Spirit Of 608: Fashion, Entrepreneurship, Sustainability + Tech

When was the last time you sent a pitch email to the media? With even a small amount of outreach, you can significantly increase your visibility through more outreach to journalists, bloggers and content creators. Oh yes, anyone can leverage media coverage and positive PR to elevate their business, build credibility, boost search engine rankings and reach new audiences with your message, products and services. The thing is, so often people let the pitch email get in the way. Instead of starting at a blank Google doc agonizing over what to write and then, yup, bailing from the entire process, you can use the easy (seriously) 7-step framework I’m sharing in this episode to make your next pitch the easiest and most chill of your life. If 7 steps sounds like a lot, don’t stress — one of them is literally just to follow up. That’s it. Reply to the email you’ve already sent and follow up. Want the rest? You can use this episode as a step-by-step guide to creating your next email pitch and sending it out so you can

This week, we welcome Rae Joseph to the Spirit of 608 podcast to let us in on her journey from corporate law to starting a business at the intersection of luxury and vintage fashion. Listen to the episode for a dive into what it’s like to leave a lucrative, successful career in order to turn your passion into a business, how she’s educating shoppers in her native Saudi Arabia about the joy of luxury vintage clothing and accessories and what’s next for the business of secondhand style.

We’re kicking off this year’s second season of the Spirit of 608 podcast with an inspiring woman helping to pioneer responsible fashion in Colombia — and as you’ll hear in the episode — far beyond that, thanks to her role leading the responsibility efforts and media outreach for men’s footwear brand Beckett Simonon. I was already well aware of the Colombia-based purveyor of made-to-order shoes, boots and sneakers before I met Adela earlier this year when she joined the PressDope DIY PR course program we offer to founders and brands at the intersection of fashion, entrepreneurship, sustainability + tech (a space I call FEST). My partner has multiple pairs purchased over the course of a few years. And damn if they don’t still look great after lots and lots of schlepping to and from his office (pre-COVID, obvs). So imagine my delight when Adela joined my program, and I discovered her role was created to help the brand reach more people with its carefully thought out approach to responsible sourcing, materials,

In the final episode before our annual summer break (we’ll be back with all-new interview episodes in August), I’m talking about the thing we’re not talking about enough in the sustainability space. Especially when it comes to business. It’s been on my mind for a while, and I am sharing it all in this episode. Plus, a bunch of things I want you to know about where the podcast is headed, what’s changing and what to expect from us while we’re on break (hint hint, if you have wanted to be a part of the PressDope course program, now is the best time to join us this year). And there are more ways I can help you below. While we’re on break, don’t forget to dive into our archives (5+ years of shows!) and get on the list for the free media leads we send out each week.  

Oh the joy and challenge of amazing photography. Visual imagery is queen today, especially considering every brand aiming to grow is basically tasked with becoming its own mini publishing house. Honestly, just think about it: it used to be that brands, well, they sold things. And the media, well, they published things about the things other people made and sold. Today, every brand reaching new audiences is using content to make it happen — and churning out magazine-sized volumes of copy and photography while they’re at it: content for social media, advertising, web sites, newsletters, online events, webinars, pitch decks, podcasts, DIY PR….it’s so much content. You don’t need me to tell you images are a critical part of that content conundrum. But what I can tell you is this: brand photographer Jessie Wyman is your ethical fashion business’s new best friend in this episode of the Spirit of 608 podcast all about photography, branded photoshoots and balancing the constant need for newness on social media with t

Want inspiration for building a design-driven business with sustainable values and rethinking single use daily habits that seem so, well, normal until you realize they’ve only been common for the last 50 to 100 years? Then you’re going to be all ears for this week’s guest on the Spirit of 608 podcast, Danish designer and Last Object co-founder Isabel Aagaard. Even at the helm of a fast-growing company (look out for their retail presence in U.S. Anthropologie stores soon) with a baby in a global pandemic, Isabel exudes chillpreneur (credit to Denise DT for the term) vibes, even though you’ll hear her say in our conversation that she’s not one to shy away from long hours and relentless attention to her business. Speaking of businesses, this isn’t her first. Listen to the episode for why that’s important (and also an office joke), as well as how this Copenhagen startup debuted its crowd-funding campaign with an email list 40K strong and has spent the last two years adding products like reusable face pads and tis

Power moves, y’all! Yes this episode is making me drop the yalls. Why? Because it’s full of ideas and encouragement I want you to hear right now: so many of us struggle with money mindset, simplifying and taking full advantage of the resources and amazing things we have right in front of us. And that’s not because we’re unworthy or doomed to failure — absolutely not. It’s because of how our minds work — in part two, you will hear that explained quite literally in thoughts drawn from my recent conversation with neuroscientist and FEST founder Sharmon Lebby (look out for her on the podcast later this year). But what’s typical for our minds doesn’t have to stay that way. So in that spirit, this episode is all about what founders in FEST (fashion, entrepreneurship, sustainability + tech) and beyond can learn from mindset work around money, simplification (or the converse of that which is all your to dos) and the myth that real work means constant struggle. None of that is true — and our thoughts to the contrary a

