“I never learned to sew or went to school for this. I am self-taught. If anyone had told me that my future would involve sewing and designing bags I would have probably laughed at them…”

This is how Karen Hutton describes life in her now thriving bag-making business. A trained paralegal, Karen left that field after 15 years to start making bags for her company, K Hutton Collections.

“The name of my company is K Hutton Collections. We design and manufacture custom-made bags to suit the specifications and style needs of our customers. Our main product line, however, is lunch bags and backpacks.”

The 41-year-old works from her home-based office in Portmore, with her husband Oneil by her side, and is always quite busy.

The business, which started in 2011, grew out of a personal Labour Day project.

“I got a bag pattern and decided to spend Labour Day making it. I took the bag to work and showed it to a co-worker who was so impressed that she asked me to make a baby bag for her,” she explained.

Karen then went online to get some inspiration, and made her first baby bag. “That bag led to another co-worker wanting a bag and it kept on going like that until I realised I could make a business out of this hobby.”

It was the very same co-worker who later encouraged her to audition for “The Innovators” in 2012, which she did.

“Yaneek Page and Gary Matalon encouraged me to take the business from being a part-time endeavour to a full-time enterprise.”

And as they say, the rest is history…

“I have always loved creating beautiful things, and discovering this hidden gift was just the right motivation I needed to launch out.”

Karen creates a variety of bags: lunch bags, backpacks, promotional bags, laptop bags, Bible bags, baby bags. “You name it … we can make it. We also personalise products on request.”

It is this same variety that inspired the name K Hutton Collections, as she wanted something to reflect the variety of her offerings.

With each product, Karen hopes to deliver a personalised and unique touch, and truly create something special.

“My products are unique and special. I endeavour to make each item something that has never been seen before. My customers love the fact that their bags suit their style needs and are as individual as they are. My personal motto is “I’m happy when my customers are happy”.

The fact that her bags are durable and made of high quality materials also makes her product worthwhile and affordable. “Customers get quality and value for their money,” she emphasises. “These are not ‘disposable’ bags.”

For Karen, the entrepreneurial journey has been a fulfilling yet challenging one, but also very risky.

“Taking the leap of faith from doing this as a part-time business to full-time was a major hurdle. I had to transition from a stable income to one where I had to work to pay myself. As an entrepreneur you have to work harder, push more and not be afraid to market yourself,” she shared.

However, it has brought many enriching experiences that she will never forget.

“I remember how I met one of my customers. We were in the elevator together and I saw her carrying her lunch in a paper bag. I told her that was outrageous and that I could take her from that level to being the talk of her workplace. She ordered two, and through her, almost her entire workplace ordered bags!”

Nevertheless, as with every business, she has experienced her fair share of challenges. One of the main ones is well known to many small manufacturers.

“A major challenge, then and now, is sourcing a steady supply of materials. The suppliers will sometimes have a material that I need and I start to use it, and then when it is finished they will say that they no longer stock it or it is no longer available, so I have to improvise and find something else,” she explains.

In addition, she has had some unfortunate experiences with customers who did not commit to the orders they made.

“I struggled with customers who would order my products, especially personalised ones, and not collect. But I learned from that, and now I collect a deposit before I commence any work.”

Through her business she has also acquired a few take-aways: namely, how to get specific, in order to expand and deliver a better product more quickly.

“I have learned that I can’t make any and everything, so I have selected the best-sellers from my product line and focused on those. My turn-around time has therefore improved.”

Something special that Karen is particularly proud of is not a specific occurrence, but the fact that her bags have gone far afield to so many different offices and businesses.

“It’s great to see my bags supplied to entire workplaces and schools. Some mentionable ones are KPH, Kensington Primary School, Customs and Lasco.

“God has been good. He has granted me a favour and so I have never regretted doing this business. It has taken me to places and to meet people I never dreamed of meeting,” she said.

Karen credits friends, family and co-workers as her motivation and is grateful for their support. Thanks to her steady accomplishments and hard work so far, she is ready to dream bigger, not just for the benefit of herself, but for her family and her nation.

“My vision is to see my products expand on the local and international scene, to make Brand Jamaica known as some of the best products to be found anywhere in the world.”

Life is often filled with surprising twists and turns. Some of these we never envisioned nor had a clue where they would take us, but they often have beautiful and fulfilling endings if we dare to take the risk.

“This business is a gift from God. It is now my passion and purpose. I have found my niche.”