Fridays with Flea Style

At 16, Texas native Jane Aldridge cut and paste together stories for her fashion blog way before the online platform was popular. More than a decade later (in only her mid 20s!), she’s considered a pioneer blogger and still at the top of her game in an industry that has become highly saturated. Jane talks to us about the early days of her company — including a Teen Vogue spread and phone call from admirer Kayne West — and how she’s staying relevant today while keeping her eye on what’s next as the industry quickly evolves. She also discusses her love for vintage style and keeping true to her roots in an industry that banks on big brands.

Judy is the founder of mega-popular website and Instagram account Atlantis Home, which highlights her layered bohemian lifestyle to perfection. She got her start in retail a few decades ago and has carved a niche in the interiors world while staying current with the evolution of social media. We sit down with the 55-year old mother of two and talk about her inspiring career and how to keep current — and perspective — with so much noise today.

We sit down with the founders of mega-popular Instagram account Target Does It Again and fashion lifestyle label Ascot + Hart to talk about their booming businesses they run remotely from their California and Texas homes. From the early days when they were shipping orders from their living rooms to monetizing their social media accounts and landing national partnership deals today, they candidly talk about their wild career ride — all the while raising three boys between them and having no full-time employees.

Our team sits down to talk the good, bad and downright dirty sides of opening our new store and studio space. We answer each other’s pressing questions while puling back the curtain on some inside stories and info about the six month process. From our long nights to move in day alongside an ex-president (yes, it’s true), we don’t miss a detail in this juicy podcast.

India Hicks was born in London to famed interior designer David Hicks and English royal Pamela Hicks. Instead of just riding her bloodline’s coattails, she trail-blazed an inspiring career path. Today the former model owns India Hicks, a growing lifestyle brand with thousands of ambassadors that directly sell the company’s gorgeous island style goods. India lives in Harbour Island with her partner and their five children.

We sit down with the entrepreneur to discuss her life, exploding business and how she balances an international business while raising five children from a tiny remote island.

Follow Brittany Freed’s journey from fashion PR and retail buyer to representing tenants and landlords in an ever-changing consumer marketplace. She discusses the past, present and future of retail as well as ways to succeed in the uncertain brick-and-mortar scene today.

Tips and tricks

Have your finances buttoned up if you’re considered opening a store. A broker can assist and advise on lots of things when searching for a space, but finances is something they can’t change or help out with much.

Think local. Retailers are catering to their community to make it today. Go to the nearby coffee shop, yoga studio and other outposts to connect with potential customers and learn about their behaviors, needs and desires.

Stores are necessary (just look to online giant Amazon opening brick and mortar). But to succeed today, you have to authentically attract shoppers from beautiful branding to experiential offerings that online shopping can’t dish.

East Texas native Carley Seale started a small retail store after leaving her cushy medical sales job in 2007. Today she runs six stores across Texas and Colorado and oversees 60-plus employees. The entrepreneur candidly discusses startup life, the future of retail, following your passion and the importance of thinking big.

Tips and tricks:

Build a business plan with a "break-even analysis" before you start anything to make sure you’re on the right track with your idea. (Listen to the podcast for her step-by-step tips!)

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Your business should be profitable enough to pay yourself. If you don’t have enough profit to pocket some cash, take a serious look at your company and financial plan.

You have to be adaptable in retail. The market has changed more in the past year than prior nine according to Seale. To survive, you have to be flexible in your ideas, buying habits, employee structure and more.

Desha Peacock had 40 jobs until she created her dream career as an entrepreneur. Today she balances writing books for creative small business people as well as coordinates retreats and speaking engagements to talk about turning your passion into profit. We sit down with the 42-year old to discuss her eclectic career path and ways to help budding professionals break through the noise and live their daydream.

Tips and tricks:

Ask yourself lots of questions to seek out what your dream career really is. From what makes you tick to what makes you feel stressed, these answers help you narrow down what you really want and don’t want from your work life.

Financial stress kills creativity. Creatives can get caught up in the clouds with ideas. At the end of the day, don’t forget to follow the path that will also turn you a profit to make your dream actually work.

Office style matters! Create a workspace that inspires you to get cracking every day. Think candles and fresh flowers to cute organizational tools and even essential oils.

Heidi Androl-Guzman left her Michigan hometown for the summer to live on a boat with a friend in Southern California that they rented for $300. That fateful trip put her on a crazy career path that spans from waiting tables and selling helicopter parts to being a finalist on the Apprentice and a nationally recognized sports reporter. Last year the television personality and producer launched a small business called Tinseltot after becoming a mom and finding a major need in the home design market for littles. Listen to this innovative and smart business woman as she tells the story of her inspiring and non-traditional career path.

Tips and Tricks:

Fail Fast. If you feel your business is failing and beyond a pivot or revival, move on and shake it off. Don’t waste time trying to make something that won’t succeed work.

Put yourself out there. More times than not people want to help budding business owners and will answer your questions or assist in achieving your dreams if possible!

Create a business out of something you’re passionate about or see a need for. You’ll be eager to work for your dream when you are personally attached to its success.

Jody Olivier’s motto is “If I can’t find it, I’ll make it.” From pegged jeans in high school to global textile lampshades, she’s always taken matters into her own hands to fulfill her fashion and decor dreams since her teenage years. She didn’t dream of starting a textile business, but by following her gut and figuring things out along the way, she’s built a booming brand and shares all from working from home tips to delegating tasks to grow.

Tips and Tricks

If you’re starting a business that sells products, take a deep look at shipping costs and challenges. Jody shifted stopped selling lampshades after learning the difficulty of safely sending them to clients across the country.

Passion is the most important ingredient to build a small business. Be sure you’re extremely excited about your idea or company to stay motivated even when times get tough.

Know what you’re good at and what’s holding your business back. Find somebody to help with things that aren’t your forte to free up your time to grow the biz.