Podcast Summary
Starting a Business and Prioritizing Self-Care: Entrepreneurship can be stressful, but prioritizing self-care is crucial for success. Whole Foods Market offers savings on Mother's Day gifts, while Blue Nile provides stunning jewelry with overnight shipping and returns.
This discussion highlights the importance of treating moms with the best on Mother's Day, whether it's through thoughtful gifts from Whole Foods Market or special jewelry from Blue Nile. The entrepreneurs behind Stay Wild Swim, Zannah Van Dyke and Natalie Glaes, share their journey of starting a successful sustainable fashion brand and the importance of self-care, even during stressful times. Whole Foods Market offers unbeatable savings on Mother's Day gifts, including body care and candles with a 33% discount for Prime members, beautiful flowers, and delicious desserts. Blue Nile provides a wide selection of stunning jewelry pieces that can be shipped overnight with free shipping and returns. The founders of Stay Wild Swim, Zannah and Natalie, share their experience of starting a successful ethical and sustainable swimwear brand made from regenerated ocean plastic. They discuss the challenges they faced, their coping mechanisms, and the importance of taking care of oneself, especially during the stressful times of starting a business. In the midst of entrepreneurship and business growth, it's essential to prioritize self-care and well-being. The discussion provides valuable insights and advice on how to cope with stress and anxiety, whether you're starting a business or just navigating daily life.
The Reality of Entrepreneurship: Hard Work and Self-Doubt: Entrepreneurship involves hard work, self-doubt, and embracing success. Recognizing the less glamorous aspects is crucial for resilience and growth.
The term "entrepreneur" has evolved over the years, and while it may have a glamorous image for some, the reality involves hard work, self-doubt, and embracing success. Zanna and Natalie, co-founders of Stay Wild Swim, discussed their experiences with the label and the challenges that come with starting and growing a business. They met through the blogosphere and have built their brand around sustainability and entrepreneurship. Despite their success, they acknowledged the importance of acknowledging the less glamorous aspects of entrepreneurship and embracing the title. They also touched on the British tendency towards self-deprecation and imposter syndrome, which can make it difficult for entrepreneurs to fully own their accomplishments. Overall, their conversation highlighted the importance of resilience, hard work, and embracing the entrepreneurial journey, regardless of its perceived glamour.
Organic connections and shared passions lead to successful business collaborations: Serendipitous meetings and shared values can lead to successful business partnerships, even without a formal agreement or industry experience.
Serendipitous connections and shared passions can lead to successful business collaborations. Zanna and Nat first bonded over their shared interest in fitness and green juice in 2015. Years later, they both independently became passionate about sustainability and ocean plastic. After exchanging messages about potential business ideas, Zanna approached Nat with a business plan for creating swimwear from ocean plastic. Although they had no background in fashion, their strong social media presence provided a platform to launch their business. Their informal discussions and research eventually led to the creation of a swimwear brand, which grew organically without a formal business agreement. Their story highlights the power of organic connections, shared values, and the potential of leveraging existing resources to turn a passion project into a successful business.
Navigating unexpected challenges in starting a sustainable business: Starting a business involves overcoming numerous hurdles, including unfamiliar territory in manufacturing, sourcing materials, and creating eco-friendly alternatives to required but unsustainable products.
Starting a business involves a steep learning curve and a multitude of unexpected challenges. Natalie and Zan, the founders of a sustainable swimwear company, had a clear vision and a market they believed in, but they faced numerous hurdles in bringing their product to life. They had to navigate unfamiliar territory in areas like manufacturing, sourcing materials, and creating carbon-neutral packaging. One unexpected challenge was finding a compostable alternative to plastic hygiene liners, which were required by law but not in line with their sustainability mission. This led them on a frantic search for a solution, ultimately finding a more expensive but eco-friendly alternative. Despite their backgrounds in media and speech therapy, respectively, they were determined to create their own business and bring their shared passion for sustainability to life. Their journey illustrates that entrepreneurship often requires adaptability, persistence, and a strong sense of purpose.
Following a passion leads to success in self-employment: Passionately pursuing a purpose-driven business can lead to motivation, growth, and impact, even in unfamiliar industries.
Following a passion and working for oneself can lead to greater motivation and success, even if it's in an unfamiliar industry or business context. The speakers shared their experiences of thriving in self-employment and starting their own business, Stay Wild, despite initial naivete and challenges. They emphasized the importance of purpose and impact, which drove them to push through the difficulties and continue growing the business. Stay Wild's mission extends beyond just creating sustainable swimwear; it aims to empower women, showcase diverse bodies, and make a positive impact on the environment. The speakers' determination and shared vision have carried them through the early stages of their business, and they continue to find purpose and meaning in their work.
From fishing nets to swimwear: A mission and a passion: Starting a business involves a clear mission, a strong why, and a willingness to learn and adapt. Seek feedback, focus on creating a quality product, and connect with your audience through storytelling.
Starting a business requires a clear mission and a strong why, but also a willingness to learn and adapt. The founders of Stay Well began with a passion for transforming fishing nets into swimwear and a desire to make a positive impact on the environment. They started with simple designs, but as they grew and learned more about their audience and the design world, they became better designers, focusing on fit, story, and niche. They were open about their lack of business experience and sought feedback from their customers. Through it all, they remained focused on creating something they could be proud of, even if it didn't succeed financially. Their natural storytelling abilities helped them connect with their audience and build a brand.
Navigating factory communication and design technicalities: Effective communication with factories involves learning their technical language and understanding specific design requirements to avoid misunderstandings and ensure ethical production.
Starting a fashion business involves a lot of learning and adaptation, especially when it comes to communicating with factories and understanding the technical aspects of fashion design. The founders of a fashion brand shared their story of creating their business from scratch, emphasizing the importance of involving the audience and being transparent. They initially struggled with creating digital designs for the factory, leading to some comical misunderstandings and miscommunications. The process required them to learn a whole new technical language and understand the specific requirements for their designs. They also highlighted the importance of choosing a local, ethical factory to ensure transparency and the ability to communicate effectively. The journey was filled with challenges, but ultimately led to the creation of a successful and trustworthy brand.
Finding the right factory for your brand: Starting a business involves challenges, especially in fashion. Persevere and adapt to find a factory that aligns with your values and prioritizes sustainability and innovative technology. Trust and positive feedback from customers can help you sell inventory quickly, providing valuable insights for improving your product and business.
Starting a business, especially in the fashion industry, comes with numerous challenges. One crucial aspect is finding a factory or manufacturer that aligns with your brand's values and ethos. In the case of the speakers, they moved factories to find one that prioritized sustainability and innovative technology. The initial process of starting the business involved a lot of guesswork and hard work, such as packing orders from their living room floor and relying on family members for help. Despite these challenges, they were able to sell their inventory quickly due to customer trust and positive feedback. This first year served as a testing ground for understanding their audience, improving product fit and shape, and learning about inventory management. The speakers emphasized the importance of perseverance and adaptability in the face of uncertainty.
Navigating a public launch with transparency and resilience: Stay adaptable, embrace feedback, and push beyond comfort zones to grow a business. Public scrutiny can lead to valuable improvements and unexpected opportunities.
Transparency and resilience are key elements for a successful business launch, especially when facing the scrutiny of social media. The founders of a swimwear brand shared their experience of navigating their first launch, which was filled with uncertainty and nerves due to the public nature of their platform. However, they learned from their audience feedback and used it to improve their sizing and design. A turning point was moving to a swimwear-focused factory, which significantly improved the quality of their products. They also realized that paneling was a defining feature that set their brand apart. An unexpected opportunity came when Selfridges contacted them before their launch, adding pressure to create unique designs that would stand out among established brands. This experience fast-tracked their branding process and helped them launch with confidence. Overall, their story highlights the importance of staying adaptable, embracing feedback, and pushing beyond comfort zones to grow a business.
