From Side Hustle to 11 Stores - How Stacey Fraser Bootstrapped Pink Chicken

What’s the true emotional cost of starting a business on your own? Just ask Stacey Fraser, founder and CEO of Pink Chicken. She sacrificed years of social events, shed tears over countless finance meetings, and carried the weight of being responsible for dozens of employees. In this week’s episode of Superwomen, she gets real about what it really takes to build a successful company – and to keep it going when problems arise. This year, Pink Chicken is celebrating 20 years of operation and has 11 retail stores across the country. But behind the vintage-inspired textiles is a story of humble beginnings, putting out fires, and one woman learning the price of making her dream a reality. This one gets emotional at times, but in the end, you’ll understand why the hard work is worth it. Episode Guide: (00:00) Meet Stacey Fraser, founder of Pink Chicken (03:01) Building a brand from scratch (04:46) How they created a fun store experience for kids (05:52) Managing cash flow and growth as a solo founder (08:46) Navigating the pandemic (1:50) Retail struggles + challenges of expanding stores (12:14) Importance of Pink Chicken’s company culture (13:28) Why working with kids keeps Stacey inspired (15:58) Managing family and career as a founder (20:37) Shift from overworking to healthier habits (23:54) Celebrating Pink Chicken’s 20-year anniversary (31:10) Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices