1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:04,240 Speaker 1: I'm Jesse Hemple, host of Hello Monday. In my twenties, 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:07,120 Speaker 1: I knew what I wanted for my career, But from 3 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: where I am now, in the middle of my life, 4 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: nothing feels ascertain. Works changing, We're changing, and there's no 5 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 1: guidebook for how to make sense of any of it. 6 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: So every Monday, I bring you conversations with people who 7 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: are thinking deeply about work and where it fits into 8 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 1: our lives. We talk about making career pivots, about purpose 9 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 1: and how to discern it, about where happiness fits into 10 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 1: the mix, and how to ask for more money. Come 11 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: join us in the Hello Monday community. Let's figure out 12 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 1: the future together. Listen to Hello Monday with Jesse Hemple 13 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts. 14 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 2: Welcome back to she Pivots. I'm Rebecca Minkoff. 15 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 3: Welcome to she Pivots, the podcast where we talk with 16 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 3: women who dared to pivot out of one career and 17 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 3: into something new and explore how their personal lives impacted 18 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 3: these decisions. I'm your host, Emily Tish Sussman. Welcome back 19 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:26,480 Speaker 3: to she Pivots. I'm your host Emily Tish Sussman. Today 20 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:29,959 Speaker 3: we have a true trailblazer in the world of fashion, 21 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 3: an entrepreneur and an inspiration to many. Rebecca Minkoff. We 22 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 3: all know Rebecca for her incredible style and innovation in 23 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:43,040 Speaker 3: the fashion industry. I mean we all know her iconic 24 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 3: Morning after bag. As a fashion designer, businesswoman, certified cool girl, 25 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 3: and the co founder of the globally recognized brand that 26 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 3: bears her name, Rebecca has left an indelible mark on 27 00:01:56,040 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 3: the industry. Her entrepreneurial spirit pushed her to embrace the 28 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 3: intersection of technology, social media, and fashion. She became an 29 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:08,360 Speaker 3: early adopter of the groundbreaking fashion technology, allowing her to 30 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:12,639 Speaker 3: grow her sales while connecting with her audience. Despite success 31 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 3: after success in her industry, her real pivot came after 32 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 3: she returned from maternity leave and found herself looking to 33 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 3: make an impact in a new and different way. Thus 34 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 3: both Superwoman, her podcast, and the Female Founder's Collective were born. 35 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 3: Stay tuned as we delve into her story and hear 36 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 3: how her mindset shifted throughout each new change and venture. Enjoy. 37 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 2: My name is re Beca min Coff. I'm a fashion 38 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:46,360 Speaker 2: designer and the co founder a Female Founder Collective. I 39 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,239 Speaker 2: have a podcast, Superwomen with her Beckamen Coff and I'm 40 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 2: a best selling author fearless and you have four kids, 41 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 2: and I am a mother with four children, with which 42 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 2: blows my mind like three send me into chaos. 43 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 3: Four I cannot imagine. 44 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 2: I'm going home after this to take a nap. A'm 45 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 2: well deserved. Now where did you grow up? So the 46 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 2: first nine years of my life was San Diego. The 47 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 2: second nine years of my life was Tampa, Florida. That 48 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:16,840 Speaker 2: was not my parent's intention, but they saw that there 49 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 2: was nothing happening in Tampa and that was great for 50 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:22,919 Speaker 2: raising children and not having them get into trouble. So 51 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 2: my dad was a doctor and he had got an 52 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:30,399 Speaker 2: opening in Florida and he was like, well, I want 53 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:32,359 Speaker 2: to change of scenery. And that was it. 54 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 3: You know, you really launched your career, made a name 55 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 3: for yourself first as a fashion designer. And you said 56 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 3: that the first thing you designed was your butt Mitzvah outfit. 57 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 2: It was. It was the first thing that I designed 58 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 2: in war successfully. I'll say that I had the opportunity 59 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 2: to work with this New York City designer who had 60 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,400 Speaker 2: moved to Podunkville, where I lived, and she taught me 61 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 2: at a sew and make patterns and I was so excited, 62 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:01,160 Speaker 2: and as a young girl at twelve thirteen, when you're 63 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 2: entering womanhood but you don't look like a woman, I 64 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 2: was like, I got a design address that like maybe 65 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 2: can show off my burgeoning bosom. That was this is 66 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 2: weird that that was like for my bot mitzvah. That's 67 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 2: what I wanted, was like show off my chest. But 68 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:17,479 Speaker 2: I had like double a boobs aka nothing, and so 69 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 2: I was like a square neck like medieval times. And 70 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 2: then I'll get like a little push up raw to 71 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 2: help me. 72 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 3: Soon after her show stopping butt Mitzvah outfit, Rebecca continued 73 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:32,159 Speaker 3: her creative endeavors and enrolled at a performing arts school. 74 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,600 Speaker 2: As a dancer. And then in high school, I hit 75 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 2: a really tough time where my teachers I don't want 76 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 2: to pivot us too hard. But I was a dancer 77 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 2: in a performing arts high school but kept getting told 78 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 2: like you're too tall, you ruin the symmetry, your boobs 79 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:46,200 Speaker 2: are too big, like just everything terrible you could tell 80 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:50,799 Speaker 2: a young woman. And I was a painfully thin, very 81 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 2: awkward young girl, and I couldn't fit into regular clothes 82 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 2: and I was bullied for it. And being able to 83 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 2: sew and make things fit me gave me a lot 84 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 2: of confidence and it made me feel incredibly empowered. And 85 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 2: so I just became addicted to the idea like, oh 86 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 2: it doesn't fit, No big deal, I can you know, 87 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:09,880 Speaker 2: take it in or add this to it. And so 88 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:12,280 Speaker 2: that was just something I just I wanted to sew 89 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 2: all the time, and then I would make things for 90 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 2: my friends and it just became a great way to 91 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:19,359 Speaker 2: like hang out and you end up making something. So 92 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 2: you grew up Jewish. Was that a big part of 93 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 2: your identity you had about Mitzvah? It was a huge 94 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 2: part of my identity. It was every Friday with Shabbat 95 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 2: I had about Mitzvah. My dad was very serious about 96 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:33,840 Speaker 2: observing the holidays up until the point, I would say 97 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 2: about fifteen, and then all of a sudden it was like, 98 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 2: uh waited that, which was weird because he was so 99 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 2: strict about it. And so I was already by that time. 100 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 2: I went to jew camp starting at thirteen, and by 101 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 2: sixteen I was going to Israel for six weeks for 102 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:52,160 Speaker 2: a workshop program with all the other kids who were 103 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 2: part of the camps. And at eighteen, I had the 104 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:57,479 Speaker 2: opportunity to go live on the keyboots for a year, 105 00:05:57,560 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 2: and all my friends were going, but I was so 106 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 2: desperate to get here and to start working and designing. 