Thursday, January 19, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Juggling a FT job & a start-up (hint...it's not easy)
A short post to describe how miserable I am since I'm missing out on the #wefestival going on right now. I was accepted...and elated! What a wonderful opportunity to learn from my idols & meet with other aspiring entrepreneurs.
Unfortunately, as some of you know, I'm heading off to Paris on Friday with my FT company for market. We've been swamped here (...we're talking 9am-1am days swamped) and it would be totally irresponsible of me to take off a day, just two days before we jump on a plane and have 2 full on crazy, busy weeks.
Enter the boo/hisses here...I know...nobody feels bad for me - I'll be in Paris for 2 weeks. I assure you, I'll be working non-stop and I won't be skipping down streets with a crepe in hand and a beret on my head. (well...maybe I'll do that on my one day off)
This whole ordeal made me think about "the juggle." I was fortunate enough to attend Arianna Huffington's keynote address last night for the event and was able to mingle with some entrepreneurs for the night. The number one question I was asked was:
"How do you do it? Juggle both a FT job and your business?"
The short answer is INTENSE organization & little sleep. But I'll elaborate.
When I first started working on "SBNY" I was bored at my current job. I found that weeks 1 and 2 of the month were busy and for the remainder of the month, I was left twiddling my thumbs. The idea for Something Borrowed NY was conceptualized in 2009 when my 2nd oldest sister was married. However, it was now 2011 and I needed a project. Ok - let's get SUPER real. I had just gone through an AWFUL break-up (we lived together...so that creates a mess), and I knew I needed something to get my mind off of my depressing romantic state. So I researched, I read, I took classes at GA, I enlisted my best friend and we started. I coded the site myself, I took frequent long lunches or personal days to have meetings with designers, entrepreneurs & investors, and we launched.
I took a deep breath. Once the site was up and running - maintaining and juggling both became much easier...but not for long.
Social media is KEY to building a business. I was spending my days tweeting non-stop. That's when I started to hire interns. They were creating blog posts, tweeting & facebook(ing) for us.
and then...I was offered my current job.
I wasn't looking - but it came along knocking...and I had to take it. It was a fantastic job, great benefits, a huge promotion...but could I still juggle?
I'm working through it now. There are certain things I need to miss, such as the WEfestival today. But, I still try to go to at LEAST 2 networking events a week after work. The business keeps growing, the orders keep coming, and BOTH jobs get better and better every day.
Can I do this forever? No. But I don't need to make that decision yet.
Here's a few tips of how I "do it all":
Unfortunately, as some of you know, I'm heading off to Paris on Friday with my FT company for market. We've been swamped here (...we're talking 9am-1am days swamped) and it would be totally irresponsible of me to take off a day, just two days before we jump on a plane and have 2 full on crazy, busy weeks.
Enter the boo/hisses here...I know...nobody feels bad for me - I'll be in Paris for 2 weeks. I assure you, I'll be working non-stop and I won't be skipping down streets with a crepe in hand and a beret on my head. (well...maybe I'll do that on my one day off)
This whole ordeal made me think about "the juggle." I was fortunate enough to attend Arianna Huffington's keynote address last night for the event and was able to mingle with some entrepreneurs for the night. The number one question I was asked was:
"How do you do it? Juggle both a FT job and your business?"
The short answer is INTENSE organization & little sleep. But I'll elaborate.
When I first started working on "SBNY" I was bored at my current job. I found that weeks 1 and 2 of the month were busy and for the remainder of the month, I was left twiddling my thumbs. The idea for Something Borrowed NY was conceptualized in 2009 when my 2nd oldest sister was married. However, it was now 2011 and I needed a project. Ok - let's get SUPER real. I had just gone through an AWFUL break-up (we lived together...so that creates a mess), and I knew I needed something to get my mind off of my depressing romantic state. So I researched, I read, I took classes at GA, I enlisted my best friend and we started. I coded the site myself, I took frequent long lunches or personal days to have meetings with designers, entrepreneurs & investors, and we launched.
