Things I wish I knew before I started – Precious Kingston, Founder Ayaya Designs
When the opportunity arrives to speak to a woman as talented as Precious, you take it. I am so excited to be sharing my conversation with Precious Kingston, Lead Designer and Creative Director at Ayaya Designs. Her career trajectory is a very nonlinear one. I’ve watched her grow into a global brand, handling every project with efficiency and grace.
It’s hard to imagine a universe where Precious isn’t skilled at everything she tries. Whether it’s working as a voice artist, writer, painter, fashion designer, bead maker, or hair stylist, if there is a will, there is a way for her. Her magic lies in her hands and heart, and it shows in everything she does.
In this conversation, Precious and I talk all about her fashion journey, what a day in her life looks like, and things she wishes she knew before starting her business.
We’re good friends and former roommates, so I’ve heard many of these stories before, but I’d love to hear them again. So, can you walk us through your journey to building the Ayaya brand? When was the fashion designing seed planted?
The Ayaya brand itself was birthed in 2019, however, I took an interest in fashion designing right from secondary school and started with hand sewing, then learned how to use the sewing machine and just make simple outfits for myself and graduated to make for family and friends.
When I moved to Abuja in 2018, most of the clothes I wore to work, and church were made by me, and people admired them a lot. My colleagues started demanding that I make for them as well and that resulted in the commercialization of my tailoring skills. In 2019, I took the bold step, got a manual sewing machine, and started right in my room. Today, Ayaya Designs is a global brand that specializes in bespoke female apparel for women and girls.
You forgot to mention how I was one of your first muses for Ayaya designs back in 2017..lol…I’m curious though, what has been your biggest inspiration to keep going?
My biggest inspiration sincerely has been God's help and grace which I enjoy. Sometimes, even when it feels like I have hit rock bottom, God just miraculously shows up. So, whenever I face an obstacle, especially in business, I just remember that I'll overcome it with God's help, and I keep pushing and I don't give up.
Three things you wish you knew before you started.
Hmm, the first on this list has to be financial intelligence, I started without knowing and having a proper financial plan and structure for the business and it resulted in a lot of struggles.
Secondly is a proper business plan and vision. At that time, I didn't see it as a necessity, I was just basically using my skills to meet the tailoring needs of people and in turn meet my financial needs. But now the case is different.
The third is the importance of partnerships and collaborations.
What are some of the resources or tools that you found helpful or useful in your work or learning?
YouTube is first on the list. Yes, I started as a self-taught tailor, so I had to watch lots of YouTube videos to learn. Pinterest has been very useful for sourcing ideas and learning as well. I have a lot of E-books from which I've learned a lot about fashion. Online fashion courses have also been of great help to me. Though I have to always pay for them, I have no regrets about doing so because of the impact this has on my business. I also gain inspiration from other designers on Instagram.
Fair enough….what’s one thing a lot of people don’t know about you?
I will say that most people don't know that I am a trained broadcast journalist and a voice-over artist.
What’s one thing that is currently giving you joy?
What gives me so much joy is God's faithfulness to me. This has led to increased international patronage from clients in different countries. We have seen tremendous business growth, and we are still working hard to become more visible in both local and international fashion space.
When you have free time on your hands, how do you spend it?
Most of my free time is used for researching new trends in the fashion industry to be up to date. Besides that, when I have extra time, I love to draw and paint or just create an art piece.
Do you have a favorite self-care ritual you’d recommend?
Yes, I do. I intentionally create time to celebrate myself and rest from work stress. I highly recommend this for anyone because even God rested on the 7th day after His creation work.
What is something you are looking forward to?
I am currently looking at expanding the operations of my business. Again, I am looking at attracting relevant business collaborations that will reposition our business and give us a larger share of the fashion market globally.
Can you talk about some of the misconceptions that you see from people who need enough capital before starting a business?
Every business has levels, and we must look for the level that accommodates our resources to start with. For instance, in the fashion business, you must not start by renting shops and buying expensive and sophisticated machines. One can start that by just knowing how to take good measurements and giving the clothes to a good tailor to sew for them. Another level could be buying a manual machine and sewing from your house. Others who have enough resources can start by getting a fashion house and employing good tailors to sew for them. Never allow capital to limit you from starting that business, just look for the level that suits you and go for it.
How do you keep yourself from burning out?
I plan my day and schedule every work to allow me ample time to rest. Sometimes I unwind by seeing a movie or visiting a green area to resonate with nature. To avoid burnout, plan your day, your week, your month, and your year, and ensure to review them periodically.
If we had the chance to peek at your schedule, what would an average day look like?
My typical day for me is: waking up around 5 am to 6 am. Pray and study the Holy Bible. Prepare and go to work which starts from 9 am to 6 pm. Within these hours, I attend to client needs while I supervise those working for me to ensure quality control. When I close, the next thing is rest.
For more information on Ayaya Designs, visit her page on Instagram.