1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: Welcome back to She Pivots. I'm Rebecca Mincoff. 2 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 2: Welcome to She Pivots, the podcast where we talk with 3 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 2: women who dared to pivot out of one career and 4 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:24,799 Speaker 2: into something new and explore how their personal lives impacted 5 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 2: these decisions. I'm your host Emily Tish Sussman, and this 6 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 2: week we have on a guest again, Rebecca Minkoff. Were 7 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:41,560 Speaker 2: re releasing her episode because when we recorded it last year, 8 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 2: we had no idea that she was about to become 9 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:48,199 Speaker 2: a real housewife of New York. So we caught up 10 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 2: with Rebecca this week, found out all about what that 11 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 2: filming was like, what she's looking forward to, maybe not 12 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 2: looking forward to, and then we have the original conversation 13 00:00:57,160 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 2: with her. Afterwards we hear all about her pivot into fashion, 14 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 2: pivot out to the Female Founder's Collective, and hosting her 15 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 2: own podcast, and now into reality star Enjoy. My name 16 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 2: is Rebecca Mincoff. 17 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 1: I'm a designer, podcaster, author, mother four, co founder of 18 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 1: the Female Founder Collective, and real housewife of New York City. Okay, 19 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: so how is this new title feeling for you? You know, 20 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:35,480 Speaker 1: Heavyweights the Crown, Emily, Well, it's funny because I feel 21 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 1: like we have so much explaining to do. We're none 22 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:39,400 Speaker 1: of us are housewives, so it's very weird to call 23 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: myself one because I do not identify as a rich 24 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 1: woman who has nothing to do all day. I'm definitely 25 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 1: working my ass off, and so are all the other ladies. 26 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 2: So yeah, I would definitely know that would be like 27 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 2: about the last thing I would ever call you is 28 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 2: a housewife. 29 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: Actually, you know, I am dreams of being a housewife, 30 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 1: but not yet. So then what made you want to 31 00:01:59,200 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 1: do it? 32 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:01,160 Speaker 2: And this is how I felt. 33 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: I thought that there was an opportunity to be part 34 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 1: of their revival or the reboot, I should say, of 35 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 1: showcasing eight very successful female entrepreneurs that are all diverse backgrounds, places, ethnicities, 36 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 1: And could that be a narrative that, yes, there's drama, 37 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 1: there's got to be drama or no one's watching. We 38 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 1: all know that, But could that also be something that's 39 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 1: just seen and celebrated because there's not enough of us, right. 40 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: It's also I said it in an earlier interview, like 41 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,960 Speaker 1: it's great for like there's a whole host of women 42 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 1: that are either fans of the brand and grew up 43 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 1: with the brand or new ones that I could reach, 44 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:42,919 Speaker 1: and if they get to know me better and they 45 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,079 Speaker 1: like what they see, like, it's a great business opportunity 46 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 1: as well. So those were some of the reasons why 47 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: I decided to do it. We're also celebrating our twentieth anniversary, 48 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 1: and I thought, let's just get out there, and what 49 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 1: a better platform to be doing that with? So why 50 00:02:58,880 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: is this? 51 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 2: Why? 52 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: Why is this? What a better platform? 53 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:03,240 Speaker 2: Like, you know, we're going to attach this to the 54 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 2: interview that you and I did earlier this year together, 55 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 2: and so I'm interested into where I like, when we 56 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 2: did this interview, I didn't know that you were engaged 57 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 2: with the housewives. I don't know if you were already 58 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 2: filming them, had ended filming the beginning, or if you 59 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 2: were in even discussions with them. So I definitely didn't 60 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 2: ask any questions about it. But you know, we talked 61 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 2: through your evolution, like your own pivots, your own moments, 62 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:28,799 Speaker 2: and how you built your fashion brand. And then when 63 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 2: you were a little bit removed, it gave you the 64 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:33,640 Speaker 2: space to think about, Okay, what else can I do 65 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 2: for female founders? And then you started the podcast, you 66 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 2: started the Female Founders and you started supporting other businesses 67 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 2: through that. 68 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 1: Like, how does this This isn't the most. 69 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 2: Obvious move to follow your trajectory, so like, why this 70 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 2: platform to follow that same thinking that. 71 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: You had had. Well, yes, it is definitely veering left. 72 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: But what I will say is I've always taken risks. 73 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 1: We've always done the things that did not seem like 74 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 1: following the straight path. And at the time it doesn't 75 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: seem like it makes any sense, and then later on 76 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 1: people are like, oh, wow, you were the first to 77 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 1: do talk to influencers, store the future, wearables, you know, 78 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 1: talk to your customer, all these things that seemed crazy. 79 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:20,840 Speaker 1: So in my book, while it does seem cuckoo, there 80 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 1: is a rhyme and reason for why I decided to 81 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:27,479 Speaker 1: do it. And I think when you start unpacking who 82 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 1: watches this show? For the most part, it's women in 83 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: my exact demographic is also very smart, accomplished, talented women 84 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: as well. Who for them this show is like a 85 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:41,719 Speaker 1: respite from like their crazy lives. 86 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 2: It was funny. 87 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:45,279 Speaker 1: A good friend of my husband's is an accomplished, award 88 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 1: winning director and when she found out this was more 89 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: exciting for her than like being at the Sundance Film Festival, 90 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: and so, you know, the opportunity to show another dimension 91 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:57,040 Speaker 1: of myself was something I've thought long and hard about 92 00:04:57,120 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: because you only get a certain slice on my podcast. 93 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 2: And I'm mostly interviewing. You only get a certain slice on. 94 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 1: Social which were we are showcasing a brand and product, 95 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 1: and so how do you then just add more dimensionality 96 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 1: to who I am? And hopefully that means you know, 97 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: you want to connect more in whatever way. I mean, 98 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 1: I feel like the side they probably want to focus 99 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 1: on in the show is mostly personal like you personally, 100 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: your kids or family like stuff that you've kind of 101 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:29,720 Speaker 1: kept to yourself. Yes, but I'm a friend of and 102 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:32,280 Speaker 1: what that means, and most people don't know that is 103 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:36,360 Speaker 1: most of my private life still stays pretty private. And 104 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 1: we did that for a number of reasons. I have 105 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: very young children and I was not ready to expose 106 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: them to that, and my husband at the moment has. 107 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:49,279 Speaker 2: No interest on being on the show. 108 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 1: So between him having no interests in my young children, like, 109 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: you know, you'll see slices of it, but it's not, 110 00:05:56,560 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 1: you know, heavily featured, which is what a friend of 111 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 1: kind of means. Yeah, Ok, that makes sense. 112 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 2: It's funny you were saying that you know, people would 113 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 2: necessarily expect it of you. Do you remember how you 114 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:07,480 Speaker 2: told me that you were because we are friends, how 115 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 2: you told me that you were doing this? Remind me, 116 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 2: remind everyone. Yeah, it's that I I invited you to 117 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 2: attend a Gotham game because I invited all of nice friends. 118 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 2: I said, guys, everybody come see got the FC. We 119 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:22,840 Speaker 2: just bought the women soccer team, Like I want all 120 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 2: of my friends to come. And you wrote back and 121 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 2: you were like, do you want the Real Housewives there? 