107 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 2: And I felt like if I took a year off 108 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 2: getting drunk and living on a kibotz, that I might be, 109 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:08,840 Speaker 2: you know, behind, And so it was. It was one 110 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 2: of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make, was 111 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 2: to not go on that trip and here being New York. 112 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, so after high school, you are like, get me 113 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 3: to New York. 114 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 2: Yes, So I thought I wanted to be a geneticist, 115 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 2: and so I went to Johns Hopkins like to like 116 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,479 Speaker 2: see the school, and I thought, I will die in 117 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 2: a laboratory. I will just not make it. And if 118 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 2: I have to do this for seven years before I 119 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 2: can practice, and I really found out like what it 120 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,839 Speaker 2: takes to be in that world. I thought, Wow, I 121 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:40,719 Speaker 2: don't want this. And then I was like, maybe I 122 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 2: don't even want to go to college. And in my house, 123 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 2: my parents are kind of hippies. Everything was untraditional, so 124 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:48,840 Speaker 2: you know, they said to any all of us, like, 125 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:50,360 Speaker 2: it's cool if you want to go to college, but 126 00:06:50,400 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 2: you don't have to, and if you do, you're paying 127 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:55,479 Speaker 2: for it, and it was kind of like no pressure, 128 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 2: so none of us actually ended up going. What else 129 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 2: was non traditional in your household? I would say that 130 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 2: the things you think a mother should do for you 131 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 2: weren't done or a parent, you know, whether it's it's 132 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 2: the little things like signing you up for summer camp, 133 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 2: and it was like, no, here are the forms, you 134 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 2: fill them out down to My brothers wanted to go 135 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:16,120 Speaker 2: visit their friends and they were thirteen, and she put 136 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 2: them on a greyhound from Tampa to San Diego. So 137 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 2: I think everything we wanted we had to work for. 138 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 2: There was a ledger in the kitchen and it was 139 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 2: about how you know what you earned? And I had 140 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 2: to cook dinner twice a week, and I had to 141 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 2: do dishes twice a week, and so some of those 142 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 2: things are normal, but I think a lot of this 143 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 2: hands off approach to like if you want to figure 144 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 2: it out, was really there. I did negotiate at age 145 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 2: nine with my art teacher about her prices because my 146 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 2: mom was like, if you want to these classes, they're 147 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 2: too expensive, but you can talk to her about lowering 148 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 2: the price. 149 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:46,280 Speaker 3: At the time, did you realize that your parents were 150 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 3: a little more hands off than others around you. 151 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 2: I started realizing it. I was angry about it, and 152 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 2: I was pissed because I would see, like my friend 153 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 2: would just she celebrated Christmas and I would go there. 154 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:59,240 Speaker 2: I'd be like, you get all these presents. I get one, 155 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 2: and your parents take you on trips and I have 156 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 2: to earn it. Like I was just like, whoa, this 157 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 2: is a different world. Yeah, but I'm trying to raise 158 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 2: my children in the same way. You want it, you 159 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 2: earn it, and I'm hoping it ReBs off on the 160 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 2: entrepreneurial side on them the way it did with me. 161 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, at what point did your perspective flip on the parenting. 162 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 2: Having not my son, My son, my twelve year old, 163 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 2: has always been grateful and gracious, but my daughter like 164 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:27,920 Speaker 2: I want, I want, I want, I want, and living 165 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 2: in New York City, you know, and I'm like, oh no, 166 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 2: we are not taking that route with you. You will 167 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 2: earn this. Yeah. 168 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:35,199 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's hard. 169 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 2: It's I think it's particularly hard in the city. But 170 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 2: I also think, like, you get invited to a party 171 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:43,679 Speaker 2: in New York City and I don't even know the 172 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 2: words for it, just the goodie bags and the bouncy cat. 173 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 2: Like everything. The abundance is so much that even if 174 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 2: you're not providing it to them, they're seeing it and 175 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 2: they know it's possible, and it's hard to be like, 176 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:57,720 Speaker 2: all right, come back down to earth. 177 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 3: Okay, So back to your journey. Was it always fashion 178 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 3: that attracts you? 179 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: Like? 180 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 2: What about fashion? Okay? Going back for Hanukkah, Every year 181 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 2: we would get like one thing, and I would always 182 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 2: get a magazine subscription to w or Vogue, and then 183 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 2: my brother would steal it and I would kill him. 184 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 2: When it finally come to me, I would devour it, 185 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 2: and I felt like I have to be in New York. 186 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:20,559 Speaker 2: That's where everything's happening. And for everyone listening, it's pre 187 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:25,080 Speaker 2: any social I mean, there's nothing magazines are it. So 188 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:28,200 Speaker 2: my brother had gone to a party and he came 189 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:30,680 Speaker 2: home one night and he said, I just met a designer. 190 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 2: He was in from New York doing a trunk show 191 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 2: at the local Podunk Nordstrum in Tampa, and he gave 192 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:39,760 Speaker 2: me his number. He said he takes interns. Maybe you 193 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:41,680 Speaker 2: should call him, And so I literally called this guy 194 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 2: and he picked up. He's like, yeah, come up, when 195 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:44,960 Speaker 2: do you want to come up. We paint minimum wage 196 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 2: and I was like, oh, it's that easy, Okay, I'll 197 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 2: be there. And I told my parents. I was like, 198 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:52,559 Speaker 2: so I'm moving to New York and I'm going to 199 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 2: start working. And you know, we got to go on 200 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 2: to Craigslist and find me an apartment. And my mom 201 00:09:57,280 --> 00:09:59,320 Speaker 2: and dad were like, we're not paying for you to 202 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,440 Speaker 2: go to an apartment. Like you wanted to do this, 203 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 2: you figured out. So what we finally hobbled together was 204 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 2: I lived with my friend in Fordham University. We shared 205 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 2: a bed. He was gay, so it was like it 206 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:13,200 Speaker 2: was fine that we shared a bed. He would sneak 207 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:16,439 Speaker 2: me in every night and then over like Russia Shana, 208 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:19,440 Speaker 2: my parents came up and made a deal with my cousin. 