Episode 57: Our Top 8 Tips on Launching a Business
Take it from us: building a successful side hustle or business is time consuming, especially if you’re juggling it between your 9-5 and all of life’s other commitments. But being your own boss definitely has its perks and it seems the entrepreneurial feeling is catching on. Gig workers now represent more than one in 10 Canadian adults, and 20% of millennials – the next could be you!
If you’ve been thinking about giving your own biz a go, this ones for you! We’re all about sharing the wisdom, so in this Quickie we’re passing along the most important lessons we’ve learned starting our own business and how to set yourself up for success.
Take it from us: Building a successful side hustle or business is time-consuming and scary, but being your own boss has some serious perks, and it seems the entrepreneurial feeling is catching on. Gig workers now represent more than 20% of millennials in Canada…you could be next! (And we love that journey for you.)
If you’ve been thinking about giving your own biz idea a go, this quickie is for you! We’re passing along the most important lessons we’ve learned starting our own business—the good, the bad, the hilarious—and how to set yourself up for success.
Tune in as we launch into:
Why you need to stop waiting for the perfect time to start
Defining your mission and value proposition
Understanding your consumer and audience
The importance of setting up your finances and legal structure
Creating killer branding
How to launch with a bang
The metrics that matter for your launch
How to avoid burnout and stay committed
We hope this episode inspires you to take the leap and launch your dream idea! And remember, the key is to just start and keep learning as you go.
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
Related Episodes:
Episode 38: How To Grow a Business Through Community & Collabs
If you have an idea that you can’t stop dreaming about, this week’s episode is the inspo you need. We chat with Ashley Freeborn, the founder and CEO of the renowned fashion brand Smash + Tess, about all things brand building, entrepreneurship, using fear to fuel your fire, and tapping your network to help get your idea off the ground.
You’ve probably seen people rocking Ashley’s rompers on instagram, or heard about her epic collabs with Jillian Harris, Sarah Landry of The Birds Papaya and Hilary Duff, just to name a few. Her brand started the #romperrevolution but here’s why we honed in on Smash + Tess for today’s episode: Ashley isn’t a serial entrepreneur or longtime business or fashion mogul, she just had an idea to fill a gap in the market, and made her dream a huge reality. What she created is so much more than a clothing company, it’s a community, a lifestyle and an inclusive brand that empowers women to live their best lives.
This episode is brought to you by Dove
If you have an idea that you can’t stop dreaming about, this week’s episode is the inspo you need. We chat with Ashley Freeborn, the founder and CEO of the renowned fashion brand Smash + Tess, about all things brand building, entrepreneurship, using fear to fuel your fire, and tapping your network to help get your idea off the ground.
You’ve probably seen people rocking Ashley’s rompers on instagram, or heard about her epic collabs with Jillian Harris, Sarah Landry of The Birds Papaya and Hilary Duff, just to name a few. Her brand started the #romperrevolution but here’s why we honed in on Smash + Tess for today’s episode: Ashley isn’t a serial entrepreneur or longtime business or fashion mogul, she just had an idea to fill a gap in the market, and made her dream a huge reality. What she created is so much more than a clothing company, it’s a community, a lifestyle and an inclusive brand that empowers women to live their best lives.
Ashley is a fellow Canadian, who worked as a teacher and then in the finance sector before going all in on her passion project, Smash + Tess. Smash + Tess has since grown from two employees into a team of 40+ in five years, and in 2020, the company achieved 66% YOY growth, surpassing $16.5 million in sales. In 2020, Ashley was named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40, led Smash + Tess through their biggest growth year, and was listed in The Globe + Mail’s Top Growth Companies in 2020 – being the #1 woman-led company on the list! She is passionate about creating clothing that celebrates femininity, strength, style, and comfort in women of all shapes and sizes.
Tune in as we chat about:
How Ashley made the leap to quit her 9-5 and go all in on Smash + Tess
The journey of bringing Smash + Tess from an idea to a best-seller
The secret sauce to cultivating a strong community
How to use social media as a listening tool for growth
Tips for entrepreneurs to overcome impostor syndrome and use fear or rejection as fuel
The 3 most important traits to crush it as an entrepreneur
How to know when it’s time to go all in on your side hustle
Why you don’t necessarily need professional background in the industry you’re breaking into
How to avoid burnout as an entrepreneur
How to create successful collabs that move the needle
We hope this episode inspires you to pursue that side hustle and Smash (& Tess) all of your biz ideas and goals!
Follow Ashley: