Chase Your Dreams

Maggie Lord, founder of Rustic Wedding Chic, shares her journey of starting, scaling and selling her online publication while balancing motherhood. In this episode, you will learn about how Maggie started with blog writing and eventually worked with vendors in the wedding industry, diversified her revenue streams, and adopted new digital platforms to grow her audience, up until she sold the company to David’s Bridal. Maggie also talks about her current role as a strategic advisor to female-founded brands and shares her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

About Maggie Lord

Maggie Lord was an early pioneer in the online digital wedding media space, establishing her media company Rustic Wedding Chic in 2008. As a founder and CEO of Rustic Wedding Chic, Maggie led the company for 12 years before it was acquired by David’s Bridal in 2020. Maggie is also the author of six books. Today, Maggie has become a sought after strategic advisor to female founded brands allowing her to focus on sharing her knowledge and expertise with other like-minded entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses. Maggie and her businesses have been featured in the New York Times, Fast Company, Forbes, Business Insider, Success Magazine, and much more.

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In this episode you will discover the journey of Canadian fashion designer, Linda Lundström. 

Linda shares her insights on embracing change, the impact of technology in manufacturing and why challenges should be seen as gifts. Join us for inspiring conversation with this true fashion innovator.

About Linda Lundström

Linda Lundström is an award-winning fashion designer, lean manufacturing practitioner, inspirational speaker, Indigenous ally, and creative director of online outerwear brand Therma Kōta.

Linda’s career spans over five decades in the fashion industry. She's well known for designing and building the Linda Lundström brand and a state-of-the-art Canadian lean manufacturing facility. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including three honorary PhDs. She was named to the Order of Ontario in 1995 and received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013. She is recognized as a champion of First Nations awareness, ethical manufacturing practices, and a proud supporter of the Made in Canada label. Linda's entrepreneurial journey is marked by synchronicity guided by mantras from her parents and a deep commitment to social responsibility.

Summary

Linda Lundström, a renowned Canadian fashion designer, shares her journey of resilience, innovation, and spirituality in the fashion industry. With over five decades of experience, she emphasizes the significance of seeing every life event as a gift, even setbacks like her company's bankruptcy in 2008. Lundström highlights the importance of paying attention to the universe's signs and believing in one's path. Her career is marked by her dedication to Canadian manufacturing, ethical practices, and empowering Indigenous communities through the Sewing Circle Project. She also discusses the transition from running a multimillion-dollar business to founding Therma Kōta with her daughters, focusing on sustainable, made-to-order outerwear.

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifehackslinda

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lundstromlinda/

Today is a solo episode where we're diving into the essential habits that will pay off for your online fashion business. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the vast world of e-commerce marketing, you're in the right place.

E-commerce marketing can be a daunting task, but fear not! Today, we'll break down five key habits that won't break the bank but will significantly impact your online fashion business.

Habit #1: Improve the Shopping Experience

• Recommend Best Sellers on Your Home and Product Page

Habit #2: Show Social Proof

• Display Customer Reviews and Testimonials Everywhere

Habit #3: Do Email Marketing

• Collect Addresses and Send Newsletter Emails Regularly

Habit #4: Create Better Blog Content

• Publish High-Value Blogs that are Search Engine Optimized

Habit #5: Improve Your Copywriting

• Have a Clear Call To Action

How many of these marketing checklist items are you currently implementing on your fashion e-commerce website? 

Maybe you’re nodding with full satisfaction because you’re using all these strategies for fashion marketing already, or perhaps you feel your jaw starting to tense a little because you realize—you’ve been missing out on some key opportunities to drive conversions.

It’s okay. The truth is, every business has room to grow and improve no matter where they are at with their marketing. It’s never too late to get started on building good habits!

Resources mentioned:

My guest today is Sherri Langburt, CEO & Founder of BabbleBoxx and has been a pioneer in the influencer marketing space since 2007. A passion for storytelling and brand marketing, and a desire to create an innovative social media solution led Sherri to create BabbleBoxx - the influencer marketing agency best known for its co-sampling and signature box strategies.