122 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 2: And I was like, yeah, totally, Like who doesn't, but. 123 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:33,840 Speaker 1: Like, do you know that? Oh my surprise that one? 124 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:36,719 Speaker 1: And I truly could not have been more surprised. Yes, 125 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 1: a lot of people were surprised, and I've gotten a 126 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,480 Speaker 1: lot of like, so, so why did you do this? 127 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 2: Why did you open yourself up to this hatred that 128 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 2: you're about to get? Yeah, I mean it's sort of 129 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:49,160 Speaker 2: inevitable that Like that's the point, right, I mean, not 130 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 2: like the point, but like that's how the drama stays, 131 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:53,839 Speaker 2: is that like people bring things and they have feelings 132 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 2: about it, and like the hatred, like how what are 133 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:59,040 Speaker 2: you preparing for? And how have you prepared yourself for it? 134 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:02,359 Speaker 2: So so the girls on the cast have all prepared me. 135 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 2: They said, do no longer will you read comments or 136 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:08,039 Speaker 2: engage with them. Someone else should do that for you, 137 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:12,040 Speaker 2: because that's where the fans can get brutal. They also said, 138 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 2: take off and remove all Google alerts on yourself. I 139 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 2: have not done that yet because I feel the need 140 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 2: to know what is being said about me in the press, 141 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 2: and I think you know. 142 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 1: I interviewed a guest, Kristen from Nomadical Wines on my 143 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 1: podcast and I love my last question for passing along advice, 144 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 1: and she was like, only take advice from women whose 145 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: lives you want, And I just am reinforcing that, like, 146 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 1: if this is not a woman whose life I want, 147 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 1: do not listen, do not engage, And that helps, I think, 148 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,559 Speaker 1: weed out a lot of the nasty stuff that's about 149 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 1: to be unleashed. And with the nasty is also great, right, 150 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 1: there's incredible opportunities ahead and I'm excited for that to happen. 151 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 2: It has put you in this sort of like sisterhood 152 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:01,120 Speaker 2: and camaraderie of a very small group of people whose 153 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 2: lives have been opened up and exposed in this way 154 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 2: to your point that you know, like the New York 155 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 2: reboot is women that have businesses that are definitely not housewives. 156 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 1: It's actually kind of not. 157 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 2: True like the majority of the housewives of the women 158 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 2: who have been on Housewives, do you feel a camaraderie 159 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 2: with women who have been on other franchises? Like, do 160 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 2: you feel connected to them? I mean, you guys do 161 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 2: have this kind of like crazy unique thing. It's called 162 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 2: a trauma bond. 163 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 1: That's the word for it. That's the word for it. 164 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: It's it's almost like you know what they've been through 165 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:37,560 Speaker 1: and someone can try and explain to you what it's like. 166 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: And Jenna Lyons tried to explain to me what it 167 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 1: was like before we started filming. It's like telling a 168 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 1: woman who's never been pregnant what it's like to like 169 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 1: give birth, and it can be intense. You know. By nature, 170 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:51,320 Speaker 1: I am a girl's girl and I want women to succeed, 171 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:54,440 Speaker 1: and so when women are fighting and coming for each other, 172 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 1: it's in my nature to want to de escalate, diffuse 173 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 1: and I know that inherent in this show what makes 174 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 1: it interesting and drama. So it's this tension for me 175 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 1: of I want to solve this situation, but I can't. 176 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 2: What could I do? 177 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 1: And I found that I was like the Jewish mother 178 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 1: being like, let me feed you, let me cook for you. 179 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 1: Who knows if they'll cut it out, but I swear 180 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 1: to God you could put together a montage of any 181 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 1: time they're fighting, I immediately get up and I'm like, 182 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: trying to serve people food. 183 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 2: Okay, that's actually going to be an incredible cut, like 184 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 2: all the TCD Stone cut, like Becky cooking trying. 185 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:34,320 Speaker 1: To serve people food. 186 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 2: Well, I mean on that point, I feel like the 187 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 2: format of the show like doesn't really align with the 188 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:43,440 Speaker 2: way I would like emotionally live my life. In that 189 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 2: I don't know, I either like wouldn't be that confrontational. 190 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:49,080 Speaker 2: I would like be confrontational and try to just sort 191 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:52,439 Speaker 2: of like do it in the least is explosive way possible. 192 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 2: And then I might also hold a really long grutch, 193 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:57,559 Speaker 2: which doesn't really work well if you're trying to move 194 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 2: a storyline across. Like, how did you find your personality 195 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:02,800 Speaker 2: vibing with the format? 196 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:06,280 Speaker 1: I think with the format, I was very much like 197 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:08,560 Speaker 1: the only way that I winted this is by being 198 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 1: myself an authentic. So when you know, one of the 199 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:15,080 Speaker 1: women had something that she said about me went viral, 200 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:18,680 Speaker 1: I think people expect you to hold the grudge, bring 201 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:21,320 Speaker 1: it up, have a big fight about it. And I 202 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 1: was like, I brought it up. She apologized, I accepted 203 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 1: her apology. We're still friends, and that is wild to 204 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:34,439 Speaker 1: watch people be like but she said it, and I'm like, yes, 205 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 1: and we are mature women, and so I have to 206 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:40,560 Speaker 1: go against that belief and grain of like we're going 207 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: to have beef forever. We even joke about it right 208 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: now and we joke about you know, you'll see some 209 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 1: things we joke about later. So it's just like just 210 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 1: taking the air out of it a little bit because 211 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:53,959 Speaker 1: I wanted to also just be me and that's who 212 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 1: I am. I'm not someone that like holds a grudge forever. 213 00:10:56,920 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 1: And you know, unless it's irreparable and you're a crazy person, 214 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:05,800 Speaker 1: we can have a conversation and normalize just being mature. 215 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 2: Well, one of the things that's always struck me as 216 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:11,080 Speaker 2: probably I don't know, I guess maybe like difficult to 217 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:14,720 Speaker 2: maintain over a number of seasons is that you might 218 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 2: be sort of forced into people that you find to 219 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 2: be crazy or I find you know that anybody would 220 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:22,959 Speaker 2: find to be crazy because you actually can't choose everybody involved. 221 00:11:23,520 --> 00:11:25,800 Speaker 2: So do you see that as being like was that 222 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 2: a limiting factor for you when filming it? 223 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:29,680 Speaker 1: And do you see it as being a limiting factor 224 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 1: moving forward? 225 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 2: So I think it depends if someone is higher. 226 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:36,560 Speaker 1: Is if someone is there to just be crazy and 227 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 1: be entertaining, that's just an energy that you learn to 228 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:41,800 Speaker 1: sort of deal with. Is someone is there to be 229 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:48,079 Speaker 1: mean spirited, evil, spiteful, really causing true drama and pain. 230 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 1: That's another level of things that get hard to deal with. 231 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 1: And I think I come at it from two places. 232 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:59,120 Speaker 1: I'm not engaging with it. I will not give that life, 233 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:05,080 Speaker 1: But also where did that person come from and what 234 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:08,920 Speaker 1: trauma did they experience that made them that way? And 235 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 1: so I have to have a little empathy when they 236 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:14,520 Speaker 1: are that way, not sympathy, but empathy of like, wow, 237 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 1: you just had to endure a lot, and good job 238 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:20,679 Speaker 1: on surviving. But I'm not engaging with it and I'm 239 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:23,080 Speaker 1: not going to validate it. I definitely feel that. 240 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 2: Okay, on a totally different topic, I'm very excited for 241 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 2: the purse you have coming out, which one, The Wicked One, Oh, 242 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:34,520 Speaker 2: the Wicked One. Yes, it's almost here. 243 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:36,199 Speaker 1: Are we allowed to talk about it? 244 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:37,120 Speaker 2: Yes? We can? 245 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 1: Okay, I'm so excited. 246 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 2: How I'm the biggest musical theater fan love Wicked obviously 247 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 2: forever and ever. To be associated with this film is unbelievable. 248 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 2: So how did. 249 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:48,880 Speaker 1: This come about that you got to have a piece 250 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 1: in it? This came about ten days after giving birth 251 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:54,439 Speaker 1: to my son. I was asked to fly to London. 252 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 2: All expenses paid, first class. 253 00:12:56,640 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: Wine and dined all weekend with like Mattel and Lego 254 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:01,280 Speaker 1: and whatever. 255 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 2: And I was in my hormone high and I was like, 256 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,680 Speaker 2: how could I do that? Can I smuggle my non 257 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 2: passport baby across? You know? 258 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:10,640 Speaker 1: And after a while I was like, you know what, 259 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,000 Speaker 1: I'm choosing my baby, Like I'm going to give this 260 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 1: opportunity up. And I just wrote a letter like I 261 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 1: just gave birth, I cannot possibly travel ten days after 262 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:21,240 Speaker 1: having him. Thank you so much for this opportunity. If 263 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:23,080 Speaker 1: there's a way to engage with you at a later date, 264 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:25,559 Speaker 1: let us know. And they're like, send your second best person. 