We had the good fortune of connecting with Kimmi Doan-Subida and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kimmi, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
FKTG was born from a deep love of creating meaningful, personalized items and bringing unique touches to life’s special moments.

After the passing of my amazing mother, I found myself feeling lost and focusing solely on caring for my children. My incredible husband, who has always believed in me, encouraged me to rediscover my passion and the creative spark that once brought me so much joy. His support inspired me to turn that passion into something meaningful — and that’s how FKTG began.

When I became pregnant with our first child, my husband and I made the decision for me to work from home so I could be present for our growing family. As a mom to two wonderful children, I poured my heart into my family, but over time I began to lose sight of who I was before motherhood. After my mother passed, that feeling became even stronger.

My husband encouraged me to step back and ask myself what truly made me happy. I realized I’ve always loved creating personalized experiences — from designing custom shirts to adding unique touches to birthday celebrations and meaningful gifts. I thrive on making moments special and memorable for others.

Through FKTG, I pour my heart into every laser-engraved piece. My goal is to create items that carry meaning, celebrate moments, and leave a lasting impression — just as my family and my mother have done for me.

At FKTG, we specialize in high-quality custom laser engraving for personal gifts, corporate branding, and special events. With precision craftsmanship and attention to detail, we bring ideas to life and turn everyday items into something truly personal.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
At FKTG, we take pride in bringing our clients’ ideas to life through engraving and personalized creations for whatever occasion they may be celebrating. Every project is personal to us. I take the time to speak with each client to understand their vision for their product or event. From there, I design multiple mock-ups so they can see different options and choose what best fits their idea.

When I first started this business, we were one of the first—if not the first—to introduce on-site engraving experiences for events in Houston, and possibly in Texas. It remains one of the things I am most proud of. Being able to personalize items live at an event and watch guests see their pieces come to life in real time is an experience that makes our work incredibly meaningful.

Engraving is not just for tumblers—it can be done on a wide variety of materials including wood, slate, acrylic, and many other engravable surfaces. Our goal is to create pieces that are not only beautiful, but meaningful.

We hope that every item we create becomes a keepsake. Something that, one day out of the blue, our clients reach for and are instantly reminded of a special moment or memory. We don’t want to simply be a company that engraves logos onto products. We want to help bring events to life and create pieces that carry lasting memories. Personalization means a lot to me, and that passion goes into every project we take on.

Starting a personalization company with laser engraving as our foundation was not easy. Many people still confuse laser engraving with vinyl personalization and sometimes request certain looks that cannot be achieved through engraving alone. Competing with larger companies that produce bulk engraving can also be challenging. Large retailers offer convenience—customers can simply grab something off a shelf—while our process requires conversations, custom designs, engraving, and delivery to ensure every piece is made exactly for the client.

When I first started, I wasn’t sure where to begin. I looked into local vendor markets to introduce my work to the community. Each market is different, and the location and audience can make a big difference. As a new business, paying vendor fees while also investing in machines and supplies was difficult for our family. Some markets were wonderful learning experiences, while others unfortunately came with empty promises about attendance and foot traffic, costing us both time and money.

I have emailed and called hundreds of companies, venues, and event planners hoping for the opportunity to showcase my work. Many times there was no response, which could be discouraging. But I learned from a young age that perseverance is how things happen. That lesson came from my wonderful mother.

Because of her, I keep pushing forward. I will continue working toward my goals, and when I reach them, I’ll set new ones and keep going.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When I’m hosting friends or family, it really depends on the season. One of my favorite things to do is rent a cute beach house in Galveston for a couple of days. We spend our time fishing, enjoying the beach, and just relaxing together. The water may not always be the bluest, but it’s still home, and the kids love being there.

On our way back into town, we would definitely have to make a stop at Space Center Houston to explore and learn more about the incredible history of space exploration.

After that, a night at Great Wolf Lodge Webster would be a must for some indoor water park fun. The kids would absolutely love the themed rooms and all the activities, making it the perfect way to wrap up the trip with a little adventure and family time.

Once in Houston, POST Houston is always a great spot for an incredible view of downtown and a one-stop shop place for shopping and eating. I’d also take guests to stay a couple of nights at Marriott Marquis Houston so they can experience the famous Texas-shaped rooftop pool and enjoy exploring downtown’s local markets and restaurants — minus all the construction if we’re lucky. 😅

For shopping and more amazing food, I love driving through the River Oaks and Galleria areas along Westheimer Road and Post Oak Boulevard. There are so many great dining options, from a good steak at Steak 48 to brunch or tea at Little Hen.

And of course, no visit to Houston is complete without a trip to Houston Chinatown. We’d definitely go for dim sum at Golden Dim Sum or enjoy great eats at places like Honey Pig BBQ, Crawfish Cafe, or Vua Bun Bo.

Houston has so many hidden gems, and sharing them with people I care about is one of my favorite things to do.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to thank the people who have supported and inspired me throughout this journey.

To my beautiful mother, Kimberly Doan, who continues to inspire me every day and whose love and strength will always guide me.

To my wonderful husband, Francis. thank you for being my constant inspiration and for always believing in me.

My inspirational children, Tobi & Gigi, who are always by my side as I work, create, and deliver. Their constant encouragement and the pride they show in me give me the strength to keep pushing forward and striving to do better every single day.

To my sweet mother-in-law, Maria, who never stops encouraging me and proudly shares and promotes my work everywhere she goes.

And to my dear friends, thank you for always supporting me and letting me drag yall into whatever I need for my little business.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.fktg?igsh=Ynl6bW02bDU3aHh3

Image Credits
Pixbyholly (ig)

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutHTX is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.