In this episode, Sherri highlights the significance of influencer marketing for fashion brands in today's digital landscape. She talks about what criteria fashion brands should consider when identifying potential influencers to collaborate with.

You'll learn why it's important for a fashion brand to align with influencers who resonate with their target audience. Including what are some key considerations and best practices when negotiating partnerships with influencers.

Lastly, she talks about what are some ethical and legal considerations that fashion brands need to be aware of when working with influencers.

My guest today is Cristin Zaccareo. ​Cristin is a strategic leader with 15 years of experience working with leading luxury retail companies as well as mid- and mass-market retailers such as Estée Lauder Companies, Shiseido Company, Lord & Taylor, and Ross Stores. Cristin has a strong history of constantly finding new methods to unlock value, drive sales, and evolve business models in an ever-changing retail landscape.

​Her company CGZ Consulting strives to empower digitally native retailers to unlock their full potential through the implementation of wholesale expansion strategies.

Cristin addresses some of the common challenges clothing brands face when it comes to wholesale expansion, and how she typically advises them to overcome these hurdles.

Cristin covers the key factors that clothing brands should consider before deciding to pursue wholesale distribution.

She talks about some best practices clothing brands should take to approach pricing and margins when entering the wholesale market.

This episode is a must listen to clothing brands who are looking to expand into wholesale.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Welcome to Chase Your Dreams, a podcast for fashion entrepreneurs who are ready to pursue their passion and make a living doing what they love. I'm your host, Glynis Tao and today we have the pleasure of sitting down with Thomas Girard, a Canadian Scholar, TEDx Speaker, and the host of the Uniqueways podcast based in Vancouver, Canada.

Thomas Girard has not only been accepted to attend the University of Oxford for lectures equivalent to graduate coursework but has also received multiple Emerging Scholar awards, notably at the Design Principles and Practices conference in Barcelona, Spain, and Emily Carr University of Art and Design. He is also a recipient of the RBC Emerging Scholar award from the Royal Bank of Canada Foundation and an Emerging Scholar award from the New Directions in the Humanities conference in Madrid, Spain for 2021.

The conversation delves into Thomas' journey as a scholar, instructor, and creator in the arts and design space.

Thomas talks about what inspired him to start his podcast, Uniqueways with Thomas Girard and sheds light on his creative process, especially with over 120 episodes having spoken to influential figures like John Maeda, Debbie Millman, Eric Spiekermann, and Chris Do.

Thomas shares valuable insights he has gathered from these creative minds, and offers tips on building a creative business and personal brand.

He also talks about his TEDx talk, "How to feel at home in the airport." And the opportunities that have arose from that experience.

Finally, Thomas gives fascinating insights into how he foresees AI is changing the way we do business. He talks about how he has integrated AI into his business, social posts, and research endeavors.

My guest today is Tiffany Wong, Co-Founder & Brand Director at The Ordinary Good.

Tiffany leads brand strategy and marketing at The Ordinary Good, a mission-led creative agency building and scaling sustainable and social impact e-commerce brands. Women led and operated. She has a brand building background layered with integrated marketing management for the past 7 years mostly in responsible fashion, beauty & wellness. Her favorite part of the job is working with early stage brands making our world better.

In this episode, Tiffany offers invaluable advice for emerging sustainable fashion brands looking to establish a strong brand presence and make an impact.

Tiffany explains the core concepts of sustainable fashion branding and why it's important in today's conscious consumer market. Learn how sustainable fashion brands can stand out in a competitive market by creating a distinctive brand identity.

Tiffany shares expert insights on leveraging email marketing to build strong connections with customers and communicate sustainability values.

Tiffany provides practical tips on using paid advertising platforms like Meta to promote sustainable fashion brands while upholding their values. Gain valuable advice on how sustainable fashion brands can maintain their commitment to sustainability without compromising on profitability.

Get a sneak peek into the future of sustainable fashion branding and discover upcoming trends and innovations.

Links mentioned in this episode:

My guest today is Miranda Sam, founder of Shortlisted, a clothing brand dedicated to making life easier for short women (5'4 and under).

