1 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:07,200 Speaker 1: What is up, guys, Welcome back to Post Run High. 2 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:09,760 Speaker 1: Today we're sitting down with Rebecca Minkoff. You might know 3 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: her as the designer behind those effortlessly cool, slouchy leather bags, 4 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: which for me growing up, Rebecca's bags were the things 5 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:19,439 Speaker 1: you had to have. I vividly remember saving up my 6 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 1: money for one and how special it felt to finally 7 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:24,440 Speaker 1: get my first. One of my favorite things about this 8 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: podcast is getting to explore people's origin stories and learning 9 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:30,479 Speaker 1: how they got to where they are today through the 10 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:34,160 Speaker 1: power of movement, resilience, and never giving up. And Rebecca's 11 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: story is such a great example of that. From her 12 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:39,800 Speaker 1: early designs here in New York to leading a global brand, 13 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 1: Rebecca's story is about more than just fashion. It's about 14 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 1: staying true to yourself, lifting others up, and building something 15 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 1: meaningful that lasts. If you're working on a dream of 16 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 1: your own, or you just need a little inspiration today, 17 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: this episode's for you. And if you're enjoying Post Run High, 18 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: it would mean so much if you could leave us 19 00:00:57,080 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: a quick rating and review. 20 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 2: All right, let's get our post on hi going. 21 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 1: Rebecca Minkof, Welcome to Post Run High. I'm so excited. 22 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: I am so excited for you to be here. So 23 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: for a little bit of context, Rebecca and I went 24 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 1: for a walk, a fast walk. I'm not even sure when. 25 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 3: Yes, I can tell you when. It was probably in 26 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 3: September of last year, right before everything. 27 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: So normally we start this podcast after the activity, but 28 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:34,199 Speaker 1: this is a little bit of a delayed post run, 29 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: post walk. 30 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:35,320 Speaker 2: Hi, guys. 31 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 1: Ever since then, I've been dying to sit down with 32 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 1: you and just go way deeper on your story. 33 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 2: Let's do it. 34 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:43,960 Speaker 1: I want to start off with what movement means to 35 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 1: you and like how you stay active right now. And 36 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: I was listening to a podcast you did recently where 37 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 1: you said it was relatively recent that you started taking 38 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: your health back and getting into weightliftings. So maybe let's 39 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 1: talk a little bit about that journey. 40 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 3: Yes, So I think that during COVID I started running 41 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 3: serious manner, and it was at the time like my 42 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 3: only way to get away from the kids and the 43 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 3: full timeness of work, chaos and family and miles, like 44 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:11,519 Speaker 3: two miles a day, That's what I'm gonna do every day, 45 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 3: two miles, two miles, miles. And then after I had 46 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 3: my last baby, like running for me was extraordinarily painful. 47 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 3: I had a lot of pelvic floor issues and my 48 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 3: knee was killing me, and I was like, I gotta 49 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 3: do something else. And I was also unable to lose 50 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 3: the last ten pounds of the baby weight no matter 51 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 3: what I did. I was watching what I was eating, 52 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 3: and I was still running, and I was just kind 53 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 3: of doing a scroll of my own photos and I 54 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:37,359 Speaker 3: was like, when did I look and feel my best? 55 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 3: And I went back far enough that after my second baby, 56 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:42,680 Speaker 3: I was weightlifting a lot, not even a lot. I 57 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 3: was doing it two days a week, and I was like, 58 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 3: fuck it, I'm investing in a trainer and I'm going 59 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 3: to get I got to attack it this way. So 60 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 3: January of last year, twenty twenty four, I started working 61 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 3: with an incredible trainer two days a week and then 62 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 3: doing the exercises he gave me for the remaining four 63 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 3: days a week. And I just said, an hour day 64 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 3: is what I'm gonna do for myself. I'm also going 65 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 3: to get my hormones tested, and I'm just going to 66 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 3: go back to just taking care of me first as 67 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:15,079 Speaker 3: a priority and see if anything changes. And everything changed 68 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 3: after that, and so now you know, I can't really 69 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 3: run anymore. I can run for like, I don't know, 70 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 3: probably a mile before my knee starts hurting. So for me, 71 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 3: this is my new outlet, and I love it. 72 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 2: It's nice hearing that. 73 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 1: I love knowing that you got back into fitness too, 74 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:32,639 Speaker 1: Like after having a baby, you have how many kids 75 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:32,920 Speaker 1: do you have? 76 00:03:32,919 --> 00:03:34,519 Speaker 2: Four kids? 77 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 1: Okay, so you got to have a little bit of 78 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: an escape, and I feel that so much. So with running, 79 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 1: I feel like I mean, obviously I run all the 80 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 1: time for the show and personally, but it wasn't until 81 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 1: I also started incorporating like weightlifting and sculpt classes and 82 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 1: caring more about what I was putting into my body 83 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 1: that I started seeing the results that I wanted. 84 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 2: So I love knowing that about you. 85 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:59,839 Speaker 1: This podcast is all about movement, both in life most 86 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 1: physically mentally, and you are such a good example of 87 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: somebody that has just kept going and created something so 88 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 1: big and so much bigger than yourself even well, thank you. 89 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: I want to start at the beginning, Hey tell us 90 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 1: a little bit about what Rebecca was like as a 91 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:17,359 Speaker 1: kid and where you grew up. 92 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 2: So I grew up in San Diego. 93 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 3: I was a kid that from the beginning when I saw, like, 94 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 3: my mom used to sell this is weird, but she 95 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 3: used to sell cast covers made by this triathlete. I 96 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:32,160 Speaker 3: don't know why he ventured into cast covers, but he 97 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:34,159 Speaker 3: thought it'd be cool to cover them with like stretchy fabric. 98 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:36,719 Speaker 3: So she would sell those at the San Diego flea market. 99 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 3: And when I saw that she had a stand there, 100 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 3: I was like, I want to sell something too, and 101 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 3: so we kind of had a rule in my house, 102 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 3: like she would never buy me the actual item, but 103 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:46,480 Speaker 3: she would buy me the supplies. 104 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 2: So she bought me the supplies. 105 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:51,159 Speaker 3: To make my own jewelry and my own puffy paint 106 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 3: are like sweatshirts. And I would set up next to her 107 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:56,719 Speaker 3: on a card table at the flea market and sell. 108 00:04:56,760 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 3: And I sold nothing but the lead up. Every wek 109 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 3: to like what I was going to make, and all 110 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 3: that was so fun and exciting that I think that's 111 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 3: when I've got my first taste of creation and the 112 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:11,119 Speaker 3: joy that can bring. And then from there, I wanted 113 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 3: a dress. She refused to buy it from me. She's like, 114 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 3: but I'll teach you how to sew. And then I 115 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 3: loved the idea that I could create, you. 116 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 2: Know, a garment for my imagination. 117 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:24,720 Speaker 3: So kind of followed that, became very serious about the craft. 118 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 3: Had a teacher that would that was like, oh, a 119 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:30,479 Speaker 3: designer from New York. She wasn't really a designer, she 120 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:33,640 Speaker 3: was a but she knew how to sew, she knew 121 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 3: how to teach me sketching and all this stuff, and 122 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 3: I just became obsessed with it. And as a gangly, unconfident, nerdy, 123 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 3: awkward teenager slash youth, to be able to take matters 124 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 3: into my own hands and make my clothing fit me 125 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 3: gave me a huge source of confidence. And so that 126 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 3: was something that I was like. 127 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 2: I love this. It fuels me with joy. 128 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:56,599 Speaker 3: I was also a dancer, so I was kind of 129 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 3: parallel pathing both, and then in high school I had 130 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:05,040 Speaker 3: to sort of make this decision that was not forced 131 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,599 Speaker 3: upon me, but the dance teachers were constantly like, you're 132 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 3: too tall, your boobs are too big, you throw off 133 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 3: the symmetry. Go be in the costume department. And I 134 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:15,599 Speaker 3: was like, Okay, I guess that's where I'm going to live. 135 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 3: And that unfortunate situation turned into something that really then 136 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 3: I became serious about design. 137 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 1: And you went to a performing arts high school, right, yes, 138 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 1: So I love knowing that your parents really fostered this 139 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:30,279 Speaker 1: creativity in you from a young age. 140 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 2: Like, it's so cool having. 141 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 1: Supportive parents that see something in you in that way 142 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:38,159 Speaker 1: and they're like, let's like let Rebecca do this full force. 143 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:39,480 Speaker 2: Yeah. When do you feel like you. 144 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:42,919 Speaker 1: Started really finding your style and figuring out what fashion 145 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 1: meant to you? 146 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 3: Ooh, I think that's never. I don't know that there's 147 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 3: one moment where you find it. I think you're just 148 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 3: always evolving and if you look back, you always think 149 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:55,719 Speaker 3: you found it and then you're like, oh my god, 150 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 3: that's so crnch. 151 00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 1: Like do you feel like, but could you look back 152 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 1: at a pick sure of yourself from high school and 153 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 1: say like, oh, that's a Rebeccament cough outfit. 