Career Transformation: Lauren Chan's story demonstrates how unexpected life changes can lead to new opportunities and fulfilling careers, as she transformed from a basketball player to a successful fashion entrepreneur.
Lauren Chan's journey from aspiring basketball player to becoming a successful fashion entrepreneur highlights the importance of adaptability and following your passion. After a life-changing injury, she redirected her focus toward writing and fashion. This led her to become a plus-size model and eventually launch Henning, a luxury women's wear brand catering to sizes 12 and up. Her story emphasizes that sometimes, unexpected turns in life can lead to fulfilling and impactful careers. By embracing change and pursuing her interests, Lauren is now making a positive difference in the fashion industry for a previously underserved demographic. This shows us that staying open to new possibilities can lead to opportunities we may not have initially considered.
Modeling Journey: Overcoming intimidation in modeling involves networking and pursuing your passions, like writing, to create diverse opportunities in the fashion industry.
Starting a modeling career can be daunting, especially when entering an industry that often prioritizes youth and appearance. The journey involves facing intimidating situations, like casting calls where your height is measured and you meet influential figures in fashion. Despite the challenges, including feelings of discomfort and being judged, it's possible to navigate through it while also pursuing passions like writing. Networking, cold emailing, and seizing opportunities—such as internships and writing contests—can help build a unique double life, allowing you to express creativity while being part of the modeling world. Embracing these experiences can lead to unexpected but enriching paths, showcasing that perseverance and adaptability pave the way for success in the fashion industry.
Career Journey: A career in writing involves overcoming challenges like securing jobs and work visas. Building relationships can open doors, as shown by a chance conversation that led to a column on plus-size fashion at Glamour. Embracing new responsibilities and advocating for inclusivity can lead to significant advancements in the industry, showcasing the power of passion and perseverance.
Pursuing a career in writing can be a challenging journey filled with opportunities and obstacles. It's crucial to embrace learning experiences, as demonstrated by one's gradual rise from writing captions to becoming a fashion features editor. Overcoming hurdles like needing a work visa can lead to significant breakthroughs, such as landing a coveted position at Glamour. Building relationships, like the chance encounter with the editor-in-chief, can lead to exciting opportunities. Taking on new responsibilities, such as writing a column on plus-size fashion, allows for personal and professional growth. Successfully spinning a print column into an online vertical is a testament to the impact of innovative ideas and teamwork. Ultimately, staying dedicated to your voice and vision can help push important conversations like body positivity into mainstream discussions, proving that passion and persistence can lead to meaningful change in the industry.
Empowerment Through Fashion: Inspired by their own fashion struggles, they launched Henning, a luxury brand for plus sizes, focusing on empowering women with stylish workwear.
After leaving a challenging job in fashion, the individual took time to reflect on their career goals and realized their passion for making plus-size fashion more inclusive. They launched a luxury women's wear brand called Henning, focusing on creating stylish work clothes for sizes 12 and up. This journey was driven by personal experiences of feeling excluded from the fashion industry and recognizing the need for better clothing options. The initial collection was inspired by their own past wardrobe struggles, aiming to empower women who had been overlooked in fashion. With a competitive spirit and a desire to build something meaningful, they learned to create clothing and develop a business in just a year, ultimately striving to elevate the representation of plus-size women in the fashion world.
Fashion Brand Journey: Starting a fashion brand is challenging but rewarding, requiring hands-on learning about the industry. By creating timeless pieces and leveraging personal savings and community support, the founder discovered the need to adapt and stay focused amidst difficulties. Passion and connection with customers ultimately fueled their success and made the challenging journey worthwhile.
Launching a fashion brand involves a steep learning curve, especially when navigating the complexities of the garment industry. Starting with a small collection, the founder faced challenges understanding fit, fabrics, and pricing while funding the endeavor through savings and support from friends and family. The experience highlighted the importance of creating timeless pieces that resonate with customers, ultimately resulting in a successful launch day filled with strong community support. While rewarding moments like customer feedback made the struggles worthwhile, occasional frustrations, such as ordering mistakes, tested their resilience. Learning and adapting were crucial, as the journey required a leap of faith into the unknown, emphasizing the value of hard work and connection in building a brand.
Team Building Insights: Expanding your team requires careful consideration of tasks that can be delegated and understanding the consumer's experience. Hiring employees who reflect the brand's audience can enhance product quality. An entrepreneur must be prepared to perform various tasks, showcasing a commitment to the work and building an inclusive and successful environment.
Building a successful team involves knowing when to expand and who to hire. It's crucial to delegate tasks that others can handle, allowing you to focus on more impactful work. Hiring team members who truly understand the consumer, especially in niche markets like plus-size fashion, can lead to better products and brand success. Personal experiences in previous jobs play a vital role in shaping entrepreneurial skills. An entrepreneur must be versatile, willing to do any task from packing orders to strategic planning. This holistic approach fosters a supportive work environment and reflects a commitment to quality. Ultimately, real success comes from understanding both the business and the customer, leading to a brand that resonates deeply with its audience.
Negotiation and Innovation: It’s important to negotiate your salary and review contracts carefully when starting a new job. Be proactive in asking for what you deserve and remember that innovation often comes from thinking differently. Trust your unique voice and take the leap towards your desired career path with confidence.
Negotiating your salary and understanding your employment contracts is crucial, especially when starting your career. Feeling grateful and excited can lead to accepting offers without negotiation, which is a mistake many make. Always ask for what you deserve and don’t hesitate to seek out legal advice on your contracts. Embrace your unique perspective and ideas because now is a great time for innovation. Just because something has always been done one way doesn’t mean it’s the only way. Trust in your voice and your differences—they are your strengths. If you believe in your abilities and ideas, take the leap and pursue what truly fulfills you.
Lauren Chan: Henning Founder and CEO
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