209 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 2: They're like, all right, she's going to sleep on the 210 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:23,319 Speaker 2: floor and babysit your kid. Well you let her live 211 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 2: with you. And that was, you know, how it all started. 212 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:27,720 Speaker 3: So what did you do as an intern? 213 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 2: So my first day, the CEO, who ended up becoming 214 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 2: a mentor was like, ugh, you're just another pretty girl. 215 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:38,679 Speaker 2: He's let in here. Day one was you're going to 216 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:41,319 Speaker 2: work in the shipping department. And I was so angry, 217 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 2: and I was like, I am better than this. But 218 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:46,600 Speaker 2: I really learned a lot about packaging and shipping, and 219 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 2: then it was like, organize a supply closet, answer the phones, 220 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:52,960 Speaker 2: cuts watches, call these stores, make appointments, and every day 221 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 2: was different. And as I began to get used to 222 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 2: sort of not knowing what I was going to do 223 00:10:56,640 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 2: that day, it just got exciting to be able to 224 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:02,240 Speaker 2: learn every sort of part of the business. And then 225 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:04,320 Speaker 2: about six months in, I said, I think you should 226 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:07,960 Speaker 2: hire me full time. I've proven my worth and I 227 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 2: want to work in the design area and she was like, great, 228 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 2: yes you have. 229 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:16,000 Speaker 3: So she began to design for Craig Tailor, but all 230 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 3: the time she continued to keep one foot in as 231 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 3: a dancer, thinking that might be the path she would pursue. 232 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 2: I was so happy to be there, and I was 233 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:27,440 Speaker 2: still kind of like, do I still be a dancer. 234 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 2: I was taking classes at Alvin Alien. I had gotten 235 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 2: into their two year certificate program and I was like, oh, 236 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 2: you know, I forget where I was with Someone's like, 237 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:37,440 Speaker 2: you should be a model, and I was like, maybe 238 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:39,640 Speaker 2: I'll be a model until I went into a casting 239 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 2: and the guy was like, you know, you're really hairy. 240 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 2: And then he reached over and he's like, and you 241 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:47,760 Speaker 2: got to get rid of this, and he grabbed my 242 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 2: stomach fat and I was like, I'm going to just 243 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 2: put that idea to bed, because okay, maybe I'll be 244 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 2: a dancer or a designer. And then I said this 245 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 2: to this woman, Komy, the CEO, and she's like, you 246 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 2: need to just what you want to do, Like you 247 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:04,720 Speaker 2: can't be all over the place. It's time to get 248 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 2: focused and you know what is it? And I was like, Okay, 249 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 2: she might be right, So I said I'll pursue design 250 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 2: and so I ended up working there for a total 251 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 2: of around three years. 252 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:15,120 Speaker 3: Wow. Do you feel like that was the right advice 253 00:12:15,160 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 3: for you in that moment? 254 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:18,079 Speaker 2: It was because I was just like, maybe I'll be 255 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 2: this and maybe i'll be that, And I feel like 256 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 2: those types of maybes are great if you're sixteen, but 257 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:27,440 Speaker 2: they're not great if you're nineteen and you decided not 258 00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 2: to go to college and you moved to New York 259 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:31,320 Speaker 2: to work for a designer, like like Pickling. 260 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 3: Spoiler alert, she did. She started small custom making a 261 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:39,679 Speaker 3: small collection of pieces herself. I had a five piece collection. 262 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 3: I lived New York was one of them, literally bought 263 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 3: off the street but cut up and be dazzled because 264 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 3: that was pre Etsy and people wanted diy and an actress. 265 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 3: Jenna Elfman asked for it via my brother again. 266 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 2: He seems to be a connection and senator on September ninth, 267 00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:58,440 Speaker 2: she wore on Jay Leno two months later and said 268 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 2: my name on national televisions. If you don't have Pani act, 269 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:02,480 Speaker 2: this sounds a lot of fun. 270 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 1: She can be seen on the sitcom Accidentally on Purpose, 271 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:06,320 Speaker 1: which airs Wednesday night. 272 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:11,040 Speaker 2: It's another Networks, Please welcome Jenna Elfman. And that was 273 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:13,720 Speaker 2: kind of like the big moment of being in the 274 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 2: magazine and making all these shirts and nine months straight 275 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 2: of that that. 276 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:20,080 Speaker 3: Shirt, riding the high of her new success. It was 277 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 3: her mentor that once again played a key role and 278 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 3: nudging her towards her true potential. 279 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 2: And then Koomi, the same CEO called me and was like, 280 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 2: you're fired, Go do what you love. Wow. Yeah you 281 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 2: were so young. I was twenty one. Yeah. It was scary, 282 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:39,559 Speaker 2: but I think that when you have nothing right and 283 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:44,200 Speaker 2: you are fueled by your work and by potential and opportunity. 284 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 2: I was like what's the worst that could happen? I 285 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:49,800 Speaker 2: end up on my parents' couch, right, And to me 286 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 2: that was like, Okay, that'll suck and I'll have to regroup, 287 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 2: but like, let me just try it. 288 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:59,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, okay, So you did the T shirts for a 289 00:13:59,080 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 3: little while. 290 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:01,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, about nine months, it's all. 291 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 3: I did just this, these five T shirts. 292 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:06,560 Speaker 2: Yes, And then I started calling stores and I was like, 293 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,280 Speaker 2: by the way, I have more than a shirt, you know, 294 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 2: let me show you. And then one store in these 295 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:14,520 Speaker 2: village was like, I'll take this blouse on consignment. And 296 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 2: then I would literally given the plows and then go 297 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 2: into Union Square and pass out postcards like new Designer 298 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 2: Alert Now, Like I was one of those people standing 299 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 2: there like handing this out. And then I'd run back 300 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 2: to the store and be like did it sell and 301 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 2: he'd be like yeah, and I'd be like, all right, 302 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:31,040 Speaker 2: I passed out five hundred postcards for one sale, so 303 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 2: if I want to sell more, I gotta do one thousand. 