5 Fashion & Business Podcasts to Follow

Today I want to introduce you to five podcasts on topics ranging from conscious style to business to sustainable fashion.

I had the opportunity to be interviewed by each host and I think the conversations will be helpful in inspiring your own journey into fashion entrepreneurship. 

Browse the shows below and choose the one (or five!) that looks most interesting to you!

Conscious Style Podcast

Ep. 32 – How to Launch a Sustainable Fashion Brand with Shannon Lohr

Working Women Mentor

Ep. 37 – Shannon Lohr: An Insider’s Guide to Sustainability and Using Clothing as a Source for Good

The Sustainable Fashion Wingman

Ep. 28 – How to Launch a Sustainable Fashion Brand, with Factory45’s Shannon Lohr

The Good Dirt

Ep. 89 – The Real Scoop on Sustainable Fashion: A Discussion for Producers and Consumers with Shannon Lohr of Factory45

Marrin Costello Radio

Originally aired on Dash Radio: Shannon Lohr of Factory45

And then, of course, there’s always the Factory45 podcast for 20-minute-or-less episodes every week → Start Your Sustainable Fashion Brand

Happy listening!

 

 

P.S. Join me on IG Live tomorrow at 12:30pm ET for Factory45 LIVE, the Live Show for Fashion Entrepreneurs! 

The topic I’m covering is: How to Launch a Fashion Brand Without Taking On Debt. 

Bring your questions!

 

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Podcast Ep. 33: Should You Quit Your Day Job to Start Your Fashion Brand?

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify

I am so excited to talk about this topic today because it’s a question that I have strong opinions on and many thoughts to share. Should you quit your day job to start your fashion brand? And taking it one step further –  if you stay – should you tell your boss that you’re starting a business? That’s what we’re talking about on today’s episode!

TRANSCRIPT

I am so excited to talk about this topic today because it’s a question that I have strong opinions on and many thoughts to share. Should you quit your day job to start your fashion brand? And taking it one step further –  if you stay – should you tell your boss that you’re starting a business? That’s what we’re talking about on today’s episode!

So many thoughts. Where do I begin? Okay, let’s start here:

There is a myth or a false belief being perpetuated by social media, business coaches and so-called experts that in order to be a legitimate entrepreneur and start a legit business, you have to give everything up, go all in, quit your job and have no back-up plan so you can dedicate all of your time and energy into starting your business. 

The message is that you have to go all-in on your dreams and if you don’t, then you don’t believe in yourself enough. That you’re not serious. And that if you don’t give 110% then you’ll only ever have a side hustle or a hobby.

And I call BS on all of that.

Here’s what I know… I’ve started three businesses over my 10+ years of entrepreneurship. And while I was starting each one, I worked a job at the same time to make money and support myself.

And do you know what? Working that j-o-b is one of the biggest factors that I attribute to my success.

Why? Because I didn’t have to rely on the revenue of my businesses to support me until it was financially stable. 

While I was starting my clothing brand back in 2010 I worked as a waitress and bartender to pay my bills. When I was starting my consulting business I worked as a content & communications manager for an author. When I was starting Factory45, I went back to bartending. It wasn’t until 2015, and I saw the financial projections for Factory45, as well as enough cash coming in, that I poured my last drink and quit bartending for good.

In fact, this is what my life looked like for a solid six years:

Head to the bar at 7pm to start my shift. Work until last call at 2am, clean up, close down the bar, wind down and get home around 3-3:30am. Wake up at 9:30am and work on my business during the day until my shift started again at 7pm the next night.

Let me tell you, it was a grind. But also, working a day job from 9-5 every day (or longer) is a grind too. And bartending gave me the freedom during the day to work on my business.

It also gave me another kind of freedom: The freedom to not make major decisions under pressure. I knew that in the early stages of building any type of business, when things are so new and so vulnerable, the last thing you want is to rely on that fledgling business to support your livelihood.

So whenever people ask me, should I quit my day job to start my fashion brand? My answer is always going to be, “No.” Not only is it important to have an income for things like your rent and groceries, but every new business comes with expenses. In the case of a fashion brand, you’re going to want to have cash flow to put towards things like patterns and samples and photoshoots.

I’ve found that even when people have a chunk of savings to put towards starting their brand, they still feel restricted in how they’re going to spend it because it’s a finite amount. There is freedom in knowing that you have money coming in every month. And what a privilege to be in that position – not something to be taken for granted.

