The importance of the No-Yes: balancing boundaries and opportunity

This is another installment of thoughts and takeaways from our conversations with designer and entrepreneur, Selia Yang. We are focusing on Selia as a part of our inFOCUS series and are excited for the culminating soiree at the end of the month.

In addition to the focus on Business Direction and Goals (Selia’s decision to go bridal), and her keen awareness of her business values (‘Every dress that leaves here must be perfect to our capacity’), Selia talked with us about the importance of balancing boundaries and opportunities.

In particular, we talked about her use of the “no, yes”.

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The NO-YES:

Another thing we learned form Selia was the importance of the “No, Yes”. As a small but growing shop, Selia has had to juggle honoring her boundaries while creatively finding ways to expand markets and relationships.

We can certainly relate to this. There are always lots of things that we want to do and/or are asked to do but don’t have the resources, finances, or bandwidth. Often for us, a “no” is not really a negotiating tactic or a cop-out but instead an honest understanding of our boundaries and limits. And our boundaries and limits are important. They help to ensure we stay on track and aren’t too overextended. But Selia made us think about saying no differently.

Selia told us about the importance of saying “no, yes”- which is sticking to your guns while also finding a way to create some possibility or opportunity, even if it is different or on a smaller scale then first imagined. An example she shared was about a retail shop that wanted to purchase 7 of her dresses on net60 terms. Since this was more leverage than Selia was comfortable with in a new relationship, she declined and then suggested that they instead by 2 dresses at a time. They would take a little longer to build their collection but in the meantime the relationship could build and the company could perhaps adopt shorter terms since they were outlaying less.

What do you too frequently have to say no too?

How can you come up with a “no, yes” option or solution?

Can you think of times that you have successfully employed a “no, yes”? How did it work out?

The Ingredients of Success: Unique to each business

‘Every dress that leaves here must be perfect to our capacity’: understanding the ingredients of success

This is another installment of thoughts and takeaways from our conversations with designer and entrepreneur, Selia Yang. We are focusing on Selia as a part of our inFOCUS series and are excited for the culminating soiree at the end of the month.

In addition to the focus on Business Direction and Goals (Selia’s decision to go bridal), we really admired Selia’s very clear understanding of the ingredients of her success and what ultimately matters in the way she runs her business.

‘Every dress that leaves here must be perfect to our capacity’:

Like all small businesses, Selia Yang feels the 24 time crunch. There is always a lot to do and a limited number of hands on deck. We are always interested in how entrepreneurs task out roles. What they do themselves and what they hire others to do.

As the business grew, Selia knew she needed other people and staff to help support the business. She hired her brother to be in charge of manufacturing and her sister-in-law to run her east village showroom. This primarily left the roles of designer, pattern-maker, and fitter for Selia herself (in addition of course to holding CEO-type functions and all the other marketing, promotion, vendor relationship necessary to make Selia Yang as successful as it is!)

It is interesting that Selia has maintained the role of fitter for so many years. It creates quite a different experience from purchasing any other gown. Imagine…the actual designer of the dress takes the time and effort to make sure that it fits exactly the way it should on YOU! While Selia does love the customer interaction and enjoys the fitting experience, these aren’t the reasons that she participates in the fitting process. To date it has been important to her to maintain her role as dress fitter, despite the many other things pulling for her attention, because of the critical role that it plays in the outcome of the process. Selia told us that “no matter what people pay for a dress, when the dress leaves the store the customer needs to love the dress and to have loved the experience. It needs to be perfect to our capacity.”

Selia has wondered whether her participation in the fitting negatively impacts the perception of Selia Yang the business. Does it make the business seem smaller than it is? Less serious? Does it make the designer seem not as important? I, for one, felt exactly the contrary. I was honored that the designer took time out of her day to make sure my dress fit well and beyond that, it clearly demonstrated to me just how much pride Selia took in her work and her business. It enhanced the experience for me for sure, and of course it allowed me to meet Selia. Forgetting that I am an entrepreneur, who obviously has a great deal of interest in “the woman behind the business”, I believe that affinities and loyalty is strengthened when customers get to know a business in a more personal way. I’m willing to bet most customers felt as I did.

