Tag Archive for: fashion entrepreneur

critics

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In last week’s episode I talked about entrepreneurship, resilience and the importance of getting comfortable with failure. I argued that resilience is a skill that can be practiced. I also argued that, for most of us, it’s a necessary reprogramming if we learned to avoid failure growing up. And in today’s episode, I want to take this a step further…  

Resources mentioned in this episode:

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

Factory45, The Business School For Sustainable Fashion Entrepreneurs.



TRANSCRIPT 

In last week’s episode I talked about entrepreneurship, resilience and the importance of getting comfortable with failure. I argued that resilience is a skill that can be practiced. I also argued that, for most of us, it’s a necessary reprogramming if we learned to avoid failure growing up. And in today’s episode, I want to take this a step further…  

After a decade of talking to entrepreneurs and people just starting their businesses, I’ve had a realization over the years about our collective fear of failure. What I realized is that, generally speaking, It isn’t the act of failing itself that’s the most terrifying to us. it’s the external connections we make to it.

If we fail, we’ll lose our dignity.

If we fail, we’ll lose our life savings.

If we fail, we’ll lose our home.

While these are extreme examples, I know our thinking can often go to “worst-case-scenario.”

I remember a conversation that was brought up by one of the entrepreneurs in Factory45, my business school for fashion startups. She said:

I’m looking for advice: Having just finished my master’s degree, it may come as a surprise to some family and friends who don’t know about my project yet that I’m going the entrepreneurship route. Anyone have tips on how to introduce a significant career change to family, friends, and/or even an employer (I plan to keep my full-time job for a while)?

And This got me thinking about the “pre-failure phase.”

Before the fear of failure is even an option, first there is the fear of getting started. It’s the fear of taking the plunge. Of not knowing what’s going to happen. Of worrying what your family and friends are going to think.

The greatest inhibitor to becoming an entrepreneur or pursuing a great idea or moving forward with your true life’s work is — never getting started in the first place.

When we make it public and declare our idea to the world, We simultaneously have to face the feeling of being seen.

Being seen means you open yourself to critics, you open yourself to the doubters, and you open yourself to vulnerability in a way you probably haven’t before.

Throw in the visibility of social media to the mix and the stakes feel a whole lot higher.

Personally, I’m no stranger to critics. While the supporters in my life far outweigh the cynics, it doesn’t make the occasional negativity sting any less.

Back in 2013 I wrote an expose about fast fashion for The Huffington Post and then I made the mistake of reading the comments section. I was called an asshole, a “self-aggrandizing bitch,” a piece of shit and other equally flattering names. (And yes, this is why you should never read the comments).

And you wouldn’t believe how long it took for me to be taken seriously in business. For my first five years of entrepreneurship, I faced family and friends at Christmas parties, dinner parties and happy hours, wondering when I’m going to get a “real job.”

If you stay in the game long enough, you get a lot of practice at what I call the “shoulder slide.” You have to train yourself to let comments and negativity slide off your shoulders. And while an off-putting email or comment can still throw off my day at times, I can tell you it does get easier.

So, if you’re one of those people, who is tinkering with a great idea, a new business or an alternative career path, remember this:

The critics, the doubters, the cynics only have power if you give them the power.

As hard as it may be, you can consciously accept that there will always be some degree of negativity coming at you, but you can also consciously choose how you react to it.

Power is energy. And you’re the only one who gets to decide where to put that energy. It can either be your demise or… your strength.

Here are a few other strategies to keep in your back pocket: when negativity or criticism starts creeping in — either internally or from outsiders:

  • Stay close to those who support your dreams. and let you talk about it obsessively, even though they don’t understand what you’re talking about.
  • Speak from a place of vulnerability. Don’t predict the reaction you’re going to get, because it will come out in your tone.
  • At the end of the day, your opinion is the only one that matters. (It really is.) At the end of the day, you are responsible for your life.
  • Remember that the vast majority of negative reactions are usually from people that have never tried to make their own dreams a reality. << That’s a big one – It’s easy to be critical of something you’ve never done yourself.
  • Walk into the conversation with the mindset that approval is not the goal – information is. You want those around you to be part of the vision, to be in inquiry with you… so try to make it a two-way and engaging conversation.

If you know me, then you know I’m a big fan of Dr. Brene Brown, who is a researcher on vulnerability and shame. She has a few viral TED talks, but she did another talk that’s not as well known called, “Why Your Critics Aren’t the Ones Who Count.” It’s a must watch — even if you’re the most confident person on the planet, so I’ll link to that video in the description.

The outside criticism and doubters are also why it’s so important to surround yourself with likeminded people working towards a similar goal. This is why, for my entire entrepreneurial career, I’ve been in group business programs or worked with a coach. The energy you get from other entrepreneurs — in all different stages of business — is what will keep you going in the long run. Especially on the extra hard days.

Factory45 is the community I created for fashion entrepreneurs who are looking for that camaraderie, mentorship and support. If you’re interested in launching your brand with us, you can book a consult call to explore the opportunity more. The link to set an appointment is in the description below. We’d love to chat.

live show

Back in May, I hosted our first free 4-day LIVE workshop to help you start your sustainable fashion brand.

And to be honest, the response lit. me. up.

You all are creating some of the most thoughtful, innovative and problem-solving products to truly challenge the fashion industry’s status quo.

And I want to continue to help you.

Because the truth is: You don’t need to go to fashion school or get an MBA to start a fashion brand. You — as you are — can actually start a successful business from your home office or nearest coffee shop.

Every year, I see how possible that is through the brands that launch through Factory45.

