Today we have a special guest, Emily Grey of The Flourish Market. She is one of my nearest and dearest friends and was one of the first guests on this show. Today she’s sharing her expertise in wholesaling and how to thrive with your business, even during a pandemic.

If you are a brand owner, this is your episode. If you are a consumer, I think you might be fascinated by our discussion. Today we’re talking about how to get started wholesaling and why it matters.

8:38 – From fashion truck to brick and mortar

• Five years ago, Emily had a fashion truck. She was a one-woman show, packing the orders and shipping.
• She now has a team of 16 and has scaled her business with no loans.
• When the pandemic hit, she closed her shop and leaned into her investment banking background. She stepped up as a retail consultant.

13:17 – Changing retail landscape

• There’s a lot of bad advice on the Internet, for businesses especially.
• The biggest thing that’s changed in the retail landscape is they are only asking themselves one question – Will this sell?

17:23 – Smaller, smarter buying decisions

• Retailers are now making smaller, smarter and more frequent purchases and ordering every 3 to 4 weeks instead of every 3 to 4 months.
• If you’re already wholesaling, lower your opening order to $150 instead of $500 to $1,000.

20:42 – Ship quickly and use online shopping

• Businesses are now ordering first from brands that can ship quickly.
• Online shopping and curbside deliveries are more popular than ever.
• Make your pictures better than ever. Consumers associate the nicety of your product with the nicety of your images.

25:40 – Shopping values

• Consumers are focusing on shopping their values when it comes to themselves and when they’re gifting.
• Made in the USA, black-owned, female-owned and ethically made are just some of the things people look for when shopping.

31:49 – Product innovation

• Retailers want to discover something new and are looking for innovation.
• Do 4 to 6 mini collection launches per year instead of just fall and spring.

41:41 – Pitch mistakes to avoid

• Reach out to businesses and pitch them. But there are some mistakes to avoid. Don’t copy and paste mass messages. Don’t make it about you, your brand and your brand story. It should be about the retailer.

1:03:33 – Full circle moment

• Emily has been successful by surrounding herself with women and coaches who support her. It matters who you spend your time with and who you give your ear to.
• There is an absolute need to be around people who say, “I believe in you.”

FEATURED QUOTES

I think it matters who you spend your time with and who you give your ear to. – Emily

That is an absolute need to be around people who say, “I believe in you.” – Emily

Consumers associate the nicety of your product with the nicety of your images. – Emily

I’m known for an inspirational kick in the pants. – Emily

LINKS

• https://emilygreyco.com/
• https://www.theflourishmarket.com/
• https://thewholesaleway.com/businesswithpurpose

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS: 

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Speaking of stories behind brands that change the world, I’d like to introduce you to Deux Mains. In French, Deux Mains means two hands. Why ‘two-hands’? Because everything they create is made by trained artisans who use their two hands to make their life better while crafting beautiful products.

Truly, this is a company that set out to change lives and make a positive impact in the world. It started when the founder, Julie, wanted to create dignified jobs in Haiti, a place she was growing to love, and that was exploding with creativity. She wanted to share this talent with the world.

Julie set up an educational program to train people with artisan skills and then went on to build a factory that operates on 100% solar energy. Deux Mains now employs more than 40 artisans that handcraft premium leather goods, jewelry and sandals. Their lives are forever changed by their craft.

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