sustained and self-employed. Since I have made this my primary means of creating income, it’s sometimes a big challenge coming up with the funds needed to keep things going, especially when sales are slow. Although I’m not exactly sure how, I always manage to have what I need. It’s truly an adventure, and I’m always learning what will and will not work.

What was the best unexpected thing that happened to you?

I never expected to be where I am today with clothing design and construction. Unfortunately I once bought into the lie that my creativity wasn’t good enough.

It feels great to see my progress and be comfortable in my abilities.

What do you wish you had known when you started?

I’m typically a ‘learn as you go’ type of person, so there isn’t necessarily anything I wish I’m known before getting into this. I enjoy encountering new techniques and strategies as they come to me and determining whether or not they could be useful in my endeavors.

Do you have kids? Do you work at home?

I am a childless entrepreneur who works out of my home. Children are such a joy for me, though, and are the inspiration for a lot of my creative productions. Their care-free attitude is infectious.

What advice do you have for other Women Entrepreneurs, or
Entrepreneur-wannabe’s?

It’s important to be bold and deliberate in your business and creative endeavors. Just go all the way with confidence. Make it happen! You’ve go it within you!

To see more of Tiesha’s original designs visit Flytie.

To get my special report on 7 Steps to Sustainable Success for Women Entrepreneurs -> Click Here.

If you would like your business profiled on More Than WE Know please contact me at Liz (at) Morethanweknow (dot) com.

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!