265 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:29,920 Speaker 1: So I sent Mary. And Mary was my head of 266 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 1: pr and. 267 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 2: Partnerships, and she went, and it was this long process. 268 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 1: Of not only understanding what they wanted, who they were 269 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:40,319 Speaker 1: looking for, but how do we as a brand bring 270 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 1: what people love and is iconic about Rebecca Makeoff and 271 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:47,480 Speaker 1: the film. And we got to see footage and props 272 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:51,319 Speaker 1: and the makings of which was so incredibly special. When 273 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 1: I tell you that no detail was spared, Like nine 274 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 1: million two of us were planted for one of the scenes. 275 00:13:57,559 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 1: You know, they rebuilt from scratch. I'm now blanking on 276 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 1: the name of the university. You're gonna fill in the blank, 277 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 1: shiz shiz, dear old shiz. 278 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 2: Yes, thank you. I'm like, gosh, what was the name 279 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 2: of it? 280 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 1: So, and they made it handicap accessible as they built it, 281 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:17,560 Speaker 1: you know, like just the thought of, Okay, we don't 282 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:21,760 Speaker 1: want to use CGI, we want this to be really 283 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 1: real for people. So and then you go into like 284 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 1: the grimmery and like, just it's fucking epic what they did. 285 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:32,160 Speaker 1: So I was really inspired. We came out with two bags. 286 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:34,800 Speaker 1: I wanted to do more, but you know, I am 287 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 1: surrounded by business people and they're like two is enough. 288 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 2: One for Galinda, one for alphah Bah. 289 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:43,240 Speaker 1: One is a hot pink patent like box bag with 290 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 1: this swarros eat crystal strap not real Swasky, I guess 291 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: I can't say the name, but crystal strap. And then 292 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:51,120 Speaker 1: one is based on one of our best selling bags 293 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:55,160 Speaker 1: called the Easy and it's stud pattern is from excerpted 294 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:58,160 Speaker 1: from the Grimmery and there's a great tag in both 295 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:01,400 Speaker 1: bags said don't hide your magic. And it comes out 296 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 1: in November. 297 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:03,640 Speaker 2: It'll be in the windows at Bloomingdale's. 298 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 1: I'm part of their big activation and it'll be available 299 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:08,760 Speaker 1: on our site and it's limited. 300 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:11,280 Speaker 2: Addition, so it's going to sell out. Okay, that is 301 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 2: so cool. Are we going to see any of that 302 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 2: in the Housewives? Was that happening at the same time. 303 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, So we got to film a really cool scene 304 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:23,600 Speaker 1: where London sized daughter who's a huge musical theater fan, 305 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 1: gets to come into the office. She gets to touch 306 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: and hold the props like we got the props delivered 307 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:31,640 Speaker 1: as a surprise for her. She leaves with a bag 308 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 1: and I take her through the makings of you know 309 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:35,960 Speaker 1: and why we chose that bag, so you'll get a 310 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 1: little sneak peek. 311 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 2: Oh, that's so cool. That's going to be so special. Okay, 312 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 2: this was just at our quick update. Do you have 313 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 2: anything else that we should talk about? 314 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 1: Well, I'm a prankster and you're going to see that 315 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 1: in the episodes. You know, you might see some things 316 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 1: that I'm trying to make some points about rumors that 317 00:15:54,560 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 1: are spreading and how we can expose the rumor spreader. 318 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:02,560 Speaker 1: Ooh okay, that is spicy. I love it. Rebecca, thanks 319 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:05,200 Speaker 1: so much for coming on, and now for all our listeners, 320 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 1: onto the original episode. 321 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 2: Into your Face as always. 322 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:16,400 Speaker 1: My name is Rebecca min Coff. I'm a fashion designer 323 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 1: and the co founder of Female Founder Collective. I have 324 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:22,000 Speaker 1: a podcast, Superwomen with Rebecca Mincoff, and I'm a best 325 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:25,800 Speaker 1: selling author Fearless. And you have four kids, and I 326 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 1: have a mother with four children, which blows my. 327 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 2: Mind, like three sent me into chaos. Four I cannot imagine. 328 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 2: I'm going home after this to take a nap. I'm 329 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:40,480 Speaker 2: well deserved. Now where did you grow up? So the 330 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:42,920 Speaker 2: first nine years of my life was San Diego. The 331 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 2: second nine years of my life was Tampa, Florida. That 332 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:49,320 Speaker 2: was not my parents' intention, but they saw that there 333 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 2: was nothing happening in Tampa and that was great for 334 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:55,400 Speaker 2: raising children and not having them get into trouble. So 335 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:59,080 Speaker 2: my dad was a doctor and he had got an 336 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:02,880 Speaker 2: opening in Florida and he was like, well, I want 337 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:05,919 Speaker 2: to change of scenery. And that was it. You know, 338 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:08,119 Speaker 2: you really launched your career, made a name for yourself 339 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:10,800 Speaker 2: first as a fashion designer. And you said that the 340 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:13,439 Speaker 2: first thing you designed was your butt mitzvah outfit. 341 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:16,680 Speaker 1: It was. It was the first thing that I designed 342 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 1: in war successfully. I'll say that I had the opportunity 343 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 1: to work with this New York City designer who had 344 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:26,879 Speaker 1: moved to Podunkville where I lived, and she taught me 345 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 1: how to sew and make patterns, and I was so excited. 346 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:33,480 Speaker 1: And as a young girl at twelve turning thirteen, when 347 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:35,840 Speaker 1: you're entering womanhood but you don't look like a woman, 348 00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:38,439 Speaker 1: I was like, I got a design address that like 349 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:42,200 Speaker 1: maybe can show off my burgeoning bosom. That was It's 350 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 1: weird that that was like for my bot mitzvah. That's 351 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:46,119 Speaker 1: what I wanted, was like show off my chest. But 352 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:50,000 Speaker 1: I had like double a boobs aka nothing, and so 353 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:53,000 Speaker 1: I was like a square neck like medieval times. And 354 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:54,840 Speaker 1: then I'll get like a little push up raw to 355 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:59,400 Speaker 1: help me. Soon after her show stopping butt Mitzvah outfit. 356 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:03,680 Speaker 1: Becca continued her creative endeavors and enrolls at a performing 357 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 1: arts school as a dancer, and then in high school, 358 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:09,199 Speaker 1: I hit a really tough time where my teachers I 359 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:10,680 Speaker 1: don't want to pivot us too hard. But I was 360 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 1: a dancer and a performing arts high school, but kept 361 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:16,000 Speaker 1: getting told like, you're too tall, you ruin the symmetry, 362 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:18,359 Speaker 1: your boobs are too big, like just everything terrible you 363 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:22,640 Speaker 1: could tell a young woman. And I was a painfully thin, 364 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:26,119 Speaker 1: very awkward young girl, and I couldn't fit into regular 365 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:30,680 Speaker 1: clothes and I was bullied for it. And being able 366 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:33,199 Speaker 1: to sew and make things fit me gave me a 367 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 1: lot of confidence and it made me feel incredibly empowered. 368 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:38,680 Speaker 1: And so I just became addicted to the idea like, 369 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 1: oh it doesn't fit, no big deal, I can you know, 370 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:42,359 Speaker 1: take it in or add this to it. And so 371 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:44,800 Speaker 1: that was just something I just I wanted to sew 372 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 1: all the time. And then I would make things for 373 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:48,679 Speaker 1: my friends and it just became a great way to 374 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:50,960 Speaker 1: like hang out and you end up making something. 