Starting a Business. In a Pandemic.
Photo Credit: Fahad Waseem
I can trace the genesis of Petal + Ash back to over five years ago. It was only a seed of an idea, and I’m not sure (at the time ) I had any clue it would grow into starting my own brand. About two years ago, the idea took on a bit more shape, though it was still a far fetched and somewhat loose concept. This past year (and change) has brought on a ton of research, leading to a stronger focus and clarity. And truly, the pandemic––and its fallout––has brought the time for me to delve into making this dream into a reality.
I knew starting a business would be no small feat, yet I truly had no idea how hard it would actually be. I think I needed to come into this project with a bit of naivete, in order to declare that this would be my new venture. Starting a business is really hard. Starting a business in the middle of a pandemic, is really really hard!
I’ve been hard at work on all things Petal + Ash. In day to day measurements, progress feels slow moving, yet as I look back, month by month, I can reflect on just how far I’ve come. Plenty of obstacles present themselves on a daily basis, but I try to remind myself that (stolen from powerhouse coach Marie Forleo), “everything is figuraoutable.” And so it’s one foot in front of the other, as I figure everything out. I recently heard someone say that to be an entrepreneur is simply to be a problem solver.
I’m working on a healthy timeline for the brand launch. In these pandemic times, it’s hard to anticipate too far out into the future, and I intend to do things right. No rushing just to meet a date. I feel confident that Petal + Ash will debut by spring 2022, though I’m staying optimistic that things could come together sooner.
Product development is on the immediate horizon; I anticipate the process to begin by the end of this winter. I’m currently hard at work, setting the stage, for an efficient and informed process. Product development is going to be incredibly important to a successful launch. I know there will still be things to iron out and improve upon, post launch. I fully intend to listen to customer feedback, and use such to inform a second production run, if need be. That said, I am committed to bringing the best initial version of the Petal + Ash bras to the launch. Lots of product wear and wash tests will be coming in the near future, to make that happen! Keep your eyes peeled in the coming months, as I’ll need volunteers to product test our styles.
To compliment and level up my product development process, I’ve teamed up with bra fit specialist, Kimmay Caldwell. Kimmay has been featured on the Rachel Ray show, as well as in publications including The Huffington Post, Bustle, The Oprah Magazine, and so much more. Kimmay is helping me to make sure design, fit, and comfort all align with the brand’s vision. I am also working with Kimmay to develop a smart sizing system that will bring clarity and confidence to the brand’s customers when they make a purchase.
I’m really excited to be working with Kimmay, and think she is the perfect expert to compliment my own knowledge and expertise. She’s also an amazing cheerleader; a great thing to have, as entrepreneurship, while exciting, can also be a very lonely process.
More brand updates will follow very soon. Things are really starting to move forward in a very tangible way. I can’t wait to show you more of what I’ve been working on!
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