Creating a Splash in Fashion with Adaptability and Resourcefulness: Starting a business requires wearing many hats and recognizing your limitations. Adaptability, resourcefulness, and networking are key to making a splash in the industry, even without a fashion background.
Starting a business involves wearing many hats and recognizing your limitations. The duo behind the swimwear brand shared their experience of creating their first collection, which was quickly showcased in Selfridges. They designed the pieces and colors themselves but needed help with digital drawings. They also shared their journey to British Vogue and Fashion Week, where they were given a small space and had to improvise. They managed to make it look nice with last-minute resources and even caught the attention of industry experts. This experience highlights the importance of adaptability, resourcefulness, and networking in entrepreneurship. Despite having no fashion background, they were able to make a splash in the industry by embracing their strengths and seeking help where needed.
Starting a business comes with challenges, but persistence and resilience can lead to success: Meet your idols, face challenges, and stay determined - these experiences can lead to industry recognition and success in business
Persistence and resilience are key to achieving success in business, even when faced with imposter syndrome and financial insecurities. The speaker shared an experience where they met their idol at a fashion exhibition and it led to a snowball effect of features in Vogue and other notable fashion publications. However, they also acknowledged the challenges that came with starting and growing a business, including stressors and financial insecurities. Despite these challenges, they remained determined and continued to put their best foot forward, eventually earning the seal of approval from industry leaders and gaining recognition in the fashion world. The journey has been a wild ride, but their thicker skin and unwavering commitment to their vision have helped them overcome obstacles and continue to thrive. For anyone looking to start a business or pursue a dream, this story serves as a reminder that success is not always a smooth road, but with persistence and resilience, it is achievable.
Prioritize Self-Care in the First Year of Business: Establish healthy habits, delegate tasks, and have a business partner for long-term business success. Self-care is crucial in the first year to avoid burnout.
Running a business can be emotionally and physically taxing, leading to burnout if proper self-care is not prioritized. The first year of a business can be particularly demanding, with long hours and constant stress. It's essential to establish healthy habits, such as getting enough sleep, eating well, and limiting work-related distractions in the evenings. Having a business partner to bounce ideas off and share the workload can also be beneficial. Delegating tasks to others, especially those that are time-consuming or outside of one's expertise, can help reduce stress and improve overall well-being. Remember, a successful business is built for the long term, and taking care of oneself is crucial to achieving that goal.
Reevaluating Priorities with a Partner: Entrepreneurs should consider delegating tasks, taking breaks, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance to avoid becoming too identified with their business.
Running a business can be all-consuming, and it's essential to ask oneself if it's worth the stress and sacrifice. The speaker shares her experience of how her boyfriend has helped her reevaluate her priorities and take breaks when needed. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balance between work and personal life to avoid becoming too identified with the business. The Y Combinator's practice of encouraging partnerships was also discussed as a potential factor in managing the workload and keeping each other in check. The speaker encourages entrepreneurs to ask themselves if their business is truly worth the stress and consider delegating tasks or taking time off to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Creating boundaries with technology for improved productivity and well-being: Limiting phone use, especially emails, in the morning, exercising, having a pet, and putting phone in airplane mode at night can boost productivity and overall well-being.
Limiting distractions, particularly technology, can significantly improve productivity and overall well-being. The speaker shared how they prioritize disconnecting from their phone for the first few hours of their day, especially emails, which they find to be particularly addictive. They also emphasized the importance of exercise and having a pet as stress-relievers. Additionally, the speaker mentioned the game-changer of putting their phone in airplane mode in the evenings and not checking it until an hour after waking up. Overall, the speaker's experience highlights the importance of creating boundaries with technology and making time for activities that promote mental and physical health.
Understanding the importance of self-compassion and prioritizing health: Slow down, prioritize self-care, and see exercise as a tool for recovery, not just a means to an end.
