073: How to Sew Business Success in the Fashion Industry with Shannon Whitehead

Though we wear cloths every day – at least most of us do – many of us don’t think about the entrepreneurial and economic aspects related to the cloths we wear. Like many other business industries, the fashion industry is going through a massive disruption, making it a great time to be an entrepreneur and creative person within the fashion industry. That said, it’s also really tough. Shannon Whitehead joins me today to discuss how to sew business success in the fashion industry. Ready? Let’s do this! Key Takeaways:[0:58] Thank you to our sponsor, SaneBox.com.[1:58] Who is Shannon Whitehead?[3:26] Why did Shannon decide to start her own sustainable apparel business?[4:46] Why the apparel industry?[6:27] What is it about the fashion industry that makes it tough?[8:03] What are some of the different trends that make it tough to get started in the fashion industry?[10:02] What are the trends that are leading to the fashion industry’s disruption?[11:58] What are some challenges that may come up for someone who is starting a clothing line?[15:39] Why did Shannon choose to play up not having VC money when she launched Factory45?[17:36] Why did she decide to close up shop with Revolution Apparel despite all the buzz?[19:19] Shannon talks us through the story of closing down Revolution Apparel.[23:00] What was harder, and easier, than she thought it would be with Factory 45?[25:30] How did she talk about Factory45 in 2014 vs. now?[26:45] Why is it such a big deal to manufacture clothing with environmentally-friendly methods?[29:54] What were some of the spark moments since starting Factory45?[31:00] What’s the greatest unanticipated challenge Shannon is currently facing?[34:29] Shannon’s main message to us! Mentioned in This Episode:SaneBoxProject 333 by Courtney CarverFactory45Revolution ApparelSeemly Apparel This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.productiveflourishing.com/subscribe