Okay, so if I’ve convinced you to keep your day job while you’re starting your fashion brand – that brings us to the next question which is, should you tell your boss that you’re starting a business?

To be fair, the answer to this is nuanced and depends entirely on your unique situation, your job, the relationship you have with your boss, the work culture, and so many other factors. With that in mind, I’ll just share how some of my past entrepreneurs in Factory45 have navigated the situation:

One person, who wished to be unnamed, said: “I decided not to tell my employer because I didn’t want to risk losing my means of salary that was crucial to funding my own venture. I also thought it would create unnecessary tension that I wanted to avoid.”

On the other hand, Tiffany, said: “I didn’t have an intentional conversation with my employer about starting my own business, but I didn’t make any great efforts to hide it either. I’m friends with so many colleagues, including supervisors, on social media (and in person) and it would have been pretty impossible to keep it a secret from them. That said, they found out when the rest of my social media network did and I launched my website online.”

She went on to say: “I was pretty nervous about the idea of them finding out, but I also knew that as long as I was doing my job well, it shouldn’t be a problem and I always made my “real” job the priority.”

And Colleen said: “I was about three months into Factory45 before I told my boss. I eventually had to because I often had to stop at my pattern maker in the AM or had to leave early to pick up fabrics, etc. They were understanding, but made it a point that my project management position came first. I always felt a little on pins and needles, juggling both jobs and feeling a little timid about asking to leave early.”

So, there you have it, three different scenarios and outcomes of navigating your business and your job. I will say that all three of these people ended up leaving their day jobs eventually to run their businesses full time. They just didn’t do it right away.

I hope that’s helpful advice to hear and a different way to think through the possible compulsion to just go and quit your job. It’s something you should think long and hard about and if you do make the decision to leave, then I would make sure you have a significant chunk of savings (at least $5-10K, depending on where you live) and the means to make money in another way (freelancing, side hustle, bartending, babysitting, etc.) if you have to.

In the meantime, if you’re interested in learning more about how to raise money for your fashion brand – without draining your savings, taking out a loan or finding investors – I’m teaching a free workshop that will teach you how to get started. This is the most sustainable and least risky way to launch, that I teach all of my entrepreneurs in Factory45, and I’m offering it to you for free. Sign up at https://factory45.co/sustainable-fashion-event

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Podcast Ep. 32: Should You Start a Sustainable Fashion Brand During a Recession?

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify

Should You Start a Sustainable Fashion Brand During a Recession? I’m not an economist and I’m obviously biased in how I would answer this. So, I’m crediting all of the info from this episode to the Business of Fashion and leaving my opinion out. In today’s episode, I’m walking you through some things to think about so you can decide for yourself.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Business of Fashion Article

Ep 9: When to Invest in Your Fashion Business (And Where to Start for Free)

TRANSCRIPT

Okay, so full disclaimer here: Should you start a sustainable fashion brand during a recession? I’m obviously biased in how I would answer this. But that’s why I’m going to leave my opinion out of today’s episode and walk you through some things to think about so you can decide for yourself.

I’m not an economist – obviously – and I cannot predict the economic future… but I would have to be living in a hole to not hear all of the recession talk in the news, on social media, etc. etc. So while I don’t feel totally qualified to give my two cents on the matter, I’m crediting all of the info from today’s episode to the Business of Fashion.

I came across this article in July – it’s titled “Will a recession stunt sustainable fashion?” and it’s written by Rachel Deeley. When I clicked on it, I assumed I knew what the answer would be… I figured it was another doomsday article about the effects of the pandemic, how the world is going down the gutter and why sustainable fashion will never go mainstream.

But I was wrong. And the article gave me an unexpected boost of hope for our industry. Here’s why:

The last major recession was in 2008. I remember it well – it was the year I graduated college with a journalism degree and decided to travel the world, bartend and live off of tips instead of getting a real job with an actual salary.

According to the Business of Fashion, the 2008 recession was a huge setback for the sustainable fashion industry. At the time, it was only a fledgling and emerging movement and the economic downturn crushed its momentum.

Fast forward to today, it’s 2022. And the inside scoop says this – I quote:

“Pressure on the industry to operate more responsibly won’t go away, regardless of the economic climate.” Yes, regardless of the economic climate.