375 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:53,880 Speaker 2: So you grew up jewish. Was that a big part 376 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 2: of your identity you had about mizphone. It was a 377 00:18:56,119 --> 00:18:58,879 Speaker 2: huge part of my identity. It was every Friday with 378 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:02,359 Speaker 2: Shabbat I had about Mitzvah. My dad was very serious 379 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:06,160 Speaker 2: about observing the holidays up until the point, I would 380 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:07,879 Speaker 2: say about fifteen, and then all of a sudden it 381 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:10,919 Speaker 2: was like, uh, we did that, which was weird because 382 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:14,119 Speaker 2: he was so strict about it, and so I was 383 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 2: already by that time. I went to jew camp starting 384 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:20,719 Speaker 2: at thirteen, and by sixteen I was going to Israel 385 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:23,840 Speaker 2: for six weeks for a workshop program with all the 386 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 2: other kids who were part of the camps. And at eighteen, 387 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 2: I had the opportunity to go live on a kibootz 388 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:31,639 Speaker 2: for a year, and all my friends were going. But 389 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:34,200 Speaker 2: I was so desperate to get here and to start 390 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:36,000 Speaker 2: working and designing, and I felt like if I took 391 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:38,120 Speaker 2: a year off getting drunk and living on a kibotz, 392 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:40,919 Speaker 2: that I might be, you know, behind, And so it was. 393 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:42,720 Speaker 2: It was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had 394 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:45,560 Speaker 2: to make. With Sanatka on that trip and here being 395 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 2: New York. Yeah, so after high school, you are like, 396 00:19:49,119 --> 00:19:50,520 Speaker 2: get me to New York. 397 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 1: Yes, So I thought I wanted to be a geneticist, 398 00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:57,359 Speaker 1: and so I went to Johns Hopkins like to like 399 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:01,000 Speaker 1: see the school, and I thought, I will die in 400 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:03,679 Speaker 1: a laboratory. I will just not make it. And if 401 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 1: I have to do this for seven years before I 402 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 1: can practice, and I really found out like what it 403 00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:11,359 Speaker 1: takes to be in that world. I thought, Wow, I 404 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:13,159 Speaker 1: don't want this, and then I was like, maybe I 405 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:15,919 Speaker 1: don't even want to go to college. And in my house, 406 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:19,399 Speaker 1: my parents are kind of hippies. Everything was untraditional, so 407 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:21,359 Speaker 1: you know, they said to any all of us like, 408 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:22,879 Speaker 1: it's cool if you want to go to college, but 409 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:25,440 Speaker 1: you don't have to, and if you do, you're paying 410 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:28,000 Speaker 1: for it. And it was kind of like no pressure, 411 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:30,640 Speaker 1: so none of us actually ended up going. What else 412 00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:34,119 Speaker 1: was non traditional in your household? I would say that 413 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:36,280 Speaker 1: the things you think a mother should do for you 414 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:39,400 Speaker 1: weren't done or a parent, you know, whether it's it's 415 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:41,639 Speaker 1: the little things like signing you up for summer camp, 416 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:43,080 Speaker 1: and it was like, no, here are the forms you 417 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:46,199 Speaker 1: fill them out down to My brothers wanted to go 418 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:48,640 Speaker 1: visit their friends and they were thirteen, and she put 419 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:52,119 Speaker 1: them on a greyhound from Tampa to San Diego. So 420 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:54,360 Speaker 1: I think everything we wanted, we had to work for. 421 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:55,960 Speaker 1: There was a ledger in the kitchen and it was 422 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 1: about how you know what you earned. And I had 423 00:20:58,320 --> 00:20:59,800 Speaker 1: to cook dinner twice a week, and I had to 424 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:02,160 Speaker 1: doshes twice a week, and so some of those things 425 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 1: are normal. But I think a lot of this hands 426 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:06,359 Speaker 1: off approach to like if you want to figure it out, 427 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:10,080 Speaker 1: was really there. I did negotiate at age nine with 428 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 1: my art teacher about her prices because my mom was like, 429 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:14,080 Speaker 1: if you wanted these classes, they're too expensive, but you 430 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 1: can talk to her about lowering the price. 431 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 2: At the time, did you realize that your parents were 432 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:20,679 Speaker 2: a little more hands off than others around you. 433 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,639 Speaker 1: I started realizing it. I was angry about it, and 434 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:26,359 Speaker 1: I was pissed because I would see like my friend 435 00:21:26,359 --> 00:21:28,879 Speaker 1: would just she celebrated Christmas, and I would go there 436 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 1: and be like, you get all these presents. I get one, 437 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:34,840 Speaker 1: and your parents take you on trips and I have 438 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:36,639 Speaker 1: to earn it. Like I was just like, whoa, this 439 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:40,240 Speaker 1: is a different world. Yeah, but I'm trying to raise 440 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:42,399 Speaker 1: my children in the same way. You want it, you 441 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 1: earn it, and I'm hoping it rubs off on the 442 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:47,359 Speaker 1: entrepreneurial side on them the way it did with me. 443 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, at what point did your perspective flip on the parenting. 444 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 1: Having not my son? My son, my twelve year old 445 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 1: has always been grateful and gracious, but my daughter like 446 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:00,440 Speaker 1: I want, I want, I want, I want, and living 447 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 1: in New York City, you know, and I'm like, oh no, 448 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 1: we are not taking that route with you. 449 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:08,760 Speaker 2: You will earn this. Yeah. Yeah, it's hard. I think 450 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:10,879 Speaker 2: it's particularly hard in the city. 451 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:13,359 Speaker 1: But I also think, like, you get invited to a 452 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:16,119 Speaker 1: party in New York City and I don't even know 453 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:18,679 Speaker 1: the words for it, just the goodie bags and the 454 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:23,200 Speaker 1: bouncy cat, like everything. The abundance is so much that 455 00:22:23,359 --> 00:22:26,439 Speaker 1: even if you're not providing it to them, they're seeing 456 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:28,679 Speaker 1: it and they know it's possible, and it's hard to 457 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:31,359 Speaker 1: be like, all right, come back down to earth. Okay, 458 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:34,199 Speaker 1: So back to your journey. Was it always fashion that 459 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:35,000 Speaker 1: attracts you? 460 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 2: Like? What about fashion? Okay? 461 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 1: Going back for Hanukah, every year we would get like 462 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:43,080 Speaker 1: one thing and I would always get a magazine subscription 463 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:45,399 Speaker 1: to w or Vogue, and then my brother would steal 464 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:47,639 Speaker 1: it and I would kill him when it finally come 465 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:48,960 Speaker 1: to me, I would devour it. And I feel like 466 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:50,920 Speaker 1: I have to be in New York. That's where everything's happening, 467 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:54,719 Speaker 1: and for everyone listening, it's pre any social I mean, 468 00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:59,160 Speaker 1: there's nothing magazines are it. So my brother had gone 469 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:01,639 Speaker 1: to a party and he came home one night and 470 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 1: he said, I just met a designer. He was in 471 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:06,120 Speaker 1: from New York doing a trunk show at the local 472 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 1: Podunk Nordstrum in Tampa, and he gave me his number. 473 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:12,840 Speaker 1: He said he takes interns. Maybe you should call him. 474 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 1: And so I literally called this guy and he picked up. 475 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:16,080 Speaker 1: He's like, yeah, come up. When do you want to 476 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 1: come up? We paid minimum wage and I was like, oh, 477 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:21,440 Speaker 1: it's that easy, Okay, I'll be there. And I told 478 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:22,959 Speaker 1: my parents. I was like, so I'm moving to New 479 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:26,480 Speaker 1: York and I'm going to start working, and you know, 480 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:28,240 Speaker 1: we got to go on to Craigslist and find me 481 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:30,920 Speaker 1: an apartment. And my mom and dad were like, we're 482 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:33,719 Speaker 1: not paying for you to go to an apartment. Like 483 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 1: you wanted to do this, you figured out. So what 484 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:40,240 Speaker 1: we finally hobbled together was I lived with my friend 485 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:43,080 Speaker 1: in Fordham University. We shared a bed. He was gay, 486 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:44,720 Speaker 1: so it was like it was fine that we shared 487 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:46,560 Speaker 1: a bed. He would steak me in every night and 488 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:50,920 Speaker 1: then over like Russiashana, my parents came up and made 489 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 1: a deal with my cousin. They're like, all right, she's 490 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:55,200 Speaker 1: going to sleep on the floor and babysit your kid. Well, 491 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 1: you let her live with you. And that was, you 492 00:23:57,560 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 1: know how it all started. 493 00:23:59,080 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 2: So what did you do as an intern? 494 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 1: So my first day, the CEO, who ended up becoming 495 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 1: a mentor, was like, ugh, you're just another pretty girl 496 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:11,159 Speaker 1: he's let in here. Day one was you're going to 497 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:13,840 Speaker 1: work in the shipping department, and I was so angry 498 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:16,399 Speaker 1: and I was like, I am better than this. But 499 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 1: I really learned a lot about packaging and shipping. And 500 00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:21,960 Speaker 1: then it was like organize a supply closet, answer the phones, 501 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:25,440 Speaker 1: cuts watches, call these stores, make appointments, and every day 502 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:27,520 Speaker 1: was different. And as I began to get used to 503 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 1: sort of not knowing what I was going to do 504 00:24:29,119 --> 00:24:31,399 Speaker 1: that day, it just got exciting to be able to 505 00:24:31,480 --> 00:24:34,720 Speaker 1: learn every sort of part of the business. And then 506 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:36,840 Speaker 1: about six months in, I said, I think you should 507 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:40,439 Speaker 1: hire me full time. I've proven my worth and I 508 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:43,679 Speaker 1: want to work in the design area and she was like, great. 509 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:47,480 Speaker 2: Yes you have. So she began to design for Craig Tailor, 510 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 2: but all the time she continued to keep one foot 511 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 2: in as a dancer, thinking that might be the path 512 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:54,480 Speaker 2: she would pursue. 513 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:57,119 Speaker 1: I was so happy to be there, and I was 514 00:24:57,160 --> 00:24:59,919 Speaker 1: still kind of like, do I still be a dancer? 