Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kristina Jobin, founder of KüBS, located in Vancouver, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
KüBS (rhymes with boobs) are an easy-to-apply disposable pad you adhere to the skin under your boobs to stop embarrassing sweat stains and discomfort caused by under boob sweat. To put it frankly - under boob sweat sucks! It is uncomfortable and unsightly. Bras do help with it, but what if you don't want to wear a bra? What if your shirt limits the practicality of wearing a bra? What if you want to protect your bra from sweat? You should never have to choose between looking your best and feeling your best.
That's where KüBS come in! It doesn't matter if you are going on a first date, giving a work presentation, or standing by your best friend's side as she is getting married - there are endless scenarios where boob sweat can appear and ruin a lady's day. Just pop your KüBS on and make worrying about boob sweat a thing of the past.
Tell us about yourself
I quit my last "real job" because I had a terrible boss. I was sick of working for people I knew I was smarter than, but who treated me like I was stupid because I was a young blonde woman with big boobs. I had been taping paper towels underneath my boobs for years but was sick of the chafing it caused since paper towels are not built to constantly be rubbed against the skin.
I couldn't believe a pad that was designed for this purpose wasn't on the market. I set out to make it. I was so naive when I got started about how much I didn't know, but learning begets learning. The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn. The more small wins I had, the more I wanted to win.
I will never forget the first time a customer I didn't know contacted KüBS just to tell me she loved the product. She had worn it to Disney World and expressed her gratitude for how comfortable KüBS kept her in the 90 degree Florida heat.
It is just such an incredible feeling to know that I am helping my fellow woman be a little more comfortable or enjoy their day a little bit more than they would have otherwise. That's what drives me to get up and work every day.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is getting my product to market and having it help the women I envisioned it helping. It is an enormous undertaking to take something from an idea to a reality. One that I achieved with no business degree or real experience in doing. Don't get me wrong, I had an enormous amount of help along the way, and I got incredibly lucky in hiring key people to do crucial aspects of the product development process.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
The hardest part of being a business owner is there really are no days “off.” At least at the stage I am in. The work is not going to magically get itself done. It’s up to me entirely to make sure it gets done. If I want to take a break, I can anytime, but the question always remains how far behind that break will put me. I can’t wait for the day where my team is such that I can go on vacation with my phone off and know everything is being handled.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Don’t let naysayers discourage you. There isn’t a product or service on the market that 100% of people like.
- Do not be afraid to try new things because of things you don’t understand. I was very resistant to using TikTok for marketing because I didn’t understand it. I thought it was just for adolescents. This year, I had an eye-opening experience when a customer, unprompted by us, posted a very positive review of KüBS. It lead to a 400% increase in orders. Needless to say - we began using TikTok for marketing.
- You are going to mess up. Don’t let that deter you from moving forward. It is exceedingly rare that decisions are business ending. You might have to pause and change course, but there is always a valuable lesson in mistakes that will make you a better entrepreneur moving forward.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Problems for women should be solved by women. Men have had the opportunity for millennia, and it took until 2020 to have a proper solution for boob sweat. When we are given the opportunity, we can truly change lives.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.choosekubs.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/choosekubs/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/choosekubs
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kübs/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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