17. When Experience and Timing Align to Launch the Dream: Elisa Yip

With over twenty years as a knitwear designer, Elisa has developed a refined aesthetic while working with luxury fibers from across the globe. After her studies at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology and Polìmoda in Florence Italy, she spent her career designing for fashion brands and high-end retailers. She also found herself at the top of her professional game and living a comfortable life in Seattle with her family.    That cozy life was upset by a layoff due to the pandemic and Elisa had to rethink her future. Was it finally time to pursue her lifelong dream of owning her brand?    Four months later Elisa designed her first capsule collection and named her newly minted brand SSKEIN. From concept to launch, Elisa was able to pursue her dream and create an impact in the process. During her career, she had seen the damage that fast fashion had on the environment and wanted to create and manage things differently now that she was in charge. Elisa’s vision for creating a sustainable knitwear brand made with purpose and integrity was finally realized.   In this episode, Nada sits down with Elisa to discuss how her expertise made this rapid launch possible despite language barriers and limited space for inventory. Elisa opens up about being the daughter of immigrants and the pressure to be a success. She shares the details of SSKEIN’s pillars of sustainability and how they are core to the brand. She advises others to discover new perspectives (you will want to hear where she finds her inspiration) and reminds us to be grateful for what we have.    Check out SSKEIN’s website. And follow on Instagram: @sskein.co.   Please follow us at @thisislibertyroad on Instagram--that's where we hang out the most. And please rate and review us —it helps to know if this podcast is inspiring and equipping you to launch and grow your ventures.