515 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:02,280 Speaker 1: I was taking classes at Alvin Alien. I had gotten 516 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:05,640 Speaker 1: into their two year certificate program and I was like, oh, 517 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:08,159 Speaker 1: you know, I forget where I was. But someone's like, 518 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:09,960 Speaker 1: you should be a model, and I was like, maybe 519 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:12,159 Speaker 1: I'll be a model until I went into a castaing 520 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:14,520 Speaker 1: and the guy was like, you know, you're really hairy, 521 00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:18,520 Speaker 1: and then he reached over and he's like and you 522 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:20,280 Speaker 1: got to get rid of this and he grabbed my 523 00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:22,760 Speaker 1: stomach fat and I was like, I'm going to just 524 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 1: put that idea to bed, because okay, maybe I'll be 525 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 1: a dancer or designer. And then I said this to 526 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:32,160 Speaker 1: this woman, Komy, the CEO, and she's like, you need 527 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:35,440 Speaker 1: to decide what you want to do, Like you can't 528 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 1: be all over the place. It's time to get focused 529 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:40,119 Speaker 1: and you know what is it? And I was like, okay, 530 00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:42,399 Speaker 1: she might be right. So I said I'll pursue design, 531 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:44,359 Speaker 1: and so I ended up working there for a total 532 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:45,280 Speaker 1: of around three years. 533 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:47,600 Speaker 2: Wow. Do you feel like that was the right advice 534 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:48,600 Speaker 2: for you in that moment? 535 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:50,600 Speaker 1: It was because I was just like, maybe I'll be 536 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:52,520 Speaker 1: this and maybe I'll be that, And I feel like 537 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:56,239 Speaker 1: those types of maybees are great if you're sixteen, but 538 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:59,879 Speaker 1: they're not great if you're nineteen and you decided not 539 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:01,920 Speaker 1: to go to college and you moved to New York 540 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 1: to work for a designer like Pickoling. 541 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:05,280 Speaker 2: Spoiler alert. 542 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:09,240 Speaker 1: She did. She started small custom making a small collection 543 00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:12,919 Speaker 1: of pieces herself. I had a five piece collection. I 544 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 1: live New York was one of them, literally bought off 545 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 1: the street but cut up and me dazzled because that 546 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:21,000 Speaker 1: was pre Etsy and people wanted DIY and an actress, 547 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:24,679 Speaker 1: Jenna Elfman asked for it via my brother again he 548 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 1: seems to be a connection and senator on September ninth, 549 00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:30,960 Speaker 1: she wore on Jay Leno Two months later and said 550 00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:34,719 Speaker 1: my name on national televisions One actress hand a lot 551 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:36,840 Speaker 1: of fun. She could be seen on the sitcom Accidentally 552 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:40,480 Speaker 1: on Purpose, which airs Wednesday night. It's another Networks. 553 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 2: Please welcome to Jenna. 554 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:45,320 Speaker 1: Elfman, and that was kind of like the big moment 555 00:26:45,359 --> 00:26:48,000 Speaker 1: of being in the magazine and making all these shirts 556 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 1: and nine months straight of that that. 557 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:52,600 Speaker 2: Shirt, riding the high of her new success. It was 558 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:55,159 Speaker 2: her mentor that once again played a key role in 559 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:57,280 Speaker 2: nudging her towards her true potential. 560 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:00,919 Speaker 1: And then Koomi the same sea called me and was like, 561 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:02,920 Speaker 1: you're fired, Go do what you love. 562 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:06,919 Speaker 2: Wow. Yeah you were so young. I was twenty one. 563 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:09,439 Speaker 1: Yeah. It was scary, but I think that when you 564 00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:14,000 Speaker 1: have nothing right and you were fueled by your work 565 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:18,400 Speaker 1: and buy potential and opportunity, I was like, what's the 566 00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:21,680 Speaker 1: worst that could happen? I end up on my parents' couch, right, 567 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:25,040 Speaker 1: And to me that was like, Okay, that'll suck and 568 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:28,000 Speaker 1: I'll have to regroup, but like, let me just try it. 569 00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:31,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, okay, so you did the T shirts for a 570 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:34,320 Speaker 2: little while. Yeah, about nine months, it's all. I did, 571 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:36,320 Speaker 2: just these five T shirts. 572 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 1: Yes, And then I started calling stores and I was like, 573 00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:41,760 Speaker 1: by the way, I have more than a shirt, you know, 574 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:44,560 Speaker 1: let me show you. And then one store in these 575 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:47,000 Speaker 1: village was like, I'll take this blouse on consignment, and 576 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:49,879 Speaker 1: then I would literally given the plows and then go 577 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 1: into Union Square and pass out postcards like new Designer 578 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:55,080 Speaker 1: Alert now, like I was one of those people standing 579 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 1: there like handing this out. And then I'd run back 580 00:27:57,840 --> 00:27:59,159 Speaker 1: to the store and be like did it sell and 581 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:01,440 Speaker 1: he'd be like yeah, Like all right, I passed out 582 00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:04,200 Speaker 1: five hundred postcards for one sale, so if I want 583 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:04,720 Speaker 1: to sell more, I. 584 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:05,439 Speaker 2: Gotta do one thousand. 585 00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 1: And I would go back to Union Square, and you know, 586 00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:10,640 Speaker 1: I was scrappy. I would find out who magazine editors were. 587 00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:13,160 Speaker 1: Email was new, but I would like figure it out 588 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:15,639 Speaker 1: and then email them all images. And then I found 589 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:18,680 Speaker 1: one burgeoning website called raven Style, and she would buy 590 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:20,680 Speaker 1: stuff and I'd be like, I need the deposit before 591 00:28:20,680 --> 00:28:21,520 Speaker 1: I make the goods. 592 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:23,119 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was about to ask how you had the 593 00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:25,880 Speaker 2: capital and how you had the connections to be producing 594 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:27,520 Speaker 2: at that kind of scale. It was not. 595 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:29,440 Speaker 1: It was not a big scale. It was a very 596 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:33,000 Speaker 1: tiny scale. The amazing woman from Raven Style would give 597 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:35,479 Speaker 1: me a deposit because she knew I had didn't have it, 598 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 1: so she'd give me enough. I'd go uptown, buy the fabric, 599 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:41,520 Speaker 1: buy the crystals, make it, and then deliver it to 600 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:43,640 Speaker 1: her for the balance of the payment. So I worked 601 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:46,320 Speaker 1: like that for a long time and then I said 602 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:49,360 Speaker 1: to my dad, I would like to open up a 603 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:52,880 Speaker 1: credit card. Could you co sign it with me? And 604 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:56,840 Speaker 1: because he had great credit, I got a lot of money. 605 00:28:57,280 --> 00:28:59,520 Speaker 1: But he was like, just want to let you know, 606 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:02,840 Speaker 1: like I'm not paying for this card, like you are responsible. 607 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 1: And that's when I got into trouble. When I didn't 608 00:29:05,680 --> 00:29:08,240 Speaker 1: have enough orders or I had to buy fabric or whatever, 609 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 1: I'd put it on the card and be like, hey, yea, 610 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 1: I'll pay it back, and then you know, I slowly 611 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:14,320 Speaker 1: racked up a lot of debt. That inevitably is when 612 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:16,719 Speaker 1: I had to call my brother and that's you know, 613 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:20,320 Speaker 1: that's when we begin working together and the bags started 614 00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:22,760 Speaker 1: to take off. So that was kind of the all right, 615 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 1: I'm out of my leak on the business side of stuff, 616 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 1: and I actually need someone to help me. 617 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:29,240 Speaker 2: Can you actually talk through with some of those steps 618 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:30,920 Speaker 2: are souse. I think that a lot of people when 619 00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 2: they're thinking about their pivot, go immediately to product and think, oh, well, 620 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:38,200 Speaker 2: I'll just make a product and I'll sell it, and 621 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:41,600 Speaker 2: I think not having an understanding of the ebbs and flows. 622 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:45,000 Speaker 2: I think, particularly of apparel business I think ends up 623 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:47,520 Speaker 2: surprising a lot of people sounds like, including you, Oh, 624 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:48,360 Speaker 2: it's surprising. 625 00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:51,880 Speaker 1: So I think with apparel it's really you know, if 626 00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:54,440 Speaker 1: your dream is to be a designer, And again I 627 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:56,720 Speaker 1: would give different advice if you're a T shirt versus 628 00:29:56,800 --> 00:29:59,160 Speaker 1: a cature gown. But I think that having your own 629 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:01,960 Speaker 1: website is in credit important whether you're selling anything or not. 630 00:30:02,360 --> 00:30:05,360 Speaker 1: And I think today there's a lot more creativity in 631 00:30:06,080 --> 00:30:08,800 Speaker 1: how you can take orders. You know, one of the 632 00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:12,760 Speaker 1: things when NFTs were all the rage was the idea 633 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:15,600 Speaker 1: that you could treat the NFT as a token and 634 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:19,480 Speaker 1: you know, by this NFT you will get the dress too, 635 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:22,000 Speaker 1: but you also get to see me in my studio 636 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:25,200 Speaker 1: working or at a photo shoot, or access to things 637 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:27,640 Speaker 1: that money can't buy. And so I think that's a 638 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:30,560 Speaker 1: smart and powerful way to raise money. And I think 639 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:33,720 Speaker 1: that the idea of the Tupperware party is not dead. 640 00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:37,040 Speaker 1: It's like who do you have and know with circles 641 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:40,080 Speaker 1: of influence that could host and support you. When I 642 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:42,160 Speaker 1: look back, there was a woman in Los Angeles that 643 00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:44,840 Speaker 1: would like put out wine and cheese and she's like, 644 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:46,960 Speaker 1: bring seventy five bags. They'll be gone by the end 645 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:49,000 Speaker 1: of the night, and she would invite all her friends 646 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:51,400 Speaker 1: and they were excited, and the bags were gone and 647 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:54,840 Speaker 1: I had cash. And so I think that as you 648 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:56,840 Speaker 1: begin to look at your business, there's a lot of 649 00:30:56,880 --> 00:31:00,240 Speaker 1: non traditional ideas you can use to do it. But 650 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:03,160 Speaker 1: so many women are like, oh, I'm starting an apparel company. 