154 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:07,479 Speaker 3: Oh my gosh, so my prom I made this red 155 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 3: shift dress very I would say if I was comparing 156 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 3: it to a brand now like Totem or Kite, just yeah, 157 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 3: it was like a bright red shift dress, but like 158 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 3: modern kind of like sleek Calvin Klin lines, and I 159 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 3: would say that that's necessarily my brand. But it was 160 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 3: edgy for a prom dress because it was just simple 161 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 3: and bright and not like a puffy like. I don't know, 162 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 3: so maybe then. 163 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:40,559 Speaker 1: At eighteen, you ended up moving to New York City. 164 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 1: From our conversation on the run at slash Walk, you 165 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 1: had said that you enrolled for a semester at FIT. Yeah, 166 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: but did you initially move to New York City thinking 167 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 1: you would do that or did that enrollment come after moving? 168 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 3: That enrollment came after moving. I was already working for 169 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:00,559 Speaker 3: this designer. I was a paid intern, and my parents 170 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:03,040 Speaker 3: were very untraditional. They were like, if you want to 171 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 3: go to college grade you can pay for it. If 172 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 3: you don't, you can start working. Like either way, we're 173 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 3: not helping you, but you can do your thing. But 174 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 3: my aunt was very traditional, and she was like, if 175 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 3: you don't go to college like you will have, you're 176 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 3: going to be homeless, essentially, like no one's going to 177 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 3: hire you and you'll never anmount to anything. And she 178 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 3: was living here, and she was in my head enough 179 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 3: that I was like, Okay, like I guess I'll try 180 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 3: it and see what happens. And so that's what sort 181 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 3: of got me started, Okay, I need to enroll in 182 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 3: college because otherwise I'll be homeless and that's. 183 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 1: Hard when you have somebody that like is living in 184 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 1: New York, is in New York, or telling you that 185 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 1: You're like, well, my parents are telling me that I 186 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 1: should pursue what I want to pursue, but you're telling 187 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: me this, like that must have been hard. 188 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:46,080 Speaker 2: It was hard. 189 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:49,319 Speaker 3: Luckily I didn't feel like thank god she was my aunt, 190 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 3: and I was like, I can listen to her, but 191 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:52,560 Speaker 3: she's not the boss of me, like if it was 192 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 3: my parents. And I enrolled and it was great, but 193 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 3: I was sitting around like I learned this already. I 194 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 3: spent four years at a performing arts high school where 195 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:03,680 Speaker 3: three hours of my day every day was learning the 196 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:07,200 Speaker 3: craft of sewing and draping and pattern making. And so 197 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 3: in your first semester at a school, like you're still 198 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 3: learning the basics. And I was like, oh my gosh, 199 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:13,760 Speaker 3: like can we skip ahead? 200 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:14,439 Speaker 2: And we couldn't. 201 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 3: So I was like, you know what, I'm going to 202 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:19,480 Speaker 3: go back to work, like I can't handle night classes 203 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 3: and working. Let's just focus on what I came here for. 204 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 3: And so I said, I'm out. 205 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:26,840 Speaker 1: It's so interesting knowing that in high school they taught 206 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:29,720 Speaker 1: you those things, because when I was in high school. 207 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: I went to just my public high school, but I 208 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 1: would take classes at a FI for fashion design and 209 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 1: like visual merchandising, and we started learning some of those basics. 210 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:40,439 Speaker 1: But I always was like, oh, like you go to 211 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 1: college to learn kind of the rest of it and 212 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:45,680 Speaker 1: like the real foundational skills. But it is so interesting 213 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:47,840 Speaker 1: knowing that you basically moved to New York City already 214 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:49,120 Speaker 1: having known all of that. 215 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I could have definitely used a business 216 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 3: class or like a math class, like fashion math class. 217 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 2: That would have been really helpful. 218 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 1: You went from cool designer to literally like a business woman, 219 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 1: you know, and that is a big shift in a 220 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 1: big up. In two thousand and one, you launched your 221 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 1: first own piece, yes that I Love New York T shirt. 222 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 2: So it was part of a five piece collection. 223 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 3: My big show, which I just found pictures of, was 224 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:38,319 Speaker 3: September tenth, two thousand and one. That was like, yeah, 225 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:40,679 Speaker 3: it was a group show. I was like, this is it. 226 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:42,840 Speaker 3: I'm going to make it. Everyone's going to see my 227 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 3: five piece collection, and you know, I'm going to be 228 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:49,199 Speaker 3: the hottest designer in New York City. Not that anyone 229 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 3: was there at the show and attendance to make those decisions. 230 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:54,199 Speaker 2: So I didn't have a business plan. 231 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 3: I was like, I think at the time it was 232 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 3: have a fashion show and then buyers come and then 233 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 3: you know, that was kind of the format. So I 234 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:04,439 Speaker 3: had a look book that I was going to be 235 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:07,840 Speaker 3: sending out to everybody to different stores around the city, 236 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:11,840 Speaker 3: and I think that was step one, like get an account, 237 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 3: get a store. And then September eleventh, the next morning, 238 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 3: happened and so that really changed everything in a way 239 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 3: that obviously no one could imagine. But I was like, Okay, 240 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:25,440 Speaker 3: I'm not starting a brand today, you know, And so 241 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:29,079 Speaker 3: it became really about immediately what can I do to 242 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 3: support the city. And I was like, I'm going down 243 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 3: to Saint Vincent's, like that's where they're bringing people, Like, 244 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:37,840 Speaker 3: let's see what we can do to help and support 245 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 3: and so that's where I sort of stationed myself until 246 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:45,440 Speaker 3: and I eventually was down at the site helping first responders. 247 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:47,720 Speaker 3: And so for two weeks that's all I did, is 248 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 3: I was going down there. Eventually they got officialized and 249 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:53,160 Speaker 3: you couldn't go down there, But up until that point, 250 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 3: we were getting water supply is you know, food for 251 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:59,959 Speaker 3: the like anything to help the first responders like rest, recover, 252 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 3: and go back, and so I didn't even think about 253 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:04,400 Speaker 3: business at that time. I was just like, the city's 254 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:08,640 Speaker 3: been through something so traumatic, and that's all I wanted 255 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 3: to do was help. And then my boss was like, 256 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 3: if you want to have a job here, you need 257 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 3: to come back to work. And I was like, okay, okay, 258 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 3: I'll go back to work. And at that moment for me, 259 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:21,720 Speaker 3: it had changed. I was like no longer interested in 260 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 3: that in the way that I was before. And I 261 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 3: think she could see that. And then coincidentally, long story, 262 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 3: I had already been seeding the collection out and so 263 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:36,840 Speaker 3: I sent it to an actress on September probably I 264 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 3: shifted her on the ninth, and she wore it about 265 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:41,920 Speaker 3: three weeks later on Jay Leno the I Love New 266 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 3: York shirt, and then that's what kind of broke everything open. 267 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, And I think something really interesting about the I 268 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 1: Love New York shirt from knowing that nine to eleven experience, 269 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 1: Like I didn't realize that was such a big part 270 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: of your launch, like around that, because it makes me 271 00:12:56,920 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 1: think a little bit about during COVID there was a 272 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 1: brand that went crazy New Yorker nowhere yeah, and I 273 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 1: feel like there's some synergies here in terms of like 274 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 1: the emotion that your I Love New York shirt probably 275 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:10,400 Speaker 1: evoked for people, right when something so traumatic happens. And 276 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: you know, I was very young when nine to eleven happened, 277 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:14,680 Speaker 1: but my dad was working in the city in finance. 278 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 1: I don't have early memories of it, but it was 279 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:19,560 Speaker 1: very traumatic for our small town that was, you know, 280 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 1: on a train line into the city. A lot of 281 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: dads passed away, and people men and women that worked 282 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 1: that lived in our town. So but I would imagine 283 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:30,760 Speaker 1: that when you launched this I Love New York shirt, 284 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:33,720 Speaker 1: people were probably so excited to wear something that represented 285 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:34,320 Speaker 1: their city. 286 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:34,960 Speaker 2: Yeah. 287 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:38,000 Speaker 3: No, I mean that's that's what fueled it is it 288 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 3: became the you know again pre social media, pray anything, like, 289 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 3: the magazines were running that shirt over and over again, 290 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 3: and so people were like, you know, what can I do? 291 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:50,439 Speaker 3: I can wear that shirt. You know, the proceeds are 292 00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:53,200 Speaker 3: going to the Red Cross. Let me support the city. 293 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:55,840 Speaker 3: And it was crazy. It's all I did. I would 294 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:58,840 Speaker 3: bike down to Canal Street, I would go buy at 295 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:02,040 Speaker 3: retail a batch these shirts. I'd go home, tie them up, 296 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:05,400 Speaker 3: do my thing be dazzle them sell them for I 297 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:07,480 Speaker 3: don't know, ten or fifteen bucks more than I bought 298 00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:09,680 Speaker 3: them for, like really poor business planning, because I was 299 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 3: not that was not sustainable. And then I'd bike down 300 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:16,240 Speaker 3: to the one nascent e commerce site that was carrying 301 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 3: it called Raven Style, and she would sell it. And 302 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 3: then that was my first, you know, e commerce site. 303 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 3: And then she was like, all right, can we add 304 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 3: to the collection now? And I was like, oh yeah, 305 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 3: we can do this top and this one and so 306 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 3: that's that was kind of the true beginnings of the brand. 307 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 1: You must have been buying a ton of I Love 308 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 1: New York shirt's, like literally maybe buying out some of 309 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 1: these shops on Canal Street. Right. So after Jenna Elfman 310 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 1: wears it on the Late Night Show, I'm sure the 311 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 1: order started pouring in, Like how were you guys able 312 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 1: to keep up with all the orders? 