Tag Archive for: fashion startup

Free Workshop: Start Your Sustainable Fashion Brand

free workshop

Calling all aspiring fashion entrepreneurs! 

This is your last chance to register for my four-day workshop to Start Your Sustainable Fashion Brand…

You can save your seat here.

It’s kicking off on Monday, May 3rd at 12:30pm ET / 9:30am PT, and I’m asking everyone to block off an hour Monday through Thursday so you can start taking action in building your sustainable fashion brand.

If you can’t make the live sessions, we’ll have Watch Parties every night at 8pm ET to watch the replays (but you can also watch them on your own time).

The goal of this workshop is to arm you with the plan, strategy and action steps to:

  • Create a brand above the rest, so you stand out from the competition
  • Build an audience before you launch so you have customers waiting to buy
  • Raise money for apparel production without risking your own savings
  • And learn the Factory45 framework for going from idea to launching your brand

The format of the workshop will be about 30 minutes of straight teaching (by me) — I’ve polished each day of the workshop, so that every minute is value packed.

(This is not one of those pre-recorded webinars that spends half the time selling something.)

Then the second half of the hour will be blocked off so you can start taking action on everything you’ve learned that day by following the prompts in your Workbook.

Everyone who participates in the workshop will also be matched with a Mentor so that you have additional support and can get your questions answered as we progress through our four days together.

I promise, this four-hour commitment will be worth your while and set you up on a path to start, grow and launch your sustainable fashion brand.

Save your seat before May 3rd here.

Questions? Just reply back to this email!

See you soon,

 

 

 

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Why You Don’t Need a Fashion Background to Launch a Fashion Brand

Fashion Background

“I’m not a fashion person,” I remember saying to someone a few years ago.

“Wait, but aren’t you, like, in the fashion industry?” they replied.

“I guess ‘technically’… but I don’t follow trends or the latest styles or fashion week or read biographies about Coco Chanel…”

I also don’t have a fashion background or technical education. I was a journalism major in college.

The truth is, I’m far more interested in what’s off the runway than what’s on it.

And while couture gowns are beautiful to look at, I’m more interested in products that solve a problem or fill a gap in the market.

Even better? Products that help to solve the fast fashion problem or provide a more sustainable alternative.

While having a fashion background can definitely be an advantage when it comes to design, sketching and construction, it’s not a necessary prerequisite to launching a successful brand.

A brand that has purpose.

So, if you’re someone who didn’t go to fashion school or work in retail or considers themselves a “fashion person,” today’s video is for you.

I can tell you from nearly a decade of experience why you don’t need a fashion background to launch a fashion brand.

And just a reminder, for fashion and non-fashion people alike, I’m hosting a free four-day workshop in two weeks to help you Start Your Sustainable Fashion Brand this year.

Register for free here and save your seat >> https://factory45.co

Hope to see you on May 3rd!

 

 

 

 

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How to Create a Fashion Brand that People Will Buy

Create Fashion Brand

In order to build something successful, you have to offer something that people want. 

Pretty straightforward, right?

In my experience, over the last decade of starting my own fashion brand and then helping other people start their own, I’ve noticed two key factors that set apart successful brands from unsuccessful brands. 

And that’s what I’m sharing in today’s video.

I’m also going to be talking about this a lot more during Session 1 of my free 4-day workshop on May 3rd.

To build something truly long-lasting and successful, you have to start with positioning. 

What gap are you fitting into in the market?

What is the hole that you’re filling?

When it comes to fashion, and a massively competitive market, where does your brand fit in?

Spoiler: you can almost always find your place in the market with the right positioning.

If you’re interested in exploring this more on May 3rd you can sign up to the workshop here.

Ready? Click the video below : ) 

Talk soon,

 

 

 

P.S. I’m going live tomorrow in our private group to talk about building relationships with suppliers and factories. Click here to request access so you can join us!

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Instagram Growth for Fashion Brands: 3 Key Strategies

Instagram Growth

Oh, Instagram… we love it. We love to hate it. And sometimes, we just flat out hate it.

Whether it’s changing algorithms, or limited reach, or the feeling of being on a hamster wheel, Instagram strategy and growth can be overwhelming for new fashion brands.

Every new follower can feel like a struggggggle. 

And just when we feel like we’re in a good place with Instagram Stories, they introduce Instagram Reels.

If you’re someone who has struggled with Instagram growth for your brand, I feel you.

And while I wish I could give you a quick fix to all of your IG woes, I do have three strategies that will make a significant difference in the quality of your following and your ability to grow.

Click the play button below for Instagram growth tips for your fashion brand.

And make sure to tell me in a comment below the video, which of these strategies have you tried and which one are you going to try next?