651 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 1: I need to raise money, you know. And I think 652 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:08,520 Speaker 1: that that's the wrong approach because most investors know they 653 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:10,720 Speaker 1: will not see her return on an investment of just 654 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:13,959 Speaker 1: an apparel company. That's just not how it works. And 655 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:17,080 Speaker 1: so I say start small, start focused, be the best 656 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:18,720 Speaker 1: in whatever it is, even if it's a white T 657 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:23,920 Speaker 1: shirt and why, and from there, really make your network 658 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 1: help support you and work for you. She continued to 659 00:31:27,280 --> 00:31:31,560 Speaker 1: build and grow, but slower than she wanted. She craved 660 00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:34,680 Speaker 1: another big break, and that's when she came up with 661 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:36,880 Speaker 1: her iconic morning after bag. 662 00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 2: You know that one. They're perfectly disheveled, can fit everything, 663 00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:43,440 Speaker 2: but looks like an it girl would carry it. 664 00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:47,280 Speaker 1: Bag and people took notice of what's now known as 665 00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:49,520 Speaker 1: the iconic morning after bag. 666 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:52,720 Speaker 2: Now, the original morning after bag was very popular in 667 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:54,680 Speaker 2: the mid two thousands, most. 668 00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:58,680 Speaker 1: Notably carried by celebrities Hayden Panitier and Lindsay Lohan. 669 00:31:59,040 --> 00:32:02,280 Speaker 2: This is honest one of my favorite bags, just because 670 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:05,600 Speaker 2: the functionality of this bag is great. Ship. 671 00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:07,600 Speaker 1: I had just launched the bag. It had a heat 672 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:10,360 Speaker 1: in a momentum that I never had with the apparel. 673 00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:12,280 Speaker 1: It hit a nerve with women in a way that 674 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 1: you can only hope happens to everyone. 675 00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:19,440 Speaker 2: And switching to bags that's a much more expensive product, 676 00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:22,440 Speaker 2: like for you to make? Yeah, was that a decision 677 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:25,920 Speaker 2: based on design? Based on presented return? 678 00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:26,240 Speaker 1: Like? 679 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:27,320 Speaker 2: What was that decision for you? 680 00:32:27,920 --> 00:32:30,880 Speaker 1: The decision for the bag was really about Jenna came 681 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:32,480 Speaker 1: back to me. She said, I'm going to be in 682 00:32:32,520 --> 00:32:35,920 Speaker 1: a feature film. The character wears the bag the entire time. 683 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:38,000 Speaker 1: You will not have seen this film because I went 684 00:32:38,040 --> 00:32:39,960 Speaker 1: straight to DVD. Sadly, okay, I was about to ask 685 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:42,640 Speaker 1: you which films colle touched. Bag did not make it 686 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:45,440 Speaker 1: to set. It was delivered two hours late. They started filming. 687 00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:48,640 Speaker 1: It was devastating. When I say, I was like, like 688 00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:50,720 Speaker 1: the assistant College's like, where is the bag? 689 00:32:50,760 --> 00:32:52,920 Speaker 2: And I was like, I don't know. 690 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:55,479 Speaker 1: And then it arrived and she's like we started shooting 691 00:32:55,480 --> 00:32:57,239 Speaker 1: with another bag, and I was like, can you redo it? 692 00:32:57,360 --> 00:33:02,080 Speaker 1: She was like no, so my just cru it was terrible. 693 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:05,680 Speaker 1: I was like on the corner of like Fifth Avenue 694 00:33:05,680 --> 00:33:08,000 Speaker 1: near Henry Bendell or wherever that Stora just was like 695 00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:10,160 Speaker 1: pacing back and forth while I was on the phone 696 00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:12,360 Speaker 1: with her, and I was like, well, I just I 697 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:15,560 Speaker 1: just bought a really expensive bag. My first, you know, 698 00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:17,720 Speaker 1: I made her a sample. I made me a sample. 699 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:20,680 Speaker 1: And then I noticed as I was wearing the sample, 700 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:23,840 Speaker 1: so many women were stopping me on the street asking 701 00:33:23,880 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 1: me about, you know, the bag, and I thought, there's 702 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:28,400 Speaker 1: something here. Let's see what happens. So a dear friend 703 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:30,560 Speaker 1: of mine, who was a stylist that I knew through 704 00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:33,280 Speaker 1: the industry, was like, I'm gonna have Daily Candy write 705 00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:36,040 Speaker 1: about it, and we're going to put it in this 706 00:33:36,120 --> 00:33:38,280 Speaker 1: store that I know in La called Seteen, which is 707 00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:41,920 Speaker 1: like the go to store for celebrities, and they ordered 708 00:33:41,960 --> 00:33:44,520 Speaker 1: twelve Daily Candy wrote about it sold out in like 709 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:45,320 Speaker 1: ten minutes. 710 00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:50,000 Speaker 2: Pretty soon it girls everywhere werek herrying the bag. Lindsay 711 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:52,760 Speaker 2: Lohan was photographed with it, and it began to fly 712 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:55,239 Speaker 2: off the shelves faster than she could keep up with. 713 00:33:55,800 --> 00:33:58,800 Speaker 2: So she turned back to her dad looking for financing 714 00:33:58,840 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 2: to keep up with the orders. 715 00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:02,280 Speaker 1: And so I went back to my dad. I was like, 716 00:34:02,280 --> 00:34:05,000 Speaker 1: all right, I'm not a loser anymore. I actually have 717 00:34:05,120 --> 00:34:07,440 Speaker 1: something that's working. Do you want to loan me just 718 00:34:07,480 --> 00:34:09,640 Speaker 1: a little bit more money to make the next production run. 719 00:34:09,680 --> 00:34:12,120 Speaker 1: He's like absolutely not, Like how are you paying the 720 00:34:12,120 --> 00:34:15,400 Speaker 1: credit card? Because I'm seeing the bills and the balance 721 00:34:15,480 --> 00:34:17,680 Speaker 1: isn't really going down that much. It's like one hundred 722 00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:19,680 Speaker 1: dollars a month, but this is this is sixty grand 723 00:34:19,719 --> 00:34:21,759 Speaker 1: that you've spent. I was like, all right, I'll talk 724 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:22,200 Speaker 1: to you later. 725 00:34:22,280 --> 00:34:22,480 Speaker 2: Bye. 726 00:34:22,840 --> 00:34:25,000 Speaker 1: So I called my brother, and my brother had basic 727 00:34:25,160 --> 00:34:27,800 Speaker 1: business questions. Is there an LLC? Do you have a 728 00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:32,520 Speaker 1: TAXID number? All that whatever? And the original intent wasn't 729 00:34:32,520 --> 00:34:34,319 Speaker 1: like all right, now we're partners. He was just kind 730 00:34:34,360 --> 00:34:36,680 Speaker 1: of helping me through. He was advancing me capital. He 731 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:38,800 Speaker 1: was in the software world. He has a software company, 732 00:34:39,200 --> 00:34:41,880 Speaker 1: and when he could see the numbers start to really 733 00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:45,600 Speaker 1: like the orders coming in, like really growing, he was like, oh, 734 00:34:45,640 --> 00:34:48,520 Speaker 1: there's something here, and he felt comfortable enough with the 735 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:51,160 Speaker 1: trajectory of the business that he put his credit card 736 00:34:51,200 --> 00:34:54,160 Speaker 1: as you know, the funding of things. And then it 737 00:34:54,280 --> 00:34:57,399 Speaker 1: was his house. He mortgaged his house because we could 738 00:34:57,440 --> 00:35:00,640 Speaker 1: not get a loan, and the whole v see private 739 00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:03,760 Speaker 1: equity game hadn't even really started in our industry yet, 740 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:06,680 Speaker 1: so we waited seven years before we took outside capital. 741 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:11,120 Speaker 2: She continued to bootstrap, barely paying herself a salary and 742 00:35:11,360 --> 00:35:15,520 Speaker 2: supplementing her growing business with other work. I supplemented my 743 00:35:15,960 --> 00:35:17,719 Speaker 2: T shirt years with styling. 744 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:20,400 Speaker 1: I was a stylist. I did Heidi Klumb for the 745 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:22,880 Speaker 1: first season of Project Runway. They were like, all right, 746 00:35:22,920 --> 00:35:25,560 Speaker 1: we have one thousand dollars for ten episodes and no 747 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:29,839 Speaker 1: budget for wardrobe. Do you want this great job? I 748 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:33,840 Speaker 1: was like yes. I was begging people, like I would 749 00:35:33,880 --> 00:35:37,080 Speaker 1: call Chanelle and like all these things, and everyone would 750 00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:39,440 Speaker 1: shut the door in my face to lend her. 751 00:35:39,800 --> 00:35:41,360 Speaker 2: Yes, and they didn't you want to lend her do. 752 00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:45,560 Speaker 1: Like reality TV Project Runway, Like that sounds terrible. It 753 00:35:45,600 --> 00:35:48,560 Speaker 1: was in reality TV was like new and dirty and 754 00:35:48,719 --> 00:35:52,040 Speaker 1: you know, like beneath people. Yeah, so I had to 755 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:55,239 Speaker 1: like rub pennies together to like get her to look good. 756 00:35:55,360 --> 00:35:57,000 Speaker 1: I even put her in a lot of my stuff 757 00:35:57,000 --> 00:36:00,520 Speaker 1: at the time. Anyways, so that made me some money. 758 00:36:00,760 --> 00:36:02,279 Speaker 1: I mean that felt was actually moortant to me, kind 759 00:36:02,320 --> 00:36:04,440 Speaker 1: of an opportunity to put you in her clothes. Oh no, 760 00:36:04,440 --> 00:36:04,879 Speaker 1: it was great. 761 00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:08,000 Speaker 2: Did that help with that publicity? That actually helps the line? 762 00:36:08,040 --> 00:36:09,120 Speaker 2: That was that exposure that helped. 763 00:36:09,160 --> 00:36:10,480 Speaker 1: I mean it was nice because I could use it 764 00:36:10,520 --> 00:36:12,240 Speaker 1: when I go to a store like oh, Heidi Klum 765 00:36:12,280 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 1: wearing my shirt Patrick, you know, like I could when 766 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:18,120 Speaker 1: the series became a success, I could use it working 767 00:36:18,120 --> 00:36:23,120 Speaker 1: with families complicated. Yeah, how's it been. So we sold 768 00:36:23,120 --> 00:36:26,080 Speaker 1: the business February of last year, so he is now 769 00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:29,280 Speaker 1: just an advisor. But I think we had the building 770 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:31,759 Speaker 1: years were incredible. He was in his lane, I was 771 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:35,319 Speaker 1: in mind. And then when we each figured out our 772 00:36:35,360 --> 00:36:38,360 Speaker 1: own areas and like started giving each other feedback and 773 00:36:38,400 --> 00:36:41,960 Speaker 1: advice in each other's lanes, the sparks would fly. And 774 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:43,960 Speaker 1: so we had a lot of tough times where we 775 00:36:43,960 --> 00:36:46,960 Speaker 1: weren't speaking and not getting along and fighting pretty badly. 