From the Gegent: Chanie Loschak didn't go to fashion school, but followed her mother's lead and sells children's clothing around the world.
In 2013, Chanie Loschak was living in the Crown Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn. She was a wife, mother of 2 children and expecting a third. While feeling proud of motherhood, "I wanted another element to my life," she says.
So she looked back at her childhood days when her mother Masha Gansburg would take her along to visit trade shows to discover new clothing for her children's clothing store "Young Timers Boutique" in Crown Heights.
Looking for a creative outlet, but without actual experience in the business, she turned to her mother for advice. "My mother is really my inspiration being an incredible and loving, warm businesswoman," she says.
Her mother's tip: There's a need for quality, dressy pencil skirts for younger girls.
Her next move was to take a Subway ride to the garment district of Manhattan, schlepping along her second baby and pregnant with the third. She began stopping passersby on the street, asking about factories, and didn't get much help.
Then, one energetic young woman offered to help, and took Chanie to the 14th floor of a nearby building and introduced her to Jack. "He only spoke Chinese and could barely understand English," she recalls.
Nevertheless, Chanie asked about creating pencil skirts.
"You have a pattern?" Jack asked.
Chanie had no idea what he was talking about. Jack went on to draw a pattern and then explained that she also needed "grading" to create the skirts in different sizes. And then, he said, there's the sewing and labels. "I had no idea what any of this was about," she admits.
Not giving up, Chanie went through the entire process and finally had 125 skirts created. The only problem was the next step: Reaching the customers.
And that is how her company, Teela NYC, was created.
Since those initial pencil skirts (which sold out), she has sold thousands more along with a full line of modest children's clothing such as dresses, skirts, tops, dress and casual wear for girls and boys.
At first, she had to offer sales and convince stores to sell her items. Yet as the demand for her product grew, companies and stores from around the world contacted her to sell her clothing line.
Teela NYC has an online presence and 3 warehouses run by a team of 10 people that include a technical designer, creative designer, agent in China, graphic artist, quality control team and warehouse staff.
Chanie is married to Rabbi Ahrele Loschak, Director of Chabad Young Professionals Brooklyn, a division of Chabad Heights. So it is no surprise that she credits Hashem for the success of her company, yet she says the evidence is there.
Chanie tells how they moved into a new warehouse and placed all their merchandise there to be shipped out for the next season.
"Four days later, the building sprinkler system malfunctioned and the entire warehouse flooded. I was 9 months pregnant, and I literally could not believe the disaster. When I saw the pictures, I got physically weak.
When asked how does she juggle family and work, Chanie admits she struggles like many other parents.
When her 5th baby was born, Chanie decided to cut back on business, wanting to focus on her children.
"And then, Saks Off Fifth contacted me that they want to carry Teela. They found out about us and they want to become my account. I felt like Hashem was saying, you cut back, but I am making it easier for you to succeed. I really felt like Hashem was telling me that I was doing the right thing by cutting back to devote myself to my family," she says.
Gegent.com is a unique and highly informative directory of community businesses and services to help consumers' daily activities and needs. Include your business here.