Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Verdugo
Hi Karen, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
It was January in the year 2020, it was the start of Covid-19 pandemic, I was daydreaming about what should I do now since I was a broke student, and I had to come up with an idea to make a little bit of income, since I had to pay for college materials, and so, a little backstory, since I was little I always liked to do different kinds of crafts and activities, and my main interest was ceramics!, and so I just did a simple design by hand, turned out to be an ash tray and I just began with telling close friends and family, and fortunately they supported me on my small entrepenour bussiness.
First I began using air dry clay, so much different than ceramic clay btw, and then I changed to ceramic clay and started to have more clients, local and national, it was such a dream and never tought it would come this way. While in the process of growing my business I started making youtube videos, didn’t continue doing them because of college, and changed into tiktoks and began to grow my views, but then things turn upside down for a while, since I stopped doing my art for a while caused by mental problems, but I promised myself to get back into it.
So now, 2024-2025, I graduated as an Industrial designer, and began to start a new project for my brand,
I was so lucky in the beginning of my project, and still feel supported by my family and friends and past clients, I had to come back with more and have my own style of products that represents what KIVZ is.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t, as all small business there’s up and downs. I struggled a lot with myself, trying to push myself into doing and putting the work, and while I was in college, it was difficult for me to continue making products and be consistent to upload photos and videos, since I had a lot of projects to deliver.
Sometimes I thought about quitting my small business, since it was hard to keep up with the trends, and what was viral, etc., but I started reading about other small businessess, take inspirations from others, and finding my own path.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a graduate student, I have a degree in Industrial design, I specialized in ceramics.
I’m known for making anime theme ceramics, my most viral one was a Pochita pot from Chainsaw man, but I also do crochet, jewelry and paintings.
I’m proud of how much my brand grew, I put all my income into ceramics most of the time, I’m proud that I’m an owner to a kiln and a pottery wheel ♥, being an independent ceramist is hard work and I’m proud of keeping my promise to continue this journey.
My kind of ceramic style has being changing through the years, now I call it “chromo punk” but also with a touch of “cute”, that also applies for my crochet and jewelry (which I’m still working on it), I don’t know if my style is unique, but it represents me.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I have collaborated before with coffee shops to host a ceramic course, in Mexicali and San Luis, it was something new and different for people, and they loved it as much as I did! So I would love to collaborate to do courses or to make unique ceramics for different brands. They can support by sharing and following my accounts, that would do just fine (;
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lolapay.com/KIVZ_Products
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kivz_products?igsh=d3AwaTRwcWN4ZWQ1&utm_source=qr
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@ki_vz0?_t=ZM-8tXO6CPrBrR&_r=1
