Added: Oct 17, 2023
In this podcast episode, the host interviews Amy Smilovic, the creative director and founder of the slow fashion brand On Muse. Amy shares her journey of becoming a founder and offers insights into building a successful business in the digital age. She also discusses the challenges of being a woman in business and balancing work and personal life.Amy begins by reflecting on her upbringing and how it shaped her desire for success. She emphasizes the importance of hard work and consistency, stating that success is a compound effect. She shares that she always knew she wanted to be successful but wasn't sure how. She worked hard throughout school and university, eventually landing a job as a buyer at ASOS.
While working at ASOS, Amy realized that her career path wasn't aligning with her goals and aspirations. She wanted to travel the world and be more involved in design and marketing. This realization led her to start her own brand, On Muse. She saved up money through side hustles and eventually quit her job at ASOS to focus on her brand.
Amy discusses the challenges she faced as a young founder, including the pressure to have everything together and the expectations from others. She also talks about the importance of having a supportive partner and surrounding yourself with the right people. She credits her long-term relationship with her boyfriend for providing stability and support throughout her journey.
In terms of building her team, Amy initially relied on friends and family to help her out. She later hired employees through recommendations from colleagues and LinkedIn. She admits to struggling with leadership and delegating tasks, as she is used to being hands-on and involved in every aspect of the business. However, she recognizes the need to develop her leadership skills and create boundaries to avoid burnout.
Amy discusses the power of social media in growing her brand. She emphasizes the importance of adapting to the changing trends and algorithms of platforms like Instagram and TikTok. She shares that she shifted her strategy to focus on showing personality and having fun on social media, rather than solely promoting her products. This approach has helped her connect with her audience and grow her brand.
When asked about the challenges of being a woman in business, Amy acknowledges that there is still work to be done in terms of gender equality. However, she feels that the rise of social media has provided more visibility and opportunities for women entrepreneurs. She encourages women to believe in themselves and surround themselves with supportive people.
In terms of advice for aspiring founders, Amy emphasizes the importance of having the right people around you, both in and out of business. She encourages individuals to gain experience in their desired field before starting their own brand. She also advises against rushing the process and emphasizes the value of learning and growing along the way.
Amy continues by talking about profit margins and how she learned about them through her experience working with brands like Ted Baker. She emphasizes the importance of understanding wholesale margins and knowing the costs involved in buying, shipping, and sampling. Amy also advises aspiring entrepreneurs to prioritize everything and not to scrimp on any aspect of their business.
She then discusses the process of finding suppliers and manufacturing locations. Amy suggests considering where in the world you want to manufacture and whether you want to focus on overseas or UK manufacturing. She also highlights the importance of spending time with your ideas and coming up with a brand name and message that offers a solution to customers.
Amy shares her own experience of designing a dress and a blazer, explaining how she sat with the ideas until she found the right solution that aligned with her brand message of investment fashion. She mentions that she initially designed a shoe but pivoted to clothing because she wanted to be a clothing designer. Amy describes herself as a "mad scientist" and emphasizes the importance of being confident in your ideas before moving forward.
The conversation then shifts to the topic of opening stores in London and Dubai. Amy explains that she started with a popup store in London, which was a huge success. She now wants to open a smaller boutique-like store to offer a more personalized experience. As for Dubai, Amy sees it as a challenge and a passion project. She believes that her brand's items are perfect for the Middle East market and wants to work on expanding her presence there.
The podcast also touches on sustainability and charitable work. Amy acknowledges the challenges of sustainability in the fashion industry but expresses her commitment to working towards more sustainable practices. She mentions that her brand's pre-order model helps reduce waste, but she aims to reach a point where she can comfortably meet the minimums for sustainable fabrics. Amy also talks about her recent involvement in charity work, inspired by her experience at London Fashion Week. She believes that brands should use such opportunities to raise money and support causes. She mentions a collaboration with a charity called Teens Unite, which helps young adults affected by cancer treatment.
Throughout the conversation, Amy emphasizes the importance of enjoying success by sharing it and using platforms to make a positive impact. She believes in helping others and using her brand's success to support causes and bring about change.
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