Also, [quote] “A downturn could push consumers to adopt more responsible shopping habits.”

Why? Because they don’t necessarily have as much disposable income to burn on cheap fast fashion. During times of economic downturn, it’s usually the less expensive stuff that’s cut out of the disposable income budget first (TV subscriptions, eating out and yes, the weekly visit to Target for a new pair of leggings.)

People are thinking harder about the things they buy, if they actually need them and are less impulsive with $10 purchases here and there. They’re actually looking to buy less, but better.

Let’s face it, times have changed. It’s not 2008 anymore – there have been shifts in both consumer and business culture that mean things will likely look different in a recession today. And if you’re wanting to start a sustainable fashion brand, then that’s good news for you.

Consumer behavior aside, you also have to remember how long it takes to launch a fashion brand. I’ve said before, a successful brand launch should and can take anywhere from 6-18 months depending on how much time you have to work on it in your day to day.

It only takes a quick Google search to learn that the average recession lasts less than 17 months. In fact, in the post-World War II period, from 1945 to 2020, the average recession only lasted about 10 months.

Which means, that if you start now, like today, September 2022 – with sourcing, product development, audience building, marketing, etc. – then by the time you are actually ready to launch your brand to the world, then (based on historical data) we’ll likely be coming out of the recession.

I’ve said it many times before but I’ll say it again, there has never been a better time in the history of the fashion industry to start your own brand.” We have never been able to start our own businesses in such an inexpensive and less risky way by being able to first test the market and second, pre-sell our products.

And if you have no idea what I’m talking about, I have a 60-minute free workshop that will teach you exactly what I mean and show you how to do it for yourself. I’ll link to the registration page in the show notes below if you’re interested.

My best advice, economic climate aside, is always to start before you’re ready. Because starting a fashion brand takes time – and tomorrow you’ll wish you had started yesterday. 

I hope this episode was helpful – I hope it gave you some hope. And while I’m certainly not suggesting you go and blow all of your savings, I know that if you’re serious about this dream then there are things you can do today that don’t cost a penny to get started. Episode 9 walks you through some of those things, so I’ll link to that episode in the show notes too.

Thanks for listening and I’ll see you next week.

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Podcast Ep. 30: 9 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Starting a Fashion Brand

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify

So you’re thinking about starting a fashion or accessories brand, but you want to make sure you’ve dotted all of your i’s and crossed all of your t’s before going down that road. Well, you’re in luck, because this episode will help you do that. Here are 9 questions to ask yourself before starting a fashion brand.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

How to Determine Your Unique Selling Position

TRANSCRIPT

So you’re thinking about starting a fashion or accessories brand, but you want to make sure you’ve dotted all of your i’s and crossed all of your t’s before going down that road. Well, you’re in luck, because this episode will help you do that. Here are 9 questions to ask yourself before starting a fashion brand.

Okay, let’s get right into it with question number 1:

  • What is your USP?

I talk a lot about your USP (or unique selling position), and I’ll link to a past episode that you can go back to, but the first question you want to ask yourself when entering the fashion landscape is: how is your brand different?

It’s no secret that the fashion industry is both crowded and noisy – that doesn’t mean there’s no room for your brand but it does mean that you have to identify how you’re going to stand out. Spend a lot of time brainstorming, thinking and journaling about the ways you’re different from your competitors and then narrow it down to the USP that will most connect or resonate with your ideal target customer.

  • What does success look like to you?

Are you starting a side project, a lifestyle business or trying to build an empire? There is no right or wrong here but your answer will dictate how you start your brand. Will you be writing a 40-page business plan and pitching investors? (I hope not!) Or will you start out by bootstrapping with your own money and then organically growing based on market testing? As your brand business evolves, what will feel successful to you? What wins or milestones are you looking forward to achieving? What will actually feel like to reach the level of success you’re dreaming about?

  • How much money have you set aside to invest in building your business?

The truth is, it doesn’t take as much money as it used to to launch a clothing brand. And it doesn’t even take as much money as people think. But you do have to have some money available to invest in starting your business. Through Factory45, I’ve worked with entrepreneurs who invest a portion of their income every month into building their brand and I’ve worked with others who have thousands of dollars set aside. But as long as you have some disposable income available each month, you can successfully launch using the bootstrapping techniques and money-raising strategies that I teach in Factory45.

