Today's episode might just make you want to go home and do laundry.

After graduating from Cornell University’s Fiber Science and Apparel Design Program, Lindsey Boyd and Co-founder Gwen Whiting found themselves in New York City, working at some of the largest fashion houses in the world (hello, Chanel and Ralph Lauren!) where an unspoken dress code led them to build their wardrobes with “investment” pieces with “dry clean only” tags. Tired of the pricey bills and damaged, chemical-ridden clothing from the dry cleaners, the duo set out to revolutionize the laundry industry with eco-friendly, fabric-specific home and fabric care products.

Now, fourteen years later, with successful collaborations with John Mayer and J.Crew, a flagship store in NYC and shelf space in more than 1,500 retail stories including Barney’s, Net-A-Porter and Bloomingdales in over 38 countries, The Laundress has completely changed how people do laundry.

Today, Lindsey and Monica discuss the evolution of The Laundress, their wholesale strategy, and the secrets to their long-term success.

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'There wasn't anything in the market that could properly care for our clothes.' - Lindsey Boyd

Show Notes:

• What is The Laundress
• What it was like launching a brand in 2004
• How Lindsey applied her sales experience
• The importance of setting a timeline for your launch
• When in the process Lindsey and her partner were able to quit their day jobs
• How they funded the launch
• What the R&D process was like for The Laundress
• How their esthetic has evolved over the last 14 years
• How many products The Laundress launched with
• The design of their retail space
• The success of their partnerships
• Lindsey's advice to someone looking to start their own brand
• Why you should get organized before you start

'Tapping into our network and resources was extremely beneficial to us in starting the business.' - Lindsey Boyd

Links Mentioned:

• Check out The Laundress
• Try out NetSuite
• Connect with Lindsey:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

'Have a business plan and get your ideas down.' - Lindsey Boyd