How Artisan Tableware Store Mogutable is Finding an Online Niche During the Pandemic

Today we meet Yingchi Hsu, Co-founder and creative director of tabletop home goods store Mogutable. Mogutable is a side project for web designer/developer Yingchi, which she has run along with her sister Yuchen since 2019. Current challenges for Mogutable include finding target customers, with the business running solely online since the beginning of the pandemic, and looking for a physical retail space. How do Yingchi and Yuchen approach these challenges? Which sales channels have been the most effective for them? Let’s find out!

Hello! Perhaps you could introduce yourself?

Hi, my name is Yingchi. I am one of the co-founders of Mogutable. I am in charge of the creative directions and I have about 10 years of creative agency experience. I still have a full-time job as a senior web designer/developer. Mogutable is like my side project.

Tell us more about your business.

My sister Yuchen and I started Mogutable in 2019. We curated tabletop home goods like dinnerware, candles, soaps… Our shop features a selection of unique, well-designed, aesthetically-pleasing objects, sourced from our favorite artisans, locally and internationally. My sister is in charge of business development, while I am responsible for creative aspects of the business. We also work with Gesture NYC for our online marketing planning.

What are you working on at the moment? What are the future plans?

We are working on finding a retail space in Brooklyn right now. We are planning to open up our first storefront around summer 2021.

What are your biggest challenges? What motivates you?

The biggest challenge is the find our target customers since we are only operating online at the moment. We’ve started to work with a digital marketing company and we are happy to see that things are getting better.

What kind of marketing initiatives are the most effective for your business in terms of driving more sales?

Instagram is the most effective by far. We were at Canal Street Market before the pandemic, where we got a chance to meet many small business owners and brands. Also, a physical location helped us to get more exposure since the foot traffic in the market was very good especially around the holiday season.

What is the best business advice you can share with others?

Plan in advance because a lot of times, things take a lot more time than you expect.

Could you recommend any books, movies, podcasts, learning materials?

We watch Youtube videos about other small owners sharing their experience.