313 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:49,920 Speaker 3: She would just call me every day, Jill from Raven Style, 314 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 3: and she'd be like, we got ten more, we got 315 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 3: fifteen more, like keep it up. And I didn't have 316 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 3: funding or source of this, and clearly with my terrible 317 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:00,560 Speaker 3: business math, you know, the ten to fIF fifteen bucks 318 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 3: more wasn't sustainable, and so I literally said to Jail, 319 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 3: I was like, I need an advance, like if you're 320 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:06,600 Speaker 3: if the orders are going to be this way, like 321 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 3: give me some money to like go buy the shirts. 322 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 3: And she did, which was really generous of her, and 323 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:13,040 Speaker 3: she didn't have to do that. And so with her 324 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 3: one hundred and fifty dollars check, I would go negotiate 325 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:18,560 Speaker 3: then a little bit with the vendor. My favorite vendor 326 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:20,480 Speaker 3: who had the best quality was on the corner of 327 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 3: Canal and Green, which is now a fancy store, but 328 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 3: that's where he would be, and like every other day, 329 00:15:25,160 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 3: I'd go buy shirts. And that's all I did for 330 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 3: about nine months was make those shirts. 331 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:32,640 Speaker 1: I think it's amazing knowing that it all started with 332 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 1: by really being like a non for profit, like donating 333 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: the proceeds to the Red Cross. 334 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 2: Minus my rent, yes, minus Ramen. Right there you go. 335 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 1: That's fine, though she's allowed to eat and sleep. Guys, 336 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:45,040 Speaker 1: you were hustling. 337 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:48,480 Speaker 3: And when I tell you, like I lived in what 338 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 3: was a closet, Like it was an apartment, but the 339 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 3: room that I had was a closet and it was 340 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:56,800 Speaker 3: a mattress on crates so that I could have some 341 00:15:56,840 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 3: storage underneath. It was by no means glamorous living. 342 00:15:59,640 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 2: I did. 343 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 1: I want to ask you, like what your life was 344 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 1: like when you were living in the city, like trying 345 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 1: to make it work, scrappy. 346 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:09,640 Speaker 3: But I remember sitting outside on the fire escape of 347 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 3: this closet slash apartment and I was like, I've made it. 348 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 3: Like no part of me was like, oh I have 349 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 3: a shitty room and oh my gosh, like I can't 350 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 3: eat and I can't go out to eat, Like not 351 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 3: that I can't eat, but I can't go out. I 352 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:27,080 Speaker 3: was just like this is fucking exciting. Like I was 353 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 3: fueled by it. You know, those early years where you're 354 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:32,280 Speaker 3: just like, oh my god, I'm making something, people are 355 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 3: buying it, and I get to live in New York City, 356 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 3: Like how awesome is this? 357 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 1: Fireworks were probably going off inside of you because, like 358 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 1: without really knowing it, like at the time, your career 359 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:42,880 Speaker 1: was taking off, so the universe. 360 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:45,160 Speaker 2: Was likeoo, like it's coming, you know, yeah, but oh 361 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 2: my god. 362 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 3: Yeah. 363 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:48,200 Speaker 1: I remember those years of not being able to go 364 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 1: out or like being out to dinner with my friends 365 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:52,400 Speaker 1: in my early twenties and being like I'm just getting 366 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: a drink, like I'm not going to participate in the dinner. 367 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 3: I would have to do that all the time. Or 368 00:16:56,840 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 3: when everyone's like let's plit the check, I'm like, I 369 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 3: just had a salad. I actually just had a soda. 370 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:04,040 Speaker 3: And then I remember that. Like people are like, what 371 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 3: success mean to you, and I'm like, in the early day, 372 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:08,000 Speaker 3: success meant that I didn't have to do that anymore. 373 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:11,639 Speaker 1: Yes, I literally just got chills because same success to 374 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:13,920 Speaker 1: me was literally being able to put my credit card 375 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:15,840 Speaker 1: down with a group of my friends and being like, 376 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:16,400 Speaker 1: let's all. 377 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:16,880 Speaker 2: Split the bill. 378 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:20,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, Like that is such a transformation that I feel 379 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:22,359 Speaker 1: like isn't talked about enough, but it is such a 380 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 1: thing and it's hard to make it in New York City, 381 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: but the people that do it's just so impressive. And 382 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:30,200 Speaker 1: I know your brother was a big part of Rebecca 383 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 1: Bit Coffee, was your co founder. At what point did 384 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:37,600 Speaker 1: he come on? Did it take some convincing? Also, Like 385 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 1: I have two brothers and one of them loves being 386 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:41,679 Speaker 1: involved in what I do. The other one isn't going 387 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:43,199 Speaker 1: to touch it with a ten football. Yeah you know, 388 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:44,120 Speaker 1: so like what was that. 389 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 2: Like for you? 390 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:46,440 Speaker 3: So I very much have the same thing. One brother 391 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:48,639 Speaker 3: is completely and never been a part of the business 392 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:50,760 Speaker 3: and just likes to clap and cheer me on. 393 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:53,439 Speaker 2: I was four years into the business. 394 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:56,640 Speaker 3: It was twenty twenty five, sorry, two thousand and five, yes, 395 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:00,520 Speaker 3: two thousand and five, and I had the clothing line. 396 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 3: That's all I was pursuing. I had just decided, let me, 397 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 3: let me do one bag. Jenna came back to me 398 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:07,600 Speaker 3: and she said, I'm going to be in this film. 399 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 3: Do you make bags? And I lied to her and 400 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 3: I said, yes, I do. And I had two weeks 401 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 3: to make a bag. Long again, I feel like sometimes 402 00:18:16,119 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 3: I'm trying to shorten these stories up, but no, keep 403 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:18,480 Speaker 3: it lng. 404 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:19,160 Speaker 2: Okay, okay. 405 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:23,159 Speaker 3: So I did the bag, FedEx didn't deliver it on 406 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:25,359 Speaker 3: time to set. It did not make it into the movie. 407 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:29,199 Speaker 3: I was devastated. I was not making money in my 408 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 3: clothing business. I was going into debt on a credit 409 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:35,240 Speaker 3: card and I was about sixty thousand dollars in debt 410 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:36,760 Speaker 3: and I didn't know how I was going to pay it. 411 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:38,359 Speaker 3: And if anyone's like, how did she get a credit 412 00:18:38,359 --> 00:18:40,400 Speaker 3: card that let her go sixty thousand dollars in debt 413 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:43,879 Speaker 3: by no means? Was my dad willing to pay for 414 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:46,800 Speaker 3: the credit card, but he had co signed it, so 415 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:48,520 Speaker 3: he was like, I'm not sure how you're going to 416 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 3: get out of this one. Like I put my name 417 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:51,879 Speaker 3: on this big mistake of mine, but like you're on 418 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 3: the hook for the money. So it was a very 419 00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:57,719 Speaker 3: stressful time because now I was out eighteen hundred dollars. 420 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 3: I was basically like the last of the credit line. 421 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 3: And then the bag didn't make the movie. So I 422 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:06,919 Speaker 3: was like, cool, cool, I guess I have a bag. 423 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 3: Now I'm going to start wearing it and I'll just 424 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 3: not I guess I'll go back to clothing. And enough 425 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:14,359 Speaker 3: women stopped me on the street that they were like, 426 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:16,240 Speaker 3: who's the bag? Where can I get the bag? Oh 427 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:17,560 Speaker 3: my god, I love it? And I was like, okay, 428 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 3: there's something to do this. So I said to my 429 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:22,119 Speaker 3: friend a Laria, she was the buyer for a really 430 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:25,520 Speaker 3: hot store in la I said, what do you think 431 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:25,960 Speaker 3: of this bag? 432 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:27,040 Speaker 2: She's like, I'm obsessed with it. 433 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:29,399 Speaker 3: I'm buying it for the store, and I'm going to 434 00:19:29,400 --> 00:19:31,640 Speaker 3: connect you to this woman named Crystal who's the writer 435 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:34,080 Speaker 3: for Daily Candy. And Daily Candy at the time was 436 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 3: like the newest, hottest, latest thing in your inbox. You 437 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 3: looked forward to getting an email from them every day 438 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:45,360 Speaker 3: and whatever they wrote about went viral, and so that happened, 439 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 3: and when that happened, it was like explosive, like with 440 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 3: inbound orders and growth and requests. 441 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:54,880 Speaker 2: And that's when I said to my dad. I was like, Okay, 442 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:55,639 Speaker 2: I'm not a loser. 443 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:59,720 Speaker 3: Finally, after four years of struggling, like, there's wind at 444 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 3: my ste and can you loan me some money because 445 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 3: now I really need it and the credit card is done? 446 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 3: And he was like, no, call your brother. And that 447 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 3: was the beginning of that relationship. And so my brother 448 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:13,640 Speaker 3: asked me a lot of business questions that I didn't 449 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,479 Speaker 3: know half the answers to, and then he's like, all right, 450 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 3: I'll help you. And then he loaned me the first 451 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:21,480 Speaker 3: twenty five hundred dollars to like make the first, you know. 452 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 2: Or second production order. 453 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 3: And when he could see the numbers going like okay, 454 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:28,400 Speaker 3: I'm back for more. Here's your check, I'm back for more, 455 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:31,359 Speaker 3: He's like, oh, this thing is actually on fire, and 456 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:33,720 Speaker 3: he felt like he had the business acumen to sort 457 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:34,719 Speaker 3: of help steer it. 458 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:37,240 Speaker 1: When I hear things that like connect with me I'm like, oh, 459 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:39,360 Speaker 1: you know, it's like light's a spark. Was your dad 460 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 1: saying to you, nobody's going to help you with this 461 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 1: sixty thousand dollars credit card bill except yourself, Like you 462 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:47,879 Speaker 1: need in order to make it, you need people like 463 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:49,720 Speaker 1: that in your life that are going to say that 464 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:52,920 Speaker 1: to you, like this is your thing to dig yourself 465 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: out of, and you can do it. When I started 466 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:57,080 Speaker 1: my running interview show, I was literally buying people sneakers 467 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:59,879 Speaker 1: off the streets of New York, and I racked up 468 00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 1: my credit card bill buying people sneakers. But I just 469 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:04,520 Speaker 1: knew in my gut that like we were doing something 470 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:08,160 Speaker 1: and having these conversations was so much more than just running. 