For the rest of February we’re releasing “Best of” episodes that will feature some of our most popular episodes of Season 2. This series will highlight important first steps when starting a fashion brand, and how to raise funds for your first production run. In today’s episode, we’ve pulled together the 3 most popular episodes on how to get started on your sustainable fashion brand.  Resources mentioned in this episode: How to Determine Your Unique Selling Position:...

Ten years ago I co-created the highest funded fashion project in Kickstarter history at the time. What happened over those 30 days far surpassed our wildest dreams. Despite the lack of internet marketing tactics, an advertising budget or a team of employees, my co-founder and I did have one thing on our side: A compelling story. And it’s how to share your compelling story that I’m talking about today. Resources mentioned in this episode: Apply to Factory45: factory45.co/apply

Are they even “secrets?” Well, they were definitely secrets to me when I was first starting out. Don’t worry, I won’t bore you with “teamwork makes the dreamwork” cliches. I’m going to teach you the real, tactical advice with the personal stories and proof behind them. After a decade of entrepreneurship and mentoring hundreds of fashion entrepreneurs… Here are my 5 secrets to fashion business success.  Resources mentioned in this episode: The Fashion Business Summit: factory45.co/summit

As any parent knows, the word “balance” is a loose term. Whether you’re working a full-time job, starting a business or working as a stay-at-home parent, you always sort of feel like you’re on a see-saw that literally goes up and down all day. Sometimes you’re on top, doing all the things, feeling like you’re conquering life… but more often than not, your see-saw is down on the ground, heavily weighted by the responsibilities of the day. Quite the picture I’m painting, huh? In this episode,...

Are you thinking about taking the leap from a more traditional career to the world of entrepreneurship? Have you thought about how your daily life will change? Have you talked it through with your partner or spouse? And also, where do you even start? In this episode, I’m going to give you some questions to ask yourself and some things to think about if you are considering a career shift. Resources mentioned in this episode: Should You Quit Your Day Job to Start Your Fashion Brand:...

Are you deciding between joining a fashion program or hiring a consultant to start your brand? We’re asked about this a lot by people starting their own fashion brands. So, in this episode, I’m going through the pros and cons of joining a fashion program like Factory45 vs hiring a consultant, so that you can weigh the options and decide for yourself. Resources mentioned in this episode: The Fashion Business Summit: factory45.co/summit  CEO Hour: shannonlohr.com

If you’re building a sustainable fashion brand, you’re probably in the thick of it. As a fashion entrepreneur, you’ll be tackling new skills and challenges that you’ve never encountered before. Tech issues, design challenges, writing, negotiating, creating and organizing… most of it will push you out of your comfort zone. But as entrepreneurs, that is actually what we want.  We can and should do hard things. There’s the science to back it up, and that’s what I’m talking about in today’s...

It wasn’t so long ago that if you wanted to start a fashion brand, or really any business for that matter, you had to take on a lot of risk. That included financial risk – from taking out a loan, borrowing from a family member or accumulating credit card debt. Thankfully, that’s not so much the case anymore – there is a way to launch a fashion brand without risking your savings and going into debt and that’s what I’m sharing in this episode. Resources mentioned in this episode: How Much...

If you’re thinking about starting a fashion brand, chances are you’re doing a lot of research. And when you’re bombarded with advice, opinions, facts, stats, experts, gurus, advertisements… It’s enough to cause decision paralysis for even the most confident, decisive and organized of people. So how do you do your research and avoid information overload? That’s what I’m talking about in today’s episode.  Resources mentioned in this episode: Book a call to learn more about launching your...

Everyone loves the hero’s journey and I’m sure you can recount a dozen other failure-to-success, rags-to-riches stories of celebrities and athletes. But what about your own? As an entrepreneur, regardless of whether you’re established or aspiring, what is your relationship to failure? To thrive in this industry, you have to be okay with mistakes, frustration and yes, failure. That’s what we’ll explore in today’s episode. Resources mentioned in this episode: Raise Money for Your Fashion...

How many times have you wanted to give up? Whether it was entrepreneurship, a job, your education, a relationship or something else… If you ever faced feelings of wanting to throw it all away, what stopped you from doing it? What kept you going and invested in the long game? Perhaps you already know the answer, but the next time you face these same feelings I want you to consider this… because it might just be *the* key to success. Resources mentioned in this episode: Book a call to learn...

In times of economic downturn, do you know which fashion sector tends to do better than the rest? Luxury fashion. The sole reason being that the primary customer base is high-income consumers who generally aren’t affected by a recession. So if you’re looking to start a fashion brand and want to jump into the luxury market, this episode is for you. Resources mentioned in this episode: Book a call to learn more about launching your brand through Factory45: https://bit.ly/3dt3CGV

If, right now, you Googled “How much does it cost to start a fashion brand” a bunch of articles would pop up giving you a range between $500 and $50,000. Which isn’t all that helpful if you’re trying to put a budget together or plan ahead. While yes, it’s true that startup costs vary greatly depending on what type of garments you’re making, how much experience you have and who you’re working with, in this episode I’m going to attempt to narrow down that range so you have a better idea of what...

When you think about starting your own sustainable fashion brand there’s one thing you may be considering that traditional fashion brands aren’t thinking anything about… and it’s the end-life of the clothing you sell. In other words, when your customer is done wearing the garment they purchased from you, where will it end up? There are several different ways to approach the lifecycle of the clothing you’re selling but there’s one specifically that I want to highlight today. And for those of...

It should come as no surprise that consumers use social media to discover and shop brands they love. I do it, you probably do it, and your next customer is doing it right now. So how do you get your own brand to stand out in the social commerce game? In today’s episode, I’m sharing some of my best strategies for leveraging social media so you can make more sales for your fashion brand. Resources mentioned in this episode: The #1 Email Marketing Strategy for Fashion Brands:...

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! Resources mentioned in this episode: Free Workshop to Raise Money for Your Fashion Brand: https://factory45.co/sustainable-fashion-event

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:...

I hear it all the time, “How do I know if I have a good business idea?” “How do I know if something is going to stick?” “What ideas are worth pursuing?” Of course no one wants to invest time and money into a bad idea. So what can you do before you start your business to give you a little boost of confidence? That’s what I’m sharing in today’s episode. Resources mentioned in this episode: Book a call to learn more about launching your brand through Factory45: https://bit.ly/3dt3CGV

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: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwlgKmRHYo4&t=95s Book a call to learn more about launching...

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. Resources mentioned in this episode: Raise Money for Your Fashion Brand Free Workshop:...

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: Book a call to learn more about launching your brand through Factory45:...

This week 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.  Resources mentioned in this episode: Free Supplier Email Templates:...

We’ve introduced a new format to the podcast that we’re calling our “Summer Series.” We’re releasing four episodes in June, July, and August that will feature some of our best and most popular episodes since releasing this podcast in January. This week’s episode features our 3 best episodes about marketing and how to build an audience for your fashion brand. Resources mentioned in this episode: Book a call to learn more about launching your brand through Factory45: https://bit.ly/3dt3CGV