So, how can we come together even more — not only to start your brand but to change the fashion industry for the better?

That’s why I’m here, that’s why I do what I do and that’s why I want to help you launch your brand the right way, from the start.

So, as a continuation to our free workshop event, I’m bringing you a new weekly opportunity called:

Factory45 Live: The Live Show for Fashion Entrepreneurs

Every Thursday at noon ET, you can join me (for free) as I teach via livestream to anyone, anywhere with an internet connection.

You’ll be able to learn from me virtually about fashion manufacturing, ecommerce marketing, raising money, fabric sourcing, building an audience and so much more.

Just like the workshop format, I’ll be livestreaming about one specific topic — no fluff, no off-topic Q+A, no bait and switch.

It will just be me giving you the best I’ve got for 20-30 minutes in one value-packed live show.

So, how do you watch? There are two options:

  1. Join our free Facebook group here. This is where the party’s at if you have questions, want feedback or are looking to engage with other fashion entrepreneurs.
  2. Watch on YouTube here. I know Facebook isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, so you can also watch the Live Show on YouTube. If you’re choosing this option make sure to go to my channel now and click Subscribe.

Before I go, here’s the last thing I’ll say: when it comes to any free resource, we often don’t make the time for it. It’s human nature to undervalue the things we don’t necessarily “earn.” 

With that said, put this on your calendar and schedule it! If you can make it live at noon ET every Thursday, then it’s always better to show up live… coordinate it with your lunch break!

If you can’t, though, then schedule a more convenient time to watch the replay and commit to it as if it’s live. That’s exactly what I do when I’m on the Pacific Coast and everything happens before my son if off to school : ) 

So, will I see you tomorrow? I really hope so — and I promise to make it worth your while.

 

 


Over the past two years, I’ve worked with over a hundred fashion startups at various stages of business development.

While there are many, many things I’ve observed and learned in that time, there are four big ‘things’ I want to go over today that have the potential to directly affect the success — or downfall — of your company.

Whether you’re already selling product or only have an idea down on paper, keep these big four tucked somewhere in the back of your brain:

Mistake #1: Focusing on sustainability as a marketing tactic instead of making it an inherent part of your business model.

We all love to think the “do-gooder” angle sells, but studies are showing that’s not the case. The product — meaning the usability, functionality, and design — must always sell first. Not only that, but it must sell at a price point your target market will respond to. Supporting roles like branding, social responsibility, and packaging are important, but they’ll never have the same effect on a potential buyer as a really great product.

Taking that a step further, sustainability and ethics should be embedded into your business model as a non-negotiable, not a strategy for saying: “Aren’t we so great?”

I can’t wait for the day when all companies big and small can say, “Well yeah, of course our company manufacturers ethically and transparently” — but even now, that can’t be your main selling point.

Mistake #2: Giving away a percentage of your revenue to charities and non-profits in the first three years of being in business.

This argument isn’t going to win me any popularity points, but hear me out.

There should absolutely be a social impact component of your business, but when you’re first getting started, you need every penny to keep growing. If low-impact materials, domestic job creation, above-average wages and ethical sourcing practices are embedded into your supply chain, then the best thing you can do is invest every cent back into your business so that it doesn’t fail.

I remember when TOM’s first launched in 2006 and everyone was going bonkers over the one-to-one model. Consumers and the media were heralding its social impact without considering where the shoes were actually being made. Meanwhile, the materials were so cheap that the shoes were falling apart after a few wears. (And that was just one of its many problems.)

You ultimately have to decide on the values of your business, but if you’re bleeding cash and can’t continue to give your sewers work, then that doesn’t benefit anyone. Instate a “give-back” component when your company is stable and there is money in the bank.

Which brings me to…

Mistake #3: Not paying attention to cash flow.

You have to have your financial ducks in a row in order to run a successful business that will continue to grow.

My advice is to price your products as high as your target market will tolerate, so that your margin is wide enough to cover expenses — and more. Similar to saving for your personal bank account, you never know when a crisis is going to come up. It’s smart to start building a buffer of cash as soon as possible.

That’s all to say, one of the best things I ever did for my business was hire an accountant. Find someone who offers tiered pricing that correlates with your annual revenue, so it’s not a huge upfront expense. (Shout out to Jerod.)

Mistake #4: Not listening to your customer.

Your customer is more valuable than any other component of your business.

If you ask and listen, then they will tell you what you need to succeed. Don’t be so in love with your original idea that you’re blinded by ways to improve it. Your customer will tell you what they really want, but you need to be smart enough to ask and listen.

I’ll leave you with an example. As some of you already know, my fiancè Ross runs an e-commerce company called Project Repat.

When he was first getting started in 2011 he was traveling to Kenya and working with the second-hand sellers who sell the old t-shirts we donate to GoodWill (yep, that’s where most of our donations end up).

Ross’ idea was to buy those shirts in bulk, upcycle them into “cooler” shirts and tote bags and “repatriate” them by selling them back to “hipster” customers in the States.

Bear with me here.

As he started selling the t-shirts and gaining some attention, he kept hearing the same thing over and over:

“This is cool and all, but what can you do with my shirts?”

Hearing this enough times, Ross and his business partner started listening. They flipped their business model entirely.

Four years later, they now run a 4 million dollar company that takes people’s memorable t-shirts and turns them into t-shirt quilts.

All of their production happens in the U.S. where their sewers are paid a fair and living wage. If Ross had been so in love with the idea of traveling to Kenya and creating international impact, he wouldn’t have heard the needs of his customers.

He likely wouldn’t have created a successful business.

The best thing you can build with you customer is a two-way conversation.