She left her NYC teaching job to open a sewing studio. Here's how she did it.
Kate Saffady successfully transitioned from a career in teaching to running a full-time sewing studio in Brooklyn. By leveraging local demand and managing her own business operations, she has scaled her revenue to nearly $190,000 year-to-date.
Why it matters
This story highlights the viability of niche, community-based service businesses as a path to career independence and financial growth.
Kate Saffady, 50, runs Brooklyn Stitch Studio full-time as of June 2026. Her revenue year-to-date is around $190,000. George Etheredge for BI Kate Saffady left teaching to manage her Brooklyn sewing studio full-time. Brooklyn Stitch Studio offers sewing classes for kids and adults. Saffady had to navigate NYC's business costs, balancing expenses and income to make it work. Tucked in a brick building in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, is a studio with four white walls with highlights of blue and purple furniture, where children go to sew. At the Brooklyn Stitch Studio, kids ages eight and up dedicate 90 minutes after school to working on self-directed projects — coming out with sweatshirts and zip pouches.
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