However, recognizing that her plate is only going to continue to get fuller (especially with the launch of the wholesale line), Selia has been training a fitter to take over these very important responsibilities. And being Selia, of course she didn’t just go out and hire someone who has credible experience and let them loose. Instead, she has had someone trailing her and observing all the fittings for months. Only after they have seen months and months of work and hundreds of dresses will they able (maybe!) to fill Selia’s shoes.

This got us thinking about how important it is to be clear on the ingredients that make your business a success and how businesses can set themselves up to ensure the desired outcomes.

What are the parts of your business that are most sensitive, that ultimately make all the difference, and really serve as the ingredients for our success?

How is your business set up to protect these ingredients and ensure your desired outcome?

How can you better protect them without taking on more yourself?

Advice on working virtually to Inc. Magazine staffers from In Good Company Workplaces

Starting this week the staff of Inc. magazine started an experiment. For the month of February, they will all be working virtually and then writing about their experiences.

We love this initiative! We asked some of the ladies of In Good Company to share their advice and tips with these newly untethered writers.

Posted below is what some had to say . Do YOU have advice for the Inc staffers? You can tell them here.

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1. I've converted all of my email to be accessed entirely electronically on any computer. I run my work email through gmail which sends it via my work email's pop server so that recipients can't tell that I'm sending it through gmail but I have the web accessibility (and endless storage!) that gmail provides.

On a personal and non-technological level, a key benefit of virtual working is minimalism. It made me recognize how few of the office supplies, papers and the other mountains of activity that used to accumulate on my desk I actually need. Now, the contents of my office are pared down to a couple of well-organized file boxes, a laptop, a moleskine notebook and a little nerd-sac filled with the bare bones of requisite clips, post-its and pens. I also have a redweld folder of stationery, folders and envelopes for sending packages. All of this fits into the equivalent of a small gym locker. And I can't remember a time in the last months where I needed something that wasn't contained in that tiny space.

Alexandra Machinist
Linda Chester Literary Agency

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2. I find that the best way to be productive working at home is to create an area at home that’s specifically for “work” only and block out a chunk of hours to devote to a specific project etc – so you’re not constantly distracted by the laundry you need to do or your sink full of dishes. Turn off email alerts if possible and get situated to crank out a few solid hours of whatever it is you’re working on. Creating a daily schedule for myself (coffee — and sometimes laundry breaks included), even when I’m at home, is beyond helpful!

I have also found that working virtually has definitely allowed me to be much more “green” without necessarily realizing it. I print less paper, have fewer file folders and am able to stay organized more effectively.

Working virtually and not being in an office or corporate environment with a computer guru on-hand can be a little daunting and often frustrating. One of the most helpful additions I’ve done with my business is to have immediate access to great computer assistance over the phone and/or online with Help with a Smile, a virtual or in person computer service. The guys are always available when you call and can jump into your computer virtually to solve any minor (and some major) problems quickly. Having a similar service is peace of mind if nothing else (and that means a lot when you’re working on your own!).

Marissa Lippert, Founder of Nourish Nutrition Counseling & author of The Cheater’s Diet (April 15th)

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3. If you've always worked in an office setting, having easy access to co-workers may be something you take for granted - until they're not there!
Think about your preferred ways of breaking up solitary work time throughout the day. If you are someone who enjoys and gets energy from socializing, brainstorming or grabbing a quick coffee with colleagues, working on your own can be a major adjustment.

If that's the case, make sure to build time into your schedule, whenever possible, to engage in some of these activities.
If you are working from home, experiment with whether virtual contact via email, phone or Skype does the trick. If so, great. If not, try to find a public space with WiFi where other solo workers congregate and where you can go if you start to feel as though you're working in solitary confinement. You never know who you might meet! Or coordinate breaks with friends / neighbors who also work from home.

If you live in an area where coworking opportunities exist, consider checking them out to see whether they appeal to you. Depending on the types of packages available and the community of people who congregate there, you could wind up satisfying your need for interacting with others AND building your network at a price that doesn't break the bank.

