Tigist Petites: From Stuck to Strategic
Tigist Petites is a New York City-based luxury workwear brand founded by Tigist Ketema in 2022. Designed exclusively for professional women under 5'4", the brand was born out of Ketema's own frustration with the lack of high-quality, well-tailored options for petite women in the workplace. All garments are ethically manufactured in New York City, with key fabrics sourced from Italian mills. The brand's signature collection features three distinct dress cuts: Aiden, Sara, and Gene, each crafted to help petite women feel polished, powerful, and entirely themselves.
A global marketing executive by background, Tigist spent over two years in research and development before launching. Tigist Petites has since been featured in British Vogue and carried by global retailers including Wolf & Badger.
Navigating an Unsustainable Path Forward
After a limited-sales launch in 2022, Tigist was left with unsold inventory and uncertainty about how to move it.
She needed to determine whether the business was viable long-term and what a sustainable path forward actually looked like.
Her target market had not been fully defined, making it difficult to identify the right channels and messaging to reach potential customers.
The brand's website and social media presence were not converting visitors into buyers.
Without financial planning tools, Tigist lacked visibility into her cash flow and profitability, making strategic decisions difficult.
Building the Brand, the Market, and the Plan
TAP's Deep Dive program (completed Dec 2025) conducted a full brand audit using the Brand Strategy Worksheet and Brand Positioning Statement, resulting in a sharpened brand identity and refined mission.
Researched and defined Tigist's Total Addressable Market and developed a digital and social media strategy, including specific vendor recommendations to help sell existing inventory.
Delivered a Cash Flow Forecast and P&L template to give Tigist clear visibility into the financial health and sustainability of her business.
Audited the Tigist Petites website and social media presence and provided concrete, prioritized recommendations to improve conversions.
Identified and evaluated professionals who could support both near-term inventory sell-through and a longer-term brand relaunch.
Renewed Clarity, Confidence, and a Full-Time Commitment
200% increase in sales.
Gained a clear understanding of what was unsustainable in the business model and the specific changes needed to rebuild on solid footing.
Financial tools gave Tigist the clarity to make more informed, strategic decisions about where to focus her energy and resources.
A refined brand strategy and mission statement gave the business a stronger foundation for marketing, partnerships, and growth.
Website and social media improvements provided a roadmap to better present her products and reach the right customers.
Following her work with TAP and the resulting revenue, Tigist made the decision to pursue Tigist Petites full-time.
"I can't thank TAP enough for your support and belief in my business. The work I've done with TAP has given me the confidence to pursue Tigist Petites full-time and I'm already seeing a meaningful difference."
- Tigist Ketema, Founder and CEO, Tigist Petites
Tigist Petites: Finding the Strategy Behind the Brand
Tigist Ketema of Tigist Petites had a luxury workwear brand, a clear vision, and unsold inventory. TAP helped her understand why and what to do next.
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