776 00:36:47,160 --> 00:36:51,319 Speaker 1: We got a business therapist basically to help us, you know, 777 00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:53,640 Speaker 1: get back on the same page, and we would do 778 00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:55,840 Speaker 1: that once a year as like vomit it all out 779 00:36:55,880 --> 00:36:58,120 Speaker 1: and hopefully come to some sort of alignment. But it 780 00:36:58,160 --> 00:37:00,000 Speaker 1: was it took a toll on our relationship for sure, 781 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:01,720 Speaker 1: Still they. 782 00:37:01,560 --> 00:37:04,760 Speaker 2: Were clearly a good team. Eventually, the brand had grown 783 00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:07,680 Speaker 2: to over one hundred million in sales and they decided 784 00:37:07,680 --> 00:37:09,080 Speaker 2: to bring on a new president. 785 00:37:09,680 --> 00:37:12,239 Speaker 1: We brought in this president that we brought her in 786 00:37:12,360 --> 00:37:15,680 Speaker 1: very early on. Oh, we brought her in before we 787 00:37:15,719 --> 00:37:18,839 Speaker 1: could afford to pay me. My brother was like, add 788 00:37:18,920 --> 00:37:21,880 Speaker 1: up your rent and your Ramen budget and let me 789 00:37:21,960 --> 00:37:23,839 Speaker 1: know what that totals. And I was like, it's twenty 790 00:37:23,920 --> 00:37:26,400 Speaker 1: three thousand dollars a year. He's like, great, that's your salary. 791 00:37:29,520 --> 00:37:31,480 Speaker 1: And so then we paid her. And then he didn't 792 00:37:31,480 --> 00:37:33,800 Speaker 1: take a salary because he was making money from his software. 793 00:37:33,840 --> 00:37:36,400 Speaker 1: So we brought her in in what year was it 794 00:37:36,440 --> 00:37:40,439 Speaker 1: two thousand and seven? I believe there's like a two 795 00:37:40,480 --> 00:37:43,040 Speaker 1: year span, but at its height, we were doing one 796 00:37:43,120 --> 00:37:45,000 Speaker 1: hundred and ten million in sales and we probably had 797 00:37:45,000 --> 00:37:50,000 Speaker 1: one hundred employees. It was unbearable. Unbearable, how the pressure, 798 00:37:50,440 --> 00:37:53,360 Speaker 1: the stress, all of it. Managing a team of eighteen 799 00:37:53,360 --> 00:37:57,160 Speaker 1: people and being all in it as a designer and 800 00:37:57,200 --> 00:38:01,200 Speaker 1: then expected to travel to thirty cities, do the waving 801 00:38:01,239 --> 00:38:04,279 Speaker 1: in the trunk shows, be the face of social you. 802 00:38:04,239 --> 00:38:08,320 Speaker 2: Know, be a mother. It was untenable. So you started 803 00:38:08,360 --> 00:38:11,799 Speaker 2: having kids, and at what point did you feel like, 804 00:38:12,160 --> 00:38:15,320 Speaker 2: I can't give this whole portfolio. This eighteen person reporting 805 00:38:15,360 --> 00:38:18,000 Speaker 2: system is not going to cut it. 806 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:21,440 Speaker 1: So I was about to go on maternityly with baby 807 00:38:21,520 --> 00:38:26,040 Speaker 1: number three. It was twenty eighteen, and I had been 808 00:38:26,160 --> 00:38:29,480 Speaker 1: chasing this idea of I just need another hit. I 809 00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:32,560 Speaker 1: just need a big hit. So we had this big 810 00:38:32,880 --> 00:38:35,959 Speaker 1: growth surge with this crossbody that was one ninety five. 811 00:38:36,040 --> 00:38:38,120 Speaker 1: So I was like, me and the team all day long, 812 00:38:38,200 --> 00:38:39,719 Speaker 1: what's the next one, what's the next one? Okay, we 813 00:38:39,800 --> 00:38:42,080 Speaker 1: got it, Let's replicate it exactly how we did the 814 00:38:42,160 --> 00:38:44,600 Speaker 1: last one and get on this person this person, and 815 00:38:44,680 --> 00:38:47,440 Speaker 1: it wasn't working. And I was like banging my head 816 00:38:47,480 --> 00:38:48,960 Speaker 1: against the wall. And then I was like, maybe I 817 00:38:48,960 --> 00:38:51,640 Speaker 1: don't have it anymore. Maybe I'm just not cut out 818 00:38:51,640 --> 00:38:53,840 Speaker 1: for this, or maybe there's someone more talented than me. 819 00:38:53,920 --> 00:38:57,520 Speaker 1: And I was just like circling. And there was a 820 00:38:57,560 --> 00:39:00,959 Speaker 1: woman at the company who had been designing the under 821 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:03,239 Speaker 1: my brother and he's like, why don't you like her 822 00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:07,399 Speaker 1: run things for a little bit while you go out 823 00:39:07,520 --> 00:39:10,200 Speaker 1: and she'll off for a fresh perspective. And I was like, 824 00:39:10,920 --> 00:39:11,399 Speaker 1: take it. 825 00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:16,000 Speaker 2: I'm fucking tired. It's been a long journey. 826 00:39:16,000 --> 00:39:18,200 Speaker 1: It was thirteen years at that point, and so I 827 00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:20,440 Speaker 1: really left and I handed her off, like, here my 828 00:39:20,480 --> 00:39:23,160 Speaker 1: mood boards for the next six seasons. Here's everything. I'd 829 00:39:23,200 --> 00:39:26,000 Speaker 1: tied it with a bow. She was like, great, put 830 00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:27,680 Speaker 1: it in the trash as soon as I left the 831 00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:31,040 Speaker 1: room and I went out on leave. And we'd also 832 00:39:31,160 --> 00:39:33,200 Speaker 1: hired someone we thought was going to be the most 833 00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:36,799 Speaker 1: incredible person in marketing, and she had a doctorate, and 834 00:39:36,840 --> 00:39:39,279 Speaker 1: I was like, well, what do I know? Like this 835 00:39:39,360 --> 00:39:43,160 Speaker 1: woman is clearly learned. Yes, So when I got back, 836 00:39:43,320 --> 00:39:46,080 Speaker 1: I felt like a stranger in my own company. And 837 00:39:46,160 --> 00:39:50,000 Speaker 1: the marketing person literally said to me, my job would 838 00:39:50,040 --> 00:39:52,360 Speaker 1: be easier if you didn't exist. 839 00:39:52,840 --> 00:39:55,200 Speaker 2: The word's done. But it forced her to take a 840 00:39:55,239 --> 00:39:57,759 Speaker 2: step back and see a larger issue where she could 841 00:39:57,800 --> 00:40:01,360 Speaker 2: have an impact empowering em founders. 842 00:40:02,040 --> 00:40:04,919 Speaker 1: So by that time, I only had to have one 843 00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:08,040 Speaker 1: design meeting a week at the time, and I had 844 00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:09,839 Speaker 1: a lot more time on my hands, and so I 845 00:40:09,920 --> 00:40:13,040 Speaker 1: was like, great, you know, I'll do more speaking. And 846 00:40:13,239 --> 00:40:16,759 Speaker 1: you know, that's when I really was like, wow, women 847 00:40:16,880 --> 00:40:19,600 Speaker 1: are not paid equally, Like I'm in an industry where 848 00:40:19,600 --> 00:40:21,920 Speaker 1: it's women bashing women, But I had no idea that 849 00:40:21,920 --> 00:40:24,480 Speaker 1: when you peel outside of the fashion industry, like, there's 850 00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:27,520 Speaker 1: another struggle going on that I really didn't know about. 851 00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:31,200 Speaker 1: And so to hear about wage inequality and you know, 852 00:40:31,880 --> 00:40:35,520 Speaker 1: more men named John than women and CEOs, like, I 853 00:40:35,600 --> 00:40:38,080 Speaker 1: was just like, holy shit, I thought we were just 854 00:40:38,680 --> 00:40:40,640 Speaker 1: I thought it was just women being terrible to women. 855 00:40:40,800 --> 00:40:43,640 Speaker 2: I didn't know anything else. How did you find out 856 00:40:43,680 --> 00:40:45,680 Speaker 2: about it? Like, you were still in the same industry, 857 00:40:45,719 --> 00:40:46,720 Speaker 2: you were still in your company. 858 00:40:46,880 --> 00:40:50,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, But I was desperate to make connections and this 859 00:40:50,520 --> 00:40:53,000 Speaker 1: started earlier in like twenty sixteen with women outside of 860 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:56,400 Speaker 1: my industry. So I would host these dinners at my 861 00:40:56,480 --> 00:40:59,920 Speaker 1: store and like have women like the president of the WM, 862 00:41:01,160 --> 00:41:04,520 Speaker 1: the private wealth investor for Chase, and you know, a 863 00:41:04,560 --> 00:41:07,560 Speaker 1: magazine editor or just people outside of my world, and 864 00:41:07,600 --> 00:41:09,680 Speaker 1: I would hear them talk and I was like, oh shit, 865 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:12,320 Speaker 1: you know, there needs to be a way to support 866 00:41:12,360 --> 00:41:12,879 Speaker 1: women more. 867 00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:15,719 Speaker 2: What do you think you were chasing by starting this 868 00:41:15,960 --> 00:41:16,720 Speaker 2: dinner series. 869 00:41:17,480 --> 00:41:20,319 Speaker 1: I was chasing a community and a camaraderie that I 870 00:41:20,480 --> 00:41:23,239 Speaker 1: wasn't able to get within my industry, and I was 871 00:41:23,360 --> 00:41:25,000 Speaker 1: hungry for outside perspectives. 872 00:41:25,719 --> 00:41:27,799 Speaker 2: The timing is striking me as interesting as looking for 873 00:41:27,800 --> 00:41:30,880 Speaker 2: a community of women, because when I started this podcast, 874 00:41:31,040 --> 00:41:34,640 Speaker 2: I had an anticipation that a lot of women's kind 875 00:41:34,680 --> 00:41:37,319 Speaker 2: of dark moment that led to their pivot, like might 876 00:41:37,360 --> 00:41:39,760 Speaker 2: be COVID or might be like whatever, there's like personal 877 00:41:39,800 --> 00:41:41,960 Speaker 2: thing that happened to them. In my case, it was 878 00:41:41,960 --> 00:41:43,439 Speaker 2: having a lot of kids all at the same time. 879 00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:47,560 Speaker 2: What I did not anticipate is that I hear often 880 00:41:47,640 --> 00:41:50,440 Speaker 2: more often than I thought, is twenty sixteen the election 881 00:41:50,480 --> 00:41:52,480 Speaker 2: of Donald Trump as something that really changed a lot 882 00:41:52,520 --> 00:41:55,279 Speaker 2: of women's perspectives. Yeah, I just hear it much more 883 00:41:55,280 --> 00:41:58,279 Speaker 2: often than I anticipated. So that is the same year 884 00:41:58,280 --> 00:42:00,359 Speaker 2: that you started these dinners. Do you think, even if 885 00:42:00,360 --> 00:42:02,120 Speaker 2: it wasn't, the election in general just sort of like 886 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:04,520 Speaker 2: the context that led you to start them. 887 00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:07,400 Speaker 1: It's a good question. I don't know if it was 888 00:42:07,440 --> 00:42:10,200 Speaker 1: a conscious thing. It just felt like I was suffocating 889 00:42:10,200 --> 00:42:13,640 Speaker 1: in my own industry and it was so not supportive. 890 00:42:14,200 --> 00:42:18,800 Speaker 1: I remember being on air with another designer and the 891 00:42:18,840 --> 00:42:23,160 Speaker 1: interviewer said, Rebecca, you make my favorite dress, and then 892 00:42:23,200 --> 00:42:24,759 Speaker 1: I was cut out of the segment, and I thought, 893 00:42:24,800 --> 00:42:28,040 Speaker 1: now I really must have like done a shitty job 894 00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:31,359 Speaker 1: as a guest. And I saw the producer a couple 895 00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:32,880 Speaker 1: of weeks later said I'm so sorry we had to 896 00:42:32,920 --> 00:42:35,440 Speaker 1: cut you, like she's best friends with my boss, and 897 00:42:35,840 --> 00:42:38,920 Speaker 1: that designer was so offended that she wasn't the favorite 898 00:42:38,960 --> 00:42:40,880 Speaker 1: designer that she had you cut out. And I was like, 899 00:42:40,960 --> 00:42:43,799 Speaker 1: this is gross. You know, in twenty sixteen, I was 900 00:42:43,800 --> 00:42:46,560 Speaker 1: two years postpartum. I was like, you know, getting myself 901 00:42:46,600 --> 00:42:49,239 Speaker 1: back together and out there, and so two years of 902 00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:52,160 Speaker 1: meeting and talking and being around women. Then when I 903 00:42:52,200 --> 00:42:54,239 Speaker 1: had the time, I was like, we I need to 904 00:42:54,280 --> 00:42:54,879 Speaker 1: do something to. 905 00:42:54,800 --> 00:42:58,080 Speaker 2: Support So what was the first project that you jumped 906 00:42:58,120 --> 00:43:00,920 Speaker 2: into in twenty eighteen once you've you're back from attorney 907 00:43:01,000 --> 00:43:03,279 Speaker 2: even you realized I can only do one design meeting 908 00:43:03,280 --> 00:43:04,400 Speaker 2: a week. I've got more time. 909 00:43:04,760 --> 00:43:08,279 Speaker 1: Well, I said to this really smart marketing person. I 910 00:43:08,280 --> 00:43:10,160 Speaker 1: was like, so, what's our plan. She's like, well, we 911 00:43:10,560 --> 00:43:12,640 Speaker 1: are going to use you in social but not yet. 912 00:43:12,880 --> 00:43:15,759 Speaker 2: And I was like, okay, now what do I do? 913 00:43:15,920 --> 00:43:17,920 Speaker 1: So I had like two weeks of ladies who lunch 914 00:43:17,960 --> 00:43:20,480 Speaker 1: and I was like, I'm going crazy, like I can't 915 00:43:20,520 --> 00:43:24,400 Speaker 1: do this, and so she said we should start a podcast. 