Ever wanted to have a mini-version of yourself? A little “mini-me?” Well, this company can give you just that!
Enter KAYSTOMADE. Previously named, Kay’s Peg and Play, they are the first online Peg Doll store in Malaysia!
But some of you may wonder what a Peg Doll is. Basically, they are wooden miniature dolls that can be customised with various designs and styles.
The Peg Dolls which KAYSTOMADE makes are very versatile and plentiful in the designs they offer!
We managed to get in touch with this company’s awesome founder, Mrs. Kaveena Gunasekaran. We asked a couple of questions about the company and here is what she had to say!
The Founding
We were looking for an educational wooden doll that represents different countries in Asia for our 2 year-old son.
Unfortunately, there was none in Malaysia and since we are blessed with some creative mind and fingers (wink), we decided to make those dolls and the rest is history.
Looking at how adorable those little Asian Dolls were, we started making more doll series that represents people or known as mini-me.
When given as a gift for special occasions, these dolls can be placed into frames: either glass or wooden.
Recently we customized RED RIDING HOOD character dolls and it can be used to spark imagination of the little ones, as a pretend play toy, during story telling sessions.
In addition to that, we also created Our Moms’ Survival Kits (MomSKIT) encompassing several different sizes of chalkboard painted peg dolls with GIANT CHALKS. MomSKIT helps to keep the toddler entertained while waiting for meal in restaurants, while traveling, minimizing screen-time on any device like an iPad, as they are able to draw on the peg doll and erase and repeat!
Years of Operation
We started in February this year, and that makes us 7 months-old doing what we love, spreading love and joy through our mini-dolls.
Challenges Then
One challenge faced during the early launch is letting people know about the product. In Malaysia, Peg dolls are relatively new and people are unaware of its existence, unlike in countries like Australia and United States of America.
In addition to that, obtaining suitable paints that are safe for children was also an issue in the beginning. We had to do extensive research on which type of paint suits the wooden material and at the same time safe for kids.
Challenges Now
One of the major challenges now will be clients looking for customized dolls with detailed features but would love to have it at a much lower price.
What they fail to realize is that custom-made or handmade products requires creativity, artistic values, patience, time and not mentioning the good amount of money spent on the raw materials.
We design and draft each doll, making each piece as unique as possible, as close as to the original picture by adding 3D features such as skirts, drums, hats, etc. It requires many trial and errors too.
Method of Marketing
The most trust-able mode of marketing will be words from our clients. Words spread from mouth to mouth and that’s how we got our products known because Malaysians love to share GOOD things.
Now we do Instagram advertisements and that helped us to gain more followers that turned to customers.
That being said, we still believe that it is important to get GREAT REVIEWS from clients and that will be your MOST TRUST-ABLE marketing strategy. In the near future, we might run pop-shops in the bazaar or even open a physical peg doll store!
Amount of Orders
To date we have created 167 dolls, some with wooden frames, some with glass dome, and some just doll alone.
We hope to create more magical dolls in the future. We have many themes in our mind, hoping to launch them somewhere next month.
Delivery Locations
We deliver throughout Malaysia, including Sabah and Sarawak. Recently we have had clients from India and Russia that have shown interest in purchasing the dolls, and we are working on an affordable international postage fee.
The Artist
Doing a handmade based product means its solely run by yours truly.
I do the designing, the sketching, and the painting. Being a full time pharmacist in a Government Hospital and mom to 2 kids means I can only fulfill my orders at night once the little ones go to bed.
The Most Popular
The KAYSTOMADE FRAME or custom-made dolls in wooden frames are the best sellers in our store.
It serves as a unique and personalized gift for loved ones and they can be hung on the wall, or placed on the table.
Words of Advice
DO FOLLOW YOUR HEART, DO RESEARCH, WORD HARD, AND NEVER GIVE UP.
It is important to remember that running a business requires a lot of sacrifices, it can be time-consuming and at times can even be a failure. Even if you fail at the first attempt, do not give up.
FAILURE ISN’T FATAL, IT HELPS US TO LEARN AND GROW.
KAYSTOMADE is my fourth attempt in running my own business, after failing 3 times. If you have the passion for something, put all your heart and soul in it and YOU WILL SUCCEED, in no time.
And that was what Mrs.Kaveena had to say about her awesome company, KAYSTOMADE, along with some wonderful words of advice!
Do check out their Instagram for some awesome Peg Dolls: @kaystomade
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