Eden Abrahams
Clear Path Executive Coaching

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4. Aside from setting a schedule, I think it is really important for you to get out of the house at least once each day. It could be for coffee, a walk around the block, a trip to the post office, a meeting, whatever. Sitting in front of your computer all day is a sure way to kill your motivation and creativity. Not only should you break up your day , but it is important for you clear your head and get a change of scenery. I find that it is during these “down” times that my best ideas can come to me.

Amy Abrams
Co-founder, In Good Company Workplaces

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5. I find that I need to be very careful about defining “working” and “non-working” times. It is hard when you work from home or virtually to separate your work day from a regular evening at home. Where I have run into trouble is times that I have finished up work for the day and will be enjoying my evening and then somehow find myself looking at my blinking red blackberry, reading emails that have come in and thinking about issues that need attention and adding up to-do list items. Since I am not really “working” I can’t take action on anything, but I am distracted and un-relaxed. When this pattern is repeated I start to feel as though I am never off and never have any downtime. This doesn’t mean that I can’t choose to work late some nights, or take a break and then return to work after dinner, but I try to be clear with myself about what time is what. Non-work time is spent far from the blackberry and with my outlook closed.

Also, what works best for me is to schedule like tasks together. I try to put phone calls back to back, and group accounting and detail work, and then carve out time for more thoughtful work like writing. I don’t work well when I do 15 minutes of one thing, followed up by a phone call, followed by 30 minutes of writing, and then back to another phone call.

Adelaide Lancaster
Co-founder, In Good Company Workplaces

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6. As a business owner I often feel like there are dozens of things I need to be doing at any given moment. This often leads me into super over drive mode which can only last for so long before my brain waves get jammed and short circuit leaving me with little fuel in my tank for business projects and tasks. I have luckily discovered the perfect solution for getting my creativity, focus, motivation and inspiration flowing again. And living in NYC definitely helps. I just go on a little adventure. That’s right… sometimes in the middle of the work day! Over and over, I find it’s the best thing I could ever do for myself and my business. When I take an hour or two out of my day for these little field trips, I get it back ten fold. Just last month, I turned off the laptop and went directly to the Museum of Art and Design for a 2 hour field trip. The Slash exhibit there features paper cutting artist unlike anything I’ve ever seen! Another favorite is Papabubble candy shop… I find their creativity very stimulating! Or take a tour at the Tenement Museum, it really puts things in perspective. A mid morning stroll at the Highline is down right exhilarating! Immersing myself in these experiences is just what my brain needs to reboot itself and the positive side effects on my business are tremendous.

Erica Ecker, The Spacialist

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7. Schedule time for fun and breaks, not just time for “work” I often block out time to be in “writing” mode, or “blogging” mode or “client service” mode, but then if I spend ten minutes on HuffPo or shopping on gilt.com I feel, well, guilty. So now I actually schedule short 15 minute breaks for guilty pleasures (snacks, online browsing, phone calls to friends) so I don’t feel so indulgent about doing them and then I’m more diligent about getting back to work. Building in breaks winds up being more efficient /productive / effective then having them creep up on me—in my world, three minutes on YouTube often turns into thirty minutes online, ten minutes on the phone and twenty minutes in the kitchen and next thing I know I’ve lost an hour.

Jodi Glickman Brown, Great on the Job


Share you thoughts & advice!!

Amy's Shopping Experiment: an update

So I kicked off 2010 with a New year No Shopping experiment that was inspired by a desire to see what I would do with all the time that I did not spend shopping. I made a commitment to myself that I would not purchase anything until my birthday, April 8th.

What I have found is that my experiment is really a tall order. Mainly because it feels like my goals of the experiment are a little all over the place (pointed out by Adelaide). Which lead me to ask myself, what are my goals? Is my goal not to spend any money? Is my goal to see if I could “shop my closet” – the current industry term for wearing what you have, figure out what’s in your closet that you really wear and not accumulate more?

Truthfully, those are all possible outcomes of the experiment – but they really feel more like byproducts. And truthfully, these are all outcomes (perhaps positive ones)that I was not totally focused on when thinking about the experiment. My main goal was understanding time. How I spend it, how I waste it how much shopping influences my choice of how to spend my time.