471 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:10,600 Speaker 1: We were having conversations that moved people and like were 472 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 1: moving me. So I was like, it's gonna work. It's 473 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:13,719 Speaker 1: all gonna work out. I'm gonna pay it off. And 474 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:16,560 Speaker 1: we ended up partnering with brands like New Balance and 475 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:19,800 Speaker 1: Adidas who would fulfill those orders for us. But it 476 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 1: was by taking that risk and then having to have 477 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:26,040 Speaker 1: that hustle to make it happen after I took that 478 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:27,760 Speaker 1: risk that made it happen. 479 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:29,600 Speaker 2: So it's cool knowing that you have that experience too. 480 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:30,200 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh. 481 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:32,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, And that waited over me for a long time, 482 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:36,080 Speaker 3: that like, oh my gosh, this is the most amount 483 00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:38,560 Speaker 3: of money like in the world, and I don't know how, 484 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 3: I don't know what the solution is going to be 485 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:40,880 Speaker 3: to pay it off. 486 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:43,160 Speaker 1: I mean, sixty thousand dollars for a twenty one year old. 487 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:45,440 Speaker 1: That's like literally being like I'm buying a drink at 488 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:48,360 Speaker 1: dinner and not getting the whole meal. It's a crazy 489 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:51,160 Speaker 1: amount of money to fathom, Yes, but it's amazing knowing 490 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:53,000 Speaker 1: that money made it work. You made it work, and 491 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 1: I know a big part of your business early on, 492 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:57,960 Speaker 1: I loved hearing about how you would hustle to get 493 00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:01,080 Speaker 1: the bag on celebrities, right, Oh, yes, And I saw 494 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 1: that in two thousand and five. I think it was 495 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 1: Lindsay Lohan Warrior Morning after Bag. Yes, is that when 496 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 1: the bags really took like on a new life. 497 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:11,640 Speaker 2: I think it was her. 498 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:15,480 Speaker 3: It was the whole rise of reality TV was just beginning, 499 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 3: so Kristin Cavaleri, Lauren Conrad, and then there was a 500 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:22,520 Speaker 3: slew of other celebrities like Reese Witherspoon and Jessica Alba. 501 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 3: So this combination of like these aless celebrities, these burgeoning 502 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:29,840 Speaker 3: reality TV stars just propelled the bag in this like 503 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:32,560 Speaker 3: it girl bag, Like you go to New York. This 504 00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:36,480 Speaker 3: bag is the symbol of I've made it, and that's 505 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:38,200 Speaker 3: making it on many different. 506 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:39,920 Speaker 2: Levels, your first job, your first raise. 507 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:42,040 Speaker 3: It's not like making it like you know, now I 508 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:44,000 Speaker 3: can pay my sixty thousand dollars off making it. 509 00:22:44,119 --> 00:22:45,960 Speaker 1: On that note, I loved that you said it girl, 510 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 1: because there's literally no better it girl in my mind 511 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 1: than the early two thousands it girls. So like, first, 512 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: let's talk about who the Rebecca Binkoff girl was at 513 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 1: that time, Like who was wearing your bag? Yeah, and 514 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 1: I know that can be like a multi facet answer, 515 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:02,920 Speaker 1: and then I want to talk about it girls. 516 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 2: Who was wearing the bag. 517 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:05,920 Speaker 3: So the bags at that time two thousand and five, 518 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 3: two and six were sold in the like the best 519 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 3: boutiques in New York City. I mean, we're really going 520 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:13,280 Speaker 3: back in time here. But whether it was Seerle or 521 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 3: Big Drop or Stine, there were just some great boutiques. 522 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 3: Like that was its time to shine sex and the 523 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 3: city was like the big TV show. So like women 524 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:29,040 Speaker 3: were reclaiming like this confidence and you know, having an 525 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:31,040 Speaker 3: all nighter and sleeping with a guy and doing that 526 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:33,720 Speaker 3: waka shame. But it wasn't a Wauca shame. It was like, yeah, girl, 527 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:36,199 Speaker 3: I got laid last night or whatever it is. And 528 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:39,520 Speaker 3: so the bag was part of that zeitgeist. And so 529 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:42,640 Speaker 3: women wearing the bag were like the ones I mentioned, 530 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 3: and then there were just taste makers wearing it, editors. 531 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:49,520 Speaker 3: You know, there was just this cool woman who was 532 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:53,680 Speaker 3: really confident and powerful. But she wasn't buying the bag 533 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:56,720 Speaker 3: because it like showed everyone how much she spent on it, 534 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:00,440 Speaker 3: you know, or because she could flaunt like how much 535 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,080 Speaker 3: money she had. She was really buying it because it 536 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 3: was timeless. It was something that like showcase and celebrated 537 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:10,719 Speaker 3: her style but wasn't about a logo. And I think 538 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:14,000 Speaker 3: that that was also a kind of a new thing 539 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:15,640 Speaker 3: that was happening within fashion. 540 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:19,760 Speaker 1: Absolutely, it's so interesting thinking about how fashion and culture 541 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:22,200 Speaker 1: really go hand in hand with each other. And it's 542 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 1: cool to know, like how in tune you. 543 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:24,480 Speaker 2: Were with that. 544 00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:27,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, how did the it girls of the early two 545 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 1: thousands compare and differ from the girls of today. 546 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:35,199 Speaker 3: I would say that because there was no social media 547 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:39,000 Speaker 3: the it girls were all sort of agreed upon by everybody, 548 00:24:39,080 --> 00:24:42,400 Speaker 3: like we all knew it was Kate Moss, Cianna Miller, Parasonicole, 549 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:46,879 Speaker 3: Lindsay Lohan, let's just say the let's just say that 550 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 3: was a crew. But because the magazines and that was it, 551 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:54,919 Speaker 3: magazines and websites were like, this is who it is. 552 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:59,320 Speaker 3: Everyone was like, oh, that's who it is. Now you 553 00:24:59,359 --> 00:25:01,320 Speaker 3: could have your own set of IT girls, and I 554 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:04,520 Speaker 3: could have my own set and they're completely different. You know, 555 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 3: I still am shocked to discover someone who I've never 556 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:09,040 Speaker 3: heard about, never seen, and I'm like, oh, four point 557 00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:11,840 Speaker 3: five million followers, who the fuck are you? 558 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 2: You know? 559 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:15,199 Speaker 3: But but but they're an IT girl to whoever is 560 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:17,520 Speaker 3: following them. And so now it's like everyone has their 561 00:25:17,520 --> 00:25:20,360 Speaker 3: own version of who that is, and so it's very 562 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:23,720 Speaker 3: spread out. And then and then there's obviously like the 563 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:25,359 Speaker 3: Haley Bebers, like she's Everyone's a. 564 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:27,199 Speaker 1: Girl and she would have been an IT girl, I'm 565 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:28,639 Speaker 1: sure in the early two thousands. It is. 566 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:32,720 Speaker 3: So it's like a pyramid I guess now, you know, 567 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:35,840 Speaker 3: yea with the ones we all know. And then and 568 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 3: then there's like all these little microcosms on the Internet 569 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:40,200 Speaker 3: that's why the Internet is so wild because they're Yeah, 570 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:43,400 Speaker 3: there's so many different there's so many different aesthetics too 571 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:45,959 Speaker 3: that you're right, like have their own people. And when 572 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:47,680 Speaker 3: I think of like Y two ka girls, I literally 573 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:50,080 Speaker 3: think of like the old fashioned tabloids and crop chops, 574 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:52,360 Speaker 3: like the low rice jeans, and like the shiny glasses. 575 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:53,520 Speaker 2: Oh my god, so much that. 576 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:56,520 Speaker 3: What's funny is my daughter, she's ten, and so she 577 00:25:56,560 --> 00:25:59,719 Speaker 3: didn't grow up with these magazines, but when she sees them, 578 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:02,000 Speaker 3: she's like, oh my god, mom, it's like Instagram but 579 00:26:02,119 --> 00:26:05,160 Speaker 3: like a book. And I'm like, that's so crazy that 580 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:08,200 Speaker 3: that's your you have the complete warped idea, But yes, 581 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:26,600 Speaker 3: it is Instagram and a book form. 582 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:29,480 Speaker 1: You know, obviously Rebecca Minkoff took off in the early 583 00:26:29,520 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 1: two thousands, but you have stood the test of time. 584 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:35,560 Speaker 1: How do you go from being a cool girl brand 585 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:37,560 Speaker 1: to really building a brand that. 586 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 2: Lasts reinvention, risk taking? 587 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:46,400 Speaker 3: And your podcast is all about movement. You can never 588 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:49,840 Speaker 3: stop moving and innovating and changing, and that can also 589 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:50,679 Speaker 3: be exhausting. 590 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:51,239 Speaker 2: You know. 591 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:54,680 Speaker 3: I think I talk about Madonna like she constantly reinvented 592 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 3: herself to keep her music and her style fresh, and 593 00:26:57,560 --> 00:27:00,320 Speaker 3: I think that while are aesthetic, we want to remain 594 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:02,760 Speaker 3: the same. So like the brand promise is always the 595 00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:05,680 Speaker 3: same to a woman, you have to find new ways 596 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:09,480 Speaker 3: to engage her and storytell and keep it fresh because 597 00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:11,719 Speaker 3: someone can be like, oh, I used to have you, 598 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:13,960 Speaker 3: and you're like, well look at me now, I'm coming 599 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:15,840 Speaker 3: back to you in this way and this way. So 600 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:20,280 Speaker 3: it's a lot to keep the same conversation going for 601 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:24,240 Speaker 3: twenty years, And I think it's it's constantly and then 602 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:26,280 Speaker 3: not being afraid to try new things, Like we were 603 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:28,720 Speaker 3: constantly trying to figure out how to be in front 604 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:32,280 Speaker 3: of our customer in different ways through technology, through innovation, 605 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:36,960 Speaker 3: and you're just at trying a lot of stuff all 606 00:27:36,960 --> 00:27:37,359 Speaker 3: the time. 607 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:40,439 Speaker 1: When somebody asks you to describe Rebecca man Cough, what 608 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:42,919 Speaker 1: is the way you've always described the brand? 609 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:45,720 Speaker 3: I think that from an esthetic point of view, you're 610 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:48,359 Speaker 3: a little bit rock and roll, You're a little bit bohemian. 