304 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 2: And I would go back to Union Square, and you know, 305 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:38,160 Speaker 2: I was scrappy. I would find out who magazine editors were. 306 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 2: Email was new, but I would like figure it out 307 00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 2: and then email them all images and then I found 308 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 2: one burgeoning website called raven Style, and she would buy 309 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:48,160 Speaker 2: stuff and I'd be like, I need the deposit before 310 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 2: I make the goods. Yeah. 311 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:51,040 Speaker 3: I was about to ask how you had the capital 312 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 3: and how you had the connections to be producing at 313 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 3: that kind of scale. 314 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:56,400 Speaker 2: It was not It was not a big scale. It 315 00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:59,440 Speaker 2: was a very tiny scale. The amazing woman from raven 316 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 2: Style give me a deposit because she knew I didn't 317 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:04,880 Speaker 2: have it, so she'd give me enough. I'd go uptown, 318 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 2: buy the fabric, buy the crystals, make it, and then 319 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 2: deliver it to her for the balance of the payment. 320 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 2: So I worked like that for a long time, and 321 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 2: then I said to my dad, I would like to 322 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:19,360 Speaker 2: open up a credit card. Could you co sign it 323 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 2: with me? And because he had great credit, I got 324 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:26,520 Speaker 2: a lot of money. But he was like, just want 325 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 2: to let you know, like I'm not paying for this card, 326 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 2: like you are responsible. And that's when I got into trouble. 327 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:34,600 Speaker 2: When I didn't have enough orders or I had to 328 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 2: buy fabric or whatever, I'd put it on the card 329 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 2: and be like, hey, yea, I'll pay it back, and 330 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:40,000 Speaker 2: then you know, I slowly racked up a lot of debt. 331 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 2: That inevitably is when I had to call my brother 332 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 2: and that's you know, that's when we begin working together 333 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 2: and the bag started to take off. So that was 334 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 2: kind of the all right, I'm out of my league 335 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 2: on the business side of stuff, and I actually need 336 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 2: someone to help me. 337 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 3: Can you actually talk through with Some of those steps 338 00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 3: are because I think that a lot of people, when 339 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 3: they're thinking about their pivot, go immediately to product and think, oh, well, 340 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 3: I'll just make a product and I'll sell it. And 341 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 3: I think not having an understanding of the ebbs and 342 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 3: flows I think, particularly of apparel business, I think ends 343 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 3: up surprising a lot of people sounds like, including you, 344 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:15,840 Speaker 3: Oh it's surprising. 345 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 2: So I think with apparel it's really you know, if 346 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 2: your dream is to be a designer, And again I 347 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 2: would give different advice if you're a T shirt versus 348 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:26,680 Speaker 2: a cature gown. But I think that having your own 349 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 2: website is incredibly important, whether you're selling anything or not. 350 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:32,840 Speaker 2: And I think today there's a lot more creativity in 351 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 2: how you can take orders. You know. One of the 352 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:40,280 Speaker 2: things when NFTs were all the rage was the idea 353 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:43,120 Speaker 2: that you could treat the NFT as a token and 354 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 2: you know, buy this NFT, you will get the dressed too. 355 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 2: But you also get to see me in my studio 356 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:52,680 Speaker 2: working or at a photo shoot, or access to things 357 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 2: that money can't buy. And so I think that's a 358 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 2: smart and powerful way to raise money. And I think 359 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 2: that the idea of the tupper party is not dead. 360 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 2: It's like, who do you have and know with circles 361 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:07,600 Speaker 2: of influence that could host and support you. When I 362 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:09,679 Speaker 2: look back, there was a woman in Los Angeles that 363 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:12,359 Speaker 2: would like put out wine and cheese and she's like, 364 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:14,439 Speaker 2: bring seventy five bags. They'll be gone by the end 365 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 2: of the night. And she would invite all her friends 366 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:18,919 Speaker 2: and they were excited and the bags were gone and 367 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 2: I had cash. And so I think that as you 368 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:24,359 Speaker 2: begin to look at your business, there's a lot of 369 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 2: non traditional ideas you can use to do it. But 370 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:30,680 Speaker 2: so many women are like, oh, I'm starting an apparel company. 371 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:32,680 Speaker 2: I need to raise money, you know. And I think 372 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 2: that that's the wrong approach because most investors know they 373 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:38,200 Speaker 2: will not see her return on an investment of just 374 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:41,439 Speaker 2: an apparel company. That's just not how it works. And 375 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:44,600 Speaker 2: so I say start small, start focused, be the best 376 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 2: in whatever it is, even if it's a white T 377 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:51,440 Speaker 2: shirt and why and from there really make your network, 378 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:52,959 Speaker 2: help support you and work for you. 379 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:57,640 Speaker 3: She continued to build and grow, but slower than she wanted. 380 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:01,840 Speaker 3: She craved another big break, and that's when she came 381 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:05,680 Speaker 3: up with her iconic morning After bag. You know that one, 382 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:09,679 Speaker 3: the perfectly disheveled can fit everything but looks like an 383 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:11,600 Speaker 3: it girl would carry it bag. 384 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:14,879 Speaker 1: And people took notice of what's now known as the 385 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:18,879 Speaker 1: iconic morning After Bag. Now, the original morning After bag 386 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:22,400 Speaker 1: was very popular in the mid two thousands, most notably 387 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:26,160 Speaker 1: carried by celebrities Hayden Panitier and Lindsay Lohan. 388 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:29,800 Speaker 3: This is honestly one of my favorite bags, just because 389 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:32,119 Speaker 3: the functionality of this bag is great. 390 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:35,120 Speaker 2: I had just launched the bag. It had a heat 391 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:37,840 Speaker 2: in a momentum that I never had with the apparel. 392 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 2: It hit a nerve with women in a way that 393 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 2: you can only hope happens to everyone. 394 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:46,920 Speaker 3: And switching to bags that's a much more expensive product, 395 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:49,920 Speaker 3: like for you to make? Yeah, was that a decision 396 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:53,439 Speaker 3: based on design? Based on presented return? 