916 00:43:24,440 --> 00:43:26,560 Speaker 1: I said, well, I wanted to start a podcast two 917 00:43:26,600 --> 00:43:28,239 Speaker 1: years ago, and I was told it was not a 918 00:43:28,239 --> 00:43:29,759 Speaker 1: good idea, and she's like, it's a great idea, and 919 00:43:29,800 --> 00:43:32,200 Speaker 1: I was like, great, I'm on it. And so I 920 00:43:32,280 --> 00:43:34,239 Speaker 1: began the process of figuring out how to do that, 921 00:43:34,560 --> 00:43:37,759 Speaker 1: and then we were at a party for it was 922 00:43:37,760 --> 00:43:41,560 Speaker 1: like a rooftop event for some congresswoman or someone to 923 00:43:41,560 --> 00:43:45,279 Speaker 1: get elected, and I just remember going, I need to 924 00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:47,960 Speaker 1: find a way to make women rich. And the only 925 00:43:48,000 --> 00:43:49,719 Speaker 1: way that I know how is if we can know 926 00:43:49,760 --> 00:43:52,319 Speaker 1: who they are, we can have a community around them, 927 00:43:52,800 --> 00:43:55,880 Speaker 1: and we can support them with education. And so I 928 00:43:55,920 --> 00:43:58,040 Speaker 1: just remember thinking about this idea and I said to 929 00:43:58,080 --> 00:43:59,160 Speaker 1: a woman on the team, I was like, what do 930 00:43:59,200 --> 00:44:01,720 Speaker 1: you think about this idea. I was on the Council 931 00:44:02,000 --> 00:44:05,360 Speaker 1: for Women and Girls with Melissa de Rosa and the governor, 932 00:44:05,760 --> 00:44:07,560 Speaker 1: and I was like, I'm going to bring this to 933 00:44:07,640 --> 00:44:10,560 Speaker 1: the state and the state should have a state seal 934 00:44:10,640 --> 00:44:14,440 Speaker 1: that recognizes women own businesses, and blah blah blah and 935 00:44:14,560 --> 00:44:18,839 Speaker 1: the red tape and the calls and the just ad nauseum, 936 00:44:19,239 --> 00:44:21,600 Speaker 1: and I remember and I just reconnected with her today. 937 00:44:22,160 --> 00:44:25,280 Speaker 1: A woman who was an executive director on the committee 938 00:44:25,320 --> 00:44:28,400 Speaker 1: was like, why are you asking the state's permission? Just 939 00:44:28,480 --> 00:44:30,799 Speaker 1: do this yourself. And I was like, fuck yeah, I'm 940 00:44:30,840 --> 00:44:33,080 Speaker 1: doing it for myself, and that's when I took it 941 00:44:33,080 --> 00:44:34,800 Speaker 1: into my hands and I said, this has to launch. 942 00:44:34,840 --> 00:44:37,240 Speaker 1: The reason why I wanted to start Female Founder Collective 943 00:44:37,480 --> 00:44:40,759 Speaker 1: was I wanted there to be some recognizable symbol where 944 00:44:40,800 --> 00:44:44,040 Speaker 1: we as females a support and know who is running 945 00:44:44,239 --> 00:44:46,600 Speaker 1: the business. So I couldn't be more excited to be 946 00:44:46,600 --> 00:44:49,120 Speaker 1: a part of the Female Founder Collective and really give 947 00:44:49,200 --> 00:44:52,680 Speaker 1: women all across America and hopefully the world the opportunity 948 00:44:52,719 --> 00:44:56,760 Speaker 1: to recognize female made, female supported, and female powered brands 949 00:44:57,239 --> 00:45:00,920 Speaker 1: with and a longtime supporter who was at IMG, Leslie Russo, 950 00:45:01,120 --> 00:45:03,040 Speaker 1: was like, I'm going to put everything behind this. So 951 00:45:03,120 --> 00:45:06,080 Speaker 1: you get the photographer, the makeup, the hair, like, everything's covered. 952 00:45:07,040 --> 00:45:09,239 Speaker 1: We'll shoot it, We'll launch it with a panel at 953 00:45:09,320 --> 00:45:12,439 Speaker 1: fashion Week, and I had a website with like leave 954 00:45:12,440 --> 00:45:14,680 Speaker 1: your email here if you'd like our application, and that 955 00:45:14,800 --> 00:45:16,600 Speaker 1: was it. That was all we had was me and 956 00:45:16,640 --> 00:45:17,560 Speaker 1: my assistant at the time. 957 00:45:17,880 --> 00:45:19,759 Speaker 2: So that's but I mean, that's so interesting that you 958 00:45:19,840 --> 00:45:22,440 Speaker 2: launched it within the context of an industry that you 959 00:45:22,440 --> 00:45:24,120 Speaker 2: were actually trying to get out of. 960 00:45:24,719 --> 00:45:27,560 Speaker 1: Right, But I needed the eyeballs and the press and 961 00:45:27,640 --> 00:45:31,640 Speaker 1: media around that thing I felt to get momentum. 962 00:45:32,080 --> 00:45:34,040 Speaker 2: So did you launch with a cohort or you just 963 00:45:34,080 --> 00:45:34,880 Speaker 2: launched with an idea. 964 00:45:34,920 --> 00:45:37,239 Speaker 1: I launched with an idea. Apply here, we'd send you 965 00:45:37,280 --> 00:45:40,160 Speaker 1: the form, we'd review it. If you passed, you were in. 966 00:45:40,440 --> 00:45:42,960 Speaker 1: And then what you were in was like we were 967 00:45:42,960 --> 00:45:45,680 Speaker 1: making it up at the time, but there's members that 968 00:45:45,680 --> 00:45:48,319 Speaker 1: are still around from that time, which is really nice. 969 00:45:48,320 --> 00:45:51,080 Speaker 2: We're five years old, So how did you start to 970 00:45:51,080 --> 00:45:54,680 Speaker 2: feel like it was becoming the hitting mass? So you 971 00:45:54,680 --> 00:45:55,880 Speaker 2: had the community that you wanted. 972 00:45:56,400 --> 00:45:58,200 Speaker 1: So in the first i'd say two weeks, we hit 973 00:45:58,239 --> 00:46:01,120 Speaker 1: three thousand applications and I was like, oh shit, we 974 00:46:01,200 --> 00:46:03,359 Speaker 1: have to do something with this now. So the first 975 00:46:03,400 --> 00:46:05,920 Speaker 1: step was okay, here's this you know, once we've approved 976 00:46:05,920 --> 00:46:08,080 Speaker 1: and vetted you, here's the CEOs you can place on 977 00:46:08,120 --> 00:46:10,760 Speaker 1: your website or your products. That was kind of most important. 978 00:46:11,120 --> 00:46:13,320 Speaker 1: And then it was like, well, we need a day, 979 00:46:13,760 --> 00:46:16,759 Speaker 1: like we need an event. And I was about three 980 00:46:16,800 --> 00:46:18,720 Speaker 1: months in when I met my co founder and CEO 981 00:46:19,360 --> 00:46:21,799 Speaker 1: Ali Wyatt, and she came on and she had been 982 00:46:21,840 --> 00:46:23,960 Speaker 1: at Girl Bossy. She was the CEO of Girl Boston, 983 00:46:24,040 --> 00:46:26,759 Speaker 1: so she knew how to like structure this. 984 00:46:27,440 --> 00:46:28,359 Speaker 2: So we started. 985 00:46:28,040 --> 00:46:31,800 Speaker 1: Planning Female Founder's Day, which ended up being in March 986 00:46:31,840 --> 00:46:34,839 Speaker 1: of twenty nineteen. So all of our focus went to, like, oh, right, 987 00:46:34,880 --> 00:46:37,880 Speaker 1: community you're in and our first big kickoff is going 988 00:46:37,960 --> 00:46:39,040 Speaker 1: to be in March, and we're going to have a 989 00:46:39,160 --> 00:46:41,280 Speaker 1: day where it's not a bunch of women just talking 990 00:46:41,280 --> 00:46:43,719 Speaker 1: on panels, because you can get that from anyone, but 991 00:46:43,760 --> 00:46:47,480 Speaker 1: we're gonna have vetted experts giving you ninety minute workshops 992 00:46:47,480 --> 00:46:50,160 Speaker 1: on whatever topic is your pain point, and so we 993 00:46:50,239 --> 00:46:52,520 Speaker 1: kind of have you know, we had our hero keynotes, 994 00:46:52,560 --> 00:46:54,720 Speaker 1: and then the day was like what's pick your poison? 995 00:46:55,560 --> 00:46:58,520 Speaker 1: And so after that then we said, okay, our next 996 00:46:58,520 --> 00:47:01,480 Speaker 1: event is this, and then we were able to have 997 00:47:01,760 --> 00:47:05,160 Speaker 1: enough kind of community events and then online events that 998 00:47:05,160 --> 00:47:06,520 Speaker 1: that was kind of how we started. 999 00:47:07,000 --> 00:47:10,160 Speaker 2: Rebecca spent most of her time building Female Founder Collective, 1000 00:47:10,560 --> 00:47:15,280 Speaker 2: letting her eponymous brand run without her until it couldn't 1001 00:47:15,280 --> 00:47:16,080 Speaker 2: any longer. 1002 00:47:18,040 --> 00:47:20,279 Speaker 1: Things within the business shifted. I got rid of the 1003 00:47:21,000 --> 00:47:25,520 Speaker 1: two ladies. The business needed me really back, and so 1004 00:47:26,040 --> 00:47:28,560 Speaker 1: by that time I had a CEO, co founder, I 1005 00:47:28,600 --> 00:47:30,560 Speaker 1: had a head of operations, and so I was like, 1006 00:47:30,600 --> 00:47:32,640 Speaker 1: all right, I'm going to be focusing my attention back 1007 00:47:32,640 --> 00:47:35,080 Speaker 1: into my company again. I felt like it was at 1008 00:47:35,080 --> 00:47:38,239 Speaker 1: a space where when Ali and I came together, she 1009 00:47:38,400 --> 00:47:40,600 Speaker 1: was like, I really want to be the CEO, and 1010 00:47:40,680 --> 00:47:42,799 Speaker 1: I really want to run this day to day, Like 1011 00:47:42,920 --> 00:47:45,640 Speaker 1: what part do you want in it? Because it won't 1012 00:47:45,680 --> 00:47:47,600 Speaker 1: work if we both want to do that. And I 1013 00:47:47,680 --> 00:47:50,359 Speaker 1: was like, great, I want to help with high level 1014 00:47:50,360 --> 00:47:54,880 Speaker 1: strategy goals, pull in big contacts, and like use my 1015 00:47:55,040 --> 00:47:59,440 Speaker 1: network to really amplify this. But I don't want to 1016 00:47:59,440 --> 00:48:03,040 Speaker 1: be in the day today of managing the daily task. 1017 00:48:03,080 --> 00:48:06,120 Speaker 1: I already have this other job. So I think for 1018 00:48:06,160 --> 00:48:08,880 Speaker 1: me it worked out that I could then turn my 1019 00:48:08,960 --> 00:48:11,880 Speaker 1: attention back to Rebecca mink Off and still be involved, 1020 00:48:11,880 --> 00:48:13,319 Speaker 1: but not on the nitty gritty. 1021 00:48:13,560 --> 00:48:16,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, like putting the right team together in each place 1022 00:48:16,719 --> 00:48:18,560 Speaker 2: for you to be at your best and highest use 1023 00:48:18,840 --> 00:48:22,640 Speaker 2: in both correct. So, what was one point where at 1024 00:48:22,640 --> 00:48:24,560 Speaker 2: the time you were like, Okay, this is really terrible. 1025 00:48:24,719 --> 00:48:26,960 Speaker 2: This is like a low point for me, and now 1026 00:48:27,000 --> 00:48:29,840 Speaker 2: in retrospect you see it as having really set you 1027 00:48:29,920 --> 00:48:31,200 Speaker 2: up for the success that you have now. 1028 00:48:31,840 --> 00:48:34,560 Speaker 1: I think the low point was that day that I 1029 00:48:34,600 --> 00:48:38,280 Speaker 1: got back that she said that to me, and that 1030 00:48:38,280 --> 00:48:41,800 Speaker 1: that person and her and let's say there was a 1031 00:48:41,840 --> 00:48:45,480 Speaker 1: total of three were there for let's say nine months, 1032 00:48:46,239 --> 00:48:49,080 Speaker 1: and feeling like I was a complete and total stranger 1033 00:48:49,160 --> 00:48:54,920 Speaker 1: in my own company with no power, and people say, 1034 00:48:55,040 --> 00:48:56,759 Speaker 1: but this was your company, Like how did you have 1035 00:48:56,800 --> 00:48:59,600 Speaker 1: no power? And I'm like, at a certain point, you 1036 00:48:59,640 --> 00:49:03,200 Speaker 1: have word, you have you know. My brother was aligned 1037 00:49:03,239 --> 00:49:06,440 Speaker 1: with them because he thought that they knew what they 1038 00:49:06,440 --> 00:49:09,800 Speaker 1: were doing, and so I would be like, well, listen 1039 00:49:09,840 --> 00:49:11,880 Speaker 1: to me, you know, and like one day I found 1040 00:49:11,920 --> 00:49:14,120 Speaker 1: out that the speak had changed. It was like, we're 1041 00:49:14,160 --> 00:49:16,960 Speaker 1: loving this, and I was like, no, the caption is 1042 00:49:17,000 --> 00:49:20,840 Speaker 1: from me to the customer, it's not we and they're like, well, 1043 00:49:21,080 --> 00:49:24,000 Speaker 1: she said to change it. I'd be like I'm erased. 1044 00:49:24,280 --> 00:49:27,640 Speaker 1: And that was the worst time in my life. And 1045 00:49:28,640 --> 00:49:33,839 Speaker 1: what I have trouble rectifying is that awful woman inspired 1046 00:49:34,120 --> 00:49:39,319 Speaker 1: things that bring me joy? How did that awfulness from that? 1047 00:49:39,680 --> 00:49:43,240 Speaker 1: I got these two things, my podcast and female Founder Collective, 1048 00:49:43,280 --> 00:49:46,760 Speaker 1: And so sometimes I'm like, I hate you, but thank you. 1049 00:49:46,760 --> 00:49:50,040 Speaker 2: You know. It's a very weird feeling. Yeah, No, I 1050 00:49:50,400 --> 00:49:51,759 Speaker 2: mean I feel like it's like the whole premise of 1051 00:49:51,800 --> 00:49:55,919 Speaker 2: this entire show that like at the time, you think, 1052 00:49:56,719 --> 00:49:58,440 Speaker 2: oh my god, it can't get any worse than it, 1053 00:49:58,480 --> 00:50:00,719 Speaker 2: and I feel like you kind of to get to 1054 00:50:00,800 --> 00:50:04,160 Speaker 2: like a real low in order for your perspective to shift, 1055 00:50:04,239 --> 00:50:07,640 Speaker 2: because just as human beings, we just we don't change 1056 00:50:07,760 --> 00:50:09,960 Speaker 2: drastically without being forced to. Like it is not on 1057 00:50:09,960 --> 00:50:13,120 Speaker 2: our NATR, yeah for sure, but it does give birth 1058 00:50:13,200 --> 00:50:16,000 Speaker 2: something totally now. Thank you so much for joining us. 1059 00:50:16,160 --> 00:50:18,319 Speaker 2: I really feel like this has gone by in one second. 1060 00:50:18,360 --> 00:50:19,319 Speaker 2: I could talk to you all day long. 1061 00:50:19,400 --> 00:50:20,160 Speaker 1: Thanks for having me. 1062 00:50:22,800 --> 00:50:25,640 Speaker 2: Rebecca continues to juggle it all as a mom of 1063 00:50:25,719 --> 00:50:30,360 Speaker 2: four running her Rebecca Mincoff label while continuing to prioritize 1064 00:50:30,560 --> 00:50:35,080 Speaker 2: empowering women through the Female Founder Collective. If you're not already, 1065 00:50:35,400 --> 00:50:39,280 Speaker 2: head over to her podcast, Superwoman and subscribe. I'm biased, 1066 00:50:39,320 --> 00:50:42,480 Speaker 2: but I think our episode together on Superwoman. 1067 00:50:42,120 --> 00:50:42,920 Speaker 1: Is one of the best. 1068 00:50:43,480 --> 00:50:46,600 Speaker 2: Be sure to follow Rebecca on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter 1069 00:50:46,640 --> 00:50:54,160 Speaker 2: at Rebecca Mincoff. Thanks for listening. Thanks for listening to 1070 00:50:54,239 --> 00:50:57,399 Speaker 2: this episode of She Pivots. If you made it this far, 1071 00:50:57,719 --> 00:50:59,960 Speaker 2: you're a true pivoter, So thanks for being part of 1072 00:51:00,120 --> 00:51:03,359 Speaker 2: this community. I hope you enjoyed this episode, and if 1073 00:51:03,360 --> 00:51:06,080 Speaker 2: you did leave us a rating, please be nice. Tell 1074 00:51:06,120 --> 00:51:08,920 Speaker 2: your friends about us to learn more about our guests, 1075 00:51:09,040 --> 00:51:12,440 Speaker 2: follow us on Instagram at she pivots the Podcast, or 1076 00:51:12,440 --> 00:51:14,759 Speaker 2: sign up for our newsletter where you can get exclusive 1077 00:51:14,800 --> 00:51:17,680 Speaker 2: behind the scenes content, or on our website she pivots 1078 00:51:17,719 --> 00:51:22,120 Speaker 2: the Podcast talk to You Next Week. Special thanks to 1079 00:51:22,160 --> 00:51:26,719 Speaker 2: the she pivots team, Executive producer Emily eda Velosik, Associate 1080 00:51:26,760 --> 00:51:31,800 Speaker 2: producer and social media connoisseur Hannah Cousins, Research director Christine Dickinson, 1081 00:51:32,160 --> 00:51:36,200 Speaker 2: Events and logistics coordinator Madeline Sonovak, and audio editor and 1082 00:51:36,239 --> 00:51:40,760 Speaker 2: mixer Nina pollock I endorse t pivots