What I have found is that there is a part of me that really misses shopping (not necessarily consuming or purchasing) but rather being in the know, seeing what’s out there, discovering something beautiful and unique. I recognize there is a part of shopping for me that helps me tap into a part of my brain that loves fashion – from the point of view of fashion as an art, texture to garments, the use of color. And sometimes it is a really fun way to unwind.

I am continuing to pursue my goal but I will say I am finding that it is harder than I expected. I don’t miss the purchasing but I certainly miss the discovery.

posted by Amy Abrams

Selia’s decision to go ‘bridal’: The importance of business direction and goals

This is a first installment of thoughts and takeaways from our conversations with designer and entrepreneur, Selia Yang. We are focusing on Selia as a part of our inFOCUS series and are excited for the culminating soiree at the end of the month.

During our talks with Selia Yang, several themes stuck out as not only noteworthy but as good lessons for other entrepreneurs. The first theme is the importance of Your Business Direction & Goals. (A favorite topic for us!)

Selia’s decision to go ‘bridal’:

It is so interesting that Selia Yang never had any intention of entering the bridal market. In her mind it seemed like lots of puff and little style. So naturally, like most clear-headed entrepreneurs, she resisted the suggestions and requests of her customers to lead her astray. She gave them the ‘I’m flattered but it’s not my bag’ routine.

However, as her relationships with her customers deepened and she was able to witness their own frustration with existing bridal options, she relented. One dress quickly turned into 10 and so on. After a couple years of dabbling however, she reached a nexus and felt compelled to make a final business decision on the bridal market. Was she in it? Did she want to be? What should Selia Yang be known for? What was her future? What was her company’s future?

While considering her options, Selia said that the biggest question she had to answer was not about viability or finances but “could I be happy doing bridal?” or more importantly, “Would I be content creatively to explore bridal as a designer? Could I do bridal without following tradition?” After some soul searching, Selia decided that she could and that by entering the bridal market that she could actually “evolve as a designer”. She could create a collection she was proud of, make beautiful dresses that make women feel great, and fulfill her passion, which is “to sell something that I have created”.

Now several years later, Selia remarks that she “never knew I would do genuinely fall in love with bridal”. She feels very happy to be where she is and said that “hopefully this shows in what I do”.

Take it from us…it does!!

So this conversation really got us thinking about business directions and goals. We often talk about the importance of learning to say NO as an entrepreneur. Typically, there is no dearth of opportunity or creative ideas. The trick is really knowing which opportunities are right for you, when to say yes and when to say no. It’s not easy. The risk you run is saying yes to the wrong decisions and ending up hijacked by your business and building a business that you hate.

What we love about Selia’s story is how purposeful she was about this very big business decision. Not only did she try it out first in a comfortable and low-risk way, she also based her decision on her clear understanding of what brings her satisfaction as an entrepreneur – continually creative and inspired design, not just on the economics and viability of the potential market and business. If she felt that she would have to compromise her creative instincts and abilities within the bridal market, she would have said no.

Are you clear about your own goals? What must opportunities provide in order for them to help you achieve what you want?

How can you reevaluate opportunities with your goals in mind?

It’s All About Timing: Balancing Business & Life

Last week we held an event with babybites titled “Have Your Baby and Your Business too”. The goal of the event was to have an honest conversation with REAL business owners who are moms and learn some of their tips, tricks and lessons learned along the way. Motherhood brings about a lot of change and is often an incredible time to re-evaluate professional goals and opportunities. It is no wonder that many women consider starting their own business.

We invited four dynamic entrepreneurs to share their experience as mothers and business owners. The speakers included Eden Abrahams who is an executive coach and founder of Clear Path Executive Coaching, Cecily Kellogg who is a writer, blogger and created the incredibly successful blog “The UpperCase Woman" and Hannah McDonald and SaSaDi Odunsi co-founders of Bump Brooklyn. It was a great discussion and we were thrilled that so many moms came out to explore entrepreneurship.

I was inspired by all of the speakers. Each was thoughtful, articulate, and candid about their experiences and with their advice.

I was also equally impressed with all of the women who came to learn more about starting a business. For some of the women, this was something they have been giving a lot of thought to and they want to launch in the near future. They expressed an eagerness to be doing something new and to have a different challenge. They spoke of emerging from the baby fog and of recently hitting a scheduling groove. They were ready.