How? Through petite proportions, functional design, and foolproof styling versatility. This means no more spending extra time, money or emotional energy on alterations, online returns, size guides, dry cleaning, or shamefully shopping the kids section!

She’s worked as a Fashion Marketer, Retail Manager, Fashion Journalist and Blogger in a career spanning 15 years. Miranda has also been a guest speaker at VCC, JCI, UBC, and Apparel Camp.

Miranda talks to us about why she decided to start a clothing brand for short women. She walks us through some of the steps she's had to go through to get her clothes sampled and manufactured.

She shares openly about some of the biggest lessons she's learned with the launch of her brand. As well as the hard truth she's had to face when it comes to pricing her products for the market.

My guest today is fashion wholesale agent Misty-Dawn Paulson, owner of Mstydon Group Fashion Wholesale Agency in Vancouver BC.

Misty-Dawn has made it a mission to make sure they only work with brands who’s first priority is to make sure their footprint is as minimal as possible. Some focus on eco textiles, some focus on fair production, some manufacturer in Canada, some use upcycled fabrics… the list goes on!

Having worked with a range of successful clothing brands, Misty-Dawn shares insights about preparing a brand for the wholesale market.

In this episode, Misty-Dawn explains the significance of wholesale in the fashion industry and why it's an important distribution channel for clothing brands. She outlines the essential criteria and characteristics a brand needs to be considered "wholesale-ready." This includes factors like product line development, pricing strategies, and production capacity.

She delves into the intricacies of pricing strategies for wholesale, offering practical advice on how brands can set competitive prices while maintaining healthy profit margins.

You will learn how a brand's production capacity and lead times factor into their readiness for wholesale. She discusses the importance of meeting quality control standards for successful wholesale operation.

Lastly, she discusses how brands can stay ahead of market trends and adapt their product line to meet changing demands in the wholesale market.

My guest today is materials expert Ruth Kelly who's here to talk about how to source fabrics sustainably.

Listen to this insightful episode to learn about:

- How does one assess the sustainability of a fabric?

- How can businesses strike a balance between sourcing sustainable fabrics and managing their budget effectively?

- What are some effective ways for individuals or small businesses to find and purchase sustainable fabrics?

- Exciting technological advancements or innovations in the field of sustainable fabric production

- Why no fabric is sustainable if we aren't respecting our resources

Ruth is an accomplished materials expert, entrepreneur, and innovator with more than 30 years of global success spanning brands, manufacturing, global supply chain, media, and higher education. Through her consulting and advisory work she supports businesses (ranging from start-ups to global brands) achieve their material goals, whilst pursuing her love of learning, research and connecting others. 

She has experience with multiple products / fabric types, and living and traveling across the world has provided Ruth with an international network of connections. With practical in-depth knowledge of the fabric development, sourcing, validation, and production processes from fiber to garment, she makes ideas come alive.

Ruth has a Bachelor of Sciences Degree in Textile Technology from the University of Manchester, Institute of Science and Technology, UK, and holds her designation as an Associate of the Textile Institute (ATI). 

Links mentioned in this episode:

My guest today is fashion stylist Tamara Gaudin. Tamara’s work as a stylist reaches from Paris to Mexico, New York City to LA, and Chicago to Dallas. As a personal stylist, Tamara caters to each client through each season, meeting their specific needs for fashion to match their lifestyle.

Tamara discusses what the role of a personal stylist is when it comes to working with clothing brands for a photoshoot. She explains why it's important for a stylist to understand a clothing brand's identity and target audience before a photoshoot.

She give tips about selecting the right pieces and accessories for the shoot and how she adjusts her styling approach for different types of clothing brands.

Lastly, she shares how to evaluate the success of a photoshoot in terms of the impact your styling choices had on the final images.

Today, we're diving into a crucial aspect of marketing for your fashion brand - building an email list. If you've been wondering how to get started, you're in the right place!

Benefits of Having an Email List. Recap of the 9 benefits discussed in Episode 21.