611 00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:52,760 Speaker 3: There's that mid line between masculine and feminine. Sexy tomboy 612 00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:55,800 Speaker 3: would be a way I could describe it. And I 613 00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:57,679 Speaker 3: think that, you know, for a girl who wants a 614 00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:00,560 Speaker 3: little bit of edge, we give her that, but she's 615 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:03,439 Speaker 3: not so edgy that she's like goth, you know, not 616 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:06,399 Speaker 3: that kind of edge. But I think there's still a 617 00:28:06,440 --> 00:28:08,919 Speaker 3: warmth to the brand. There's still an approachability, and so 618 00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:12,560 Speaker 3: you get that mixture of elements that I think is 619 00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:14,479 Speaker 3: a duality that a lot of women have. 620 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:16,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, oh my god, I love the term sexy tomboy. 621 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 1: That's totally how I feel when I see your brand. 622 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:19,640 Speaker 2: Yeah. 623 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:22,320 Speaker 1: Is there any business mistake that you made early on? 624 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:24,800 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh that you always think back on and 625 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 1: you're like, I just want any new founders and brand 626 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:30,639 Speaker 1: builders to know this and not make the same mistake 627 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:31,040 Speaker 1: that I did. 628 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:31,680 Speaker 2: Yeah. 629 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 3: So there is a drug now called venture capital, and 630 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 3: I think early on we made the decision when we 631 00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:43,520 Speaker 3: got our first investment to just grow at all costs 632 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:45,600 Speaker 3: and the margin didn't matter. And let me tell you, 633 00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:49,719 Speaker 3: the margin matters. Grow a profitable business. It's okay if 634 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:53,600 Speaker 3: you're smaller or your growth is lower within the fashion industry. 635 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:57,680 Speaker 3: I can't speak for other industries. I think if you 636 00:28:57,720 --> 00:29:01,400 Speaker 3: can build that stable ground, the decisions you make as 637 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:05,360 Speaker 3: a business will be so much better and your stability 638 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:07,200 Speaker 3: will be so much better. And I think, you know, 639 00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:09,960 Speaker 3: looking back at our mistakes. We just were hooked on 640 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:12,520 Speaker 3: what everyone else was doing, which is just grow at 641 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:15,880 Speaker 3: all costs and figure out profitability later. And it took 642 00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:18,960 Speaker 3: a really long time to get profitable, and then world 643 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:23,160 Speaker 3: events happened that you weren't in control of that then 644 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:25,840 Speaker 3: are you know, made all that effort and progress go away. 645 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:28,000 Speaker 1: And I feel like the world of branding too has 646 00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 1: changed so much. It's like so important to keep your 647 00:29:30,560 --> 00:29:32,959 Speaker 1: finger on the pulse with what's going on. And you 648 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: guys have done such a good job doing that, and like, 649 00:29:35,160 --> 00:29:36,880 Speaker 1: you have such an amazing team around you too. 650 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:40,080 Speaker 3: It's definitely a team. You know, you can't do it alone. 651 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:42,520 Speaker 3: You are not the like end all be all of 652 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:44,600 Speaker 3: it all. It's a team effort and it's people who 653 00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:47,480 Speaker 3: believe in the vision and see it. You know, I 654 00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:50,000 Speaker 3: have an amazing CEO who's been with the brand for 655 00:29:50,040 --> 00:29:52,440 Speaker 3: eight years. I have an amazing creative director who's been with 656 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:55,640 Speaker 3: me for nineteen years, and so you know, we have 657 00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:58,640 Speaker 3: an amazing group of women that are just there and 658 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 3: dedicated and I couldn't do without any of them. 659 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 1: In twenty twenty two, you guys ended up selling and 660 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:08,800 Speaker 1: I just had a conversation with another founder who sold 661 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:12,160 Speaker 1: his business called The Morning Brew. He built it for 662 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:15,280 Speaker 1: seven years, sold it when he was twenty eight. He's 663 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:17,680 Speaker 1: somebody that's actually not involved anymore with the business. I 664 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:20,840 Speaker 1: know you're still very involved here through back America. But 665 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:23,920 Speaker 1: it's an emotional decision. He described it as it's a 666 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:26,720 Speaker 1: really emotional decision to sell your business. 667 00:30:27,240 --> 00:30:28,200 Speaker 2: Was it emotional for. 668 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:31,600 Speaker 3: You to say, Okay, I'm ready to sell. So it 669 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:34,880 Speaker 3: was still COVID times or the end of COVID. We 670 00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:40,040 Speaker 3: had basically come back from the brink of almost not 671 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:42,520 Speaker 3: making it as a business, and we were actually in 672 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:46,200 Speaker 3: a great spot. We were like, everything's going our way. 673 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 3: Now the business is back to growth. We saw the 674 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:51,400 Speaker 3: end of the tunnel, we saw the light, and then 675 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 3: supply chain issues hit. At the end of twenty twenty one, 676 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:57,280 Speaker 3: we couldn't get any goods. We got three thousand of 677 00:30:57,320 --> 00:31:00,920 Speaker 3: three hundred thousand units for our biggest our fourth quarter 678 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:03,880 Speaker 3: is the biggest part of our business where we do 679 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:07,080 Speaker 3: the most volume, like holidays and yeah, also fall like 680 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:09,480 Speaker 3: follows when someone's buying a leather bag, You're not necessarily 681 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:11,320 Speaker 3: buying a leather bag at the height of summer, when 682 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:15,480 Speaker 3: you're sweating to death. So we were like, oh, we're 683 00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:18,640 Speaker 3: now we're fucked. If I can swear on this podcast, 684 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:21,239 Speaker 3: swear now we're fucked. And so we realized that we 685 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:26,040 Speaker 3: needed a big muscle who had the infrastructure to be 686 00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 3: able to negotiate with a factory or get us to 687 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:31,959 Speaker 3: the front of the line or prioritize us, because if 688 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:34,920 Speaker 3: you think about who our competitors are, they're billion dollar 689 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:37,760 Speaker 3: brands who can get to the front of the production line. 690 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:40,760 Speaker 3: And so we were able and fortunate enough to find 691 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:43,640 Speaker 3: a partner who had that muscle. And so it was 692 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:46,800 Speaker 3: emotional in that it was a great opportunity, but also like, 693 00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:50,320 Speaker 3: oh my gosh, you know, we wish we had had 694 00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:52,800 Speaker 3: the might at that moment, but you know, our hands 695 00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:55,240 Speaker 3: were tied in terms of being able to get goods. 696 00:31:55,880 --> 00:31:59,680 Speaker 3: And so the day that the like ink was wet, 697 00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:02,360 Speaker 3: it was February of twenty two, was like a day 698 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:06,920 Speaker 3: that I was uncontrollably crying out of happiness and fear 699 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:09,960 Speaker 3: because you don't know what's next, you know, and we 700 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:12,280 Speaker 3: knew everything was changing. I knew that the office I 701 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:14,760 Speaker 3: shared with my brother was he wasn't gonna come to 702 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:17,320 Speaker 3: work the next day. You know, or a month later, 703 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:20,360 Speaker 3: so your brother left after the sale, he decided, well, 704 00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:23,600 Speaker 3: the new company said, you know, we have a CEO, 705 00:32:23,840 --> 00:32:26,320 Speaker 3: we don't necessarily need that role. And I think my 706 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:29,360 Speaker 3: brother was tired. It had been a lot, like twenty 707 00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:33,800 Speaker 3: plus years, but also being the CEO and steering through 708 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:35,840 Speaker 3: COVID and what we had to go through, like that 709 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:37,840 Speaker 3: was a lot, and it was a lot for everybody, 710 00:32:37,840 --> 00:32:40,200 Speaker 3: but I think he carried it the most on his shoulders. 711 00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:42,480 Speaker 3: And he's like, I think I'm good. I think I'm 712 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:45,040 Speaker 3: going to go. So that was weird to be like, wait, 713 00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:47,200 Speaker 3: we built this together and then you're not here anymore. 714 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:48,560 Speaker 1: So it was. 715 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:52,520 Speaker 3: Definitely like a day of like like you're crying, you're smiling, 716 00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:55,080 Speaker 3: but and and that lasted for a couple of weeks 717 00:32:55,120 --> 00:32:57,640 Speaker 3: and then I was like, Okay, this is what the 718 00:32:57,720 --> 00:32:59,320 Speaker 3: new era is going to be, and it started to 719 00:32:59,320 --> 00:32:59,960 Speaker 3: feel really good. 720 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:02,440 Speaker 2: What does the new era look like for you now? 721 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:04,160 Speaker 2: And how has it changed? 722 00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:07,120 Speaker 3: So the silver lining has been I didn't realize how 723 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:10,400 Speaker 3: much of my attention was always wrapped up in things 724 00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:13,720 Speaker 3: that I'm not good at. You know, business needs crisises. 725 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:16,040 Speaker 3: We're not going to make the delivery because we can't 726 00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:18,040 Speaker 3: get the goods or the leather stuck in Italy or 727 00:33:18,080 --> 00:33:21,120 Speaker 3: whatever it is. I don't have to worry about that 728 00:33:21,280 --> 00:33:23,960 Speaker 3: now someone else does. And so for me, I've been 729 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:28,120 Speaker 3: really able to focus on what I love best, design, community, social, 730 00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:29,240 Speaker 3: overseeing the. 731 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:31,840 Speaker 2: Pr and that's where I thrive. 732 00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:34,160 Speaker 3: And so to be able to have all that attention 733 00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:36,800 Speaker 3: back and like putting it into that for the last 734 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 3: how many years has been two years has been really 735 00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:44,040 Speaker 3: a joy. The hard part is at the end of 736 00:33:44,040 --> 00:33:47,120 Speaker 3: the day, like if I have an idea or I 737 00:33:47,160 --> 00:33:50,680 Speaker 3: want to do something and the answer is no, I 738 00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:53,080 Speaker 3: will push back because that's just my nature. 739 00:33:53,160 --> 00:33:54,840 Speaker 2: But sometimes the answer is still really know. 740 00:33:56,360 --> 00:33:58,640 Speaker 3: Or when we first moved into our new offices and 741 00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:03,120 Speaker 3: I was like, oh, this is not I don't it's 742 00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:05,320 Speaker 3: not it's it's mine in my heart, but it's not 743 00:34:05,480 --> 00:34:07,800 Speaker 3: mine mine, and I had a panic attack and I 744 00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:09,600 Speaker 3: had to leave the office and I actually walked from 745 00:34:09,640 --> 00:34:12,960 Speaker 3: thirty ninth Street all the way to Dumbo just to 746 00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:18,440 Speaker 3: like be like, Okay, this this is truly someone else's 747 00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:20,960 Speaker 3: but it's my name, it's my legacy, it's what I 748 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:22,839 Speaker 3: love to do. So where am I? Where else am 749 00:34:22,840 --> 00:34:25,400 Speaker 3: I going? To go and and I until I have 750 00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:28,239 Speaker 3: a better answer, Like I'm sticking around and it's your name, 751 00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:31,680 Speaker 3: so you want it to I wanted to succeed. Yeah, 752 00:34:31,719 --> 00:34:34,520 Speaker 3: and we my brother and I you know him seventeen 753 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:37,239 Speaker 3: years me twenty. Like that's not that's not just something 754 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:38,920 Speaker 3: I can just be like, all right, that was fun. 755 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:41,600 Speaker 2: Bye. No, you'll never be able to do that. You'll 756 00:34:41,600 --> 00:34:42,239 Speaker 2: never be out. 757 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:45,640 Speaker 1: No. And Rebecca man Cough as the brand like we 758 00:34:45,680 --> 00:34:47,120 Speaker 1: need you there, we want you there. You know. 759 00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:48,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, people are like, well, are you going to leave 760 00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:50,920 Speaker 3: when you're contract up? I'm like, what else am I 761 00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:53,560 Speaker 3: going to go do? Okay, Like this is my name 762 00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:57,520 Speaker 3: and people identify. It's not like a faceless brand. I'm 763 00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:00,520 