  • Does your product or collection solve a problem?

This goes back to the first question about your unique selling position, but it’s not enough to say “People need to wear clothes.” Your brand or product must solve a deeper problem for your customer. Whether it’s a specific problem like creating adaptive fashion for people in wheelchairs or a subjective problem like helping women feel more beautiful when they get dressed in the morning, you must solve a problem for your ideal target customer. I have more thoughts on this in a previous episode that I’ll link to in the description.

  • Are you appealing to a niche customer?

Did you hear me say “ideal target customer” earlier? Just as important as solving a problem, you want to make sure that when you’re first starting out you’ve narrowed down your market to a niche customer. Why? Because the more specific about who your brand is here to serve, then the faster those people will be able to find you and then come out to support you.

While I’m all for being inclusive, that’s very different from being broad. If you’re too general about who your target customer is then you’re going to have a very hard time building an audience. I always tell my entrepreneurs in Factory45, “If you’re trying to appeal to everyone, then you’ll end up appealing to no one.” Your target audience can expand as you gain traction and grow, but in the beginning, my advice is to niche down.

  • What is your ideal retail price point?

This is the price that you want to sell your product for. Your ideal retail price is dictated by your customer’s price tolerance, as well as your cost of goods sold. In other words, your retail price needs to reflect how much it costs to make your product. If you’re selling direct to consumer, then your retail markup can be less than if you’re also selling wholesale to boutiques or stores. No matter what you price your product at, though, you need to make sure there’s a profit so that you can continue investing money back into your business.

  • What do you need to outsource?

We can’t all be good at everything. Identify your strengths, whether it’s designing or marketing or branding or finance, and identify your weaknesses. In most cases, you’ll want to automatically outsource your pattern and samplemaking to a professional – as well as your production to a manufacturer. But are there other things that would make sense to outsource so that you can spend time dominating your strengths and not stressing about your weaknesses? Figure out what those things are and then one by one, start to eliminate the things you’re not good at from your day to day.

  • Should you seek out a cofounder?

Is there someone out there who can be the yin to your yang? Do you work better with partner accountability or do you prefer a solo show? I’ve run companies both ways – once with a cofounder and once as the sole founder and I can tell you, first hand, that there are pros and cons to both.

  • What is your “Why”?

I left the most important question for last… what is the “Why?” behind your brand – what is all of this for and why are you doing it? Entrepreneurship is an endless rollercoaster and you’re going to be constantly asking yourself what you got yourself into. Your Why is the answer that you’ll keep coming back to during both the low points and the high points, so it’s really important to figure it out before you get started. 

So, those are the 9 questions to ask yourself before you start your fashion brand. Once you figure them out (even if you aren’t sure of every answer) book a free discovery call to learn more about launching your sustainable fashion or accessories brand through Factory45. We’d love to help you turn this dream into a reality with a proven framework, personal support and an eight-year track record of success. Just go to factory45.co/apply and choose a time that works for you. Thanks for listening!

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Podcast Ep. 29: Why Now is the Time to Start Your Sustainable Fashion Brand

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify

Maybe you’ve had an idea for a clothing brand or an apparel product or an innovative accessory and you keep thinking the timing isn’t right. You’re dabbling in research, listening to podcasts like this one or Googling on your phone when you can’t fall asleep, but you haven’t taken any tangible action yet… well, in today’s episode, I’m going to help you get over that hump so you start making moves.

TRANSCRIPT

Hello, hello and welcome back to Season 2 of Start Your Sustainable Fashion Brand! I hope everyone had a great summer (or winter depending on which hemisphere you’re in!) and that you’re ready to jump into brand new episodes to help you launch a sustainable fashion brand, the right way from the start. Let’s go!

Do I have any procrastinators listening in today? Maybe you’ve had an idea for a clothing brand or an apparel product or an innovative accessory and you keep thinking the timing isn’t right. You’re dabbling in research, listening to podcasts like this one or Googling on your phone when you can’t fall asleep, but you haven’t taken any tangible action yet… well, in today’s episode, I’m going to help you get over that hump so you start making moves.

Here’s the thing: we’re all waiting for perfect timing. We’re waiting for the new job, the new house, the new baby, the new boost in our savings account… and yet, even if all of the stars aligned and each of those things happened, we’d still find an excuse. In a nutshell, this is how most humans work.