397 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:53,720 Speaker 1: Like? 398 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:54,800 Speaker 3: What was that decision for you? 399 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:58,400 Speaker 2: The decision for the bag was really about Jenna came 400 00:18:58,440 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 2: back to me. She said, I'm going to be in 401 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:03,399 Speaker 2: a feature film. The character wears the bag the entire time. 402 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:05,479 Speaker 2: You will not have seen this film because I went 403 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:07,439 Speaker 2: straight to DVD. Sadly, okay, I was about to ask 404 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:09,960 Speaker 2: you which film it's called Touched. Bag did not make 405 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:12,159 Speaker 2: it to set. It was delivered two hours late. They 406 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:16,040 Speaker 2: started filming. It was devastating. When I say, I was like, 407 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:18,200 Speaker 2: like the assistant college, She's like, where is the bag? 408 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:21,479 Speaker 2: And I was like, I don't know. And then it 409 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:23,520 Speaker 2: arrived and she's like, we started shooting with another bag. 410 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:25,159 Speaker 2: And I was like, can we do it? She was 411 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:25,520 Speaker 2: like no. 412 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:28,680 Speaker 3: So my heart just grew. 413 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:31,840 Speaker 2: It was terrible. I was like on the corner of 414 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:34,880 Speaker 2: like Fifth Avenue near Henry Bendell or wherever that Stora 415 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:37,159 Speaker 2: just was like pacing back and forth while I was 416 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:39,120 Speaker 2: on the phone with her, and I was like, well, 417 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:42,720 Speaker 2: I just I just bought a really expensive bag my first, 418 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 2: you know, I made her a sample. I made me 419 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:47,720 Speaker 2: a sample. And then I noticed, as I was wearing 420 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 2: the sample, so many women were stopping me on the 421 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 2: street asking me about, you know, the bag, and I thought, 422 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:55,600 Speaker 2: there's something here. Let's see what happens. So a dear 423 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:57,880 Speaker 2: friend of mine who was a stylist that I knew 424 00:19:57,880 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 2: through the industry, was like, I'm gonna have Baily Candy 425 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:03,439 Speaker 2: right about it, and we're going to put it in 426 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:05,640 Speaker 2: this store that I know in La called seteen, which 427 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:09,120 Speaker 2: is like the go to store for celebrities, and they 428 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:11,880 Speaker 2: ordered twelve daily. Candy wrote about it sold out in 429 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:15,400 Speaker 2: like ten minutes. Pretty soon it girls everywhere. 430 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:19,199 Speaker 3: We're carrying the bad Lindsay Lohan was photographed with it 431 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:21,879 Speaker 3: and it began to fly off the shelves faster than 432 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:24,480 Speaker 3: she could keep up with. So she turned back to 433 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:27,880 Speaker 3: her dad looking for financing to keep up with the orders. 434 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 2: And so I went back to my dad. I was like, 435 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 2: all right, I'm not a loser anymore. I actually have 436 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:34,919 Speaker 2: something that's working. Do you want to loan me just 437 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:37,120 Speaker 2: a little bit more money to make the next production run? 438 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 2: He's like absolutely not, Like how are you paying the 439 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:42,920 Speaker 2: credit card? Because I'm seeing the bills and the balance 440 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:45,160 Speaker 2: isn't really going down that much. It's like one hundred 441 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 2: dollars a month, but this is sixty grand that you've spent. 442 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:50,200 Speaker 2: I was like, all right, I'll talk to you later bye. 443 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 2: So I called my brother, and my brother had basic 444 00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:55,320 Speaker 2: business questions. Is there an LLC? Do you have a 445 00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:59,960 Speaker 2: TAXID number? All that whatever, And the original intent wasn't like, 446 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:01,919 Speaker 2: all right, now we're partners. He was just kind of 447 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 2: helping me through. He was advancing me capital. He was 448 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:06,960 Speaker 2: in the software world. He has a software company, and 449 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:09,480 Speaker 2: when he could see the numbers start to really like 450 00:21:09,520 --> 00:21:13,119 Speaker 2: the orders coming in, like really growing, he was like, oh, 451 00:21:13,119 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 2: there's something here, and he felt comfortable enough with the 452 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 2: trajectory of the business that he put his credit card 453 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:21,639 Speaker 2: as you know, the funding of things, and then it 454 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:24,920 Speaker 2: was his house. He mortgaged his house because we could 455 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 2: not get alan and the whole VC private equity game 456 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:31,840 Speaker 2: hadn't even really started in our industry yet, so we 457 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:34,199 Speaker 2: waited seven years before we took outside capital. 458 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 3: She continued to bootstrap, barely paying herself a salary and 459 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:41,240 Speaker 3: supplementing her growing business with other work. 460 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:45,600 Speaker 2: I supplemented my T shirt years with styling. I was 461 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:48,520 Speaker 2: a stylist. I did Heidi Klumb for the first season 462 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:50,639 Speaker 2: of Project Runway. They were like, all right, we have 463 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:54,359 Speaker 2: one thousand dollars for ten episodes and no budget for wardrobe. 464 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:58,160 Speaker 2: Do you want this great job. I was like, yes, 465 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:02,320 Speaker 2: I was begging people, like I would call Chanel and 466 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:05,040 Speaker 2: like all these things, and everyone would shut the door 467 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 2: in my face. 468 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 3: To lend her. 469 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 2: Yes, and they didn't. You want to lend her. It's 470 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 2: like Reality TV Project Runway, Like that sounds terrible. It 471 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 2: was in reality TV was like new and dirty and 472 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 2: you know, like beneath people. Yeah, so I had to 473 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:22,720 Speaker 2: like rub pennies together to like get her to look good. 474 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:24,480 Speaker 2: I even put her in a lot of my stuff 475 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:27,600 Speaker 2: at the time. Anyways, so that that made me some 476 00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:29,600 Speaker 2: money that I mean, that felt like actually wortant to me. 477 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:31,679 Speaker 3: Kind of an opportunity to put you in her clothes. 478 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:34,560 Speaker 2: Oh no, it was great. Did that help with that publicity? 479 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:36,639 Speaker 3: That actually helps the line? That was that exposure that helped. 480 00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 2: I mean it was nice because I could use it 481 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 2: when I go to a store like oh, Heidi Klum 482 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:42,120 Speaker 2: wearing my shirt protrick, you know, like I could when 483 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:44,399 Speaker 2: the when the series became a success, I could use 484 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:49,199 Speaker 2: it working with families complicated. Yeah, how's it been. So 485 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:53,040 Speaker 2: we sold the business February of last year, so he 486 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 2: is now just an advisor. But I think we had 487 00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:59,000 Speaker 2: the building years were incredible. He was in his lane, 488 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 2: I was in mine. And then when we each figured 489 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:05,240 Speaker 2: out our own areas and like started giving each other 490 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 2: feedback and advice in each other's lanes, the sparks would fly. 491 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 2: And so we had a lot of tough times where 492 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:14,439 Speaker 2: we weren't speaking and not getting along and fighting pretty badly. 493 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 2: We got a business therapist basically to help us, you know, 494 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:21,119 Speaker 2: get back on the same page, and we would do 495 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:23,359 Speaker 2: that once a year as like vomit it all out 496 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:25,600 Speaker 2: and hopefully come to some sort of alignment. But it 497 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 2: was It took a toll on our relationship for sure. 498 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:31,800 Speaker 3: Still they were clearly a good team. Eventually, the brand 499 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:34,480 Speaker 3: had grown to over one hundred million in sales and 500 00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:36,560 Speaker 3: they decided to bring on a new president. 