Meet Katie Di Fede | Owner of Upskale Threads Custom Embroidery and Clothing Brand

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katie Di Fede and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katie, what matters most to you?
At almost 29 years old, I believe I’m finally coming into my own, and really understanding what matters to me in my personal life, but also in my career. I think now more than ever its so important to have a vision of what your purpose is in life, and never losing sight of your “why.” There are tons of people that will doubt you, tear you down, and tell you “NO”, but as long as you trust your gut, and really believe in your self, your craft, your purpose, nothing and no one can stop you from achieving the goals you set for yourself or the life that you’ve always dreamed of.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

I am the proud owner of UPSKALE THREADS, born, raised and based in Miami, FL. We are the 100% customizable embroidery company, handling everything in house, from working closely with our clients to finalize their always custom “Turtle Crewneck” or getting merch ready for you and your 15 best friends to match on your bachelorette party. I realized that the “Turtle Crewneck can be confusing to someone that doesn’t know our work LOL, so here goes: Turtle is the name of my 5 year old baby boy/English bulldog, so when I decided to take my favorite photo of him, and digitize his face to embroider on a sweatshirt, we decided to name that item after him, but contrary to popular belief, it is NOT a turtle neck you would wear in the winter, it’s just a regular crewneck with your fur babies face(s) on them, and one of our bestsellers on our website 

Aside from the inventory we have for purchase on our site, we also offer the service for corporate companies and customers to bring in their own items for personalization, so the options are really endless for personalizing. Im so excited that I get to play every day with doodles, and threads of every single color under the sun, to really create something so special and memorable for my customers.

Has it been easy? I don’t think it’s ever easy building a business from the ground up. When I started this business in November 2020, I planned to do it for fun, as a little side gig, not knowing that within that year, I would leave my job of five+ years and be running UPSKALE THREADS full time. Truthfully, I was not prepared for all the aspects of what running a business on my own, in my 20’s, and during a pandemic, would entail. I felt like I was treading water for the first 8 months in business, on my feet for sometimes 16 hours a day, digitizing designs, creating and photographing content, running a website, fulfilling 15 or more orders a day, packaging orders, making sure I made it to the post office on time, all while making sure I had the time to service my customers and doing so with a smile on my face. There has no doubt been moments of defeat and uncertainty, but I so am blessed to have had these growing pains to build from, and to take that passion for my work, and to show up as a better me every day not only as a business owner, but in my personal life as well.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

Where to even start!

There are so many different places to hangout in Miami, whether you’re looking for something super casual, or a fancy night out, most of my favorite spots are just walking distance from home.

My favorite neighborhood spot is definitely Barracuda’s in the Grove. It’s definitely not the place if youre looking to get dressed up and have a night out on the town, but IT IS the place If youre looking for a good ol’ dive bar with beer and chicken wings. In the heart of Coconut Grove, it’s a favorite of mine for happy hour, and just catching up with my neighborhood friends. Believe it or not, My fiancé and I actually took our engagement photos here, so that should tell you how much I love this place.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge sucker for wining and dining, so when I’m feeling a little fancier, my favorite spots for delicious authentic Italian would be Fratellino and Sapore di mare. I come from an Italian back ground so finding a meal that’s comparable to my moms cooking is hard to come by, but these are definitely a close second and third for me.

If I’m not at Cudas, working, or eating Italian food, you can always find me at the beach. I like to take a day for myself throughout the week, whether it be reading a Colleen Hoover book in one sitting, or working from wifi, there’s nothing better than a little ocean dip to just reset and enjoy the (almost) always beautiful weather of Miami.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

Id love to shoutout the people in my circle, who have helped me personally, and through my business, because without a support system, I  don’t think I would even be half as successful.

My mom and dad, my siblings, fiancé, cousins, friends, the new friends I have met through this business, the retail shops who invite me to pop up at their stores monthly, the repeat customers who share my business by word of mouth, anyone who has offered me help in any aspect of my business, big or small.  I appreciate every single person whose path I have crossed and also for the many people I have yet to meet!

Website: upskalethreads.com

Instagram: UPSKALETHREADS