Sometimes business is grueling and challenging and frustrating to no end. But then, sometimes things begin to fall into place and you come up for air to realize you are in exactly the right spot for right now. That’s what happened to multi-hyphenate actor-musician-artist-activist-entrepreneur Nikki Reed (you will remember her from the Twilight series and many others) when she stepped beyond Hollywood to launch a business focused on sustainability. Joining with Freedom of Animals founder Morgan Boyle, Reed launched Bayou with Love, an ecommerce company that has evolved into a modern fine jewelry destination for those seeking ethical options for engagements and special occasion pieces. The resulting collecting truly sums up what we mean when we talk about fashion, entrepreneurship, sustainability + tech (a space I call FEST) — with gold reclaimed from old Dell Computer motherboards and cultivated diamonds made through wind and solar power, their pieces are dually beautiful and ethically made. With Bayou by Love

This week’s guest turned her pain personal point — her husband’s stinky workout shirts — into product that’s now fueling not one, but multiple businesses. On this week’s episode of the Spirit of 608 podcast, you will hear how Texas entrepreneur Megan Eddings left a corporate career while at the top of her game to risk building an activewear brand aiming to solve for stinky shirts. But she didn’t just create an apparel line — she put her college chemistry degree and sales acumen to work and ended up creating an entirely new fabric to fight odor. She didn’t stop there. Listen to the episode to hear how the pandemic opened the door to new revenue streams and new business and what’s happened since.

What can product businesses in FEST (fashion, entrepreneurship, sustainability + tech) learn from content marketers in the current digital landscape? As a content creator, producer, consultant and entrepreneur who works primarily with product businesses, I’m here to tell you the answer is so much, especially right now — a time when every business is being asked to become a publisher in order to stay visible and connect with new audiences. From simple social media communication tactics to the easiest email marketing tip ever, listen to this solo episode for the shortlist of ways I’m advising clients to embrace content marketing wisdom and make it work for your product biz. If you’re looking for more ways to get visible and grow, you’ll find our new, limited-time DIY PR Masterclass for ethical and sustainable fashion brands waiting for you at spiritof608.com/masterclass.

On this week’s show, we brush up to (sorry not sorry) the story, tips and advice from an entrepreneur building a luxury vegan nail lacquer company that’s out to make an impact in the beauty world with high-quality, cruelty-free products and a tech play that stands to increase inclusivity in more ways than one. Plus, and this is no small feat, Auda.B founder Samara Walker is doing it all while holding a full-time corporate job at one of the world’s best-known companies. Sam’s story is one that’s honest about the ups and downs and waiting game that can come with building a business and also full of heart — you will love the story of how her single mom inspired her to start the brand. We were lucky to talk to her just before the announcement of her Nordstrom partnership — so be on the lookout for more Auda.B in your world soon. Listen to this episode of the Spirit of 608 podcast for inspiration that will help your business journey, as well as the way to save 15% off your first purchase from the biz.

In this episode of the Spirit of 608 podcast, we get seriously material about the future of fashion with guest Nicole Rawling, co-founder of the Material Innovation Initiative. Their mission? To make it easier for next generation textiles and product materials to make it into the marketplace in meaningful way. To that end, MII is betting collaboration and communication are key to their goal and, as such, act as connectors in a complex, global web of entrepreneurs, innovators, suppliers and manufacturers. An attorney who spent time growing the Good Food Institute and a former director with the Animal Defense Fund, Rawling brings her expertise on the intersection of food, agriculture, animal rights and social justice to this latest venture focused on not only on changing the way the fashion, automotive and textile industries use materials in their products — but what they fundamentally have access to. Listen to this episode of the Spirit of 608 podcast for her experience moving from food to fashion and buildi

In this solo episode of the Spirit of 608 podcast, I get personal about my own anxiety and offer up 5 tried-and-true ways to revive your mindset when you’re suddenly hit with a wave of anxiousness, imbalance or overwhelm. I’m pulling the inspiration for this episode directly from my own super anxious day earlier this week, but the advice I’m offering up comes from figuring out what works for me through years of grappling with mindset highs and lows during life transitions, entrepreneurship, parenting and good old-fashioned, semi-ridiculous bouts of comparison-itis. I hope what I’m sharing here today can help you revive your mindset the next time you’re feeling less than your most confident, powerful self so you can get back to the amazing, impactful things you are up to in the world. Listen to this solo episode for the shortlist of ways I’d advise a client or a close friend to move forward on a tough day — and if you already know these, let this be one of those reinforcing episodes to help bring your mind bac

