“Resilience is an eloquent hustle.” If anyone knows about resilience and can speak to it, it’s Kathy Cheng. Kathy is currently the president of WS and Co., the factory that owns and operates Redwood Classics based in Canada, but she got her start long before coming into the role. In fact, you can go back to when she was a child, working in the family business that was started by her father, uncle, and aunt.

Kathy has seen everything from building a business from scratch, riding the waves of the global economy, growing and downsizing, and everything in between. Perhaps it’s this experience that makes her resilient, perhaps it’s her professional journey, and perhaps it’s her personal experiences as a woman that have shaped that part of her personality. But more than likely, it’s all of the above.

Riding the Waves

Founded in 1988, the company began under the name Wing Son Garments. And it certainly didn’t look like it does today. From its beginnings, the business blossomed up to nearly 500 people in the 90’s, but as we all know, things never stay the same.

“In 2008, we were down to about 100-150 employees,” Kathy recalls. “We had a family decision to make. I was helping but not in an ownership capacity.” Despite having stepped away for a period of time, it was this moment that started the pull back in.

“My dad asked me to be his business partner,” she says of the events that followed. “I selfishly at first didn’t want to, but I describe my ah-ha moment as being on the production floor and there [was] a wave of emotions that the factory might not be around anymore. The sadness of not having this place around anymore was when I realized, I need to continue to do this.”

Her “ah-ha” moment was one of many of resiliency Kathy has since faced. The next one was hot on its heels when, in January 2009, they decided to restructure the business with 40 people (economic crisis of 2008 ringing a bell for anyone?). “We put our head down and focused on making Canada our core competency,” she says. The goal: to be a top, high-quality, premium private label apparel factory. “When we restructured, we needed a way to make sure it was working. It was the height of fast-fashion, and ethical sourcing wasn’t a thing. We were the opposite of what was relevant at the time.”

Yet, this didn’t slow her down. In fact, her hustle became as tenacious as ever. “I made sure I personally picked up every call, which in hindsight was a blessing [because] I got to talk to end-users,” Kathy states. “There were enough people calling that they did care about quality and ethical sourcing, so that’s how Redwood Classics was born.”

Fast-forward to 2020 and the havoc of the COVID-19 pandemic. But when again faced with a challenge, Redwood Classics kept going. “We had tripled our headcount, but as a result of COVID, we are experiencing a talent shortage across many parts of our business,” says Kathy. Even so, a lot of the growth comes from their focus on domestic manufacturing and humanizing the business. “We celebrate farm to table and the farmers, right? When was the last time we ever celebrated maker to skin?” she poses.

But it isn’t just the ebb and flow of business that brings out one’s resiliency. In Kathy’s case, it’s also the fact that she’s a minority female. “In the branded merchandise industry, it was often assumed that I was a secretary or support staff rather than a decision maker,” she says. On top of that, she’s also had to face comments about her heritage and race. Still, she didn’t let that crumble her.

“I am not the same woman as I was eight years ago,” she asserts. “I didn’t see myself as a leader or someone with a voice. But that segues into why I’m so passionate about diversity … The last few years it’s been uplifting to see as an industry we’re starting to talk about DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) and the importance of having a diverse council of peers to support each other.”

A Spirit of Resiliency

Like many other minority women, Kathy does feel that imposter syndrome is real; however, she acknowledges the great leaps that are being made not only in the promotional and apparel industries, but worldwide as well. “First and foremost, we now talk about it — that’s helpful!” she says. “We have become more empathetic toward challenges of under-represented groups. I think we have become more intentional and deliberate in our words, actions, and education of diversity and inclusion.”

Part of these conversations is sharing our experiences and advice with each other, and Kathy is more than willing to share hers. “One of the things I have learned is that resilience is an eloquent hustle,” she says. “Not just to women, to everyone.”

This is part of embracing diversity. “We all have a voice — use it,” Kathy adds. “When diversity is embraced, it allows the unique flavors and voices to be heard. It’s not competition, it’s ‘co-opetition.’ It allows us to raise each other up in this industry … We have to work together.”

Her last bit of advice comes full circle, back to facing adversity and being resilient to it. “Never allow yourself to be in a comfortable position,” she offers. “When you’re constantly vulnerable, a lot of strength can be trained from that. When you celebrate little wins, it becomes much bigger.”

She plans to continue that spirit of resiliency, that push for community and conversations, and being part of the industry for as long as she can. “I hope I can continue to be part of a business that continues to humanize business and be part of an impact,” she says. “There’s strength to be found in vulnerability. I didn’t really tell people where Redwood Classics came from because it was a rollercoaster ride. We fell hard, but we’re building and we’re fighting with grit. That’s been fueled by opportunities of telling the story and being vulnerable. I hope more leaders can be more vulnerable.”