 

 

 

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Fashion Entrepreneurs, Learn from My Mistake

Fashion Entrepreneurs

“Okay, so! We’re going to publish three episodes a week… I mean, they’re less than 10 minutes long… so we need to keep up the frequency… otherwise people won’t be engaged… it won’t be that bad… we can probably keep this up for months…” 

This is what my inner dialogue sounded like as I was getting ready to launch The Clean Living Podcast back in October.

At the beginning of February, when I released the finale of season one, my best friend texted me:

“Only an INFJ would commit to 35 episodes in a single season.”

(She was referencing my personality type on the Meyers-Briggs.) 

But do you want to know a secret?

I never planned to have seasons of the podcast, or a season one finale, or a break in episodes at all…

So, why the change?

I burnt out.

I ignored my own advice, I overcommitted and it came back to bite me.

If I had planned out the podcast like a normal person, I would have 35 weeks of episodes lined up.

And truthfully, my listeners would have probably appreciated the time lapse in between episodes instead of being bombarded with three every week.

I’m constantly telling my entrepreneurs in Factory45 to SIMPLIFY.

Instead of developing a collection of 12 pieces, simplify to five pieces.

Instead of trying to be on every social media platform, start with Instagram and do it really well.

Instead of trying to source fabric for five different colorways, start with two.

Because this is what simplifying does:

  1. It lowers the barrier to entry. That means the likelihood of you actually getting the project off the ground is significantly higher. It also means you’ll do it quicker and more efficiently.
  2. It reduces the chance of decision paralysis — for you and for your customers.
  3. It saves you MONEY and time.

In fact, it’s very rare that simplifying isn’t the right answer.

So, the next time you set out to design a 12-piece collection, or dominate TikTok, Clubhouse, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, or try to meet the MOQs of five different fabric colors…

Think of me.

Think of me sitting on the floor of my dark closet, chugging water and recording my fifth episode of the day…

It’s true that diamonds are made out of pressure but when it comes to entrepreneurship, you really only need a very solid rock.

 

 

 

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5 Steps to Becoming an Ethical Fashion Brand

Ethical Fashion

One thing you know for sure: 

You don’t want to create just any ole’ fashion brand.

You want to ensure that it’s ethically-made and prioritizes people and planet.

But what does that mean?

And even more importantly, how do you ensure that ethical labor practices are built into your business model from the start?

Do you ask your factory for a list of wages?

Do you look for safe exits and open windows on your factory tour?

And how do you explain to your customer why your prices are 3X higher than the average fast fashion brand?

With so much greenwashing happening in the fashion space, there are five things you need to do if you want to create an ethical fashion brand.

And in this video, I’m sharing exactly what they are — just click the play button below.

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

LATELY, ON THE CLEAN LIVING PODCAST… 

Listen on Apple Podcasts here | Listen on Spotify here

GROCERY LIST | It’s the first episode of the new year and today’s topic was requested by a listener — she wanted to know what my weekly grocery list looks like and some of the food brands I recommend. So, for today’s episode, here is my grocery list…

TAMPONS | Ladies, we have got to stop putting bleach up our hoo-hahs. “Bleach? I don’t put bleach up there…” you may be thinking. But if you use conventional tampons, you are absolutely putting bleach (among other things) into your vagina 4-7 days per month…

MILK | In the years leading up to the “Got Milk” campaign in the 1990s and early 2000s, U.S. milk consumption was at an all time low. The American dairy lobby knew they needed to do something to stay relevant and survive, so with enough persistence (ahem, money) it convinced the federal government to step in. Here’s what happened…

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3 Podcast Episodes to Help You Build a Sustainable Fashion Brand

Sustainable Fashion Brand

I have something a little different for you this week…

Over the past few months I’ve been doing more interviews on other people’s podcasts. 

Pro tip: this is a great way to spread the word about your own brand or business — podcasts are always looking for new entrepreneurs to feature.

So this week, I’m sharing three different episodes where I talk specifically about the steps to launching a sustainable and ethical fashion brand.

Each one is a little different, highlighting sustainability or crowdfunding or marketing, and I’ve included brief descriptions below to help you choose.

If you’re new to me and Factory45, then listening to one (or all three) of these interviews will help you get to know me a little better — as well as my philosophies and what I teach.