For other attendees starting a business is on the distant horizon. They were already balancing too many time and energy demands and knew that logistically a business wouldn’t work just yet. But they had a feeling that a business was something that they wanted for themselves someday. And maybe that day would actually be sooner than they imagined.

Regardless of proximity or readiness, all the women engaged in a meaningful discussion about the role and importance of a future business and significance that timing did or would play in their decisions. There was patience in talking about the future and they were certain pushing themselves to take a long-term view.

This evening was still fresh on mind over the weekend. I was spending time with a friend who had been giving serious thought to starting a business this spring. She had spent a lot of time researching, planning and thinking about the business. When I saw her this weekend, she informed me that her business launch plans were on hold – indefinitely. She’s pregnant. While she is obviously excited about having a baby she feels disappointed that her business was not going to happen now.

But that’s exactly what I pointed out to her. All that was being determined was the “right now”, not the future. This change doesn’t mean that she will never have a business or that all her work is for naught, it just means that the timing is different than planned.

Change and the unexpected are difficult for most of us. But as moms and business owners both know, it is important to focus on the possibilities that the future brings. To remember that the future is long and that opportunities are great. And that timing is key element to satisfaction and success.

One day my friend will get to start her business, maybe at that time she will choose a different business all together or will make it a variation on the vision she already has. She will have to see what she wants when the timing is right.

posted by Amy Abrams

Selia Yang inFOCUS

inFOCUS is a new program that spotlights an innovative business or entrepreneur each month through a series of blog posts and events.

We will be spending the month of February focusing on Selia Yang, a brilliant designer, talented entrepreneur, and mover and shaker in the bridal market..

Our conversations with Selia will be shared on our blog posts and we invite you to meet Selia at a festive end-of-the-month festive soiree at Selia's showroom on February 24th.

So without further ado, we are pleased to introduce you to Selia Yang!

Selia Yang Sneak Peek:

Born in Seoul, Korea and raised in Toronto, Canada, Selia Yang always knew she wanted to work for herself. So after graduating with a degree in fashion design, she moved to New York to open up shop in a little store in the East Village. Selia began with a line of made-to-order eveningwear and cocktail dresses and her popularity grew quickly. Her devoted customers soon began turning to Selia to make their wedding dresses as well.

After spending some time resisting (traditional wedding dresses weren't quite her thing and she physically cringes at the word "poofy"), Selia finally brought her creative eye and sleek designs to the bridal market. A few years later, with both feet in bridal, Selia continued to expand her business, which also now employed her sister, brother, and sister-in-law.

Then last year, with 11 years of experience under her belt, Selia Yang entered the wholesale market and is now featured in 8 boutiques around the nation, including a prominent relationship with SAKS. Selia has won many 'Best of' awards and her designs have been featured in motion pictures and print magazines. She continues to reshape the bridal market and build a brand synonymous with elegance, style, and beauty.

What we love about Selia Yang:

We originally met Selia while Adelaide was shopping for her own wedding dress and quickly fell in love, not only with the prefect dress, but also the business and Selia herself. We were so intrigued by Selia's business style and story. Each conversation we had revealed just how thoughtful and purposeful an entrepreneur she is.

Her showroom is a perfect reflection of her designs - beautiful, comfortable and elegant with a few unexpected, fun elements (i.e. the lovely dog who hangs out amidst the bridal gowns and the awesome Vespa neatly parked by the register). Each dress is fitted by Selia herself. Her unique 'retail-first' business strategy has enabled her to grow steadily over time, maintaining both control and autonomy.

Determined from the start to work for herself, Selia has crafted a business where the relationship with the customer is central and a critical part of the business evolution. In fact, it was her customers who first convinced (begged and pleaded) her to enter the bridal market. Selia is clearly motivated by her desire to be creative and evolve as a designer, and we were wowed listening to her talk about the honor involved in making women feel beautiful.

We have been privileged to learn from Selia's story and experience and we are pleased to share bits and pieces of that story with you over the course of the next month. Each week, we will post a new segment on Selia on the blog and we will culminate the month with a festive soiree at Selia's Tribeca showroom.

