Biita at the Fruitlands Craft Festival
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about who you are and your business?
A: My name is Anita Costello, and I’m a wife, a mother, and someone who loves expressing my uniqueness through my style choices. I’m into a minimalist style because I believe there’s so much beauty in simplicity.
Q: What inspired you to start your business, and how did it get its name?
A: I was inspired by a nudge from my husband to launch my brand. I wanted to provide fashionable and unique choices for women who want to look great without a lot of fuss.
The story of the name is quite interesting because Biita is not the name that I started with. Bacah was the first name I chose for my business, and I picked it because it spoke of a journey. When I tried to trademark it, a vineyard in California had beat me to it by a month. It then took a year to find a name that meant something to me, and that wasn’t already trademarked. I narrowed it down to Bida which means world, and Bita. I fell in love with Bita because it means unique [in Persian], and this speaks to every being on this planet. I added the extra “i” for the cool factor.
Some of Biita's products
Q: Are there any businesses, brands, or mentors that inspired you in the creation of your business?
A: I have to give a shout out to Louise Ciampa of Clothware in Porter Square. She met with me for about two years talking with me and educating me from a retailer’s perspective on how to move forward as a brand.
Q: If you could give one piece of advice to other young entrepreneurs, what would that be?
A: Have a great support system in place because it gets hard, and as best as you can persevere until you find that sweet spot. You will make mistakes but learn from them. I remember saying to my husband “I’ve made so many mistakes and have waisted so much money.” His reply was, “No, that was just the price of your education.”
Biita bags
Q: Are there any moments, milestones, or victories related to your business that you are particularly proud of?
A: I am proud of the way that I’ve grown as an entrepreneur. Of course, there have been and will be times when I ask, “Why am I doing this?” But when a customer leaves my booth excited about what they’ve just bought or comes back later to say how often they get compliments on their bag, or how much they love their shrug it feels pretty amazing.
Q: Why did you choose to work with The Trustees?
A: I believe it was a mutual choosing, but for me to work with the Trustees was the right fit because I believe in the organizations mission to protect nature and to make it accessible for all.