501 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:39,720 Speaker 2: We brought in this president that we brought her in 502 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:43,199 Speaker 2: very early on. Oh, we brought her in before we 503 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 2: could afford to like pay me. My brother was like, 504 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 2: add up your rent and your Ramen budget and let 505 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 2: me know what that totals. And I was like, it's 506 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:53,280 Speaker 2: twenty three thousand dollars a year. He's like, great, that's 507 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 2: your salary. And so then we paid her and then 508 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 2: he didn't take a salary because he was making money 509 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,360 Speaker 2: from his software. So we brought her in in what 510 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:07,480 Speaker 2: year was it two thousand and seven? I believe there's 511 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:09,960 Speaker 2: like a two year span. But at its height, we 512 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:12,000 Speaker 2: were doing one hundred and ten million in sales and 513 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:16,240 Speaker 2: we probably had one hundred employees. It was unbearable. Unbearable, 514 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:20,159 Speaker 2: how the pressure, the stress, all of it. Managing a 515 00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 2: team of eighteen people and being all in it as 516 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:27,520 Speaker 2: a designer and then expected to travel to thirty cities, 517 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:30,320 Speaker 2: do the waving in the trunk shows, be the face 518 00:24:30,359 --> 00:24:34,720 Speaker 2: of social you know, be a mother. It was untenable. 519 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:38,640 Speaker 3: So you started having kids, and at what point did 520 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:41,080 Speaker 3: you feel like, I can't give this whole portfolio. This 521 00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:45,479 Speaker 3: eighteen person reporting system is not going to cut it. 522 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:48,920 Speaker 2: So I was about to go on maternityly with baby 523 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:53,560 Speaker 2: number three. It was twenty eighteen, and I had been 524 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:57,000 Speaker 2: chasing this idea of I just needed another hit. I 525 00:24:57,200 --> 00:25:00,200 Speaker 2: just need a big hit. So we had this big 526 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:03,440 Speaker 2: growth surge with this crossbody that was one ninety five. 527 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:05,640 Speaker 2: So I was like me and the team all day long, 528 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:07,240 Speaker 2: what's the next one, what's the next one? Okay, we 529 00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:09,560 Speaker 2: got it, let's replicate it. Exactly how we did the 530 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:12,119 Speaker 2: last one and get on this person this person, and 531 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:14,960 Speaker 2: it wasn't working, and I was like banging my head 532 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:16,440 Speaker 2: against the wall. And then I was like, maybe I 533 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:19,120 Speaker 2: don't have it anymore. Maybe I'm just not cut out 534 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:21,320 Speaker 2: for this, or maybe there's someone more talented than me. 535 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:25,040 Speaker 2: And I was just like circling. And there was a 536 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:27,760 Speaker 2: woman at the company who had been designing the men's 537 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:30,199 Speaker 2: line under my brother, and he's like, why don't you 538 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:33,919 Speaker 2: like her run things for a little bit while you 539 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 2: go out and she'll off for a fresh perspective. And 540 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:42,400 Speaker 2: I was like, take it. I'm fucking tired. It's been 541 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:44,960 Speaker 2: a long journey. It was thirteen years at that point, 542 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:47,560 Speaker 2: and so I really left and I handed her off, like, 543 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:49,760 Speaker 2: here are my mood boards for the next six seasons. 544 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:52,800 Speaker 2: Here's everything. I'd tied it with a bow. She was like, great, 545 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:55,119 Speaker 2: put it in the trash as soon as I left 546 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 2: the room. And I went out on leave. And we'd 547 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:00,400 Speaker 2: also hired someone we thought was going to be the 548 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:04,119 Speaker 2: most incredible person in marketing, and she had a doctorate 549 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:05,960 Speaker 2: and I was like, well, what do I know? Like 550 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:10,639 Speaker 2: this woman is clearly learned. Yes, So when I got back. 551 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 2: I felt like a stranger in my own company, and 552 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 2: the marketing person literally said to me, my job would 553 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:19,920 Speaker 2: be easier if you didn't exist. 554 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:22,720 Speaker 3: The word's done. But it forced her to take a 555 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 3: step back and see a larger issue where she could 556 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 3: have an impact empowering female founders. 557 00:26:29,520 --> 00:26:32,400 Speaker 2: So by that time, I only had to have one 558 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:35,560 Speaker 2: design meeting a week at the time, and I had 559 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:37,320 Speaker 2: a lot more time on my hands, and so I 560 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:40,560 Speaker 2: was like, great, you know, I'll do more speaking. And 561 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 2: you know, that's when I really was like, wow, women 562 00:26:44,359 --> 00:26:47,080 Speaker 2: are not paid equally. Like I'm in an industry where 563 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:49,399 Speaker 2: it's women bashing women. But I had no idea that 564 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:51,960 Speaker 2: when you peel outside of the fashion industry, like, there's 565 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 2: another struggle going on that I really didn't know about. 566 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:58,679 Speaker 2: And so to hear about wage inequality and you know 567 00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:03,040 Speaker 2: more and named John than women in CEOs, Like I 568 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:05,600 Speaker 2: was just like, holy shit, I thought we were just 569 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:08,120 Speaker 2: I thought it was just women being terrible to women. 570 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:09,359 Speaker 2: I didn't know anything else. 571 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:11,840 Speaker 3: How did you find out about it? Like you were 572 00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:14,560 Speaker 3: still in the same industry, you were still in your company. Yeah, 573 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:18,320 Speaker 3: but I was desperate to make connections. And this started 574 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:21,040 Speaker 3: earlier in like twenty sixteen with women outside of my industry. 575 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:24,600 Speaker 3: So I would host these dinners at my store and 576 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:27,879 Speaker 3: like have women for like the president of the WNBA, 577 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:31,640 Speaker 3: you know, the private wealth investor for Chase, and you know, 578 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:34,920 Speaker 3: a magazine editor or just people outside of my world, 579 00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:36,520 Speaker 3: and I would hear them talk and I was like, 580 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:37,800 Speaker 3: oh shit, you know. 581 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:40,400 Speaker 2: There needs to be a way to support women more. 582 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:43,240 Speaker 3: What do you think you were chasing by starting this 583 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 3: dinner series. 584 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:47,800 Speaker 2: I was chasing a community and a camaraderie that I 585 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:50,720 Speaker 2: wasn't able to get within my industry, and I was 586 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:52,480 Speaker 2: hungry for outside perspectives. 587 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:55,280 Speaker 3: The timing is striking me as interesting as looking for 588 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:58,399 Speaker 3: a community of women, because when I started this podcast, 589 00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:02,160 Speaker 3: I had an anticipation that a lot of women's kind 590 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:04,800 Speaker 3: of dark moment that led to their pivot, like might 591 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:07,280 Speaker 3: be COVID or might be like whatever, there's like personal 592 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:09,439 Speaker 3: thing that happened to them. In my case, it was 593 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:10,920 Speaker 3: having a lot of kids all at the same time. 594 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:15,040 Speaker 3: What I did not anticipate is that I hear often 595 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:17,920 Speaker 3: more often than I thought is twenty sixteen the election 596 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:20,000 Speaker 3: of Donald Trump as something that really changed a lot 597 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:22,760 Speaker 3: of women's perspectives. Yeah, I just hear it much more 598 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:25,520 Speaker 3: often than I anticipated. Yeah, so that is the same 599 00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:27,680 Speaker 3: year that you started these dinners. Do you think, even 600 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:29,520 Speaker 3: if it wasn't, the election in general just sort of 601 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:32,159 Speaker 3: like the context that led you to start them. 602 00:28:32,359 --> 00:28:34,919 Speaker 2: It's a good question. I don't know if it was 603 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:37,680 Speaker 2: a conscious thing. It just felt like I was suffocating 604 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:41,120 Speaker 2: in my own industry and it was so not supportive. 