I took a deep breath. Once the site was up and running - maintaining and juggling both became much easier...but not for long.
Social media is KEY to building a business. I was spending my days tweeting non-stop. That's when I started to hire interns. They were creating blog posts, tweeting & facebook(ing) for us.
and then...I was offered my current job.
I wasn't looking - but it came along knocking...and I had to take it. It was a fantastic job, great benefits, a huge promotion...but could I still juggle?
I'm working through it now. There are certain things I need to miss, such as the WEfestival today. But, I still try to go to at LEAST 2 networking events a week after work. The business keeps growing, the orders keep coming, and BOTH jobs get better and better every day.
Can I do this forever? No. But I don't need to make that decision yet.
Here's a few tips of how I "do it all":
- Make a list...and check it way more than twice - I have reminders for EVERYTHING; laundry, gym time, networking events, SBNY shipments, dinners with friends etc. It's all in my iPhone and I'd be lost without it. Organizing your time and being able to check things off, keeps you sane.
- Keep one day to yourself - We all need to unwind. For me, I try to make Mondays my night off. After I get home from my FT job, it's a free night. (Admittedly, to watch the bachelor) Point is, no more hustling, it's a night to do what I want to do.
- Enlist people to help - I have 3 interns who help me with all of my social media needs. In exchange for school credit, they help me with social media, and I try to help them gain new experiences in the bridal industry. Or...find a co-founder!
- Positive Thinking - I can't express enough how important this is! For me, I attend an Inten-Sati class. It helps me complete two tasks, working out & positive re-affirmation. No matter how you do it - just remind yourself that you can do it. There is no success without failure.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Fashion 2011
I've compiled a few pictures from my morning fashion shots. Every morning I try to take a picture of what I'm wearing...because I generally forget what I wore the week before, and don't want to be "that girl" who wears the same outfits weekly...this is a curse my mother has engrained in me...nevertheless - I think it will be cool to look back on in a few years. You can see my morning updates on instagram (bhaas) or twitter.
Here's the best of 2011:
Here's the best of 2011:
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Interviewing in the Fashion Industry
I've only graduated from college a short 4 years go - but I've had many internships & jobs in my career thus far. As I knew I wanted to work in fashion, but didn't know to what capacity, I made sure that my education was well rounded in both design & merchandising as well as my work experience. You can check out my resume, to see where my experiences lie, but I was able to nab an internship in design, marketing and retail before I graduated. After graduation, I realized that design wasn't for me and ended up where I am now - financial/merchandise planning (as well as being an entrepreneur on the side of course). I'll write another post at some point on WHY schools should start training more for fashion planning as there is a HUGE need in the industry. (...no jobs these days? I get at least one offer a week since I'm a financial/merchandise planner...) Point is, you can get any job you want if you know how to position yourself in the job. You can do that by focusing on your strengths and squashing their doubts before they can even bring them up.
I'm a "Cyber Mentor" for Cornell University to students who are now in the Fiber Science Apparel Design major that I went through. My "mentee" is starting to interview for internships and asked me for some advice. She said what I told her was "invaluable" (brush my shoulders off), so I decided to share with everyone as I'm sure this could help many people out there.
1) When interviewing companies to prepare for an interview, what type of company background details should I be looking for?
As far as company background - know the history. You don't need to know EVERYTHING - but know that Ralph Lauren started just selling ties. Know who the designer of the company is (in this case...still Ralph...but for Hermes for example - it's Christophe Lemaire) and know the BRAND IDENTITY. A big key word at Ralph is LIFESTYLE. It's a LIFESTYLE brand (which means it encompasses LOTS of different lines...mens, womens, home, pets etc) and it's selling Ralph's vision. Whether it be preppy, or cowboy, or Americana - it can be rustic and luxe, it can be expensive and it can be more affordable. He's selling his IMAGE - and something great to say would be that you like the way that Ralph's vision encompasses every age/income bracket and yet he can still dress the same aesthetic. For Hermes, it's about our heritage & craftsmanship. Read current articles, know these brand identities to drive the focus that you already "drink the Kool-Aid" of the company. Describing these companies visions would be completely different than that of Proenza Schouler or Marc Jacobs. Know your audience.
