By Elisha Spencer
In a small town where clothing options are limited and showing up to a school event only to find a dozen others in the same outfit is a common frustration, Ka’Dejah Pittman decided to do something about it.
Rather than accepting the status quo, she picked up a heat press and built a business, one shirt at a time.
Pressed by Ka’Dejah, Pittman’s custom T-shirt business, was born out of a simple but powerful desire: to give her community choices.
“We didn’t have much for clothing in the stores where I live,” Pittman recalled. “When there was a school event or something you would need to buy an outfit for, we would get so excited to pick out an outfit only to get there and see 15 other people wearing the same thing.”
For Pittman, clothing is about more than fabric and thread. It’s about identity.
“It is important to me that myself and others are able to express ourselves through our fashion choices,” she said. “I feel like our individual style is an important part of how we reflect our personalities. It is a big part of what gives us our individuality, and I wanted to give that to my community.”
Built From the Ground Up
Like many small-business owners, Pittman’s journey has been anything but easy. Launching and sustaining a business while simultaneously working a full-time job and raising three children is a weight that would cause many to step back. Pittman admits there were moments she nearly did.
“I almost gave up many times,” she said. “Working a full-time job and raising three kids while trying to build a business from the ground up, answer messages, make the shirts and make sure everyone is getting their items on time is a lot for anyone.”
Compounding those pressures was the financial reality of entrepreneurship. When asked about the hardest part of getting started, Pittman didn’t hesitate.
“Having to fund my entire business out of pocket,” she said, “and lack of exposure in my small town.”
Despite those obstacles, she pressed on, and the results speak for themselves. Pressed by Ka’Dejah has grown to more than 2,000 followers on social media, a milestone Pittman doesn’t take lightly.
“That says a lot,” she noted with a smile, “because I don’t even know 1,000 people in real life.”
Ka’Dejah Pittman with her family.
The Product: Where Comfort Meets Color
At the heart of Pressed by Ka’Dejah is the product itself, and it delivers.
Each shirt is carefully hand-pressed by Pittman herself, a detail that speaks to the personal care and craftsmanship she pours into every order. Made from soft, comfortable materials designed to be worn and loved, the shirts are anything but bland.
Bold, bright colors are a signature of the brand, offering customers the kind of eye-catching, expressive options that have long been missing from the shelves of their small town. Whether you’re looking for something that makes a statement or simply want a quality piece that feels as good as it looks, Pressed by Ka’Dejah delivers — with the added assurance that every item was made with intention, by hand and with pride.
A colorful selection of soft, hand-pressed shirts ready to be delivered to customers.
More Than a Brand
What sets Pressed by Ka’Dejah apart isn’t just the quality of the product. It’s the person behind it.
Pittman is deeply intentional about what her brand represents, and she hopes other entrepreneurs in her community take note of the philosophy she’s built it on.
For Pittman, the entrepreneurial space should be one of collaboration, not competition. She has a clear message for other small-business owners and influencers just finding their footing.
“I would love to see more of us helping each other out. I want others to know we don’t have to be in competition when we all have the same goal.”
She believes what makes any brand truly unique isn’t just the product itself, but the hands that made it and the heart that went into it.
“The brand isn’t always just the product,” Pittman explained. “It is the person who is making the product with their own hands and putting their own energy and love into it that makes it unique. It is like when someone gives you a gift, and every time you look at it, you think of them. It is the same thing with someone’s product or brand.”
Eyes on the Future
When asked how far she wants Pressed by Ka’Dejah to reach, Pittman gave an answer that was both grounded in faith and expansive in vision.
“As far as God will take me,” she said.
Her dream is to one day own a brick-and-mortar storefront, not just as a home for her own business, but as a space where other local entrepreneurs can set up shop and grow alongside her.
“I would not overcharge them,” she said. “I would try to help them grow their business just like I wish someone had done for me.”
It’s a vision that reflects the same community-first spirit that drove her to start the business in the first place.
As for what entrepreneurship has done for her personally, Pittman reflects with the quiet confidence of someone who has learned to trust herself through the hard times.
“I have learned how to bet on myself.”
Pressed by Ka’Dejah can be found on social media, where the business has amassed a growing following of more than 2,000 people. Those interested in custom shirts or supporting the brand are encouraged to follow along and reach out directly.
From the Ground Up with Elisha Spencer | The People’s Paper MS