There are, however, the percentage of people who are action takers. I’m not talking about the people who go all-in on a hobby and abandon it a week later. I’m talking about the people who don’t operate under fear based thinking. (Because you know that’s what procrastination is, right? It’s actually just the avoidance of feeling uncomfortable.) In today’s economy (and really just general society) one of the most valuable assets a person can have is the ability to take action on an idea. Because the truth is, 99% of ideas never see the light of day. So just by starting to see an idea to completion already puts you ahead of the majority of people.

When we’re talking about sustainable fashion and launching your own brand, there’s even more reason to start taking action right now rather than waiting for the elusive “right time.”

  1. The first reason is this: (and it’s something people don’t typically realize) It can take, on average, between 1-2 years to successfully launch a fashion brand. The only entrepreneurs I’ve seen launch in 6 months or less were not working a full-time job, did not have kids or had a co-founder. Because the thing is: Even if you’re extremely disciplined and making all the right moves, your fashion startup depends on other people. And a lot of times you have to wait on those people – whether it’s fabric suppliers, patternmakers, samplemakers, your factory, a web designer, a graphic designer, the list goes on. I’m constantly telling people to start before they’re ready and this is why. Because it’s almost impossible to rush the process even if you wanted to. That’s all to say, you want to launch in two years? Great. Get started now.
  2. The second reason is: You need to give yourself plenty of time to build up an audience. I do a lot of podcast interviews for other people’s podcast and the hosts always love to ask me “What’s the #1 mistake you see fashion startups making?” And this is always my answer: They make the mistake of not building an audience months in advance of launching. Make no mistake, you are responsible for building an audience of customers that want what you’re selling. It’s an illusion to think you can just launch a Kickstarter campaign or create a Shopify website, then just run some Facebook ads and poof you’ll make a bunch of sales. The successful brands that I see launching through Factory45 every day are the ones who have invested months into building their email lists, social media followings and networks. Starting now allows you the runway and bandwidth to make sure you’ve built that audience before you’re ready to sell anything.
  3. And the third reason is this: Despite the doomsday headlines and news warning you of a recession, all of my research shows that sustainable fashion is only going to grow in case of an economic downturn. In an article titled “Will a Recession Stunt Sustainable Fashion?” The Business of Fashion reported that regardless of the economic climate,  the pressure to operate more responsibly won’t go away. It also reported that a downturn could push consumers to adopt more responsible shopping habits, boosting the secondhand market and encouraging a ‘buy less, but better’ mindset. That right there, sounds to me like opportunity. If you’re already committed to launching your brand in a way that is sustainably and ethically made, then now is the time to find your place in the market. 

If the past few years have shown us anything, it’s that we can massively benefit from both a creative outlet and a sense of community. It’s also shown us that working from home has its benefits, possibly buying us extra time in the day for outside projects. 

Every day I meet aspiring entrepreneurs working in the corporate world but at the same time, desiring work they themselves can both control and be inspired by. Every day I meet moms with law degrees or MBAs, who suddenly have a lot more time in the day with their kids off at school. And then there are the recent fashion grads who always knew they wanted to start their own fashion business and see the value in going for it now rather than waiting for more experience or another degree.

Whoever you are, and whatever you’re doing now, just remember that if you have an idea or a dream to start your own fashion brand, we’re here to help you make it happen. Good things happen when you start before you’re ready – and every one of our Factory45 alumni can tell you the same.

If you’re excited to be one of them, you can book a free discovery call to talk to our Director of Enrollment about your business goals. Just go to factory45.co/apply – we’d love to talk to you.

Oh! And that reminds me… I’m offering a free workshop to teach you how to raise money for your fashion brand – without loans, without investors and without risking your own money. This is the exact system I’ve used to help brands all over the world launch with money in the bank. So if you don’t have $20,000 sitting around to put towards production of your clothing brand, make sure to join us. Registration is now open at https://factory45.co/sustainable-fashion-event

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4 Ethical Fashion Brands that Launched through Factory45

WANDWOODS is a slow-fashion cottagecore inspired brand designed for the woodlands wanderer. Proudly Canadian and ethically made, the first collection is inspired by Jane Austen using timeless and romantic linen. Founder Natalia Pavanelli launched with four pieces using a pre-sale method through her online store. You can shop Wandwoods, and live your Jane Austen dreams, here.

