Although Knoxville, Tenn., native Whitney Koval has always described herself “as a lifelong vacationer” to Charleston, it was not until she met her future husband here on one of those vacations that she realized her heart was in the Lowcountry as well.

“The rest is history; I moved here two months later, then we got married, and 
then we had three babies,” she says with a smile. “And then we had another ‘baby,’ 
Cutey Booty!”

Cutey Booty, co-owned by Whitney Koval and fellow mom Angie Medlock, is a child’s clothing company that offers a fresh take on classic designs with modern, personalized bloomers and boxer shorts for infant and toddler girls (patootys) and boys (dudeys).

The two women met during an infant massage class in 2003. They joined forces in business early this year when they both realized they wanted to be entrepreneurs but keep their children as the focus.

Koval, with a sales and marketing background, and Medlock, a trained engineer, have three children each. They manage Cutey Booty around their busy lives and already have sold more than 2,000 bloomers and boxers since January. The venture offers online purchasing as well as wholesale sales to retail outlets, and new designs for older children are currently in the planning stages.

Whitney Koval took a few moments to let Lowcountry Parent in on a few of her business and mom secrets.

Q: What were your first ideas for Cutey Booty?

It was the name itself and then the snaps [that are used in the design].The idea was literally born on text messages on a Sunday afternoon. Our Blackberries were burning up, and Angie and I were giddy. We literally filed papers that next afternoon.

Q: What is a typical “Whitney” day?

I get up, get the kids fed and entertain them until the baby goes down. That’s when basically Angie and I try to have our focus time, and we’re coordinating to be on the phone then. But our workday doesn’t stop when the babies wake up. It truly has been a family affair, and we’ve done so much important work in the midst of children. We often have working play dates.

Q: It’s hard for many people to imagine fitting a business into a lifestyle with three children. What have you given up?

The ability to not be on a schedule. I also am not working out and reading as much as I used to, but we’re an active outdoor family. Oh, and my ability to be a fashionista is over, and I don’t miss it.

Q: If Cutey Booty doesn’t have a flagship store, where does it live?

At our kitchen tables! We do 90 percent of our work there, and then the bulk of the stock lives in the spare bedrooms and in our closets. It won’t always be this way, but Angie and I have literally packaged up every order, and we take it to the mail room. We run our business over e-mail, text, and phone, and it’s up and running because we spent a lot of time on the manufacturing to get it right.

Q: What are some parenting secrets you have in order to make the most use of your time?

We’re casual livers, and we try to keep it simple. I have three girls, and although this won’t last forever, I try to coordinate their outfits by color. That way when we’re out at the park or somewhere else, I am just looking for that one color. I know people may think, “Her kids are always matching,” but the matching has a purpose. It’s just a way to make it easier.

Q: What is something that you’ve learned?

Well, who could be less qualified to manufacture baby clothing than someone with a background in sales? But you can do anything if you have perseverance. I set about learning a new trade, and it’s very fun because it’s challenging. There is still so much to learn, and Angie and I share that because we have complementary qualities. *