Sustainable Fashion Brand INTO THE WILD // How to Launch a Sustainable & Ethical Fashion Brand with Shannon Lohr (41 mins) 

Listen to this episode if you want to learn the #1 mistake new fashion brands make when launching, how to build an audience, the role Instagram plays for fashion brands and much more. >> CLICK PLAY <<

 

Sustainable Fashion Brand FASHIONPRENEUR TALK // How to Launch an Ethically Made Fashion Brand with Shannon Lohr (23 mins)

Listen to this episode if you want to learn the story about how I got started, the tactical and practical action steps to launching a brand, the common misconceptions about crowdfunding and more. >> CLICK PLAY <<

 

Sustainable Fashion Brand THE PRODUCT-PRENEUR PODCAST // Launching a Sustainable Fashion Brand – Shannon Lohr (37 mins)

Listen to this episode if you want to learn why sustainable fashion is important to consumers, the steps to growing a sustainable fashion brand, pre-selling to fund your launch and more. >> CLICK PLAY <<

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

THIS WEEK ON THE CLEAN LIVING PODCAST

Listen on Apple Podcasts here | Listen on Spotify here

CANDLES It’s that time of the year when we’re getting all cozied up, maybe lighting the fireplace, pouring a cup of tea and lighting our favorite candle… the smell of petroleum sludge is just the perfect scent for the holidays. Wait what? Before you strike that match, listen to this episode.

LAUNDRY After visiting a friend and her newborn, I went down a rabbit hole of laundry detergent research — starting with a popular brand marketed for babies. In this episode, I’m recommending that you toss the Tide (and others) and switch to these clean detergents instead.

FOOD DYES There is a common ingredient in our food (often associated with sugar) that I think is worth tackling this holiday season — especially since it’s avoidable once you recognize it. So, in this episode we’re talking about food dyes.

clean living podcast

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Factory45’er Medicine Mountain Scrub Co. Launches Sustainable Scrubs for the Medical Community

sustainable scrubs

Sisters Oriana Turley and Golden Rogers joke that they’re just “two hippie-kids taking on the internet.” 

Growing up in Southern Oregon, Oriana and Golden lived a subsistence-based lifestyle, fostered by their parents, as part of the back-to-the-land movement of the early 1970s. 

They grew up without many modern conveniences, and Golden was the first in the family to graduate from college — followed shortly by Oriana, who became a Neurology and Orthopedic Registered Nurse.

Now they are the co-founders of the recently-launched Medicine Mountain Scrub Company.

The duo joined Factory45 in 2019 and as of November 2020, they’ve raised over $36,000 in pre-orders to bring their sustainably-and-ethically-made scrubs to life.

Working with top outdoor apparel designers, a manufacturer in Los Angeles and a network of female artisans, they launched on Kickstarter to pre-sell their first product — The Alpine Scrub Set, the most functional, sustainable and ethical scrubs available on the market.

To celebrate their successful launch, I’m sponsoring a giveaway of The Alpine Scrub Set that I pre-ordered through their Kickstarter campaign. 

We’ll be choosing one medical professional to win a pair of scrubs, valued at $97. And all of the details are on Instagram here: @medicinemtnscrubs.

Given the times, there are so many frontline doctors and nurses who are *especially* deserving of a kind surprise. 

If there is a medical worker in your life who you’d like to be considered for a free scrub set, please tag them on Instagram to enter.

A huge congratulations to Oriana and Golden for exceeding their Kickstarter goal by over $16,000 and bringing sustainable scrubs to the medical community.

And an extra big thanks to all of our frontline workers who deserve more recognition than ever.

 

 

 

Crowdfunding

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Fabric Sourcing: 7 Tips for Successfully Contacting Suppliers

Fabric Sourcing

When it comes to starting a sustainable fashion brand, what’s the number one thing that takes the longest?

Fabric sourcing.

It can take as long as six months to find the perfect fabric and materials for your line.

That’s why, in the Factory45 program, it’s one of the first things we do.

But once you have an idea of the fabric you need, how do you reach out to suppliers so that you actually get a response?

If they’re receiving hundreds of emails per day from entrepreneurs like you, how do you make sure you stand out from the rest?

How do you make it easy for them to help you?

And what exactly do you say to set yourself up for a successful working relationship?

Because here’s the truth: 

95 percent of new designers are making the process harder on themselves and harder on the supplier.

And it doesn’t have to be that way.

So in this video, I’m laying out the 7 things you need to know to successfully contact fabric suppliers so you get a response.

Just click the play button below —

In the comments below the video, tell me: 

Which one of these seven tips are you going to try the next time you’re looking for fabric?

I’d love to hear from you,

 

 

 

P.S. If you’re looking to take your fabric sourcing one step further, I have The Fabric Sourcing Kit for you. It’s full of resources to help you source fabric in 30 days — including a list of my top 10 sustainable fabric suppliers. You can check it out here.

THIS WEEK ON THE CLEAN LIVING PODCAST

Listen on Apple Podcasts here | Listen on Spotify here

LEMON I’ve become a little obsessed with natural ways of boosting my immune system. To be honest, it hadn’t really dawned on me before the pandemic hit how important it is to be preventive and not just reactive about getting sick. In this episode, I’m sharing one little food hack that is as simple as squeezing a lemon. 

