Meet LiXX Clothing | Rennette & Calina Kimbrough, CEOs

We had the good fortune of connecting with LiXX Clothing and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi LiXX, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Honestly, we were in the midst of a pandemic. We were struggling to make ends meet and had to think quickly and creatively as to how to bring in additional income for our family. I [Rennette] bought the Cricut Explore for my wife to see if she could figure out what to do with it. We both were oblivious to all the many features and ways we could make the Cricut work for us, but she dedicated herself to watching videos and becoming an “expert” in all things Cricut. So we started out just making things for fun…for the kids and to cut down on clothing purchases. Then we got our first order and we knew we were doing something right!! We founded an LLC, under a different name initially, but over time…we knew we needed it to really be something more than just custom tees. How could starting a business really help us flourish from a business standpoint and in the community?! LiXX was born while we were “living in an extreme existence” – we were forced to stay inside, forced to mask up, forced to be separated from our loved ones and it all happened so fast. LiXX Clothing was what brought us out of it with our sanity still intact. It gave us a way to connect to people, while still being safe and it brought us true happiness to be able to do that from the comfort of our own home.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Outside of being entrepreneurs, we both still work 9-5s. We understand the need for stability and have even had to take breaks from orders to make sure that our jobs and children are still getting the attention and effort they deserve from both of us. LiXX we would love to make our primary job, but we haven’t quite gotten there yet but we are diligently working on buying new tools and products to make our business more seamless and offering other styles like screenprinting, embroidery, etc.

Was it easy? Heck no…there were times where we had to offer sales on merchandise just to gas up the cars. But it’s been a humbling experience because we found ourselves pushing our skills & talents to the limits. Who knew that Calina really did so well with graphic design until she was pushed to do so? Who knew that by wearing our own clothing we would spark interest in others and on social media where people wanted to wear the brand too? Who knew that Rennette was such a great spokesperson and promoter?! All things that we may not have experienced had we not gone through the things we did…it’s all bittersweet and we are riding this wave until there’s nothing left!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Haha, so we’ve been GA residents for 1 1/2 years, and have NOT seen the city like we should. We are so caught up in our work, our organizations, the business…that down time usually consists of sitting on the front porch with a glass of wine. But in an ideal world, if one of our besties came to town…we’re definitely going to Ponce City Market. Having brunch at Gritz Bar in Douglasville and maybe lunch at Tribeca in Midtown. Dinner…would probably be home-cooked because Rennette also is an AMAZING cook!!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Carl & Beverly Byrd. Our parents are our biggest supporters and biggest critics. They help with slogans, clientele, budgeting, color schemes, but most of all, they PAY for their merchandise. The biggest thing for us was that yes, we needed the mentorship starting out and still today because you always need a different perspective. But they believed in the dream just as much as we did and that’s what matters the most. They pay regular price, for anything they purchase, because they are invested in the brand.

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