This week we talk to Emily Bitkow and Sarah Hua, the duo behind the brand VIVRA. Offering a stylish and modern take on the traditional ‘fanny pack’, VIVRA creates fashionable and functional magnetic belt-free bags. Bitkow and Hua originally started VIVRA as a side hustle but with the COVID-19 pandemic shut down retail stores across the country and the world, the duo decided to pivot online. The gamble paid off and VIVRA not only found tremendous growth as it became a six-figure business but also managed to win accolades, including being named Small Retailer of the Year in 2021.
ISB: Why go with the “fanny pack” for your side hustle idea?
SH: We could see that the ‘athleisurewear’ market was growing exponentially. At the same time, the options that would allow a wearer to carry their personal belongings were very limited. Tights did not have pockets that were able to accommodate the carrying of things such as a mobile phone, cards, keys and cash in a comfortable way and so a wearer was left to either tuck these items precariously into their activewear or carry a bumbag – which had their own issues. Traditional bumbags would bounce, chafe and were largely unfashionable and so we thought there had to be a better way. Because the VIVRA is belt-free, it is far more functional as it is more streamlined and less restrictive while also designed to be just as much a fashion accessory as it is an athleisurewear one.
ISB: At what point did you realise that you wanted to take VIVRA beyond just a side hustle?
EB: From the beginning, we were confident of the potential applications for the VIVRA. The continued and consistent positive feedback we were receiving from our customers drove us to push on and take the VIVRA to a world scale. It was important for us to seek feedback from those beyond our family and friends so that we could be sure that we were receiving truly objective feedback. When it got to the point where we were receiving virtually nothing but positive feedback – and lots of it – we realised that we needed to turn VIVRA into a serious business.
ISB: How did you make VIVRA’s products stand out from the other bags out there in the market?
SH: The design itself is protected by a patent here in Australia and other parts of the world. Unlike other options in this segment, the VIVRA has in-built RFID protection, is easily washable and is created overall as a premium fashion accessory. Given the VIVRA itself can serve as a blank canvas, we are able to stay at the forefront of each season’s trends by designing the VIVRA in the latest and hottest colours and prints. Whilst the core product and design has remained the same, there have been multiple iterations driven by customer feedback and a desire to refine the VIVRA to work best for our customers.
ISB: What important change did you make that helped ensure your business survived the pandemic that hit other businesses quite hard?
SH: It’s important to realise you can’t always do everything yourself and call upon the experts when needed. We got some great advice from My Business, one of Australia’s largest business advisory organisations. My Business has a range of free resources for new businesses and really helped us when it came to advice on things like start-up costs, marketing, importing and legal aspects. It’s a wealth of knowledge and they also helped with things like how to increase sales, which was a Godsend in the current climate.
ISB: What are your plans for the brand in the next couple of years?
EB: We are never content with resting on our laurels and believe that there is always, always room for growth, improvement and expansion. It comes as no surprise then that we are firm proponents of the mantra that “a business needs to either grow or die”. While we can’t reveal too much at this stage, our plans for the next couple of years do include opening distribution to international markets, working with large household-name retailers and further product innovation.
ISB: What advice can you give to other budding entrepreneurs who wish to jumpstart their own business journey?
EB: If we could give all the advice necessary to budding entrepreneurs to jumpstart their own business journey it would fill volumes. However, it would be to be willing to be committed to long hours to get your business off the ground. A start-up is really like having a baby – it needs all of your unconditional love and attention in order to grow and thrive. Additionally, you have to be open, willing to take (calculated) risks, and be comfortable being guided by your instinct. You will make mistakes but the quicker you make them the quicker you will learn what doesn’t work. Finally, as is often identified as the most reliable predictor of personal and business success, perseverance and resilience are key.
