I remember leaving my office for the last time, uncertain of what the future would hold. For a while I had been feeling like there was more I had to give, more I had to offer this world but I was burned out. It’s been over 5 years since I left my corporate life behind …
At this point, you may be asking yourself what does all of this boundary talk have to do with sustainable apparel? Is this really industry news? Let’s be real. The apparel industry has a reputation for burnout and we have entered burnout season in the industry. The 4th quarter is the busiest and arguably the …
Did you know that it can take as little as 25 hours a year to do strategic planning? The math is simple. It breaks down to an average of 6.25 hours a quarter. Q1-5 Q2-5 + Q3-8 Q4-7 ———– 25 hours (see… what I …
When you think about shopping in the United States it has deep ties to immigrants. Many of the great department stores of our times started as general stores, dry goods stores or five and dimes. They were also tied to a harrowing story of an immigrant trying to make it in a new country. These …
The Evolution of a New England Department Store – Read More »
Did you know that it can take as little as 25 hours a year to do strategic planning? In working with apparel leaders and founders I’ve found spending as little as 25 hours a year allows them to provide 1) A clear roadmap for their team that gets everyone moving in the right direction to achieve the …
According to the International Trade Administration the U.S. exports approximately $2 trillion in goods and services each year and there is a tremendous opportunity to export more especially given that 96% of consumers live outside of the United States. Regardless of the size of your business the thought of exporting can feel overwhelming but it doesn’t …
Leveraging Export Opportunities for “Made in the USA” Apparel Read More »
Being seen as sustainable is profitable. Although being sustainable doesn’t always equate to being ethical. For the most part brands mean well but get drunk off their own kool-aid. They are invested in their own success and according to greenwash.com 59% of green claims are misleading or unsubstantiated. While greenwashing is prevalent In fashion misinformation is …
Business development can simply be summarized as the ideas, initiatives, and activities that help make a business better.I would also add that it is the foundation of your business and it needs to be as strong as possible to support the growth of your business. Over the last decade we’ve seen a lot of brands …
I’d like to start by saying this is just a sliver of the concerns and need for ethical and fair trade. As my colleague keeps reminding me (more like encouraging me 😉) “that’s a dissertation.” There is so much to unpack around sustainable apparel and I can’t cover it all. So I will continue to focus …
The story of my sister and our unbreakable bond. Part 1. The day I was born, I already had a #1 fan. My sister Jennifer was my A1-Day 1. She was only 3 years old at the time and loves telling me the story of the day I was born. Part of the reason she …