- Direct Line of Communication

- Building Brand Loyalty and Trust

- Driving Repeat Business and Customer Retention

- High Conversion Rates and ROI

- Data-driven Insights and Market Research

- Less Reliance on External Platforms

- Personalized Marketing Campaigns

- Promoting New Product Launches and Exclusive Offers

- Adapting to Evolving Marketing Trends

Tip #1: Offer an Incentive - Craft Compelling Lead Magnets

- Introduction to Lead Magnets

- Examples: Exclusive Discounts, Style Guides, Early Access to preview new collections

- Emphasis on providing genuine value aligned with brand identity

Choosing the Right Email Service Provider

- Importance of selecting the right provider for email marketing campaigns.

- Factors to consider: ease of use, integration, design options, automation capabilities, pricing.

Tip #2: Implementing Engaging Pop-Ups and Sign-Up Forms

- How strategically placed pop-ups and forms increase subscribers

- Importance of offering an irresistible incentive for sign-ups

Tip #3: Leveraging Social Media for List Growth

- The influence of social media on online shoppers

- Strategies: Posting engaging content, running contests, collaborations, clear calls-to-action

Tip #4: Hosting Exclusive Events

- The impact of in-person events on brand visibility and list building

- Promoting events through platforms like Eventbrite or Facebook

- Incentivizing sign-ups with special offers or discounts

Tip #5: Personalizing Email Campaigns for Maximum Impact

- Importance of leveraging the email list effectively

- The power of segmentation in resonating with different audience segments

- Crafting personalized offers for increased conversion rates

- Making tailored product recommendations for enhanced customer satisfaction

Conclusion

- Recap of the 5 powerful strategies to build an email list for your fashion brand

- Emphasis on consistency and quality in providing value to the audience

Stella Carakasi has been a fashion disruptor since 1993 when she launched the first, highly controversial hemp clothing collection in the United States. Her work continued to raise the eco-fashion bar and helped moving the emerging green revolution forward.

In this episode, Stella takes us through her journey of building several successful fashion companies and some of the difficult decisions she's had to make as a business owner.

This conversation is a powerful, truth telling and insightful look into the fashion industry as Stella shares a very important message to her audience as well as to young and emerging designers. This is unfiltered real talk that covers areas such as:

- why she took the gamble and left wholesale behind

- why it's the brands' responsibility to work towards sustainability, but don't lead with it

- why business is not for the faint of heart

- why it's important to start with your values

- why you need to know your customer

Here we are, Vancouver, in the 2nd wave. While most businesses are used to ramping up with seasonal promos and lots of consumer spending this time of year, everything is up in the air during a global pandemic. The first wave of the pandemic surprised everyone.

It feels like we just got back on our feet and here we are in the 2nd wave.

Normally around this time of year you would be deep into making and leveraging holiday marketing strategies and plans.

But how do you plan when you have zero control over what happens?

In today’s episode I have put together 6 tips that can help you and your business adapt to whatever this pandemic brings.

Here are the links to the online marketplaces I talk about in the podcast:

This is Part 2 to 'How to use SEO for your clothing brand.' If you haven’t had a chance to listen to Part 1, I recommend you do that first. 

Is your website feeling a bit neglected?🤔 Are you hearing the term SEO being thrown around but not sure what that is, or where to begin? With most people working and staying at home, now’s the BEST time to increase your website’s visibility.⁣
⁣ If you’ve been putting it off, or don’t know how to increase the traffic to your website through organic search… then I recommend you listen to today’s podcast. In this episode I will cover: - What is SEO? - Why SEO is important for your clothing brand - How Google actually works

Today’s episode I’m interviewing the founder of Vancouver- based activewear brand Daub + Design. 

Lexi Soukoreff talks about how covid-19 has affected her daily life and business. Despite the fact that the pandemic happened right before the start of a 6-week run of shows, she shares her story of how she pivoted her business to online. 

She's switched to making non- medical grade face masks but there's a shortage of supplies to make them. She's figuring out things as she goes along, just like when she first started her business she's using the knowledge of what she's learned through the years to get through this challenging time. 