2) What do companies want to learn most about me during an interview? And is there something almost all companies have in common that they want most from a potential employee/intern?
Design internships are different - but I think what most want to see is eagerness to learn. My biggest thing was I was looking for a multitude of experience to broaden my horizons. I saw the design side, the marketing side, the retail side...I wanted to use my internships to give me a well rounded education. If you're focused on just design, I'd say look for different types of companies; small, large, private, public, corporate etc.
3) Is there anything I should definitely avoid saying?
DON"T pigeon hole yourself into saying you only want womenswear. For instance, Ralph is known for menswear! Even if you have NO aspirations of ever designing childrenswear or menswear - these influential experiences are always great for shaping your OWN future aesthetic! You can say that at school, they don't focus on menswear - but tell them you're open to learning about it so that you can gain from the experience! If you're truly not interested in the company for what they are, then don't apply.
4) Is there a difference between how I approach a design internship vs another type of internship (ie. sales)?
Use your education as an advantage in every situation. When I was going for NON-DESIGN internships - I would say that my design background made me a better candidate than blanket "marketing/sales" majors because I had the hands on experience of knowing how a garment is made. Knowing the intricacies of fabric, style, design lines etc. make you more informed on how to market/sell an item. If I was going for a DESIGN internship - imagine you're going up against ALL design majors - so say that your liberal arts background (if you have one) has shaped you to looking at design differently. Maybe pre-calc and writing seminars didn't help so much - but talk about how by taking these classes you've been given inspiration to learn from outside of the workroom. Also by taking merchandising/marketing classes - you're becoming familiar with the industry and that always helps towards design! Just THINK of how you can make yourself be the ultimate candidate.
Think of what THEY think will be your weaknesses - and have an excuse/reason behind each of them.
I'm a "Cyber Mentor" for Cornell University to students who are now in the Fiber Science Apparel Design major that I went through. My "mentee" is starting to interview for internships and asked me for some advice. She said what I told her was "invaluable" (brush my shoulders off), so I decided to share with everyone as I'm sure this could help many people out there.
1) When interviewing companies to prepare for an interview, what type of company background details should I be looking for?
As far as company background - know the history. You don't need to know EVERYTHING - but know that Ralph Lauren started just selling ties. Know who the designer of the company is (in this case...still Ralph...but for Hermes for example - it's Christophe Lemaire) and know the BRAND IDENTITY. A big key word at Ralph is LIFESTYLE. It's a LIFESTYLE brand (which means it encompasses LOTS of different lines...mens, womens, home, pets etc) and it's selling Ralph's vision. Whether it be preppy, or cowboy, or Americana - it can be rustic and luxe, it can be expensive and it can be more affordable. He's selling his IMAGE - and something great to say would be that you like the way that Ralph's vision encompasses every age/income bracket and yet he can still dress the same aesthetic. For Hermes, it's about our heritage & craftsmanship. Read current articles, know these brand identities to drive the focus that you already "drink the Kool-Aid" of the company. Describing these companies visions would be completely different than that of Proenza Schouler or Marc Jacobs. Know your audience.
2) What do companies want to learn most about me during an interview? And is there something almost all companies have in common that they want most from a potential employee/intern?
Design internships are different - but I think what most want to see is eagerness to learn. My biggest thing was I was looking for a multitude of experience to broaden my horizons. I saw the design side, the marketing side, the retail side...I wanted to use my internships to give me a well rounded education. If you're focused on just design, I'd say look for different types of companies; small, large, private, public, corporate etc.
