SHOW NOTES
Episode 353: How to turn your side hustle into the next multi-million dollar brand?
Guest: Bianca Gates, Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer, Birdies
Host: Laura Cox Kaplan
THIS WEEK'S TOPIC:
Have you ever had a side hustle or an idea that you just can’t get out of your head? Maybe you aren’t sure whether it could be “the real thing”? Or is it worth quitting your job to pursue it full-time?
This week’s episode dives deep into that pivotal question through the journey of Birdies shoes co-founder Bianca Gates. From launching Birdies as a side hustle while working at Facebook (now Meta), to co-founding a multimillion-dollar brand, to building community and successfully selling her company, Bianca’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. If you’ve ever wondered when (and how) to take the leap, how to navigate the tough stuff and find support, or how to turn feedback (good and bad) into fuel for business growth, this conversation is for you.
This episode also celebrates the kick-off of our fifth year collaborating with the Southern C, a network built on connecting, collaborating, and creating as creative founders and entrepreneurs.
ABOUT THIS WEEK’S GUEST:
Bianca Gates is the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Birdies, the direct-to-consumer brand best known for its stylish, comfortable slipper-shoes (and the now-iconic moment Meghan Markle wore them, a pivotal game changer for Birdies!). Bianca’s path to entrepreneurship is rich with hard-earned lessons on leadership, founding with partners, finding the right moment to jump in full-time, and, most importantly, building and leveraging deep community. As a daughter of immigrants and a mom herself, Bianca’s story stands as an authentic example of grit, creativity, and purpose.
KEY TOPICS AND WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:
IDENTIFYING A “WHITE SPACE” AND ACTING ON IT: Bianca shares how her own pain point around entertaining at home, and not being able to find stylish slippers, turned into a business idea she couldn’t let go of.
THE SIDE HUSTLE JOURNEY: QUITTING A FULL-TIME JOB: Hear how Bianca finally gave her the conviction to step away from her sales job at Facebook and go all-in.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PARTNERING & CHOOSING CO-FOUNDERS: From her “yin and yang” partnership with co-founder Marisa Sharkey to the tough, early conversations about roles, titles, and equity, Bianca offers actionable insight for anyone considering starting a business with a partner.
LISTENING TO CUSTOMER FEEDBACK, BUT SETTING BOUNDARIES: Learn how early prototypes led to surprising (not always kind!) customer reactions, and how Bianca built processes and eventually hired help to filter and act on meaningful feedback, striking a balance between humility and self-protection.
KNOWING WHEN TO CHANGE COURSE
SCALING FROM SCRAPPY TO SUSTAINED: Birdies’ fast growth, fueled in part by Meghan Markle’s princess moment, brought with it growing pains, from brand identity, to buying the “Birdies.com” domain, to navigating investor relationships and rapid hiring.
LEADING THROUGH CHANGE, AND THE CHALLENGES OF PEOPLE MANAGEMENT: Bianca opens up about the struggle to balance likability and accountability, and the hard-won lesson that “it’s not a sorority, it’s a business.”
THE EXTRAORDINARY POWER OF COMMUNITY, AND ‘LEAN IN’ CIRCLES: Discover how Bianca’s involvement with Lean In circles (thanks to her mentor Sheryl Sandberg) became her entrepreneurial safety net, her “cone of safety,” for advice and solidarity.
KNOWING WHEN TO SELL: Walking through the emotional decision to sell her business to private equity, Bianca explores what it feels like to hand over her “baby,” remain involved, and adjust to new realities.
THE ORIGIN OF ‘BIRDIES’: The name’s secret story
There is so much honest, practical advice and perspective in this episode—whether you’re thinking about your own side hustle, at a crossroads in your career, or just looking for a nudge to connect with others who “get it.”
I’d love to hear what resonated with you from this conversation? Please reach out and let me know! Email the team and me directly: [email protected]
Learn more about our special collaboration partner for this series: The Southern C
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