"Together Talks" #89: VKOTRI and Founder, Keona Moy

Some Background on VKTORI

Today's edition of "Together Talks" campaign, KLS had the opportunity to interview VKTORI and Founder, Keona Moy. They have engineered a patent-pending, skin and sensory wearable solution for women in the workplace who choose not to wear a bra or who cannot due to medical conditions like inflamed skin from eczema or sensory sensitivities from being neurodiverse. VKTORI addresses two key issues: firstly, the discomfort of wearing a bra, and secondly, the mental discomfort caused by visible nipples. Concurrently, they are building a neuro-inclusive company from the ground up, believing neuro inclusivity to be a competitive advantage.

Kickstarter to launch

Keona began her journey while consulting for a healthcare brand. She shared that her professional wardrobe came with struggles due to her sensitive skin. She sought a solution for what she called "a base layer of uncomfortability." Her ideal was not wearing a bra, a challenging prospect in her job setting. In 2022, she launched a Kickstarter campaign. After a successful run, she brought her product to market in November 2022. Keona described the exhilaration of launching her company, saying, "It felt amazing knowing I could start something with no background and follow through on my word. This entire journey has allowed me to build self-confidence." She emphasized that seeing a goal through is one of the most underrated aspects of entrepreneurship. Despite challenges, she said it has provided her the biggest self-confidence boost of her life.

Innovation and Purpose

While competing with other braless apparel brands, Keona believes VKTORI's all-inclusive approach sets them apart. The products are particularly beneficial for individuals suffering from Eczema or ADHD. "We design for the extremes and make a comfortable shirt for them and, as a result, everyone else," Keona explained. VKTORI's focus is on providing support-free and nip-concealing apparel.

Keona believes that their approach is relatable, crediting her appropriate tone. "I suffer from the exact thing we are solving. It allows me to speak to customers from the same pain point. We speak the truths of what we have had to endure and how this solves such a huge problem for others with our bodies, nipping," Keona said. She mentioned how entering an industry with no prior knowledge initially seemed a hindrance, but it actually provided her with a fresh perspective for creating innovative solutions. Her mission is to integrate these solutions into VKTORI's culture.

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Challenges

Being a startup, VKTORI faced challenges in funding and financing inventory. Educating consumers has been difficult as the product appears like a regular t-shirt from the outside. The innovative technology is only experienced when felt or worn. Keona recounted a period when an investment plan, which was expected to take the company to the next level, fell through. "After our successful Kickstarter, we hired a lawyer for the investor. I thought everything was ironed out, but it fell through. It felt like a giant loss at that moment. But looking back, there is a saying of 'don't sign with the first interested investor', which is tongue in cheek. But what I realized, reflecting after, was knowing my value when an investor is interested in my company rather than just agreeing to everything for their capital," she shared. This experience was a lesson in resilience and growth as a founder.

Self buy-in

A significant personal moment for Keona was her father's health scare. He was initially given a year to live after being diagnosed with cancer, but fortunately, a second opinion revealed a more positive outcome. For four months, Keona thought she was going to lose her dad. "I realized I was worried about what others thought of me and wasn't doing what makes me happy. Everybody has a moment in life where they are not going to take any shit anymore and go for what they want. This was mine," Keona shared. She acknowledged that she was in her own way until this internal shift occurred. After being laid off from her career, she saw it as a sign from the universe to go all in on VKTORI.

Keona divulged that embarking on this journey has been the "biggest self-development journey" of her life. "Whatever happens with my company, I'll come out of this a better human," she said. Being a founder forces you to face your demons, evolve, and adapt. Betting on yourself, she noted, removes the cushion and forces you to chase what you truly want. "It is incredibly scary, but when you actually make that jump, it is really freeing," Keona added.

Creating her path

Raised in a household of immigrant parents, Keona was taught values not conducive to entrepreneurship. "I was taught to keep my head down and work hard. Also, Asian women are generally viewed as quiet in media. The opposite of what a Founder needs to be," she said. Overcoming this conditioning was a challenge, but essential for her transformation into the CEO of her company.

Keona believes there are two limiting factors for aspiring entrepreneurs: money and mindset. Being small allows for adaptability and creativity. She advised cherishing the time when you can be scrappy, as being resourceful pushes you to become a better version of yourself.

Triumphs and Advice

Triumphs and AdviceA moment of triumph for Keona was getting accepted into an accelerator program. "Washington Technology Industry Association accepted me. Getting access to their platform, I realized the opportunity to scale the company and expand into the tech space, being a fashion company. Having a patent-pending design and another patent-pending prototype makes us a very unique company within the fashion space," she explained. VKTORI offers a skin-sensitive solution for women in the workplace without a bra.

Keona's parting piece of advice was: "You know best, trust your intuition. A lot of people give advice, and you will seek a lot of advice, but you started your company for a reason. There wouldn’t be a company without you. Overthinking keeps you up at night. Be confident in your decisions and trust yourself."

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In Closing

KLS wants to thank Keona Moy, Founder, of Vktori for today's "Together Talks" feature. Keep up to date with Vktori by following their blog on their website, check it out here. Follow along for the Vktori journey with their social handles below!

Instagram?/ LinkedIn / ?Facebook?/ Twitter / TikTok / YouTube