  • Read more about Natalia’s journey in Factory45 here.
  • Shop Wandwoods on Market45 here and get 10% off.

 

MIKUMO APPAREL is an Asian-American woman-owned and US-based slow fashion brand dedicated to offering cute & feminine wardrobe staples inspired by Korean and Japanese fashion and the “academia” aesthetic. Founder Tina Xia raised over $24,000 in pre-orders on Kickstarter to fund the first production run of Mikumo. Browse the launch collection here.

 

HOPE CONTINUES, from the Mary Rose NW Boutique, is founder Julie Allen’s size-inclusive and ethically-made capsule collection. Ranging from size 5X to XS, Hope Continues offers sustainable fabrics, like hemp, linen and organic cotton. Shop the Mary Rose Boutique and Hope Continues here.

  • Read more about Julie’s journey in Factory45 here.
  • Shop Hope Continues on Market45 here and get 10% off.

 

REBECCA ELIZABETH is a slow-fashion house that’s ethically made in Brooklyn. The Pleiades Collection debuted this spring with four effortlessly elegant dresses that are carefully designed to be comfortable, versatile and beautiful. Founder Rebecca Bush has worked in the fashion industry for 13 years and this is her first independent brand. You can pre-order Rebecca Elizabeth dresses here.

 

New sustainable fashion brands are launching every month through Factory45 – are you ready to be one of them? Book a free discovery call with our Director of Enrollment to learn more.

 

 

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Summer Series Podcast Round-Up: Start Your Sustainable Fashion Brand

It’s hard to believe that summer is wrapping up! And with the end of season, we’re rounding up our “Summer Series: Best Of” episodes on the Start Your Sustainable Fashion Brand podcast. In June, July and August we featured some of our best and most popular episodes from Season 1…

So here’s your roundup of our “Summer Series: Best Of” episodes:

Ep. 25 Summer Series: Best of Fashion Business Planning (38 mins)

From Business Planning to Marketing to Supply Chains, our Best Of Summer Series kicks off. This episode pulls together the three most downloaded episodes on fashion brand business planning.

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify

Ep. 26 Summer Series: Best of Audience Building & Marketing (38 mins)

What’s the value of a beautiful product or collection without the marketing strategy to go with it? This week’s episode features our three best episodes about marketing and how to build an audience for your fashion brand.

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify

Ep. 27 Summer Series: Best of Fashion Supply Chain (16 mins)

This is part three of our Summer Series, where we’re featuring our best and most popular episodes of the Start Your Sustainable Fashion Brand Podcast. This episode is all about building a supply chain for your fashion brand as a new entrepreneur. You’ll hear about how to find the perfect fabric, mistakes to avoid when sourcing and finding a manufacturing partner for the first time.

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify

Ep. 28 Summer Series: Best of Entrepreneurship Advice (20 mins)

This is the final episode in our Summer Series, where we’re featuring our best and most popular episodes of the Start Your Sustainable Fashion Brand Podcast. We’re wrapping it up with an episode all about my best entrepreneurship advice. You’ll hear all about dealing with copycats & critics, facing the competition, and what it really takes to be an entrepreneur.

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify

Don’t forget, there are additional resources linked below every episode for you to get started and take action : )

 

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Podcast Ep. 28: Summer Series: Best of Entrepreneurship Advice

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify

This is the final episode in our Summer Series, where we’re featuring our best and most popular episodes of the Start Your Sustainable Fashion Brand Podcast. We’re wrapping it up with an episode all about my best entrepreneurship advice. You’ll hear all about dealing with copycats & critics, facing the competition, and what it really takes to be an entrepreneur.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

Dr. Brene Brown’s TED Talk, ‘Why Your Critics Aren’t the Ones Who Count’

TRANSCRIPT

Ep. 2 This is a Required Trait of a Fashion Entrepreneur

Ep. 4 Coming Out as an Entrepreneur & How to Deal with Critics

Ep. 11 Why Competition is a Good Thing & How to Deal with Copycats

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5 Sustainable Fashion Brands that Launched through Factory45

It’s been a while since we’ve featured some of the newest sustainable fashion brands to launch through Factory45.