For Amira Rasool, The Folklore is far from just a business. Not only that, this female founder travelled far from her home in the U.S. to discover the origins of her current business while studying in South Africa. After dedicating her life to African-American studies, Amira has realized that being visible as a black female entrepreneur and being able to shine the spotlight on luxury African fashion brands was a calling and a way to bring economic power to Black people and the design talent she saw while living abroad. With a focus on social justice and empowerment that runs to the core of her entrepreneurial ethos, Amira Rasool is changing both consumer access fashion brands from Africa and aesthetic stereotypes about African culture and the diaspora, one piece of clothing at a time. Listen to this episode of the Spirit of 608 podcast for her experience as an entrepreneur bridging the gap between two continents, what she’s learned about hiring while building a mission-driven startup and the reason she decide

In my neck of the woods, the switch suddenly flipped to spring mode and, with that, I’ve been thinking A LOT about growth, abundance and all the things that help cultivate those in life, as well as the things that, yup, get in the way. As you know if you’ve listened to the Spirit of 608 podcast for any length of time, you know that I am possibly the world’s unlikeliest mindset junkie. And if you didn’t know that about me, I hoping that tidbit helps put a big fat underline underneath my promise to you that the five things I’m sharing are capable of making a significant impact in how you can access joy, reduce anxiety and increase the opportunities that come to you with every little effort. Listen to this solo episode is the shortlist of things I want you to have as you move into the coming weeks and months and keep getting at the year with momentum and inspired action — and if you already have them, which is likely for many of you, let this be one of those reinforcing reminders to bring your mind back into ali

If there’s one luxury in life that money can’t buy, it’s a good night’s sleep. Except, well, after you hear this week’s guest on the Spirit of 608 podcast, you might think differently. That’s because Catarina Dahlin, co-founder of Swiss sleepwear brand Dagsmejan, is here this week to let us in on her journey from a successful corporate job that included lots of international travel (translation: lots of jetlag) to founding a sleepwear brand that’s backed by scientific research and approved by, well, my mom. Those of you who have listened to the show for years know that every once in a while, my mom makes her way onto the show for stamping her extremely discerning approval on a FEST-ive product. When that happens, I always take notice because she’s got way better taste than I do and standards to match. But back to Catarina, who has built her company alongside her partner and with funding from the Swiss government (food for thought U.S. government, just sayin’) into a brand with an international reach thanks to

It’s the 250th episode of the Spirit of 608 podcast! For this milestone episode, I’m getting all analytical on you and checking in on the status of the first 25 brands to be on the show. I tallied up how many are still operating, who has shut down, who’s pivoted or shifted and who’s IPO’d — and it’s more than one! That would have been pretty unbelievable to me back in 2015 when I started the show. But the FEST space has come a long way, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. Want to know how business in FEST has performed versus business in general? Oh yes! Then listen to this episode — I was really surprised at some of the things I found when I compared the fates and current states of the first 25 businesses I covered, and I think you will be too! With that in mind, after dropping the numbers on how many businesses persisted, pivoted, IPO’d — and how that percentage stacks up against businesses across industries — I break down the common characteristics of the ones thriving today and the reasons I see fo

Pretty much everyone has been in Hayley Elliott's shoes. Hayley had always wanted to express herself in some way, and create something beautiful. For her, this desire manifested in a business that she was passionate about - creating sustainable yoga wear that's ethically made and sourced. In this episode, Hayley Elliott talks about how being authentic and true to herself boosted her branding and even connected her to her ideal audience. Check out this episode where we talk about balancing life and entrepreneurship, being authentic with yourself amidst the pressure of doing business.

Why wait until the middle or end of the year to evaluate what’s working well in ‘21? Two months and a bit in, I want to share 5 things that are working really well for me this year, including: The personality test that has changed everything for me One thing I finally gave in and started doing, and it’s making all the difference Two habits I paused on in the second half of last year and am never giving up again One more bonus! Seriously, these things have made all the difference for me this year, and I’m excited to share them with you today! Listen in and let me know what’s working for you this year — send me a DM on Instagram @spiritof608 or email hello@spiritof608.com.  

This week, we hear from a leader in fashion tech from Paris, long the home of industry leading houses and couturiers who, despite their prominence, for years were notoriously slow to adopt technology as an inherent part of fashion’s future. But tech’s no longer an outsider idea in fashion. In fact, many major brands are leading the way forward by being early adopters of technology that makes it possible for brands to produce more selectively, decrease waste and foster more eco-aware thinking in an industry that is often filed under “most polluting in the world.” Bring up the phrase artificial intelligence in fashion, and you wouldn’t be alone if thoughts of space-age robots and smart clothing sprang to mind. But for this week’s guest, AI in fashion is closer to a day of deep diving on Instagram, thanks to her company’s ability to scan massive numbers of social media posts, images and content to produce trend projections from current data. It’s that data, in turn, that helps brands make better choices during