Where do I start?

I often am asked, where do I start when I want to build a business, whether in modest fashion or otherwise? My response, "Start anywhere". 

There is no one action plan in building your small business. Your journey will be unique to you, your skill sets, experience, and opportunities. 

You will find that some things are easy - like opening the company, finding a company name, and starting your social media accounts. Other things may be more challenging, for us building our supply chain has taken time and we are always looking to hone our process. 

The most important piece of advice, is do NOT STOP. Even when it feels like the needle is not moving forward, keep ticking something off of your to do list to keep your business moving forward. 

There will be days it will be challenging and maybe only 1 or 2 items are accomplished. Other days you will feel inspired and energized and find that a milestone is easy to reach. 

For us, our journey has taken years to come to fruition. I started with an idea and a desire to build a modest fashion brand. I thought about the business model and what I wanted it to look like and I spent time designing different pieces. I was unsure of the market niche I wanted to start with, at the time there were no modest fashion brands in the market. The idea was foreign, but the need was real. The best advice I received was to start anywhere. 

My biggest challenge was finding professional manufacturers capable of sewing my designs in small quantities in order to manage my corporate liquidity. This took me about 5 years before I was able to find the right manufacturing suppliers. I am still working with them to refine the process and protect against supply chain disruptions, especially after all the pandemic learnings.  

In a small business, every day is a start. Everyday is a new commitment and a need to re-ignite your passion. Because the journey is long and arduous, but well worth it. 

Each time I view our Products and the collection of different blouses, tops, and shirts, I smile. This all started with an idea and sitting around the kitchen table when I was 16 telling my family that one day I will launch a fashion brand dedicated to modesty and supporting women around the world.