605 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:46,320 Speaker 2: I remember being on air with another designer and the 606 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:50,680 Speaker 2: interviewer said, Rebecca, you make my favorite dress, and then 607 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:52,280 Speaker 2: I was cut out of the segment and I thought, 608 00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:56,080 Speaker 2: now I really must have done a shitty job as 609 00:28:56,120 --> 00:28:58,880 Speaker 2: a guest. And I saw the producer a couple of 610 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:00,400 Speaker 2: weeks later or sec, I'm so sorry we had to 611 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:02,920 Speaker 2: cut you, Like she's best friends with my boss, and 612 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:06,400 Speaker 2: that designer was so offended that she wasn't the favorite 613 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:08,360 Speaker 2: designer that she had you cut out, and I was like, 614 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:11,280 Speaker 2: this is gross. You know. In twenty sixteen, I was 615 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:14,040 Speaker 2: two years postpartum. I was like, you know, getting myself 616 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:16,760 Speaker 2: back together and out there, and so two years of 617 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:19,680 Speaker 2: meeting and talking and being around women. Then when I 618 00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:21,720 Speaker 2: had the time, I was like, we I need to 619 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 2: do something to support. So what was the first project 620 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:27,880 Speaker 2: that you jumped into in twenty eighteen once you're back 621 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:30,120 Speaker 2: from maternity. Even you realized I can only do one 622 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:31,040 Speaker 2: design meeting a week. 623 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:31,880 Speaker 3: I've got more time. 624 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 2: Well, I said to this really smart marketing person, I 625 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:37,640 Speaker 2: was like, so, what's our plan. She's like, well, we 626 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:40,160 Speaker 2: are going to use you in social but not yet. 627 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:43,280 Speaker 2: And I was like, okay, now what do I do? 628 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:45,400 Speaker 2: So I had like two weeks of ladies who lunch 629 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:48,000 Speaker 2: and I was like, I'm going crazy, like I can't 630 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:51,920 Speaker 2: do this, and so she said we should start a podcast. 631 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:54,040 Speaker 2: I said, well, I wanted to start a podcast two 632 00:29:54,120 --> 00:29:55,760 Speaker 2: years ago and I was told it was not a 633 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:57,280 Speaker 2: good idea, and she's like, it's a great idea. And 634 00:29:57,280 --> 00:29:59,680 Speaker 2: I was like, great, I'm on it. And so I 635 00:29:59,720 --> 00:30:01,760 Speaker 2: began and the process of figuring out how to do that, 636 00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:05,240 Speaker 2: and then we were at a party for it was 637 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 2: like a rooftop event for some congresswoman or someone to 638 00:30:09,080 --> 00:30:12,760 Speaker 2: get elected, and I just remember going, I need to 639 00:30:12,760 --> 00:30:15,440 Speaker 2: find a way to make women rich. And the only 640 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:17,239 Speaker 2: way that I know how is if we can know 641 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:19,840 Speaker 2: who they are, we can have a community around them, 642 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:23,360 Speaker 2: and we can support them with education. And so I 643 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:25,560 Speaker 2: just remember thinking about this idea and I said to 644 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:26,640 Speaker 2: a woman on the team, I was like, what do 645 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:29,320 Speaker 2: you think about this idea? I was on the Council 646 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:32,880 Speaker 2: for Women and Girls with Melissa de Rosa and the governor, 647 00:30:33,240 --> 00:30:35,080 Speaker 2: and I was like, I'm going to bring this to 648 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:38,000 Speaker 2: the state and the state should have a state seal 649 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:41,960 Speaker 2: that recognizes women own businesses, and blah blah blah and 650 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:46,320 Speaker 2: the red tape and the calls and the just ad nauseum, 651 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:49,120 Speaker 2: and I remember, and I just reconnected with her today. 652 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:52,760 Speaker 2: A woman who was an executive director on the committee 653 00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:55,920 Speaker 2: was like, why are you asking the state's permission? Just 654 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:58,320 Speaker 2: do this yourself and I was like, fuck yeah, I'm 655 00:30:58,320 --> 00:31:00,880 Speaker 2: doing it for myself. When I took it into my 656 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:02,680 Speaker 2: hands and I said, this has to launch. The reason 657 00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:05,239 Speaker 2: why I wanted to start Female Founder Collective was I 658 00:31:05,280 --> 00:31:08,640 Speaker 2: wanted there to be some recognizable symbol where we as 659 00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:12,280 Speaker 2: females to support and know who is running the business. 660 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:14,360 Speaker 2: So I couldn't be more excited to be a part 661 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:17,480 Speaker 2: of the Female Founder Collective and really give women all 662 00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:21,000 Speaker 2: across America and hopefully the world, the opportunity to recognize 663 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:25,320 Speaker 2: female made, female supported, and female powered brands with and 664 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:28,440 Speaker 2: that A longtime supporter who was at IMG, Leslie Russo, 665 00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:30,560 Speaker 2: was like, I'm going to put everything behind this, so 666 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:33,560 Speaker 2: you get the photographer, the makeup, the hair, like, everything's covered. 667 00:31:34,520 --> 00:31:36,800 Speaker 2: We'll shoot it, we'll launch it with a panel at 668 00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:39,920 Speaker 2: fashion Week, and I had a website with like leave 669 00:31:39,960 --> 00:31:42,160 Speaker 2: your email here if you'd like our application, and that 670 00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:44,080 Speaker 2: was it. That was all we had was me and 671 00:31:44,120 --> 00:31:45,040 Speaker 2: my assistant at the time. 672 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:47,240 Speaker 3: So that's but I mean, that's so interesting that you 673 00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:49,880 Speaker 3: launched it within the context of an industry that you 674 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:51,520 Speaker 3: were actually trying to get out. 675 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:54,920 Speaker 2: Of, right, but I needed the eyeballs and the press 676 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:59,160 Speaker 2: and media around that thing I felt to get momentum. 677 00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:01,480 Speaker 3: So did you launch with a cohort or you just 678 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:02,360 Speaker 3: launched with an idea. 679 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:04,680 Speaker 2: I launched with an idea. Apply here, we'd send you 680 00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:07,640 Speaker 2: the form, we'd review it. If you passed, you were in. 681 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:10,440 Speaker 2: And then what you were in was like we were 682 00:32:10,440 --> 00:32:13,160 Speaker 2: making it up at the time. But there's members that 683 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:15,800 Speaker 2: are still around from that time, which is really nice. 684 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:16,640 Speaker 2: We're five years old. 685 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 3: So how did you start to feel like it was 686 00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:22,920 Speaker 3: becoming the hitting mass? So you had the community that 687 00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:24,120 Speaker 3: you wanted, so. 688 00:32:24,040 --> 00:32:25,920 Speaker 2: In the first i'd say two weeks, we hit three 689 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 2: thousand applications and I was like, oh shit, we have 690 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:31,800 Speaker 2: to do something with this now. So the first step was, okay, 691 00:32:31,840 --> 00:32:34,160 Speaker 2: here's this, you know, once we've approved and vetted you, 692 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:36,120 Speaker 2: here's the CEO so you can place on your website 693 00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:38,760 Speaker 2: or your products. That was kind of most important. And 694 00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:41,360 Speaker 2: then it was like, well, we need a day, like 695 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:44,560 