Speaker 3: deeply embedded in it and so like I I don't 764 00:35:00,560 --> 00:35:02,479 Speaker 3: want to leave, but also like it would be weird 765 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:03,000 Speaker 3: if I did. 766 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:22,200 Speaker 1: I think for the brand, looking back at those early 767 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:25,040 Speaker 1: years and the grit and the hustle that went into 768 00:35:25,239 --> 00:35:28,960 Speaker 1: building this company, what do you miss the most about 769 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:32,240 Speaker 1: those early days? And for new founders out there listening, 770 00:35:32,440 --> 00:35:34,359 Speaker 1: what do you want them to stop. 771 00:35:34,040 --> 00:35:36,600 Speaker 2: And enjoy about the grind that they're in. 772 00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:40,920 Speaker 3: I miss these moments that you know, setting up our 773 00:35:40,920 --> 00:35:43,200 Speaker 3: first trade show. You know, I rented a zip car. 774 00:35:43,600 --> 00:35:48,160 Speaker 3: We couldn't afford to have the people that you pay 775 00:35:48,200 --> 00:35:50,840 Speaker 3: I don't know, five grand too to build to build it. 776 00:35:50,880 --> 00:35:53,440 Speaker 3: So I have a zip car filled with everything you 777 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:56,120 Speaker 3: need to build a trade show, and I'm hiring these 778 00:35:56,160 --> 00:35:58,719 Speaker 3: like random guys off the street to like build it. 779 00:35:59,320 --> 00:36:02,640 Speaker 3: And then we figure out if we played the same 780 00:36:02,840 --> 00:36:05,719 Speaker 3: songs that Apple had in their commercials or booth was 781 00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:10,040 Speaker 3: always packed because back then Apple Music, when they would 782 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:12,719 Speaker 3: launch their new phone or their new product and they 783 00:36:12,760 --> 00:36:15,719 Speaker 3: had the trendiest, coolest song playing, I was like, that's 784 00:36:15,760 --> 00:36:18,680 Speaker 3: the playlist, and so that feeling of like I just 785 00:36:18,719 --> 00:36:21,400 Speaker 3: figured out a cheet code, and then your booth is 786 00:36:21,440 --> 00:36:24,359 Speaker 3: full and people are writing orders and you're you know, 787 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:28,200 Speaker 3: we would have these and create incredible Japanese customers, and 788 00:36:28,239 --> 00:36:29,960 Speaker 3: they would come and you'd sit with them for an 789 00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:32,240 Speaker 3: hour because they're very exact, and they had their measuring 790 00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:34,719 Speaker 3: tape and they're white out and their little kit, and 791 00:36:34,960 --> 00:36:37,480 Speaker 3: they'd hand you a fifty sixty thousand dollars order and 792 00:36:37,520 --> 00:36:41,600 Speaker 3: you're just like, nothing gets better than this. And so 793 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:43,880 Speaker 3: the thing that I want to say to founders is 794 00:36:44,600 --> 00:36:48,560 Speaker 3: do not say it's going to be good when like, 795 00:36:48,960 --> 00:36:52,919 Speaker 3: enjoy every single part of it now, because the pot 796 00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:55,480 Speaker 3: of gold at the end isn't always a pot of gold. 797 00:36:56,200 --> 00:36:57,680 Speaker 2: It's experience. 798 00:36:57,840 --> 00:37:01,640 Speaker 3: It's going through this like enjoy the the all these 799 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:04,160 Speaker 3: moments to growth in building. Because I used to have 800 00:37:04,239 --> 00:37:07,239 Speaker 3: this dumb idea like in twenty years I'll be able 801 00:37:07,239 --> 00:37:08,879 Speaker 3: to relax and put my feet up and I don't 802 00:37:08,920 --> 00:37:11,719 Speaker 3: know what I'm gonna do with myself all day. That's 803 00:37:11,800 --> 00:37:14,120 Speaker 3: not the end of goal of this. You know, I'm 804 00:37:14,120 --> 00:37:16,239 Speaker 3: excited to go to work every day. I'm excited for 805 00:37:16,280 --> 00:37:18,840 Speaker 3: what me and the team are doing. And that's that 806 00:37:19,040 --> 00:37:19,719 Speaker 3: success to me. 807 00:37:19,960 --> 00:37:23,080 Speaker 1: At somebody now twenty years later, guys, she's still working 808 00:37:23,400 --> 00:37:26,240 Speaker 1: a lot a lot. Only are you working, You've taken 809 00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:29,440 Speaker 1: on even more projects than just building your brand. Was 810 00:37:29,480 --> 00:37:32,040 Speaker 1: there like a Rebecca Mincock uniform that you would wear 811 00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:34,560 Speaker 1: all the time back in the day that was like, 812 00:37:34,719 --> 00:37:36,800 Speaker 1: so you like, what were you walking onto the streets 813 00:37:36,840 --> 00:37:37,480 Speaker 1: of New York wearing? 814 00:37:37,520 --> 00:37:40,320 Speaker 3: Oh gosh, Well, in the early days, girls were layering 815 00:37:40,360 --> 00:37:43,600 Speaker 3: their tank tops, so you'd have two. It was low rise, 816 00:37:43,880 --> 00:37:46,880 Speaker 3: flared jeans and flip flops, which apparently I'm making a comeback. 817 00:37:46,880 --> 00:37:49,600 Speaker 3: I found that out yesterday. And a bra, like a 818 00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:52,400 Speaker 3: brightly colored bra so you could see the straps that 819 00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:56,600 Speaker 3: was like two thousand and five ish, A juicy in 820 00:37:56,640 --> 00:37:59,719 Speaker 3: the in the fall months, a juicy like fur lined 821 00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:02,040 Speaker 3: sweat shirt which I got off eBay so was probably 822 00:38:02,040 --> 00:38:07,440 Speaker 3: not real. As my style evolved, I was definitely like, 823 00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:11,160 Speaker 3: I don't know, I started incorporating a lot more black 824 00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:12,120 Speaker 3: into my wardrobe. 825 00:38:12,239 --> 00:38:14,759 Speaker 2: Now it's very rare that I'm wearing color and I 826 00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:16,960 Speaker 2: are so colorful. I was like, it's summer. 827 00:38:17,200 --> 00:38:19,240 Speaker 1: Wait, I just want to paint the picture really quickly. 828 00:38:19,360 --> 00:38:21,200 Speaker 1: So when Rebecca showed up, she was in an active 829 00:38:21,239 --> 00:38:22,440 Speaker 1: eratphit because she was like, are we going to go 830 00:38:22,440 --> 00:38:23,760 Speaker 1: for a run first, and I'm like, know, we already 831 00:38:23,760 --> 00:38:26,359 Speaker 1: walked like let's just do the podcast. Yeah, and so 832 00:38:26,400 --> 00:38:28,880 Speaker 1: she changed into the cutest outphit and you walked in 833 00:38:28,920 --> 00:38:30,080 Speaker 1: and I was like, oh my. 834 00:38:30,160 --> 00:38:32,920 Speaker 2: God, it's a shock. It's a shock, but even your 835 00:38:32,920 --> 00:38:34,640 Speaker 2: active ralph it was cute. Anyways, thank you. 836 00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:38,040 Speaker 3: So I would say I wanted to I don't know. 837 00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:40,839 Speaker 3: I think I started embodying what the brand is, which 838 00:38:40,880 --> 00:38:43,440 Speaker 3: is like this like I don't like to say I'm sexy, 839 00:38:43,440 --> 00:38:45,400 Speaker 3: but like a sexy tomboy. Like if I'm going to 840 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:48,280 Speaker 3: have on a mini dress, it's with an oversized blazer, 841 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:51,120 Speaker 3: you know. If so, I think it's that again, that 842 00:38:51,160 --> 00:38:55,960 Speaker 3: mixture of that elements and yeah, and then and then 843 00:38:55,960 --> 00:38:59,799 Speaker 3: I won't say I really I didn't embrace taking more 844 00:39:00,360 --> 00:39:03,520 Speaker 3: ironically until I was pregnant with my fourth child, and 845 00:39:03,600 --> 00:39:06,120 Speaker 3: my creative director at the time was like, you need 846 00:39:06,160 --> 00:39:08,880 Speaker 3: to dress pregnancy style like Rihanna, Like look at what 847 00:39:08,880 --> 00:39:13,320 Speaker 3: she's doing, like show the bump, celebrate it, embrace the 848 00:39:13,360 --> 00:39:15,640 Speaker 3: bigger boobs and the short shorts. And I was like, 849 00:39:15,719 --> 00:39:17,480 Speaker 3: fuck it, this is my last kid. And that's when 850 00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:20,040 Speaker 3: I really started. I feel like, not that I went 851 00:39:20,080 --> 00:39:22,040 Speaker 3: so out of anyone's comfort zone, but I went out 852 00:39:22,040 --> 00:39:24,800 Speaker 3: of my comfort zone and I feel like I'm trying. 853 00:39:24,560 --> 00:39:25,040 Speaker 2: To stay there. 854 00:39:25,600 --> 00:39:27,440 Speaker 1: Yeah. I think that's a fun thing to do, especially 855 00:39:27,440 --> 00:39:29,960 Speaker 1: as somebody that loves fashion. And I'm sure like experimenting 856 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:31,200 Speaker 1: with different brands too. 857 00:39:31,600 --> 00:39:33,359 Speaker 2: You've built a. 858 00:39:33,320 --> 00:39:37,120 Speaker 1: Brand through so many different eras, you know, maybe thinking 859 00:39:37,120 --> 00:39:39,840 Speaker 1: about what's in trend now and what's not in trend. 860 00:39:39,880 --> 00:39:42,160 Speaker 1: What are certain things that you want to see come 861 00:39:42,239 --> 00:39:43,240 Speaker 1: back from the years. 862 00:39:43,400 --> 00:39:47,239 Speaker 3: Oh my gosh, what do I know there's too much 863 00:39:47,320 --> 00:39:50,120 Speaker 3: that's already back. I watched a girl's stuff her Jinko 864 00:39:50,239 --> 00:39:54,120 Speaker 3: jeans with like an entire day's worth of uh needs, 865 00:39:54,160 --> 00:39:57,560 Speaker 3: and I was like, do I want that? No, I 866 00:39:57,560 --> 00:39:59,600 Speaker 3: don't want that, or like a baby tea, or like 867 00:40:00,160 --> 00:40:03,440 Speaker 3: I love a juicy sweatsuit, but like I like the 868 00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:07,359 Speaker 3: older version, not the newer ones. But I also think 869 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:10,440 Speaker 3: there's some things like low rise that can just stay. 870 00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:13,000 Speaker 3: I can stay for the girls who haven't had kids yet. 871 00:40:13,200 --> 00:40:16,000 Speaker 3: I think for the most part, once you've had a baby, 872 00:40:16,040 --> 00:40:17,560 Speaker 3: like you're never going to go back to having low 873 00:40:17,600 --> 00:40:18,600 Speaker 3: rise pants ever again. 874 00:40:18,680 --> 00:40:20,479 Speaker 1: Also, I think one of the cool things too about 875 00:40:20,480 --> 00:40:22,720 Speaker 1: building your brand was you have a family of four. 876 00:40:23,440 --> 00:40:26,040 Speaker 2: When did you have your first baby? I was thirty one. 877 00:40:26,560 --> 00:40:29,520 Speaker 3: I was technically, in my heart not ready, but I 878 00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:31,520 Speaker 3: also had my mom and my ear being like, your 879 00:40:31,560 --> 00:40:34,760 Speaker 3: ovaries are turning to dust. You need to get pregnant 880 00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:39,040 Speaker 3: or you will be infertile soon. And I knew that 881 00:40:39,080 --> 00:40:41,840 Speaker 3: I wanted my children to have a long relationship with 882 00:40:41,880 --> 00:40:44,880 Speaker 3: my parents because I think they're fantastic. So I was like, fine, 883 00:40:45,080 --> 00:40:48,520 Speaker 3: let's just try it. And I remember being pregnant and 884 00:40:48,560 --> 00:40:50,759 Speaker 3: texting my husband and being like, I don't know why 885 00:40:50,760 --> 00:40:52,480 Speaker 3: we did this. This was a huge mistake. I'm not 886 00:40:52,520 --> 00:40:55,840 Speaker 3: ready to be responsible for a human Like I'm still selfish. 887 00:40:55,920 --> 00:40:57,960 Speaker 3: How am I going to give all this up? And 888 00:40:58,000 --> 00:40:59,600 Speaker 3: when my son came, I was like, why the fuck 889 00:40:59,640 --> 00:41:01,440 Speaker 3: didn't we you this sooner? This is the best thing 890 00:41:01,440 --> 00:41:06,560 Speaker 3: we've ever done. And so that flip happened overnight, and 891 00:41:06,600 --> 00:41:08,840 Speaker 3: then I was like, I love being a mom in 892 00:41:08,840 --> 00:41:11,920 Speaker 3: a way that I never thought I would. And then 893 00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:16,959 Speaker 3: I was like, let's just keep going. And we really 894 00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:20,359 Speaker 3: thought we were done at three, and then covid was over, 895 00:41:20,480 --> 00:41:23,040 Speaker 3: we had sold the company. I felt like a renewed 896 00:41:23,280 --> 00:41:25,560 Speaker 3: passion because I was able to focus on what I love. 897 00:41:26,200 --> 00:41:27,759 Speaker 3: And then I just looked at my husband. I was like, 898 00:41:27,800 --> 00:41:30,000 Speaker 3: we're not done. He's like, we're done. I was like, oh, no, 899 00:41:30,040 --> 00:41:32,800 Speaker 3: we're not. And so I might have lied him to 900 00:41:32,800 --> 00:41:33,840 Speaker 3: get pregnant with the fourth. 901 00:41:33,960 --> 00:41:36,640 Speaker 1: When you said let's just keep going, it just gave 902 00:41:36,680 --> 00:41:39,239 Speaker 1: me Christian or vibes in the best way, Like I 903 00:41:39,280 --> 00:41:41,839 Speaker 1: could picture her saying that, but let's keep it up. 904 00:41:41,880 --> 00:41:42,960 Speaker 2: I love like having babies. 905 00:41:43,120 --> 00:41:46,160 Speaker 1: How did your work life change once you had kids? 906 00:41:46,160 --> 00:41:48,439 Speaker 1: I think there's so many working moms out there, and 907 00:41:48,640 --> 00:41:51,200 Speaker 1: you're such an example of somebody that hustles so hard. 908 00:41:51,400 --> 00:41:52,680 Speaker 2: So what did that look like for you? 909 00:41:52,880 --> 00:41:55,240 Speaker 3: So prior to having kids, I worked at the office 910 00:41:55,400 --> 00:41:58,600 Speaker 3: till ten every night. We worked all weekends. A big 911 00:41:58,640 --> 00:42:01,640 Speaker 3: part of our success was after work most times, my 912 00:42:01,719 --> 00:42:03,359 Speaker 3: brother and I and our president at the time would 913 00:42:03,360 --> 00:42:06,080 Speaker 3: go out to dinner and like talk about strategy and growth. 914 00:42:06,120 --> 00:42:09,480 Speaker 3: And that was really critical. When I had the baby, 915 00:42:09,520 --> 00:42:10,840 Speaker 3: all of a sudden, I was like, I'm going to 916 00:42:10,880 --> 00:42:13,680 Speaker 3: be home at six and he's going to come to me. 917 00:42:14,200 --> 00:42:16,560 Speaker 3: I'm a big breastfeeder, so he's going to come to 918 00:42:16,600 --> 00:42:18,719 Speaker 3: me for a feeding during the day and then I'm 919 00:42:18,719 --> 00:42:20,560 Speaker 3: going to be home at six, and like that's the 920 00:42:20,600 --> 00:42:24,200 Speaker 3: new life. And that was really hard adjustment for my 921 00:42:24,280 --> 00:42:26,960 Speaker 3: relationship with my brother working because we were so used 922 00:42:26,960 --> 00:42:31,040 Speaker 3: to having these like late night strategy sessions. But also 923 00:42:31,239 --> 00:42:34,520 Speaker 3: like at the time and for the first three children, 924 00:42:34,640 --> 00:42:36,799 Speaker 3: it was really hard. And I didn't realize this till later, 925 00:42:36,800 --> 00:42:39,400 Speaker 3: but like it was really hard to turn off because 926 00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:43,879 Speaker 3: I'd be in at bath time but thinking about all 927 00:42:43,960 --> 00:42:46,040 Speaker 3: the stuff that's happening when your business is growing as 928 00:42:46,120 --> 00:42:49,759 Speaker 3: much as it was, and I was constantly trying to 929 00:42:49,760 --> 00:42:53,480 Speaker 3: find that balance that does not exist, you know, And 930 00:42:53,560 --> 00:42:56,520 Speaker 3: for me that meant, oh, I'm going to Korea and 931 00:42:56,640 --> 00:42:59,239 Speaker 3: China twice a year. Well, the kid's coming with me 932 00:43:00,040 --> 00:43:03,600 Speaker 3: and the nanny's coming with me because I'm still breastfeeding 933 00:43:03,640 --> 00:43:05,440 Speaker 3: and I want to see my child and I refuse 934 00:43:05,480 --> 00:43:07,920 Speaker 3: to leave them for two weeks at a time. And 935 00:43:07,960 --> 00:43:12,239 Speaker 3: so what are you sacrificing at that point? Sleep, friendship, 936 00:43:12,640 --> 00:43:15,240 Speaker 3: going out with girlfriends. I see this woman on Instagram 937 00:43:15,280 --> 00:43:17,560 Speaker 3: who takes a million girl trips and I'm like, not 938 00:43:17,680 --> 00:43:19,879 Speaker 3: my life. You know, I'll do that when my kids 939 00:43:19,880 --> 00:43:23,520 Speaker 3: are older. And so I think it was me sort 940 00:43:23,560 --> 00:43:27,320 Speaker 3: of with each kid, experimenting where am I comfortable and 941 00:43:27,360 --> 00:43:29,680 Speaker 3: where am I not? And how do I put the 942 00:43:29,680 --> 00:43:33,520 Speaker 3: new boundaries in and sort of also putting blinders onto 943 00:43:33,600 --> 00:43:35,640 Speaker 3: like how other women are doing it, because you have 944 00:43:35,680 --> 00:43:37,240 Speaker 3: to figure it out for yourself. 