So without further ado, here are 5 sustainable fashion brands to learn from, shop from and get inspiration from…

 

NICOLE & ROSE is a size inclusive slow fashion brand focused on empowering women to be their most authentic, beautiful, radiant and worthy selves. Made in Canada, founder Amanda Toy designed three versatile pieces that are ethically made in small batches in Calgary. Shop The Worthy Collection, made from sustainable fabrics, here.

  • Read more about Amanda’s journey in Factory45 here.
  • Shop Nicole & Rose on Market45 here and get 10% off.

 

CASA DANU is a slow-fashion house with “the mission of bringing bold color and pure joy into this world.” Founder Kristen Chester launched her first collection in June, offering the Gigi Caftan and the Theia Matching Set. Made of sustainable fabrics and handcrafted in Los Angeles, you can shop la Dolce Vita collection here.

 

FARRELL & CO. creates visors that are transparent (no blocked vision!) while also being transparent in all that they do, from the materials they use to the people who make their products. Learn more about Farrell & Co.’s ethically-made headgear here.

  • Read more about Farrell’s journey in Factory45 here.
  • Shop Farrell & Co. on Market45 here and get 10% off.

 

MORARAE designs “ethically made, vintage inspired clothing for women under 5’5 and plus size.” Founder Sharae Averhart was tired of clothing that didn’t fit, so she set out to create the clothes she wanted to wear. Launching with a pre-sales campaign through her online store, you can shop The Black & White Collection here.

  • Read more about Sharae’s journey in Factory45 here.

 

DESSOUS is a slow-fashion company for “every woman who wants chic, comfortable, timeless clothing that’s easy on the Earth.” Founder Jaclyn Schoknecht says, “At Dessous Loungewear, we believe a caftan is the ideal garment. It’s ageless and timeless while still being modern, stylish and comfortable.” Looking for a single garment that can be worn for any event? Look no further here.

  • Read more about Jaclyn’s journey in Factory45 here.
  • Shop Dessous on Market45 here and get 10% off.

 

Keep an eye out for Part II, featuring more of our new brands, later this month!

 

 

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This is Why “Follow Your Passion” is a Myth

There is a lie being told in the entrepreneurial world.

It’s a false narrative that’s being targeted at people who are unhappy with their current work life and are looking for a change.

Maybe you’re one of those people.

The lie is this…

Follow your passion.

Quit your job and chase your dreams.

Do work you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.

We see it every day: the Facebook and Instagram ads promising your “dream life” by people who look like they’re living their dream life.

It’s all palm trees and perfectly-foamed lattes and bright, white lighting. It’s breakfast trays in bed and bouquets of peonies and red painted lips.

But do you know what’s behind those beautiful photos and “dream lives?”

Many, many, many months (probably years) of it not looking that way.

Because the truth is, to become the picture of success — while creating a business that lasts — it requires this:

Doing work you don’t want to do.

In fact, when you’re first starting out, you can expect to do more work that you don’t want to do than work you actually enjoy.

And usually, it requires running your business as a side hustle while *still* going to your “real job.”

We all know there’s no such thing as overnight success.

But what I don’t think we always remember is that there’s so much more to the story than what we see on social media.

Chances are:

The fashion brand with the perfectly curated Instagram feed started with an iPhone and a Dropbox folder of stock photos.

The designer working in a beautifully-lit studio started in a converted home office that barely fit a desk.

The CEO flying first class to a paid speaking gig spent years sitting in the back of the plane to speak for free.

If you’re ready to start your own business, you should absolutely do it. It’s one of the most rewarding journeys you can take.

But there should be no illusions.

It will require “grunt work” — the things you think everyone else is outsourcing to interns — are the things you need to do yourself when you’re first starting out.

Packing and fulfilling orders, writing and scheduling your own social media posts, creating your emails and blog posts, going to networking events, dealing with tech issues that make you want to pull your hair out.

Those “annoying” tasks that tempt you to procrastinate or abandon them altogether are the things you’ll look back on with genuine appreciation.

They’re the things that will make you grow, build new skills and realize that you’re capable of more than you think.

Because every successful entrepreneur I know has a similar story of doing work they didn’t want to do.

That’s what it takes.

Here’s the truth: Successful entrepreneurs do things they’re not passionate about because they know that it’s not about passion.

It’s about purpose.

If you’re ready to put in the work to start your dream business, let’s do it together. 

You can book a free 30-minute discovery call to learn more about how we can help make your business a reality.

We can’t wait to meet you,

 

 

 

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