3) Is there anything I should definitely avoid saying?
DON"T pigeon hole yourself into saying you only want womenswear. For instance, Ralph is known for menswear! Even if you have NO aspirations of ever designing childrenswear or menswear - these influential experiences are always great for shaping your OWN future aesthetic! You can say that at school, they don't focus on menswear - but tell them you're open to learning about it so that you can gain from the experience! If you're truly not interested in the company for what they are, then don't apply.
4) Is there a difference between how I approach a design internship vs another type of internship (ie. sales)?
Use your education as an advantage in every situation. When I was going for NON-DESIGN internships - I would say that my design background made me a better candidate than blanket "marketing/sales" majors because I had the hands on experience of knowing how a garment is made. Knowing the intricacies of fabric, style, design lines etc. make you more informed on how to market/sell an item. If I was going for a DESIGN internship - imagine you're going up against ALL design majors - so say that your liberal arts background (if you have one) has shaped you to looking at design differently. Maybe pre-calc and writing seminars didn't help so much - but talk about how by taking these classes you've been given inspiration to learn from outside of the workroom. Also by taking merchandising/marketing classes - you're becoming familiar with the industry and that always helps towards design! Just THINK of how you can make yourself be the ultimate candidate.
Think of what THEY think will be your weaknesses - and have an excuse/reason behind each of them.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Featured on The Ace Department
To partner, or…
…not to partner?
Maybe not as pressing a question as Hamlet’s, but nearly as fundamental when it comes to running your own business. Here, Brittany Haas (founder of Something Borrowed NY) explains why she’s in the market for a new co-founder.
Maybe not as pressing a question as Hamlet’s, but nearly as fundamental when it comes to running your own business. Here, Brittany Haas (founder of Something Borrowed NY) explains why she’s in the market for a new co-founder.
We’ve talked about this before, but the decision to partner can really make or break your business. The thing I like best about Brittany’s situation is that she obviously knows herself — understanding why is the best first step to getting what you want. For her, it’s a desire for smart teamwork, mutual backup, eventual VC, and the reality of short capital.
- Investors don’t invest in people — they invest in TEAMS: I’m eager to join an incubator, or to begin fundraising again now that we have the traction we need. However, without a management team to back me up, I’ll never be able to associate with those types of crowds.
- I don’t have the money to hire anyone: It would be easy for me to contract a developer, a designer, a PR firm etc. to help take Something Borrowed NY to the next level, but it would require a LOT of extra money. As successful as we’ve been, we don’t have the capital to hire the team we need.
- It takes a lot of pressure off: It’s hard to do it all on your own! My “ex-founder” and I had a perfect “yin and yang” of playing off each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Plus it’s easier to craft an argument or prove your case when you have the assistance of others. Yet, connecting with a co-founder is an emotional relationship. It’s finding that “special someone” who you can trust to own a part of your business! That’s something that can only come with time and doesn’t usually happen with a stranger.
What is it for you?
I know most of you are running your own show already, but if you’re interested in the future of Something Borrowed, get in touch with Brittany.
posted January 3, 2012
• no comments (yet)
• filed under Diversions
Monday, January 2, 2012
Featured in YFS and Forbes.com
Today I was featured on YFS & Forbes.com. I'm unable to re-post for some reason, but here are the links below:
http://yfsentrepreneur.com/2012/01/02/we-resolve-entrepreneurs-share-new-years-resolutions/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/women2/2012/01/01/how-i-started-something-borrowed-ny-without-a-technical-co-founder-and-why-i-want-one-now/
A great boost into 2012!!!
http://yfsentrepreneur.com/2012/01/02/we-resolve-entrepreneurs-share-new-years-resolutions/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/women2/2012/01/01/how-i-started-something-borrowed-ny-without-a-technical-co-founder-and-why-i-want-one-now/
A great boost into 2012!!!
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