945 00:43:36,840 --> 00:43:37,920 Speaker 2: And it changes. 946 00:43:38,480 --> 00:43:40,680 Speaker 3: And it wasn't until add my fourth baby with a 947 00:43:40,800 --> 00:43:44,720 Speaker 3: sold business, older, wiser whatever, that I was like, Wow, 948 00:43:44,800 --> 00:43:47,680 Speaker 3: I thought I was present, but I was so distracted. 949 00:43:48,320 --> 00:43:51,279 Speaker 3: And now I can really say that I'm much more 950 00:43:51,280 --> 00:43:53,520 Speaker 3: present as a mom in that moment, like when we're 951 00:43:53,520 --> 00:43:54,480 Speaker 3: playing with legos. 952 00:43:54,760 --> 00:43:57,160 Speaker 2: That's what I'm thinking about. I'm not like, oh, the 953 00:43:57,200 --> 00:43:58,080 Speaker 2: email needs. 954 00:43:57,880 --> 00:44:01,080 Speaker 3: To go out, and you know it's so It's one 955 00:44:01,080 --> 00:44:03,760 Speaker 3: of those things that, like, it's hard to give advice 956 00:44:03,840 --> 00:44:07,000 Speaker 3: because when you're in that moment of build, you can't 957 00:44:07,000 --> 00:44:10,480 Speaker 3: tell someone, hey, go go only think about that. 958 00:44:10,800 --> 00:44:13,120 Speaker 1: I think what's so cool about you is your showing 959 00:44:13,120 --> 00:44:17,719 Speaker 1: that you can be a great mom while also running businesses. 960 00:44:18,160 --> 00:44:20,719 Speaker 3: You know you can have to you have to rely 961 00:44:20,800 --> 00:44:22,719 Speaker 3: on your team a lot. You know we can't do 962 00:44:22,760 --> 00:44:23,280 Speaker 3: it alone. 963 00:44:23,400 --> 00:44:25,560 Speaker 1: One of the things you said that I loved was 964 00:44:25,800 --> 00:44:27,680 Speaker 1: late night brainstorming sessions with your brother. 965 00:44:27,840 --> 00:44:29,680 Speaker 2: Yeah. I have a twin brother and an older brother. 966 00:44:29,719 --> 00:44:31,759 Speaker 1: The one who like loves talking business with me is 967 00:44:31,760 --> 00:44:33,520 Speaker 1: my twin and like he loves just knowing what I 968 00:44:33,560 --> 00:44:35,160 Speaker 1: have going on. I don't know whether it's because he 969 00:44:35,239 --> 00:44:37,799 Speaker 1: works in finance and he just finds what I do. 970 00:44:37,960 --> 00:44:40,479 Speaker 1: He must have like some sort of like creative part 971 00:44:40,480 --> 00:44:42,920 Speaker 1: of him, and he definitely does, but he just loves it. 972 00:44:42,960 --> 00:44:44,080 Speaker 2: And the late night sessions. 973 00:44:44,080 --> 00:44:47,160 Speaker 1: It's like, I love talking to my fiance about what 974 00:44:47,200 --> 00:44:50,080 Speaker 1: I'm doing, and we have such good sessions, but nothing 975 00:44:50,120 --> 00:44:52,640 Speaker 1: beats a conversation with your brother and your family that 976 00:44:52,800 --> 00:44:54,440 Speaker 1: just want you to win more than anything. 977 00:44:54,600 --> 00:44:55,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, those were fun. 978 00:44:55,760 --> 00:44:59,200 Speaker 3: Those were like we we did that for whatever six years, 979 00:44:59,280 --> 00:45:03,719 Speaker 3: you know, and it was just like that's when you 980 00:45:03,719 --> 00:45:06,520 Speaker 3: would like the day to day emergencies or whatever would 981 00:45:06,520 --> 00:45:08,520 Speaker 3: stop and we would like really build the future and 982 00:45:08,640 --> 00:45:09,800 Speaker 3: foundation of the business. 983 00:45:10,040 --> 00:45:13,680 Speaker 1: I love when founders have a voice and want to 984 00:45:13,719 --> 00:45:15,680 Speaker 1: have an impact and like help other people and be 985 00:45:15,719 --> 00:45:18,800 Speaker 1: a mentor. It's not that it's rare, but at the 986 00:45:18,800 --> 00:45:20,640 Speaker 1: same time, it kind of is. You know, so like 987 00:45:21,080 --> 00:45:24,280 Speaker 1: when did you decide you wanted to have a voice 988 00:45:24,320 --> 00:45:27,240 Speaker 1: and give people advice and your wisdom. 989 00:45:27,640 --> 00:45:31,439 Speaker 3: I think that I had always felt very alone within 990 00:45:31,520 --> 00:45:35,880 Speaker 3: the fashion industry because it was very competitive, it was 991 00:45:36,080 --> 00:45:38,800 Speaker 3: very cutthroat, and there was not a lot of support 992 00:45:38,920 --> 00:45:41,359 Speaker 3: of women helping women. So I was already like this 993 00:45:41,520 --> 00:45:45,480 Speaker 3: sucks that we're all so worried about the business and 994 00:45:45,560 --> 00:45:47,320 Speaker 3: like you're taking a share that we're not going to 995 00:45:47,320 --> 00:45:49,759 Speaker 3: support each other. I hated that, and when I began 996 00:45:49,800 --> 00:45:52,960 Speaker 3: to peer outside of that, just craving other connection, I 997 00:45:53,120 --> 00:45:55,600 Speaker 3: was like, oh my gosh, other women need this and 998 00:45:55,640 --> 00:45:58,839 Speaker 3: other women are struggling, and I just was like, there 999 00:45:58,880 --> 00:46:00,880 Speaker 3: has to be a way to like bring a community 1000 00:46:00,920 --> 00:46:03,800 Speaker 3: of people together. At the same time, I wanted to 1001 00:46:03,840 --> 00:46:06,120 Speaker 3: improve culture within my company and we had a store 1002 00:46:06,239 --> 00:46:08,640 Speaker 3: in New York and in in LA and I said, 1003 00:46:08,719 --> 00:46:11,400 Speaker 3: let me bring in these women now that I'm connecting 1004 00:46:11,440 --> 00:46:15,920 Speaker 3: with and give an opportunity for my employees and you know, 1005 00:46:16,160 --> 00:46:19,160 Speaker 3: customers to hear from them. And that felt great, but 1006 00:46:19,200 --> 00:46:21,759 Speaker 3: it also felt like we can make this wider. So 1007 00:46:21,840 --> 00:46:24,160 Speaker 3: that was kind of the birth of the podcast, and 1008 00:46:24,239 --> 00:46:29,640 Speaker 3: ironically Female Founder Collective around the same time was we 1009 00:46:29,680 --> 00:46:31,520 Speaker 3: need a community, we need access. 1010 00:46:31,200 --> 00:46:31,680 Speaker 2: To each other. 1011 00:46:31,760 --> 00:46:34,000 Speaker 3: We need to hear about what worked, what didn't you know, 1012 00:46:34,600 --> 00:46:37,680 Speaker 3: what could be the shortcuts of any and then what 1013 00:46:37,719 --> 00:46:40,520 Speaker 3: are we running into as founders that's truly stopping us 1014 00:46:40,520 --> 00:46:43,040 Speaker 3: from succeeding. And when I brought my co founder Alison 1015 00:46:43,080 --> 00:46:46,360 Speaker 3: White on, she was really like, we need to showcase 1016 00:46:46,400 --> 00:46:48,640 Speaker 3: that women can teach each other, like you don't have 1017 00:46:48,680 --> 00:46:50,200 Speaker 3: to go back to school or you go to Wharton 1018 00:46:50,239 --> 00:46:54,560 Speaker 3: and get your MBA, Like we can help bridge that gap. 1019 00:46:54,640 --> 00:46:59,000 Speaker 3: And so it's really become about community education and helping 1020 00:46:59,040 --> 00:47:01,400 Speaker 3: women make more money because we know that that's going 1021 00:47:01,440 --> 00:47:05,640 Speaker 3: to change things not just for ourselves, but like in communities. 1022 00:47:06,040 --> 00:47:09,320 Speaker 1: I love that you created communities that bring women together 1023 00:47:09,440 --> 00:47:13,520 Speaker 1: that want to support women, because there's there's certain cliche terms. 1024 00:47:13,560 --> 00:47:16,240 Speaker 1: One is community and the other is women supporting women. 1025 00:47:16,600 --> 00:47:19,279 Speaker 1: And I think there's such community as an overused word, 1026 00:47:19,719 --> 00:47:22,080 Speaker 1: and I think women supporting women is an overused term, 1027 00:47:22,200 --> 00:47:24,239 Speaker 1: and I think very few people actually know what that 1028 00:47:24,320 --> 00:47:27,080 Speaker 1: means and are actually capable of doing it. Yeah, what 1029 00:47:27,200 --> 00:47:30,760 Speaker 1: do you have to say to women that don't support women? 1030 00:47:31,120 --> 00:47:35,719 Speaker 3: Ooh, you're not my friend? And there's the women that 1031 00:47:35,840 --> 00:47:39,040 Speaker 3: say it and then they fake it, And this doesn't 1032 00:47:39,080 --> 00:47:41,640 Speaker 3: mean this is what I don't like. This doesn't mean 1033 00:47:41,640 --> 00:47:44,279 Speaker 3: that if you're get into a fight with women, you 1034 00:47:44,280 --> 00:47:47,560 Speaker 3: don't then suddenly support women, or like if someone's coming 1035 00:47:47,600 --> 00:47:49,200 Speaker 3: for you and you stand up for yourself, that you 1036 00:47:49,200 --> 00:47:51,719 Speaker 3: don't support women. I think at the end of the day, 1037 00:47:51,880 --> 00:47:54,880 Speaker 3: it's what can you do to help another person further 1038 00:47:55,000 --> 00:47:59,960 Speaker 3: along their business or something in their career with some advice, 1039 00:48:00,880 --> 00:48:05,080 Speaker 3: you know, a resource, an introduction that's supporting another woman and. 1040 00:48:05,200 --> 00:48:09,120 Speaker 1: Genuine excitement for them, or they do something stepping out 1041 00:48:09,120 --> 00:48:10,440 Speaker 1: of their comfort zoneer. 1042 00:48:10,640 --> 00:48:13,879 Speaker 3: Yeah, and like I would never sit here and say, oh, 1043 00:48:13,880 --> 00:48:16,560 Speaker 3: she has a handbag brand, I can't help her because 1044 00:48:16,560 --> 00:48:18,239 Speaker 3: she's going to take some of my business. I was 1045 00:48:18,280 --> 00:48:20,439 Speaker 3: just on the phone with an up and coming woman 1046 00:48:20,480 --> 00:48:23,759 Speaker 3: who has a beautiful handbag brand, and I was. 1047 00:48:23,760 --> 00:48:24,520 Speaker 2: Like, what do you need. 1048 00:48:24,840 --> 00:48:27,000 Speaker 3: You know, you want to go into wholesale, Well, here's 1049 00:48:27,080 --> 00:48:30,279 Speaker 3: everything you should be scared of. I'm not losing by 1050 00:48:30,320 --> 00:48:33,479 Speaker 3: doing that. Like you can't just have be the one, 1051 00:48:33,560 --> 00:48:36,040 Speaker 3: greatest best. And I think that I grew up in 1052 00:48:36,080 --> 00:48:41,600 Speaker 3: this culture of that cutthroat ness and it annoyed me 1053 00:48:41,719 --> 00:48:44,560 Speaker 3: and it angered me and it happened to me, and 1054 00:48:44,640 --> 00:48:47,520 Speaker 3: I'm just like, this is not the way and if 1055 00:48:47,520 --> 00:48:51,600 Speaker 3: we could sometimes you know, there are some women that 1056 00:48:51,680 --> 00:48:55,120 Speaker 3: like blame them men for the lack of progress, and 1057 00:48:55,200 --> 00:48:57,840 Speaker 3: I'm like, it's a lot of women doing it to 1058 00:48:57,880 --> 00:49:01,120 Speaker 3: each other that's just as impact full of stopping our 1059 00:49:01,160 --> 00:49:02,320 Speaker 3: own progress. 1060 00:49:01,880 --> 00:49:04,359 Speaker 2: When it comes to certain things. I think it's more like. 1061 00:49:04,360 --> 00:49:07,040 Speaker 3: My husband sometimes he's like, you will cut a bit, 1062 00:49:07,400 --> 00:49:10,960 Speaker 3: like when I'm even talking about someone or something, and 1063 00:49:11,000 --> 00:49:12,920 Speaker 3: I'm like yeah, and then we do that to each 1064 00:49:12,960 --> 00:49:14,240 Speaker 3: other and it's never good. 1065 00:49:14,440 --> 00:49:17,359 Speaker 1: There's this term that I heard somebody say like years ago, 1066 00:49:17,440 --> 00:49:20,400 Speaker 1: and it's always stuck with me. It was actually Haley 1067 00:49:20,400 --> 00:49:22,759 Speaker 1: Bieber talked about her twice. Hey, she has a show 1068 00:49:22,840 --> 00:49:25,200 Speaker 1: called like Who's in My Bathroom? And I forget the 1069 00:49:25,280 --> 00:49:27,279 Speaker 1: guests that she had on as a show where on 1070 00:49:27,320 --> 00:49:29,040 Speaker 1: you had. I don't know if she still does it. 1071 00:49:29,120 --> 00:49:30,359 Speaker 1: I hope she brings it back because it was such 1072 00:49:30,360 --> 00:49:32,120 Speaker 1: a good idea and it was so well done. And 1073 00:49:32,160 --> 00:49:35,000 Speaker 1: she said, I think more people have to realize that 1074 00:49:35,239 --> 00:49:38,080 Speaker 1: there is space for everyone. Mm hmm, Like it is 1075 00:49:38,120 --> 00:49:40,120 Speaker 1: a big world and you can find your space. 1076 00:49:40,360 --> 00:49:42,960 Speaker 3: It's a huge world and you can still be competitive, 1077 00:49:43,840 --> 00:49:46,279 Speaker 3: but you don't need to be like a cunt about it, 1078 00:49:47,080 --> 00:49:47,759 Speaker 3: you know, like. 1079 00:49:48,320 --> 00:49:52,080 Speaker 2: That was an iconic one liner. You don't have to 1080 00:49:52,120 --> 00:49:53,040 Speaker 2: be a cunt about it. 1081 00:49:53,239 --> 00:49:55,799 Speaker 3: I get inspired, but like I don't get jealous. I 1082 00:49:55,840 --> 00:49:57,879 Speaker 3: get inspired. And it's a real difference, Like when you're 1083 00:49:57,920 --> 00:49:59,840 Speaker 3: watching someone have success, you're like, Oh, I want that, 1084 00:50:00,040 --> 00:50:02,239 Speaker 3: how did she do that? Not like oh I have 1085 00:50:02,280 --> 00:50:04,239 Speaker 3: to take her down so I can take it from her. 1086 00:50:05,200 --> 00:50:07,120 Speaker 3: And it's and I think that shift is also a 1087 00:50:07,200 --> 00:50:08,640 Speaker 3: much healthier mindset to be in. 1088 00:50:25,160 --> 00:50:28,960 Speaker 1: On your podcast, you interview a lot of CEOs, founders 1089 00:50:29,040 --> 00:50:32,560 Speaker 1: influential people. Is there a common thread that you have 1090 00:50:32,680 --> 00:50:36,760 Speaker 1: found through your conversations that you think is a key 1091 00:50:36,880 --> 00:50:37,600 Speaker 1: to why these. 1092 00:50:37,480 --> 00:50:39,440 Speaker 2: People made it. They don't give up. 1093 00:50:39,880 --> 00:50:42,520 Speaker 3: They're like those dolls that just like you hit them 1094 00:50:42,520 --> 00:50:46,000 Speaker 3: and they come back up, or those boxing figures. You know, 1095 00:50:46,440 --> 00:50:49,680 Speaker 3: they just keep going and they don't let the word 1096 00:50:49,760 --> 00:50:51,719 Speaker 3: no stop them. And I think if you want to 1097 00:50:51,760 --> 00:50:53,600 Speaker 3: make it, you've got to get over that. You have 1098 00:50:53,680 --> 00:50:55,640 Speaker 3: to be like, no is just the beginning of yes. 1099 00:50:55,719 --> 00:50:59,160 Speaker 3: Rebecca said no, it was just okay, no, there's going 1100 00:50:59,200 --> 00:51:01,120 Speaker 3: to be a gues somewhere, and you just keep knocking. 1101 00:51:01,360 --> 00:51:04,480 Speaker 1: What is something you've seen firsthand about the power of 1102 00:51:04,520 --> 00:51:07,759 Speaker 1: women supporting women in business? Is there an experience you 1103 00:51:07,840 --> 00:51:10,600 Speaker 1: had that you were like, this is why we need 1104 00:51:10,640 --> 00:51:13,000 Speaker 1: to be supporting each other and pushing each other to grow. 1105 00:51:13,280 --> 00:51:16,080 Speaker 3: I mean there's been small things like seeing within our 1106 00:51:16,120 --> 00:51:19,920 Speaker 3: female founder collective community, like two co founders got together 1107 00:51:20,000 --> 00:51:22,360 Speaker 3: because of it and launched a business, or even we 1108 00:51:22,440 --> 00:51:27,400 Speaker 3: ran an accelerator program for fifty women own businesses during COVID. 1109 00:51:28,719 --> 00:51:30,719 Speaker 3: They've now gone on to raise We taught them at 1110 00:51:30,719 --> 00:51:33,960 Speaker 3: a fundraise, We taught them how to scale with those investments. 1111 00:51:34,000 --> 00:51:37,759 Speaker 3: They've raised over forty million dollars because of the accelerator 1112 00:51:37,760 --> 00:51:41,160 Speaker 3: that we ran. That's an incredible statistic, especially at a 1113 00:51:41,200 --> 00:51:44,880 Speaker 3: time when women receive two percent of venture funding, and 1114 00:51:44,960 --> 00:51:46,799 Speaker 3: all those women are still in touch and they're all 1115 00:51:46,800 --> 00:51:49,440 Speaker 3: still helping each other, And it's just the testament of 1116 00:51:49,480 --> 00:51:52,439 Speaker 3: like when you put aside the competition part to help 1117 00:51:52,480 --> 00:51:56,279 Speaker 3: another person, then you all get to grow, you all 1118 00:51:56,320 --> 00:51:57,080 Speaker 3: benefit from it. 1119 00:51:57,360 --> 00:51:59,279 Speaker 1: There's almost this stigma of like you have to be 1120 00:51:59,360 --> 00:52:02,000 Speaker 1: so confident and you have to believe so hard that 1121 00:52:02,120 --> 00:52:03,960 Speaker 1: like what you're doing is gonna work. But I think 1122 00:52:04,000 --> 00:52:07,680 Speaker 1: there's also something really beautiful about like being in a 1123 00:52:07,760 --> 00:52:11,480 Speaker 1: community of people where you can be vulnerable yes, and 1124 00:52:11,520 --> 00:52:14,160 Speaker 1: still confident, yes, but also just like have people that 1125 00:52:14,200 --> 00:52:16,359 Speaker 1: you can be like, listen, I really need advice on this, 1126 00:52:16,560 --> 00:52:20,120 Speaker 1: you know. And I think that something that's underutilized and 1127 00:52:20,200 --> 00:52:21,040 Speaker 1: under talked about. 