Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Kovacevic.
Hi Erica, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Chico came into my life in late November 2019. We got him at a flea market in North Carolina and have been so happy with him as a part of our family. Being that he was so adorable, I became the instant dog mom and bought him cute shirts, hoodies, and jackets to rock during the winter. As I went through my weekly shopping sprees, I noticed that the majority of the clothes were the same style, material, and look. I wanted Chico to rock attire that was more in tune with his personality along with wearing a brand that represents unity with high quality and made in the USA.
I thought about creating an apparel company for Chico for over a year and began to put the wheels in motion in January 2021. I began researching dog apparel, manufacturers, and companies on the internet and immersed myself into the petpreneur world. There was so much to learn and explore. I connected with many petpreneurs on social media and began communicating with them-asking questions and advice.
Chico’s Mafia Tough Dog Apparel was the instant name for the company as Chico has a large band of friends that plays together, they are a family of canines of all breeds and sizes that love each other. For us, the name was clear: Chico’s Mafia represents My Animal Family Is Awesome. We wanted to be sure that this apparel company was for all dogs. Our size offerings are much more varied than other brands as we have sizes XS-6XL in shirts and hoodies.
We did our official launch via e-commerce on May 1, 2021, in Atlanta with three shirt design options: The Original Mafia, Boss Dog, and Mafia Princess Tees, 6 Bandanas, 5 Stuffing Free Bone Toys. Since our launch, we now have added over 25 unique shirt & hoodie designs, 7 total collections, and 2 Collars, we won a small business scholarship that allowed for us to have our own heat press machine. This has been a game-changer for Chico’s Mafia as we are able to design and print our custom looks on demand. We have received press coverage in local and national magazines and appeared as a guest on a podcast. We are excited that our brand is being worn in different parts of the country and that our Mafia family continues to grow.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. Initially, I ran into delays in printing and manufacturing as these vendors were limited to the design and print types I could order. With the awarding of our heat press machine and the opportunity to design and print on demand has alleviated this issue for the better.
Overspending on materials and not fully taking all components into play prior to purchasing. I learned that I do not need everything at the same time, or at once. Negotiating pricing has been a skill I have developed with vendors to keep my budget in balance.
Getting our name out there is still a challenge as I have to be as visible as I can. I am still familiarizing myself with the industry and learning the ropes while making connections. Every day is an opportunity for a new customer to learn about us and become a customer. I have to be on the cutting edge of creativity, seeking how we can stand out, and sharing to the world who we on my own. Being the sole PR and Marketing team takes an extensive amount of time and energy but if I do not put the effort out there nothing will come back to me.
My designs. I do not have a background in fashion and marketing so this territory is new to me. What I do have is a business background and can apply my experience in business operations, management, and budgeting to Chico’s Mafia. To build on the limited knowledge I had in fashion design and marketing, I enrolled in a fashion essentials program at Parsons to gain more insight, perspective, and design application skills. It is so important to be current with dog apparel trends and pupfluencers while at the same time staying true to my brand and style so that we stand out. It is a cyclical work in progress.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Prior to my launching Chico’s Mafia Tough Dog Apparel, my professional career experience includes business development and education consulting. Now that I have branched out into the pet industry, in the fashion element, I have developed some new specialties: create designs on software, identify different heat transfer types and how to print on various materials, social media marketing, and petfluencer networking.
Some ways in which we stand out is that Chico’s Mafia is a brand for all dogs, all product materials are made in the USA, and we design and print in studio. Our designs are different than other labels and brands as they can be done in glitter, glow in the dark, and foil to name a few. Our products can only be purchased on our website, so we are not found everywhere, and are logo is trademarked. We are a very small minority-owned business, just Chico and myself, and our manufacturing partners are Veteran and minority-owned and operated.
I created a special product line called Save The Paws in which a portion of the proceeds are donated to a wonderful organization, PAWS Atlanta, the initial line has a shirt, bandana, and stuffing-free bone toy. Some of our new collections were recently spotted on the dog runway at the PAWS Atlanta Party for the Paws Annual Fundraiser in September. It was a wonderful opportunity for supporters to see our products but more importantly to understand how we are committed to partnering with organizations that care for the lives of animals.
Even though there are many challenges on the day to day, there are many successes I can smile about. We have been fortunate to build upon our designs and collection offerings to customers, obtain positive press coverage, and be well received in our community. To pinpoint one element that I am proud of it would be our launch. Seeing my vision come to life in a short amount of time has been incredible. There is still an extensive amount of knowledge to learn in this industry and I am making my way up the ladder but I am very happy of what has been accomplished thus far.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Absolutely. This company was a risk. I funded every part of this with my own money and having little knowledge and experience in this industry made me a high-risk candidate. I truly believe in the brand, our products, and what we stand for. As for any business, there are many ups and downs until brand recognition is obtained, if ever, and I am willing to stay the course and learn from the mistakes and missed opportunities to turn into successes.
If I did not proceed with turning my idea into a company that would be more of a risk.
Pricing:
- $10-$20 Tee Shirts
- $25-$30 hoodies
- $40-$45 Collars
- $10 Bandana
- $5 Stuffing Free Bone Toy
Contact Info:
- Email: thechicosmafia@gmail.com
- Website: www.chicosmafia.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chicosmafiadogapparel/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chicosmafiadogapparel
Image Credits
Maggie Flynn Hillyer
Marshies Roar Pet Photography
Kim DeLeon
SWFL Photography
