MassBay Alum Sewed Her Future Success

MassBay Community College alum, Phionah Kikoyo poses with her velvet round pillows, February 2026 (Photo/ Phionah Kikoyo).

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Contact:
Liz Cooper
ecooper@massbay.edu

WELLESLEY HILLS, Mass. (March 3, 2026) — Phionah Kikoyo was born and raised in Uganda and moved to the United States when she was 13 years old. After graduating from Waltham High School, she enrolled in MassBay’s Biotechnology program before changing direction, completing her degree in General Studies in 2015 and transferring to the University of Massachusetts Lowell. That same year, she welcomed her first child, a son, and her natural curiosity and resourcefulness led her to search for a creative outlet. Despite having no sewing experience, she bought her first sewing machine and set out to teach herself an entirely new skill.

“I was working in a biotechnology lab, and after having my first child, I was looking for more of a work-life balance,” said Phionah. “I started teaching myself how to sew, playing around with fabrics to see what worked. I began making kimonos and posted them online to show off my new hobby. Then people started asking how much they cost and how they could buy one, which gave me the confidence to start my own business.”

Phionah signed up for a booth at the New England Open Markets and made 50 kimono robes for the event. She sold out at her very first market. Demand was so high that customers were handing her their contact information, asking her to reach out when she had more inventory. Using these early opportunities to learn about her customers, she asked lots of questions and took notes on what they liked and what they would change. Absorbing all the feedback, she constantly refined her designs.

Her big break came when a woman in California who worked at KTLA, the CW affiliate television station, bought one of her kimonos and wore it on air. The response to the woman’s outfit was overwhelming, and she reached out wanting to learn more about the designer. Soon after, Phionah received a call from the television station inviting her to be interviewed about her designs.

“I was shocked,” she explained. “I didn’t even know how to put up a tent at these markets—everything was new to me. I treated every experience as a learning opportunity and worked hard to make my business stronger.”

As her business was gaining momentum, the pandemic brought the markets to a halt. Unable to sell kimonos, she pivoted. She relied on a previous learning experience, when floor pillows she wanted while planning her birthday party were too expensive, she decided to make her own. That’s when her handmade round velvet pillow designs, in striking and bold colors, were born.

“In less than a month, I created 40 pillows, put them online, and overnight a wedding planner bought all of them. In less than 24 hours, I was sold out. She asked what other colors I had, and I told her I had every color. I jumped into a pickup truck and drove from one fabric store to the next, buying every color of velvet I could find. At first, I didn’t know how to make them, but I went on YouTube and taught myself, creating my own style. Then, I was selling 60 pillows a day, partly because people were home during COVID and wanted to decorate. When the pandemic lifted, I started reaching out to stores and doing pop-ups.”

Shop Phionah began with pop-up displays inside Pottery Barn, and then West Elm gave her a dedicated corner of the store. Her pillows have also been sold through West Elm, Nordstrom, Wayfair, and Walmart. Her pillows can also be ordered by visiting:
Shop Phionah Website →

“This was supposed to be a hobby—now Shop Phionah is its own business,” she laughs. “But what I discovered is that I’ve never stopped learning. I’ve always had a mentor, and I’m always studying to learn more and find people who can teach me new things. It’s been an exciting adventure, and I’m looking to expand. There’s definitely more to come.”

Phionah graduated from MassBay in 2015 with her Associate in Science Degree in General Studies. Her business is based in Massachusetts, and all her products are handmade in the state. She is a married mother of three and frequently returns to MassBay for alumni and career panels, where she shares her story and inspires current students.

“I love chatting with the students about the path that I took. I like to tell them it’s okay to change your path, but you need to work hard and keep striving to do better. I take the lessons I learned at MassBay and put them into my work, and I tell them to never stop growing and learning.”

MassBay Community College is the most affordable higher education option in MetroWest Boston and is free to most Massachusetts residents without a bachelor’s degree. With more than 70 associate degree and certificate programs, along with comprehensive workforce and educational training, MassBay provides a wide range of courses with flexible day, evening, and weekend classes in Wellesley, Framingham, the Automotive Technology Center in Ashland, and online, in high-demand fields including health and life sciences, computer science, engineering, cybersecurity, business, and the humanities. MassBay students receive unparalleled value, with free one-on-one academic and social support services, compassionate and experienced faculty, and stackable credits that easily transfer to bachelor’s degree programs and that provide hands-on, workforce-ready skills. Health sciences, human services, early childhood education, and many general education programs are offered at the 65,000 square foot, state-of-the-art MassBay Framingham, which has served the community since January 2024. Founded in 1961, MassBay has been accredited by multiple governing bodies and remains dedicated to serving its diverse communities, fostering inclusiveness, and advancing equity for all.