Changing the face of Fashion
The Sabrina Kay Story Part 2
by
Jamie Borromeo
On the national
level, Sabrina Kay has been very active in the Career
College Association and on its Board of Directors.
Ms. Kay continues to served on numerous review teams
that examine educational institutions on behalf of
the State of California by serving as a commissioner
/board member for the California's Golden State Scholarshare
Investment Board, which oversees the investment of
billions of dollars earmarked for the payment of tuition
for California's children.
True
to her Korean heritage, she is also a board member
of the Korean American Coalition, Korean American
Chamber of Commerce, and the Advisory Council on Democratic
and Peaceful Unification of Korea.
To
date, CDC has produced thousands of graduates who
have been placed as professionals in the exclusive
fashion industry. Kay prides herself on CDC's job
placement rate, which are over 90 percent, compared
with the industry average. Kay's favorite statistic
is the student loan default rate, which stands at
0 percent, which reflects the college's success in
preparing students in practical and necessary ways
for a meaningful career.
AE:
Please give us a description of your business' background
and the amount of time you've been in business.
SK :I grew up in the fashion industry and started
working with my parents. My parents owned La Paloma
Fashions and put me to work. I worked in all types
of positions within the company and learned many aspects
of the fashion industry.
While studying Industrial Design at California State
University at Long Beach, I fell in love with the
American College system. At SULB I worked as a student
advisor and decided that I would make education my
life's work. After college, I combined my knowledge
of fashion with my love of education and went to work
for a fashion school. Working with students every
day was a great experience, but I felt I had more
to offer.In 1991, I decided I wanted the challenge
of operating my own college of fashion design so I
founded California Design College (CDC).
AE: How did you become an
entrepreneur? Did you start in the corporate or public
sector? How did you know this path was right for you?
SK : I think I was born an entrepreneur.
From my first job to my position today as President
and Chief Executive Officer of CDC, I have always
been creative, pushing the envelope and thinking outside
of the box. Even when I was in the public sector at
Cal State Long Beach, I still followed my own instincts
to advise the students and connected them in a different
way than other staff members did.
I knew that the entrepreneurial path was right for
me because of my firm belief that a person should
be rewarded for the decisions and risks he or she
makes and takes. As the owner of CDC, I make tough
decisions and have to live with the consequences.
Fortunately, most of my decisions have been good ones,
and CDC has grown to be-come one of the premier co-lleges
of computer-aided fashion design in the world.
I
am not a gambler, but I do believe that rewards should
go to those who bet on themselves. When I founded
CDC, I risked everything I had. Fortunately, I have
been rewarded with financial success and also the
emotional satisfaction one receives from helping thousands
of students achieve their dream of being a leader
in the fashion industry.
AE: Were there any significant barriers that
caused resistance in your goal? How did you surpass
them?
SK : Anyone who aims high must overcome significant
barriers. When I came to the United States from Korea,
I did not speak a word of English. I had to work hard,
but I became fluent in English while retaining my
native language. The secrets to overcoming barriers
are a positive attitude, hard work, and focus. My
attitude is that barriers are merely stepping stones
to my success. Every barrier I overcome is another
step closer to my goal.
Since my goal was to successfully launch CDC in 1991,
I had to become familiar with the environment for
regulating colleges which was extremely harsh and
difficult. Congresswoman Maxine Waters' Waters Reform
Act of 1989 took effect in October of 1991 and as
a result, many schools closed in California. The Reform
Act included numerous new student protections and
regulatory languages which were ominous to school
operators. I found it necessary to become well versed
in the regulations previous to 1989 as well as the
Waters Reform Act in order for me to receive legal
state approval and successfully open the college.
Another barrier to overcome was attracting students
to the college once it was opened. Since a private
college's livelihood depends on students, the initial
enrollment was a formidable task. Besides referrals
from students and employers, I became focused on establishing
the College's reputation and credibility through attaining
approvals from national and state agencies which would
lead to accreditation for the college.
Almost everything that I have achieved has come because
of hard work. Success is hard. If it was easy, everyone
would be successful. I can't begin to count the thousands
of late nights I have spent at the office.
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