JOIN US!

Festive Soiree with Selia Yang!

Welcome to inFOCUS - a new program that spotlights an innovative business or entrepreneur each month through a series of blog posts and events.

We will be spending the month of February focusing on Selia Yang, a brilliant designer, talented entrepreneur, and mover and shaker in the bridal market.

In addition to sharing our conversations with Selia through our blog, we invite you to meet Selia at a festive end-of-the-month festive soiree!

WHEN: February 24th, 5-7pm
WHERE: Selia Yang's Tribeca Showroom (71 Franklin St @ Broadway)
IGC Members only, RSVP Required
to RSVP: igcrsvp@gmail.com with Selia Yang in the subject line

Sticking to your Guns – a.k.a. Staying true to your business goals

Last week in the New York Times business section I was struck by the following quote:

“ That is the American way – to expand without really thinking”
– Lydia Ezparza, co-owner of Great Lake Pizza Shop in Chicago.

The quote was take from an article, “Small by Choice, Whether Clients Like It or Not” by Kermit Pattison.

It is a great interview where the owners articulate their deliberate choice not to expand their business (as many would predict and encourage) despite their business’s booming success. I found the article incredibly refreshing as it is not that often that a small business - that wants to stay small - is showcased in national publication. I often come across stories and profiles of “successful” entrepreneurs.

These “successful” entrepreneurs are often running large companies that are venture backed. Don’t get me wrong, I completely applaud entrepreneurs who have successful grown a company through the help of financing. On the other hand, the community of entrepreneurs that I connect with on a daily basis are not interested in growing a company at light speed and often do not need outside financing.

Too often, these entrepreneurs are categorized as “lifestyle” entrepreneurs which to many (including myself) is a fairly offensive description of the type of entrepreneurship that I subscribe to. For myself, and many in the IGC community, their desire to become an entrepreneur was so that they could build a business that they would have for a long time, that they could support themselves over time and that they could scale at different points in the life cycle of the business. Many hope to make money (and for some lots of money), they want to be in control of the business and they may recognize that they want their business to mean different things at different times.

The owners of the Great Lake Pizza shop have a clear sense of their goals for the business, and they are willing to forfeit the temptation of expanding in order to achieve these goals. It is a wonderful and inspiring example for many small businesses that want to stay true to their business goals and by extent – stay small.

posted by Amy Abrams

Getting In Your Own Way: Are you your company's best asset?

I finished reading a great article this weekend in the New Yorker about John Mackey who is the CEO of Whole Foods. The article is fascinating on several levels: the contradiction behind the whole foods brand as the founder is not who you think he would be; the overall state of the grocery market, especially in light of the Walmarts of the world now carrying organic product and products; and the story behind the company.

What I found particularly remarkable was my reaction to John Mackey. Throughout the article I flip flopped from thinking that the guy is a total ego-maniacal kook to a clever, savvy genius. Regardless, he is undoubtedly a unique person and a successful entrepreneur. And he has good instincts despite the several notable hiccups he has experienced along the way. It has taken a lot to build Whole Foods into the business it is today, and John Mackey is a huge part of that.

It is clear that his personality and quirkiness have created trouble, from bad press to political boycotts to SEC investigations. It is not hard to argue that he gets in his own way. The question, by extension, is whether he will get in the way of Whole Foods growth in the future. Many are shocked that he is still holds the position of CEO, since Whole Foods is a publicly traded company.

But on the other hand, it is possible that all things considered he is still an asset to the company, and perhaps the overall category of whole foods shopping. Despite the fact that I disagree with many of his political opinions, his distinct personality makes an impact. Sure, he is controversial and unexpected, but on the other hand he is also a pioneer who has significantly contributed to getting the public to view “whole foods” as chic instead of crunchy.

While you can argue about whether that is a good thing, it remains a fact that John Mackey is high profile and has brought a certain amount of celebrity to the industry. And, I believe that this status and profile has been directed influenced and elevated by his personality.

Even in the midst of a media circus, John Mackey is someone you have a reaction to, someone people talk about and case in point, someone people write about.

So perhaps rather than getting in his own way, he is really paving the way.

posted by Amy Abrams