1128 00:52:21,000 --> 00:52:24,120 Speaker 3: Huge And I think you know, you don't. I think 1129 00:52:24,160 --> 00:52:26,920 Speaker 3: the thing that gets hard is you want to be 1130 00:52:27,239 --> 00:52:33,240 Speaker 3: vulnerable in the right spaces because you need to access 1131 00:52:33,280 --> 00:52:36,160 Speaker 3: information or advice or help or support from the right people. 1132 00:52:36,719 --> 00:52:39,600 Speaker 3: So if to me, when someone goes on Instagram and 1133 00:52:39,640 --> 00:52:43,200 Speaker 3: starts crying and being vulnerable, I'm not sure that that's 1134 00:52:43,280 --> 00:52:45,000 Speaker 3: where they're going to get the help and the support 1135 00:52:45,040 --> 00:52:48,480 Speaker 3: they need. They're going to get a lot of positive commentary, 1136 00:52:48,600 --> 00:52:50,520 Speaker 3: but to me, that's not where you're going to get 1137 00:52:50,560 --> 00:52:53,120 Speaker 3: actually what you need to get better. And so for me, 1138 00:52:53,200 --> 00:52:55,560 Speaker 3: it's like these rooms with other founders, you're like, oh 1139 00:52:55,560 --> 00:52:57,319 Speaker 3: my god, this was so hard in this and what 1140 00:52:57,360 --> 00:53:00,480 Speaker 3: did you do with that? That's the place where you 1141 00:53:00,520 --> 00:53:02,680 Speaker 3: can get the most support. But if you're like everything's 1142 00:53:02,719 --> 00:53:04,920 Speaker 3: good all the time and I'm perfect and I figured 1143 00:53:04,920 --> 00:53:08,640 Speaker 3: it out every day, like, I don't think that works. 1144 00:53:09,000 --> 00:53:11,080 Speaker 1: What's the best piece of advice you've ever received. 1145 00:53:11,280 --> 00:53:16,279 Speaker 3: I interviewed Kristin Olzowski from Nomadica Wines last summer, and 1146 00:53:16,360 --> 00:53:21,040 Speaker 3: she said, only take advice from people whose lives you want. 1147 00:53:21,560 --> 00:53:25,400 Speaker 3: And I'm going to expand about that on it only 1148 00:53:26,480 --> 00:53:29,880 Speaker 3: take criticism from people whose lives you want. 1149 00:53:30,239 --> 00:53:32,960 Speaker 1: I love that piece of advice, and I want to 1150 00:53:33,000 --> 00:53:35,359 Speaker 1: add in too, like you know, I think that can 1151 00:53:35,440 --> 00:53:39,200 Speaker 1: relate to so many things, like whether it's life personal, 1152 00:53:39,200 --> 00:53:40,840 Speaker 1: but also in work. And I remember when I was 1153 00:53:40,880 --> 00:53:44,000 Speaker 1: working in corporate America, before I started my running interview 1154 00:53:44,000 --> 00:53:48,680 Speaker 1: show and my content creation journey and business, I was 1155 00:53:48,719 --> 00:53:53,040 Speaker 1: working in advertising and I worked at great advertising agencies. 1156 00:53:53,080 --> 00:53:55,120 Speaker 1: I had great teams, but I remember looking at the 1157 00:53:55,200 --> 00:53:58,759 Speaker 1: really senior people at the company, and that's saying to myself, like, 1158 00:54:00,080 --> 00:54:02,840 Speaker 1: that's just not who I aspire to be. And it 1159 00:54:02,920 --> 00:54:06,000 Speaker 1: was nothing wrong with their career their career path, because 1160 00:54:06,040 --> 00:54:08,560 Speaker 1: obviously these people have made it to really high up 1161 00:54:08,600 --> 00:54:11,239 Speaker 1: positions in these you know, massive firms and they have 1162 00:54:11,280 --> 00:54:14,520 Speaker 1: incredible work. I just remember thinking, like, that's not what 1163 00:54:14,600 --> 00:54:16,120 Speaker 1: I want to be, so I'm in the wrong spot. 1164 00:54:16,239 --> 00:54:18,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it's always good to do that check 1165 00:54:18,680 --> 00:54:20,160 Speaker 3: and be like do I want that? 1166 00:54:20,360 --> 00:54:22,000 Speaker 2: Do I want how they're living? Do I want? 1167 00:54:22,400 --> 00:54:25,480 Speaker 3: And just find the role models who have that and 1168 00:54:25,880 --> 00:54:29,080 Speaker 3: see where those patterns are and how you can mimic that, 1169 00:54:29,200 --> 00:54:31,960 Speaker 3: because I think you get stuck on what you think 1170 00:54:32,000 --> 00:54:34,320 Speaker 3: it should be and then you see it actually play 1171 00:54:34,320 --> 00:54:36,279 Speaker 3: out and it's like, oh shit, I don't actually want that. 1172 00:54:36,640 --> 00:54:38,759 Speaker 1: Let's talk a little bit about the purpose behind your 1173 00:54:38,760 --> 00:54:42,600 Speaker 1: book and then also a fearless decision you made recently 1174 00:54:43,160 --> 00:54:45,800 Speaker 1: that you were scared to do at the time. 1175 00:54:46,040 --> 00:54:48,120 Speaker 3: I think the purpose of the book was that we 1176 00:54:48,239 --> 00:54:52,560 Speaker 3: let fear inform and decide our decisions in life, in 1177 00:54:52,640 --> 00:54:55,719 Speaker 3: business and work, and that you don't finish the book 1178 00:54:55,760 --> 00:54:58,239 Speaker 3: and you're like, I have no fear. You finish the 1179 00:54:58,280 --> 00:55:01,799 Speaker 3: book and you're like, you know what, I'm scared, but 1180 00:55:01,960 --> 00:55:03,880 Speaker 3: here I go. I'm diving in. And so it is 1181 00:55:03,920 --> 00:55:06,440 Speaker 3: a business book with principles that you can hold on 1182 00:55:06,480 --> 00:55:08,880 Speaker 3: to in those moments of taking a lot of risks. 1183 00:55:09,239 --> 00:55:11,239 Speaker 3: And I'm telling you my horror stories, you can feel 1184 00:55:11,239 --> 00:55:12,320 Speaker 3: better about those risks. 1185 00:55:12,719 --> 00:55:15,560 Speaker 2: Was there an emotional chapter for you that you had 1186 00:55:15,560 --> 00:55:16,080 Speaker 2: to write? 1187 00:55:17,760 --> 00:55:20,200 Speaker 1: Was there an emotional chapter or a chapter that you 1188 00:55:20,239 --> 00:55:22,400 Speaker 1: were like, oh my god, I can't believe I'm telling people. 1189 00:55:22,160 --> 00:55:22,840 Speaker 2: Telling you all this. 1190 00:55:24,120 --> 00:55:26,480 Speaker 3: Uh No, because I'm one of those people that I 1191 00:55:26,560 --> 00:55:27,479 Speaker 3: probably say too much. 1192 00:55:27,840 --> 00:55:30,160 Speaker 1: You are an open book in the best so you 1193 00:55:30,239 --> 00:55:31,920 Speaker 1: can never Yeah, I get that. I get that you 1194 00:55:31,920 --> 00:55:34,000 Speaker 1: can never say too much. So you're doing a ton 1195 00:55:34,280 --> 00:55:36,759 Speaker 1: Real Housewives of New York. Let's touch on it a 1196 00:55:36,800 --> 00:55:38,960 Speaker 1: little bit. Why did you decide to do Real Housewives 1197 00:55:38,960 --> 00:55:40,680 Speaker 1: of New York? How did the decision come to be? 1198 00:55:41,000 --> 00:55:45,080 Speaker 3: Talk about a fearless decision. Yeah, at the time, I 1199 00:55:45,160 --> 00:55:48,160 Speaker 3: felt like we're celebrating our twentieth anniversary. We've always taken 1200 00:55:48,239 --> 00:55:51,840 Speaker 3: risks to be in front and like in touch with 1201 00:55:51,880 --> 00:55:55,200 Speaker 3: our customer. I thought at the time, did iive part 1202 00:55:55,239 --> 00:56:00,160 Speaker 3: of me that being able to have the customers see 1203 00:56:00,200 --> 00:56:03,080 Speaker 3: another side of me. What I thought again was she's 1204 00:56:03,120 --> 00:56:04,640 Speaker 3: going to see me at the office, You'll see my 1205 00:56:04,680 --> 00:56:07,000 Speaker 3: family life, like, she'll see all these facets that like 1206 00:56:07,040 --> 00:56:10,640 Speaker 3: you don't necessarily see just on Instagram. And to be 1207 00:56:10,719 --> 00:56:14,080 Speaker 3: part of a cast again at the time that was 1208 00:56:14,239 --> 00:56:17,600 Speaker 3: all entrepreneurial women who are self made. No one in 1209 00:56:17,640 --> 00:56:20,400 Speaker 3: the cast had was on there because of their rich husband. 1210 00:56:20,680 --> 00:56:22,560 Speaker 3: So I thought, wow, this could be a cool example 1211 00:56:22,560 --> 00:56:27,200 Speaker 3: for women to see. And then it wasn't that. It became, 1212 00:56:27,520 --> 00:56:30,120 Speaker 3: you know, an old pattern in an old format that 1213 00:56:30,200 --> 00:56:33,160 Speaker 3: works for Bravo does not work for me. And so 1214 00:56:33,360 --> 00:56:35,759 Speaker 3: it was a decision, I guess to do it and 1215 00:56:35,840 --> 00:56:39,839 Speaker 3: to walk away. We're both fearless decisions because it wasn't 1216 00:56:39,840 --> 00:56:42,879 Speaker 3: a positive place to be. Not that I thought by 1217 00:56:42,920 --> 00:56:45,400 Speaker 3: signing on, oh, we're going to just be positive and 1218 00:56:45,440 --> 00:56:48,400 Speaker 3: happy all the time, but it became very negative and 1219 00:56:48,640 --> 00:56:51,400 Speaker 3: that's not what I want or need to have in 1220 00:56:51,440 --> 00:56:52,200 Speaker 3: my life right now. 1221 00:56:52,239 --> 00:56:55,480 Speaker 1: Did any of the prior Housewives of New York or 1222 00:56:55,520 --> 00:56:58,240 Speaker 1: any other franchise give you advice going into the show. 1223 00:56:58,640 --> 00:57:01,320 Speaker 3: So I had been on Besty's podcast a couple of 1224 00:57:01,360 --> 00:57:03,600 Speaker 3: years ago and I saw her an event when I 1225 00:57:03,640 --> 00:57:06,360 Speaker 3: still hadn't made my decision, and I was like, so listen, 1226 00:57:06,400 --> 00:57:09,799 Speaker 3: this is what's up. And she's like, don't attend a 1227 00:57:09,880 --> 00:57:13,640 Speaker 3: potty that's already ova And I was like, okay, good 1228 00:57:13,640 --> 00:57:15,600 Speaker 3: to know Bethany, thank you. And then I did the 1229 00:57:15,640 --> 00:57:17,640 Speaker 3: show and I saw her afterwards. She's like, I told you. 1230 00:57:17,760 --> 00:57:20,120 Speaker 3: I told you shouldn't have done it. Look what happened. 1231 00:57:21,640 --> 00:57:24,760 Speaker 2: That's so funny. So she knew, she was like, this 1232 00:57:24,800 --> 00:57:25,120 Speaker 2: is not. 1233 00:57:25,400 --> 00:57:29,560 Speaker 3: Gonna be She knew that she and the ogs like 1234 00:57:29,840 --> 00:57:32,720 Speaker 3: they did it best and that was perfect for its time, 1235 00:57:32,840 --> 00:57:34,960 Speaker 3: and you know it needs to be reinvented. 1236 00:57:35,240 --> 00:57:36,400 Speaker 2: Was it good for your brand? 1237 00:57:36,800 --> 00:57:39,240 Speaker 3: It was great for the brand. It was great, Like 1238 00:57:39,280 --> 00:57:43,479 Speaker 3: I talk about Madonna reinvention keeping interest. You know, brand 1239 00:57:43,520 --> 00:57:47,880 Speaker 3: awareness is up twenty percent year over decade. The customer 1240 00:57:47,880 --> 00:57:49,840 Speaker 3: who grew up with me got to see me again, 1241 00:57:50,200 --> 00:57:54,160 Speaker 3: new customers got to see me and so and there 1242 00:57:54,160 --> 00:57:55,800 Speaker 3: were people who'd never heard of me who were like, 1243 00:57:55,840 --> 00:57:58,840 Speaker 3: who's this random woman? Let me find out more So 1244 00:57:59,480 --> 00:58:01,760 Speaker 3: it was one of the hardest things I've ever had 1245 00:58:01,760 --> 00:58:04,760 Speaker 3: to do, but I don't regret it at all. 1246 00:58:04,840 --> 00:58:06,840 Speaker 2: Can't live with regrets. You can't live with regrets. 1247 00:58:06,840 --> 00:58:09,560 Speaker 1: Also, that's amazing. You're so right. It does open you 1248 00:58:09,640 --> 00:58:11,960 Speaker 1: up to this whole new audience. And I'm sure they 1249 00:58:12,000 --> 00:58:13,720 Speaker 1: were like, she seems cool, like let me see what 1250 00:58:13,760 --> 00:58:14,520 Speaker 1: her brand is all. 1251 00:58:14,480 --> 00:58:16,160 Speaker 2: Some time said that. Some of them said a bunch 1252 00:58:16,200 --> 00:58:18,400 Speaker 2: of other things, but that's for the troll. Had you 1253 00:58:18,400 --> 00:58:20,520 Speaker 2: ever struggled with like negativity before. 1254 00:58:20,760 --> 00:58:25,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, so I had had a taste of negativity very 1255 00:58:25,840 --> 00:58:28,400 Speaker 3: early on in the early days of social media. In 1256 00:58:28,440 --> 00:58:32,160 Speaker 3: the comments section of a website, people went for me 1257 00:58:32,720 --> 00:58:35,120 Speaker 3: and I remember this was like two thousand and six, 1258 00:58:35,520 --> 00:58:37,680 Speaker 3: and I remember crying on the couch to my husband, 1259 00:58:37,720 --> 00:58:41,160 Speaker 3: like people won't stop talking about me, and it was 1260 00:58:41,200 --> 00:58:44,400 Speaker 3: really criticizing the brand because at the time you didn't 1261 00:58:44,400 --> 00:58:49,320 Speaker 3: really know who I was. And so then we've had 1262 00:58:49,480 --> 00:58:53,040 Speaker 3: a lot of just great positivity. And I saw a 1263 00:58:53,080 --> 00:58:55,600 Speaker 3: taste of it during COVID when I did an Instagram 1264 00:58:55,640 --> 00:58:58,440 Speaker 3: live with someone who was getting canceled and the trolling 1265 00:58:58,520 --> 00:59:01,680 Speaker 3: on her feed. I was like, oh my god, I 1266 00:59:01,680 --> 00:59:04,000 Speaker 3: feel terrible for her, like the people are coming for 1267 00:59:04,080 --> 00:59:06,360 Speaker 3: her so hard, like this is awful, Like I just. 1268 00:59:06,280 --> 00:59:07,040 Speaker 2: Want to give her a hug. 1269 00:59:08,720 --> 00:59:11,360 Speaker 3: So then then I went back to my positive land 1270 00:59:12,120 --> 00:59:14,920 Speaker 3: and then I took a firm stance before, like I 1271 00:59:14,920 --> 00:59:18,560 Speaker 3: obviously knew, Okay, there is gossip, there is negativity surrounding 1272 00:59:18,600 --> 00:59:22,560 Speaker 3: these shows. Block and deleite, Like if you are a troll, 1273 00:59:23,160 --> 00:59:25,040 Speaker 3: you're not part of my world. And this is my 1274 00:59:25,200 --> 00:59:28,640 Speaker 3: space and I control it. I might not own my 1275 00:59:28,960 --> 00:59:32,120 Speaker 3: piece of the Internet, but I can control a lot 1276 00:59:32,120 --> 00:59:36,040 Speaker 3: of it. And that was the tactic, like block and delete, 1277 00:59:36,120 --> 00:59:38,720 Speaker 3: like I'm not here for it, Like you're miserable, You're 1278 00:59:38,840 --> 00:59:43,720 Speaker 3: in your parents' basement, Like go have happy life, and 1279 00:59:43,800 --> 00:59:46,080 Speaker 3: the trolls did come for me, and you know what, 1280 00:59:46,280 --> 00:59:49,960 Speaker 3: the best revenge is success, And I was just like 1281 00:59:50,000 --> 00:59:53,400 Speaker 3: I'm going to continue to succeed and to put positivity 1282 00:59:53,440 --> 00:59:56,800 Speaker 3: out there and to just keep doing what I love 1283 00:59:56,840 --> 01:00:00,360 Speaker 3: and showing it off and everyone else can suck it. 1284 01:00:01,560 --> 01:00:03,680 Speaker 1: And share your values, you know, and like you're your 1285 01:00:03,760 --> 01:00:06,840 Speaker 1: value values. What are you excited about that's to come? 1286 01:00:07,040 --> 01:00:09,160 Speaker 1: Like what's keeping you motivated right now? What do you 1287 01:00:09,200 --> 01:00:09,680 Speaker 1: have going on? 1288 01:00:09,920 --> 01:00:10,240 Speaker 2: Well? 1289 01:00:10,520 --> 01:00:14,240 Speaker 3: I have been working on celebrating our anniversary like all 1290 01:00:14,320 --> 01:00:16,000 Speaker 3: year long, so we're halfway in. 1291 01:00:16,280 --> 01:00:18,360 Speaker 2: We have a really. 1292 01:00:18,120 --> 01:00:22,800 Speaker 3: Exciting collaboration coming out in the fall. We also have 1293 01:00:23,000 --> 01:00:27,680 Speaker 3: a new category launch in the Fall to bring Rebecca 1294 01:00:27,760 --> 01:00:32,520 Speaker 3: MinC Off to even more women. And yeah, and it's 1295 01:00:32,560 --> 01:00:35,280 Speaker 3: about it's summer, so I'm gonna take my hawk gir 1296 01:00:35,320 --> 01:00:35,800 Speaker 3: al summer. 1297 01:00:35,960 --> 01:00:38,960 Speaker 1: Lastly, where can we find you? Follow you keep up 1298 01:00:39,000 --> 01:00:40,120 Speaker 1: with everything you've got going on. 1299 01:00:40,080 --> 01:00:43,160 Speaker 3: At Rebecca Mancoff at Becky Mancoff for a personal look. 1300 01:00:43,360 --> 01:00:46,320 Speaker 3: You can listen to my podcast Superwomen with Rebecca Mancoff. 1301 01:00:46,320 --> 01:00:48,960 Speaker 3: You can buy Fearless wherever books are sold, and if 1302 01:00:49,000 --> 01:00:50,800 Speaker 3: you want even more, you can go to my TikTok 1303 01:00:50,880 --> 01:00:52,080 Speaker 3: for some great entertainment. 1304 01:00:53,000 --> 01:00:55,200 Speaker 1: Well, thank you so much for being with me. Seriously, 1305 01:00:55,240 --> 01:00:56,000 Speaker 1: this is amazing. 1306 01:00:56,080 --> 01:00:56,920 Speaker 2: Thank you for having me. 1307 01:00:57,040 --> 01:00:59,800 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for tuning into today's episode with 1308 01:00:59,800 --> 01:01:02,600 Speaker 1: your Becka Minkoff. If you are enjoying post run High, 1309 01:01:02,640 --> 01:01:04,720 Speaker 1: please do us a quick favor and leave us a 1310 01:01:04,800 --> 01:01:08,080 Speaker 1: rating and review and share this episode with a friend. Also, 1311 01:01:08,200 --> 01:01:10,760 Speaker 1: subscribe to my YouTube channel at Kate max, where you 1312 01:01:10,760 --> 01:01:13,440 Speaker 1: can watch the video versions of all of these episodes. 1313 01:01:13,560 --> 01:01:17,480 Speaker 1: Your support helps us continue to bring you inspiring conversations. 1314 01:01:17,560 --> 01:01:18,520 Speaker 1: We'll see you next week.