Meet Lina Hung of Maneater By Lina in North Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lina Hung.

Lina, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Ever since I could remember, I have always created and experimented with my clothing. It was a way that I could express and identify myself and plus, I thought it was super fun so why not? I personally never thought clothing and fashion should be taken too seriously, so you would be able to find me upcycling old clothing and finding scrap fabrics to create something totally unique but with a lot of trial and error. After rocking my own creations, I began selling a few pieces for fun through my personal Instagram and received great reviews. From there, I took it to the Etsy platform and when I made my very first sale, I was screaming of excitement, my heart was beating out of my chest, and I was blinded by pure happiness. Let’s just say it took off from there and I never wanted this feeling to pass up of providing fun pieces for the world to enjoy as well.

At 23, just out of college, I quit my reception desk job at a veterinary hospital. With less than $100 to begin a small business, I began hand embroidering empowering phrases on t-shirts and put all of my time into my online shop. It started from something so tiny, out of my mom’s basement, to something that is growing and keeping me super motivated and inspired. Today, at 26, I moved from Ohio to Arizona, my dream state. I am now busy creating handmade apparel aimed to empower and make a change out of my home office. I am not fully at my ultimate goal yet, but I am loving every moment of the journey that will get me there. My business is my baby and I can’t wait to watch her grow.

Has it been a smooth road?
The journey to get to where I am now has been a roller coaster. There have been a lot of highs and lows that have taught me very valuable lessons. I’ve struggled with the simple fact of working from home and being your own boss. Working from home has its pros and cons. I’ve learned that I really have to be on top of things or it could be very easy to get sidetracked without someone else to report to. What makes the road a little smoother is trial and error and finding out a daily routine that works best and efficiently for me through lists, staying organized, and keeping a daily agenda. I’ve learned that working my own business has a steep learning curve from getting the best craft technique down to finances, and to keeping my motivation steady with consistency and discipline. I have really grown and become enlightened through trying to grow my small business. Some days, I wanted to pull my hair out and throw my machines out the window because I could not troubleshoot them on my own. The YouTube video tutorials weren’t coming through for me but I simply needed to ask for help or to take a break. I have realized that the best way to learn things are the hard way through the mistakes that are made and to stay positive even when times are tough.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Maneater By Lina story. Tell us more about the business.
Maneater By Lina has a passion for creating, sharing, & empowering humans through the handmade pieces that we produce. We are all about being unique individuals who realize that we are sensual forces of nature who cannot be contained by rules & standards! By providing the option to create your own custom pieces with your own embroidered phrase on 100% organic cotton shirts, this allows you to be creative and have the power to design something that is so special and unapologetically true to you.

Maneaters are one of a kind human beings who deserve pieces that encompass just that. We constantly keep that idea in mind while sourcing the best of the best vintage apparel on the shop and we remake and upcycle the clothing so that you know you have a piece that is like nothing else out there and truly one of a kind, just like you. Maneater By Lina will break the rules of society with a message to make a change. You can and you will.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
In the next 5-10 years, I see me providing my apparel and products to other local shops in the southwest. I would love to collaborate with other like-minded small businesses and expand what I have to offer in my shop, apart from only apparel. I aim to obtain an office with a team of employees who want to make a change in the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.maneaterbylina.etsy.com
• Email: maneaterbylina@gmail.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/maneaterbylina
• Other: www.instagram.com/linainthewild

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