Speaker 2: we need an event. And I was about three months 696 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:47,880 Speaker 2: in when I met my co founder and CEO, Ali Wyatt, 697 00:32:48,040 --> 00:32:49,640 Speaker 2: and she came on and she had been at girl 698 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:51,640 Speaker 2: Boss Ya. She was the CEO of girl Boston, so 699 00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:55,520 Speaker 2: she knew how to like structure this. So we started 700 00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:59,320 Speaker 2: planning Female Founder's Day, which ended up being in March 701 00:32:59,320 --> 00:33:02,000 Speaker 2: of twenty nineteen. So all of our focus went to, like, 702 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:05,120 Speaker 2: all right, community you're in and our first big kickoff 703 00:33:05,240 --> 00:33:06,360 Speaker 2: is going to be in March, and we're going to 704 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:08,280 Speaker 2: have a day where it's not a bunch of women 705 00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:11,120 Speaker 2: just talking on panels because you can get that from anyone, 706 00:33:11,160 --> 00:33:14,080 Speaker 2: but we're going to have vetted experts giving you ninety 707 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:17,360 Speaker 2: minute workshops on whatever topic is your pain point, and 708 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:19,160 Speaker 2: so we kind of have you know, we had our 709 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:21,680 Speaker 2: hero keynotes, and then the day was like, let's pick 710 00:33:21,680 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 2: your poison, and so after that then we said, okay, 711 00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:28,560 Speaker 2: our next event is this, and then we were able 712 00:33:28,640 --> 00:33:32,200 Speaker 2: to have enough kind of community events and then online 713 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:34,040 Speaker 2: events that that was kind of how we started. 714 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:37,680 Speaker 3: Rebecca spent most of her time building female Founder collective, 715 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:42,760 Speaker 3: letting her eponymous brand run without her until it couldn't 716 00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:43,520 Speaker 3: any longer. 717 00:33:45,520 --> 00:33:47,800 Speaker 2: Things within the business shifted. I got rid of the 718 00:33:48,480 --> 00:33:53,000 Speaker 2: two ladies. The business needed me really back, and so 719 00:33:53,320 --> 00:33:55,920 Speaker 2: I by that time, I had a CEO, co founder, 720 00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:58,080 Speaker 2: I had a head of operations, and so I was like, 721 00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:00,160 Speaker 2: all right, I'm going to be focusing my attention back 722 00:34:00,160 --> 00:34:02,560 Speaker 2: into my company again. I felt like it was at 723 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:05,840 Speaker 2: a space where when Ali and I came together, she 724 00:34:05,920 --> 00:34:08,080 Speaker 2: was like, I really want to be the CEO and 725 00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:10,319 Speaker 2: I really want to run this day to day, Like 726 00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:13,160 Speaker 2: what part do you want in it? Because it won't 727 00:34:13,200 --> 00:34:15,120 Speaker 2: work if we both want to do that. And I 728 00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:17,839 Speaker 2: was like, great, I want to help with high level 729 00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:22,360 Speaker 2: strategy goals, pull in big contacts, and like use my 730 00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:26,960 Speaker 2: network to really amplify this. But I don't want to 731 00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:30,520 Speaker 2: be in the day today of managing the daily task. 732 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:33,600 Speaker 2: I already have this other job. So I think for 733 00:34:33,640 --> 00:34:36,400 Speaker 2: me it worked out that I could then turn my 734 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:39,360 Speaker 2: attention back to Rebecca mink Off and still be involved, 735 00:34:39,400 --> 00:34:40,520 Speaker 2: but not on the nitty gritty. 736 00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:43,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, like putting the right team together in each place 737 00:34:44,239 --> 00:34:46,040 Speaker 3: for you to be at your best and highest use 738 00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:50,120 Speaker 3: in both correct. So, what was one point where at 739 00:34:50,120 --> 00:34:52,080 Speaker 3: the time you were like, Okay, this is really terrible. 740 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:54,440 Speaker 3: This is like a low point for me, and now 741 00:34:54,480 --> 00:34:57,360 Speaker 3: in retrospect you see it as having really set you 742 00:34:57,400 --> 00:34:58,719 Speaker 3: up for the success that you have now. 743 00:34:59,320 --> 00:35:02,040 Speaker 2: I think the low point was that day that I 744 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:05,760 Speaker 2: got back that she said that to me, and that 745 00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:09,319 Speaker 2: that person and her and let's say there was a 746 00:35:09,320 --> 00:35:12,960 Speaker 2: total of three were there for let's say nine months, 747 00:35:13,719 --> 00:35:16,520 Speaker 2: and feeling like I was a complete and total stranger 748 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:22,400 Speaker 2: in my own company with no power, And people say, 749 00:35:22,560 --> 00:35:24,239 Speaker 2: but this was your company, Like how did you have 750 00:35:24,280 --> 00:35:27,160 Speaker 2: no power? And I'm like, at a certain point, you 751 00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:30,279 Speaker 2: have a board, you have you know. My brother was 752 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:33,759 Speaker 2: aligned with them because he thought that they knew what 753 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:36,960 Speaker 2: they were doing, and so I would be like, well 754 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:39,080 Speaker 2: listen to me, you know, and like one day I 755 00:35:39,120 --> 00:35:41,239 Speaker 2: found out that the speak had changed. It was like 756 00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:44,200 Speaker 2: we're loving this, and I was like, no, the caption 757 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:47,680 Speaker 2: is from me to the customer, it's not we, and 758 00:35:47,719 --> 00:35:50,239 Speaker 2: they're like, well she said to change it. I'd be 759 00:35:50,239 --> 00:35:54,600 Speaker 2: like I'm erased. And that was the worst time in 760 00:35:54,600 --> 00:35:59,400 Speaker 2: my life. And what I have trouble rectifying is that 761 00:35:59,560 --> 00:36:04,399 Speaker 2: awful woman inspired things that bring me joy? How did 762 00:36:04,440 --> 00:36:08,560 Speaker 2: that awfulness from that? I got these two things, my 763 00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:11,759 Speaker 2: podcast and female Founder Collective, And so sometimes I'm like, 764 00:36:11,840 --> 00:36:15,000 Speaker 2: I hate you, but thank you. You know, it's a 765 00:36:15,120 --> 00:36:15,880 Speaker 2: very weird feeling. 766 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:18,799 Speaker 3: Yeah, No, I mean I think it's like the whole 767 00:36:18,800 --> 00:36:22,760 Speaker 3: premise of this entire show that like, at the time, 768 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:25,759 Speaker 3: you think, oh my god, it can't get any worse 769 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:27,680 Speaker 3: than this, And I feel like you kind of need 770 00:36:27,719 --> 00:36:30,239 Speaker 3: to get to like a real low in order for 771 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:33,440 Speaker 3: your perspective to shift, because just as human beings, we 772 00:36:33,560 --> 00:36:36,960 Speaker 3: just we don't change drastically without being forced to. Like 773 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:39,840 Speaker 3: it is not on our nature, yeah for sure, but 774 00:36:39,880 --> 00:36:42,560 Speaker 3: it does give birth something totally. Now, thank you so 775 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:44,719 Speaker 3: much for joining us. I really feel like this has 776 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:45,840 Speaker 3: gone by in one second. 777 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:47,080 Speaker 2: I could talk to you all day long, and thanks 778 00:36:47,120 --> 00:36:47,640 Speaker 2: for having me. 779 00:36:50,280 --> 00:36:53,480 Speaker 3: Rebecca continues to juggle it all as a mom of four, 780 00:36:54,120 --> 00:36:58,719 Speaker 3: running her Rebecca Minkoff label while continuing to prioritize empowering 781 00:36:58,760 --> 00:37:02,560 Speaker 3: women through the Female Founder Collective. If you're not already, 782 00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:06,800 Speaker 3: head over to her podcast Superwoman and subscribe. I'm biased, 783 00:37:06,800 --> 00:37:09,879 Speaker 3: but I think our episode together on Superwoman is one 784 00:37:09,920 --> 00:37:13,120 Speaker 3: of the best. Be sure to follow Rebecca on Instagram, 785 00:37:13,160 --> 00:37:21,000 Speaker 3: TikTok and Twitter at Rebecca Minkoff. Thanks for listening. Thanks 786 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:24,040 Speaker 3: for listening to this episode of she Pivots. If you 787 00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:26,879 Speaker 3: made it this far, you're a true pivoter, so thanks 788 00:37:26,920 --> 00:37:29,800 Speaker 3: for being part of this community. I hope you enjoyed 789 00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:32,200 Speaker 3: this episode, and if you did leave us a rating, 790 00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:35,399 Speaker 3: please be nice. Tell your friends about us. To learn 791 00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:38,200 Speaker 3: more about our guests, follow us on Instagram at she 792 00:37:38,360 --> 00:37:41,279 Speaker 3: Pivots the Podcast, or sign up for our newsletter where 793 00:37:41,280 --> 00:37:43,960 Speaker 3: you can get exclusive behind the scenes content, or on 794 00:37:44,000 --> 00:37:47,200 Speaker 3: our website she Pivots the Podcast Talk to You Next Week. 795 00:37:48,760 --> 00:37:52,560 Speaker 3: Special thanks to the she Pivots team, Executive producer Emily 796 00:37:52,719 --> 00:37:56,960 Speaker 3: eda Velosik, Associate producer and social media connoisseur Hannah Cousins, 797 00:37:57,360 --> 00:38:02,320 Speaker 3: research director Christine Dickinson, a ben Some Logistics coordinator Madeline Snovac, 798 00:38:02,640 --> 00:38:06,120 Speaker 3: and audio editor and mixer Nina pollock I. 799 00:38:06,360 --> 00:38:08,520 Speaker 2: Endorse cheap pivots,