Podcast Summary
The Rise of Influencers and Social Media: Ariel Charnas' success as a fashion blogger on Instagram led to the creation of her own brand, Something Navy. Authentic, daily engagement with audiences is key to influencer success and business adaptation.
The rise of social media and influencers, specifically Ariel Charnas who started as a fashion blogger in 2009, revolutionized the way people consumed content and engaged with each other. Her daily posts on Instagram, which showcased her personal style and life, gained her over a million followers. This massive following led her to start her own fashion brand, Something Navy. However, in recent times, Something Navy has gone silent, leaving fans wondering about its status. The success of Charnas and other influencers highlights the power of social media and the importance of authentic, daily engagement with audiences. This trend is here to stay, and businesses would do well to understand and adapt to it.
Creating a relatable yet aspirational lifestyle brand on social media: Early adoption of social media and authenticity can build a large following and influence, creating a sense of exclusivity and friendship.
Charnas' success on social media came from her ability to create a relatable yet aspirational lifestyle brand. Starting with her personal Instagram account in 2011, she built a large following by sharing her fashion recommendations and inviting her audience into her life through candid moments. Her early adoption of social media and the right tone struck a chord with her audience, creating a sense of exclusivity and friendship. As she continued to grow her following, she expanded into YouTube and collaborated with beauty and fashion brands, further solidifying her influence and reach. Charnas' success demonstrates the power of authenticity and vulnerability in building a strong social media presence and engaging with an audience.
Successful fashion collaborations and personal brand launch through social media influence: Social media influence can lead to fashion collaborations and even the launch of a personal brand. Ariel Charnas, a popular influencer, collaborated with Nordstrom and launched her own brand, Something Navy, through her online following.
Social media influence can lead to successful fashion collaborations and even the launch of a personal brand. Ariel Charnas, a popular fashion influencer, gained a devoted following early on and caught the attention of brands. In 2017, she collaborated with Nordstrom on a collection, which sold out quickly. The success continued with a private label, Something Navy, in 2018. Around the same time, an entrepreneur approached Charnas with an offer to start a sustainable fashion business together, which she eventually agreed to. The brand, Something Navy, focuses on affordable luxury and elevated basics, allowing followers to stay on trend without breaking the bank. Charnas' influence and personal brand proved valuable in these collaborations and the launch of her own business.
Determination and the right partnership lead to business success, even during challenging times: Understanding and supporting each other's struggles in the workplace leads to healthier and more successful companies. Adapting and pivoting in the face of adversity can ultimately lead to business thrival.
Determination and the right partnership can lead to significant success in business, as demonstrated by Ariel Charnas and Matt Scanlon's fashion brand, something navy. Before the pandemic, they raised $10 million to launch the brand, which investors believed had a strong chance of success due to Ariel's influence and Matt's expertise. However, the global pandemic hit in 2020, causing a delay in the launch and a shift in consumer habits. Despite these challenges, the importance of understanding and supporting each other's unseen struggles in the workplace can lead to healthier and more successful companies. As we heard from Holly Robinson and her guests on The Visibility Gap podcast, empathy and awareness can help us better understand and address the challenges our coworkers face. Similarly, businesses like something navy that are able to adapt and pivot in the face of adversity can ultimately thrive.
The Importance of a Strong Founder-Brand Connection: Prioritizing growth over profitability and product quality can lead to a disconnect between a brand and its founder, resulting in customer dissatisfaction and financial struggles.
While the digital fashion startup Something Navy experienced impressive sales growth in its first six months, reaching $12,000,000, the founders' focus on growth over profitability led to fundamental quality issues with their products and a disconnect between the brand and its creator. This disconnect, along with decreased promotion of the brand by its founder, led to customer dissatisfaction and eventual financial struggles. The brand's website eventually posted an "ominnous be right back" sign, signaling trouble. This case study highlights the importance of maintaining a strong connection between a brand and its founder or face, as well as the potential pitfalls of prioritizing growth over profitability and product quality.
Transparency and communication crucial for influencer trust: Influencers must keep followers informed, even during tough times, to maintain trust and loyalty.
Transparency and communication are key components in maintaining trust and loyalty with followers, especially for influencers and brands with a large online presence. The discussion around Navy Swim and its mysterious absence from the market, despite Ariel Charnas' continued influencer activities, highlights this point. The investors' failed acquisition attempt and Charnas' lack of explanation to her audience about the brand's future leaves her followers feeling uncertain and disconnected. While having a large following may grant some level of influence, it is crucial to use that power responsibly and keep the audience informed, even during challenging times.
Social media presence alone doesn't guarantee fashion brand success: A large social media following doesn't automatically lead to fashion brand success, other factors like product quality, branding, and marketing strategy are equally important.
Having a large following on social media, such as Instagram, with one million or more followers, does not guarantee success when it comes to launching a fashion brand. This was a key point discussed in an interview with Javi and Sarah, the founders of Something Navy. While having a large following can lead to engagement and potential sales, the math behind this success is not as clear-cut as one might think. Sadly, since the interview, the Something Navy website no longer displays the "Be Right Back" sign, indicating that the brand may have faced challenges despite its impressive following. This serves as a reminder that while social media presence is important, it is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to building a successful fashion brand. The calculus behind turning a large following into sales and a profitable business is complex, and other factors such as product quality, branding, and marketing strategy also play a crucial role.