The following is a recording from my presentation at Apparel Camp conference in Vancouver. I will go over common challenges that most small businesses face. I will use actual examples of challenges I’ve faced running my business and how I dealt with them and give you some creative and practical solutions to use in your business.

Jenna Herbut is a serial entrepreneur, speaker and writer. She’s the founder of The Make it show, one of Canada’s largest craft shows which she’s been running for over a decade.

In this episode, she shares her story and how she got started on her entrepreneur journey. She offers insight to how Covid-19 has affected her life & business after being forced to cancel all her Make It shows this spring.

Despite this huge setback she’s shifted her focus to help her ‘Makies’ and other creatives weather the storm. She answers a very important question for people who’s wondering now “What the heck should I be doing?"

Through it all Jenna maintains a positive mindset. It’s a very uplifting conversation which you don’t want to miss. 

In this episode I am presenting the information from the State of Fashion report put together by Business Of Fashion and McKinsey. The coronavirus has turned the fashion world upside down, leaving brands and executives scrambling to find answers to handle this crisis. Though the duration and ultimate severity of the pandemic remains unknown, it is apparent that the fashion industry is just at the beginning of its struggle. With new information being released on the effects of the virus and changes happening on a daily (even hourly basis) it's good for business owners to stay informed of what's currently happening and think about what they can do to protect their business during this time.  

Are you a fashion designer who has an amazing idea for a clothing line but not sure how to begin to get it made? 

New designers often struggle to connect with the right factories to launch their businesses. They usually don’t have connections in the industry and lack practical experience of speaking to manufacturers. 

This episode, is for emerging designers and new brands who are looking for factories to produce their clothing line.

In this podcast I will provide 3 tips when deciding to do a trade show or convention based on my experience of exhibiting at over 100 shows. This episode was recorded at Hanauma Bay in Hawaii🏝
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Just a heads up, there will be sounds of waves crashing, birds chirping and winds blowing during the podcast. If anything, you just may enjoy the soothing sounds of the ocean. Enjoy!⁣
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In this episode you will learn:⁣⁣
⁣⁣
✔️The reasons why you want to do the trade show⁣
✔️How to decide which trade shows to do⁣
✔️How to prepare for the show⁣

Do you want to learn how to target your best customers without coming across as salesy and pushy? 

Do you need clarity around what specific product best represents what you actually sell? 

Well, then you’ve come to the right place. In this episode you will learn: 

1. What is niching and why you’re insane if you don’t niche 

2. Some myths on niching and why niche-phobia is a common problem of start-ups 

3. How to pick your niche 

Do you love what you do? Do you want to build a successful clothing business that lasts? 

In this episode I share the lessons I learned from running my clothing design company for 10 years. 

Here’s some of the things I will be talking about: 

-My story of how I got started 

-How I built my business from startup to generate 6 figure sales in the 2nd year of business 

-How I got Google as a client (they called me!) 

-Some of the challenges I faced and how I persevered despite set backs 

-How I achieved business longevity 

Today we’re talking about Cash Flow, Budgeting and Financing for your clothing business. 

Here’s what we will cover in this episode: 

1. How to manage your cash flow 

2. How to make a budget 

3. Ways you can seek financing for your business

Get the exact planning tools from my days working at various apparel corporations that I used to effectively run my clothing company for 10 years.

Gain instant access to:

• The Time Management Matrix
• Your Big Picture Plan
• The Entrepreneur Success Calendar
• Product Development Timeline
• Line Planning Spreadsheet
• Production Tracking Grid
• Product Buying Calendar

And receive these training videos:

• Lesson 1: Time Management Matrix
• Lesson 2: Big Picture Plan & Sprints
• Lesson 3: Why Calendars are your BFF

Can you answer these questions?

1. I know exactly who my ideal client is, what their needs are and how to serve them best. 

2. I am clear on what I sell to my clients, including any products or services that I offer. 

3. I have conducted thorough market research to validate my business idea. 

If you can’t answer these questions, then check out this episode.