Primary student running a business
SewKenzie started from a love of sewing
When 12-year-old McKenzie Zame started her business, she had one goal in mind. “Making my products affordable and of high quality was always the plan. Everyone deserves to have good quality products without having to break the bank.”
Now, nearly a year after starting her Inglewood-based business, ‘SewKenzie’, she is still making the same good quality items at a low price.
McKenzie sells a range of trendy items in her small business ranging from bookmarks, headbands and bows to the latest item, scrunchies.
“I added scrunchies as they’re something I like wearing and I know others do as well. I thought I would make them for everyone who loves scrunchies.”
McKenzie’s business started from a school gala stall.
“My school, Inglewood Primary, had a school gala day and I had my own stall selling my creations. It went really well. I enjoyed selling my items so I decided to carry on and now here I am.”
She creates the items from her home office, borrowing her mother Lisa’s Brother sewing machine.
“My mum and grandma taught me how to sew. I like sewing as it’s relaxing and something I enjoy.”
While most 12-year-olds only worry about school and after-school activities, McKenzie also runs her business.
On Monday and Tuesday
McKenzie has dance lessons at Inglewood studio, Petreena Dance. On Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and the weekend, she focuses on her business.
She says keeping up with her schoolwork and dance classes is not a problem.
“It’s made easier because running my business doesn’t feel like work. It’s something I enjoy and easily manage while I do other things.”
During the school holidays, while most children were playing and soaking up the sun, McKenzie was at her sewing station creating products and working on her new website.
“I launched the website on January 8. This is also when I added scrunchies to my sales range. I created enough stock to keep the website flowing and took pictures to upload to the website.”
Her dad, Aaron, put the website together.
“He’s a freelance web developer at A-Z Web Solutions. I designed everything, he just put it together for me.”
With the launch of her new website, McKenzie opened up shipping to Australia.
While she is still yet to send an order across the ditch, she is kept busy by the orders flowing through from across the country.
“It’s been a very good and successful time. I only have a couple of scrunchies left.”
As well as ordering online, people have the chance to see her products in person at markets.
“I’ve been to Pihama Lavender Market, the Seaside Market, and my school gala as well.
“I encourage people to keep an eye on my Facebook page as I always update on there if I’ll be at a market.”
She says running social media for her business is one of her favourite things to do.
“I like uploading posts, stories, and reels to my social media accounts and seeing how many people engage with what I post.”
Running her business has also led to friendships.
“I’ve made a friend called Ella from Invercargill, I met her through our business social media pages,” she says.
McKenzie says her family is always supportive, and without their help, none of this would be possible.
“As well as teaching me how to sew, and helping me create a website, my family is always there for me. They take me on trips to Spotlight in New Plymouth to source fabric and drive me to markets across the region.”
McKenzie says she’s always thinking of how to expand her business.