HUMMUS In my mind, hummus is the perfect snack — it’s filling, can be spread or dipped onto any number of foods and it’s a great source of protein. So when I saw a study released by the Environmental Working Group about glyphosate levels in hummus and chickpeas, my throat dropped into my stomach.

WATER When I first found out that our Brita water filter wasn’t removing nearly as many contaminants as I thought it was, I went down a deep rabbit hole to find the best water filter at an affordable price. Turns out, the research wasn’t nearly as straightforward as I was hoping it would be… 

fabric sourcing

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What I Learned by Humiliating Myself in Front of 100+ People

humiliating

So, last week’s post really hit a chord with people.

If you missed the blog post on procrastination, you can read it here.

It got me thinking more about the whole concept behind “low barrier to entry” opportunities.

If we could make things easier on ourselves, how much more would we do and get done?

Take for example the speaking engagement I did at Eco Fashion Week back in 2013.

I was flown out to Vancouver and asked to give a 10 minute presentation. I proceeded to walk up to the podium in front of 100ish people and absolutely choke.

Short of having a panic attack and passing out in front of the whole room, it was a complete disaster.

For 10 minutes, my voice was shaking, my face was red, and I could barely breathe or get my words out.

If you’re thinking it couldn’t have been that bad, the emcee asked the audience if they had any follow-up questions for me and not a single person raised their hand.

They wanted me off the stage as much as I wanted to run out the back door.

So, did I write-off speaking engagements for the rest of my life?

No… not exactly.

What I realized is that I’m pretty good at open Q+A-style panels or casual conversations with a moderator or interviewer.

What I’m not good at is solitary speeches or presentations.

So instead of passing up every opportunity for a speaking engagement, I committed to choosing the lower barrier to entry option.

I decided that I would still say ‘yes’ to public speaking, but I would limit my commitment to off-the-cuff Q+A style, multi-person panels or I would take on the role of moderator.

By making that deal with myself, I’ve gotten the chance to have some great speaking opportunities that have allowed me to market my business, meet like-minded people and further my message.

So, let’s say in your case, you hate being on video.

Instead of forcing yourself to do on-camera Instagram Stories, maybe you start a podcast to document your entrepreneurial journey instead.

Maybe you don’t feel confident about your writing skills so you’re hesitant to start a blog. If you love being on video, then you could start a YouTube channel instead.

Let’s say you clam up when being interviewed, maybe you ask the interviewer to send you the questions ahead of time so you can plan out your answers.

In 99 percent of cases, there is always an easier alternative that will better set you up for success.

That’s not to say you can avoid discomfort or vulnerability 100 percent of the time.

There will surely be some cringe-worthy or embarrassing moments.

I remember last year when I was hosting an Instagram Live for Maker’s Row. It was a 30-minute live session that required me to be alone on camera, sharing my tips about apparel manufacturing to their Instagram audience.

In the middle of my talk, something caught in my throat and I started to choke — for real.

I couldn’t get my words out because I was too busy coughing and drinking water in a fit of panic.

Again, this was a live session and no one else was on video with me, so it was quite literally an audience of people watching me gag for air.

So embarrassing.

But you know what?

I had five or six other Instagram Lives with Maker’s Row that went really great. 

And I had over 20 people join Factory45 this year because they found out about me from those Maker’s Row live sessions.

Imagine the opportunity lost if I had decided to completely write-off Instagram Live because of the fear of that embarrassing moment happening again.

There are so many instances in entrepreneurship when things don’t go as planned and the only thing we can do is learn, adapt and try again.

As in life, you will miss out on some pretty great experiences by not attempting them at all.

So, I’ll ask you again — what is one thing you can do today to take more action by choosing the easiest route to get there?

And if things don’t go exactly as planned… 

How can you learn and adapt, so it goes better when you try again?

 

 

 

THIS WEEK ON THE PODCAST

Listen on Apple Podcasts here | Listen on Spotify here

NATURAL IMMUNE BOOSTERS It’s more important than ever to strengthen our immune systems and gut health. In this episode, I’m sharing three cheap and easy foods to add into your cooking that will naturally boost the immune system of you and your family.

FRAGRANCE When my son was an infant I worried like most new moms do. Was he getting enough calories? Was he sleeping enough? Would he ever eat solids? But as I’m sharing in this episode, I worried about one thing in particular…

PSA Back in September, I attended CleanCon — a virtual conference hosted by the Environmental Working Group — that was focused on clean beauty and personal care products. Throughout the event, there was one message that I kept hearing over and over…

CTA-YouTube

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