How to have a powerful launch strategy, cultivate a loyal customer base, and scale your impact
How was Girlfriend Collective able to so quickly establish itself in the athletic wear space as a conscious fashion startup?
What does it take to cultivate a loyal customer base that feels so emotionally connected to your brand that they'll champion, support, and continuously share what you do? On this episode, Girlfriend Collective's Co-Founder, Quang Dinh, shares his wisdom with us. Let's dive in.
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This is a conversation on Green Dreamer Podcast with Kaméa Chayne, a show exploring environmental and intersectional sustainability from ideas to life. Subscribe to Green Dreamer on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or any podcast app and let’s learn what it takes to thrive in every sense of the word!
Highlights
[2:45] What got Quang Dinh into sustainable fashion.
[5:11] What it was like being one of the first eco-innovators in the apparel industry.
[7:31] Quang: "Now, with the rise of the internet, to be able to build a product that means something is a lot more powerful because the content to consume is a lot easier today than word of mouth in 2005."
[7:59] Quang's inspiration to start Girlfriend Collective.
[9:25] The team's greatest challenge in creating their product.
[10:03] Quang: "Yes, it is hard to produce what we needed to produce, but it's worth it... At any point we could have easily just bought fabric off the shelf that wasn't made of recycled polyester; I think that would have been easier, but for me it wasn't about making money."
[11:49] Kamea: "Can you walk us through the thought process behind your launch strategy?"
[12:52] Quang: "We felt like we had something so strong that I'm just going to just give this stuff away and know that
[customers] are going to come back."
[14:23] Kamea: "How certain were you that you were going to get this return on investment when you first launched that free leggings campaign?"
[15:14] Quang: "We had a lot of skeptics... but as soon as they got the product, that's when we saw the snowball effect."
[15:56] Quang: "All the feel-good stuff is always tertiary. So for us, it's making sure the product quality is on point and making sure the price point is where scale is achievable."
[18:39] Kaméa: "What advice can you offer in terms of what it takes to get your [eco] brand seen in today's digitally-driven landscape?"
[20:30] Quang: "In the U.S., the recycling industry comes from demand and policy..."
[22:53] The problem with dirty tap water and plastic water bottles.
[24:12] Kamea: "What do you think a single consumer can do to help improve the recycling industry in the U.S.?"
Episode Sponsor: Kanekta
Kanekta is a digital sourcing platform connecting ethical brands and suppliers to retail buyers across the globe. Click here to learn more.
Keep in Touch
Girlfriend Collective
Website: girlfriend.com
Instagram: @girlfriendcollective
Facebook: @girlfriendcollective
Tips
Health tip: Cook with the instapot.
Words of inspiration: It's all worth it.
Green tip: Don't use plastic straws.
Element of hope: Millennials.
Words of Wisdom: Keep on doing this! Keep talking about it, keep buying products that change the world.