It's important to be compassionate with ourselves and understand that the pressure we put on ourselves to accomplish everything immediately is self-imposed. This was a lesson learned by our guest, who went through a life-changing experience that forced her to slow down and prioritize her health. She discovered the benefits of breath work for both her mental and physical well-being and learned to see exercise as a tool for recovery rather than just a means to an end. This shift in perspective not only improved her personal health but also her relationship with her business. When unexpected events, such as emergencies or global crises, force us to release control, it can be an opportunity for growth and learning.
Navigating unexpected challenges in business: Unexpected challenges can lead to growth and success if we prioritize well-being, trust each other, start with a focus on cash flow, and learn from mistakes
Unexpected challenges, such as health issues or a co-founder's absence, can provide valuable opportunities for reflection and growth in both personal and professional aspects of life. When faced with such situations, prioritizing the well-being of those involved and trusting each other's judgment and decision-making abilities can lead to successful outcomes. Additionally, starting a business requires taking the first step and being open to making mistakes, while maintaining a focus on cash flow and continuously learning from experiences. These lessons, learned from the speakers' own experiences, can serve as valuable advice for anyone considering starting a business during uncertain times.
Learning from imperfections in starting a business: Starting a business doesn't need perfection, learn on the go, adapt to feedback, and rely on resources for inspiration.
Starting a business doesn't require everything to be perfect from the get-go. In fact, imperfections can lead to valuable learning experiences. As shared in the discussion, the founders of Stay Plastic-Free started their business during the pandemic, not waiting for the ideal time or perfect conditions. They learned on the go, adapted to feedback from their audience, and relied heavily on Google to answer their questions. This approach allowed them to launch when the timing was right, even if the business wasn't perfect. Similarly, the speaker resonated with this mindset as she built her own business, acknowledging the fear of imperfection but recognizing the value of learning and evolving along the way. Recommended resources for entrepreneurs mentioned in the conversation include Holly Tucker's Conversations of Inspiration podcast, How I Built This by Guy Raz, and Well-to-do London. These podcasts offer valuable insights from successful brands, highlighting the struggles and lessons learned during their early stages. By listening to these stories, aspiring entrepreneurs can gain reassurance and motivation, knowing that they're not alone in facing challenges and setbacks.
Effective Strategies for Self-Care and Stress Management: Turn off notifications, practice meditation and breath work, offload to trusted individuals, exercise daily, read books like 'Atomic Habits' and 'The 5 AM Club' for inspiration, and pivot and expand businesses while staying positive during challenges.
Prioritizing self-care and stress management are crucial for personal growth and business success. The speakers shared several effective strategies, such as turning off notifications, meditation and breath work, offloading to trusted individuals, and exercising daily. They also recommended books like "Atomic Habits" by James Clear and "The 5 AM Club" by Robin Sharma for further inspiration. The speakers also shared their own experiences of pivoting and expanding their business, emphasizing the importance of stepping out of comfort zones and staying positive during challenges. Overall, the discussion underscored the importance of resilience, creativity, and community in navigating life and entrepreneurship.
Celebrating life's special moments with love and care at 1800 Flowers: 1800 Flowers brings joy and connection through fresh flowers, delicious baked goods, and thoughtful gifts, all made with passion and dedication by skilled florists, bakers, farmers, and makers.
At 1800 Flowers, every detail of your special occasion celebrations is handled with love and care. From the fresh flowers arranged by their skilled florists, to the delicious baked goods prepared by their talented bakers, and the thoughtful gifts crafted by their dedicated makers – everything is made with passion and dedication to bring a smile to your loved ones' faces. The farmers who grow the flowers, the artisans who create the gifts, and the entire team at 1800 Flowers put their hearts into their work, ensuring that each order is a reflection of the joy and significance of the occasion. So, when you choose 1800 Flowers for your next celebration, you're not just receiving a product, but a heartfelt expression of care and connection. To learn more about their offerings and how they can help you celebrate life's special moments, visit 1800flowers.com/acast.
