Keys for Success in Small Brand Survival 🔑

This morning, an article written by Asia Milia Ware for The Cut, headlined "How Did Business Owners Even Launch Brands This Year?", caught my eye. Given all the horror stories for big brands and indie darlings alike during the supply chain crisis still afoot, how have baby brands gotten off the ground? 

Many of the brands featured recognized the mental toll of missing ingredients, huge customs tolls, delays to launch dates, and the competition for supplies with huge brands like L'Oréal. But in some cases, the delays were blessings in disguise for founders, who used the delays to increase their online presence and build a community around the pre-launch products.

                     
                                                              Image Cred: BOF

The new model for sustainable growth

According to a recent Business of Fashion article, a new model for fledgling companies is brewing. Susan Alexandra is a young brand and about as quirky as they come. When jewelry designer Susan Korn spotted craftswoman Lisa Deng making beaded animal keychains, she commissioned Lisa to make the first beaded watermelon handbag which became an Instagram sensation. Since then, the company has sold over 15,000 beaded bags and racked up over $2MM in revenue. The business switched from wholesale to pre-sale in an effort to be more sustainable and counterbalance its wholesale dependence, which got ransacked during the pandemic. The company can now avoid the business peril of paying for what doesn't sell and creating brand loyalty and eager anticipation for new product drops.

For more on young brands that haven't taken investor cash, filter our database using keywords and exclude PE and VC Backed ownership.