Kirstie Whittaker is a leader in retail and manufacturing who launched her first shoe boutique at 18, grew it into a multi-location empire, overcame a multi-million-dollar identity theft loss, and now guides entrepreneurs on branding, legal strategy, and scaling their ventures through international law and arbitration

She explains:

◽️ How a daring hack at 16 led to her expulsion and ignited her entrepreneurial journey.

◽️ What it takes to open a retail store with just $1,500 and build multiple locations without bank loans.

◽️ The immersive, three-week crash course living on a factory conveyor belt in Vietnam to master every step of shoe production.

◽️ Strategies to defend your brand and trademarks internationally after a brutal identity theft saga that nearly destroyed her business.

◽️ Why small businesses must understand arbitration and international trade law to thrive across borders.

◽️ How to pivot through crises—from the 2008 financial meltdown to COVID-19 and today’s volatile tariffs—to keep your venture afloat.

◽️ The entrepreneurial mindset of resilience, self-reliance, and relentless problem-solving that turns setbacks into springboards.

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⏱ Timestamps:

[00:00:00] – From Expulsion to Entrepreneur: Hack Sparks Vision

[00:05:58] – Bootstrapped Retail Launch: Opening Shop on $1,500

[00:07:09] – Vietnam Crash Course: Immersing in Shoe Production

[00:08:29] – Canton Fair Revelation: Mastering Manufacturing Scale

[00:17:40] – Identity Theft Nightmare: Fighting to Reclaim Your Brand

[00:20:48] – Legal Strategy Emerges: Crafting Your Defense Plan

[00:29:38] – From Founder to Arbitrator: Embracing International Law

[00:40:56] – Tariffs & Anxiety: Navigating Today’s Market Storms

[00:43:29] – Turning Crisis into Growth: Strengthening Your Business Mindset

[00:45:11] – Embracing Resilience: Final Lessons & Outro Kirsty Whitaker:

◽️Website: www.missmafia.com and www.supportmyempire.com

◽️Instagram: https://tr.ee/eDzQD8

◽️Linkedin: https://tr.ee/LJyEGm

Atelier de La Hang:

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◽️ What Kirsty is wearing:

Website (best way to support our small business): https://tr.ee/8Vle2e

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3YFbJbt

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◽️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atelierdelahang/

◽️ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@atelierdelahang

◽️ Follow Quan -https://tr.ee/3YmExF