January 12, 2024 • 46 mins
This week, Rachel Zoe speaks with sisters-in-law and founders (both named Veronica Beard) on how they came together to create a brand for women that was a reflection of themselves mixed with what they wanted from other women’s brands.
Listen to them share their incredible insights on how they came together to create their massively successful business.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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free gift. Hi everyone, I'm Rachel Zoe and you're listening
(00:52):
to Climbing in Heels. This show is all about celebrating
the most extraordinary superwomen who will be sharing their incredible
journey to the top, all while Stang Glamours. I'm so
excited this week to interview two incredible women who are
the founders of the mega successful brand Veronica Beard. These
two women are sisters in law married to actual brothers
(01:14):
and came together to create a brand for women that
was a reflection of themselves and what they wanted from
a women's brand. Both names Veronica Beard, which is kind
of amazing. They're both working moms to three kids and
five kids and have opened thirty two Veronica Beard stores.
They're sharing so many insights about how they built and
(01:35):
grew their business, So let's get right into it. I'm
very excited to have you on. I'm such a fan
of the brand. I love what you guys do. I
have so many women in my life that love your brand,
and you know, and I always love badass females that
(01:56):
work really hard and create something to be proud of
and means something to people, because you know, probably one
of the things I could asked the most at this
point in my life is how to build a brand?
How did I build my brand? And my answer is
I wish I could ever tell you that, but I
can't see. So I'm very happy to have you guys on.
(02:18):
I do want to start for a minute by just
sharing with our listeners like how you met and like
just a little bit of how you formed this brand,
because you know, it's kind of ironic and funny and
twisted and amazing.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
It is. It's like a bad movie and then it's
a good comedy.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Yeah, exactly. I imagine you guys feel like you're living
in a comedy sketch all the time.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
No, basically, we're like, you know, we have that mother
who named us over.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
That's one really funny.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
We met twenty two years ago, isn't that long ago?
Longer than that, because it's the night that I met
my husband. We were at a wedding and I.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Had just moved to New York. I was at Parsons.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
I was single and and seated next to my now husband,
who was also single, and Veronica was there with her husband.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Who's my husband's brother, and they were married.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
She was gorgeous, pregnant with her first baby one, this
was the first one, and we both had the same
reaction when we were introduced, like, there's no other Veronica, Like,
no one's ever I'd never met another Vronica.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
She never met him. I want to introduce you to
the other Veronica. Yeah, like, okay, there's only two in
the world.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
But we we were we were seated across from each other,
and my Jamie, my now husband, was super forward and like,
you know, working hard that night, and I just kept
looking at him, thinking, God, there's never going to be
too bron of yours.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
And I wasn't even trying to be like a crazy.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Right of course.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
I was like, this guy's nuts, Like this is not
going to go anyway.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
Meanwhile, I was winking at him and saying, get on that,
because that would be very cool to have too wrong.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
And he was like, oh my god, I'm on it.
Oh my god, what if I were together ever since?
Speaker 1 (04:26):
But that's amazing And that was twenty two years ago.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
That was twenty two years ago.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
I love that. Okay, so that's amazing. So fun fact,
you guys might might just sidebar. My mom's my dad's
younger brother married my mom's younger sister.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Oh yeah, dad's younger brother married.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
So two brothers, two sisters got married.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
Well it's also something I mean, well that's even more
interesting than us.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Yeah no, but you guys have the same name, so
I think it's a tie.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
No, but my sister and I are both married to James,
which is like, I.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Mean, that's a different yeah, but.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
I'm just saying, like that is wild.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
The whole thing is.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
But we basically, yeah, we basically we met that night,
became great friends. I was in fashion Bronco was in finance,
and you know, it was a lot of years of
talking in the corner of parties and family gatherings and
(05:31):
you know, being obsessed with product and what was missing
in the market and brands that we loved, ideas that
we had, maternity ideas, importing bags from Europe.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
I mean, there was a lot of ideas. Thank god,
we didn't act.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
On any of them really, but and then really we
this this. We did act on that Jack and and Dickie,
well we did, but not to do the act on
the other maternity. We were like, maternity clothes that you
can wear, you know, in pregnant.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Yeah, because when you're pregnant, all you want to do
is make things for pregnant people because you realize how
hellish it is.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Oh yeah, but then when you're done, you're like, don't
even there's no longevit, no investment in return.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
It's you'll only realize that when you live it, right.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
So we we saw this Jacket and Dickey concept and
we were like, wait, every woman needs this.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
They had this for men. We need a uniform for women.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
And then you know, interchangeable one and one that you style,
one that you live in, you know, day.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Night, place brands start with one singular product, you know,
So that was we were We came out with a
very unique product that didn't exist on the market, that
was stood out and you know, was tactile, and people
were drawn to it on you know, on a rack,
and and Gwyneth Paltrow was drawn to it.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
That was real excited. That was a big launch moment
for us.
Speaker 5 (07:04):
It doesn't get bigger, yeah, but but it was you know,
it was really it was you know, things are born
out of necessity, right.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
It's like, what's the quote that that one of my
favorite quotes is necessity is the mother of invention.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
And and that is so true.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
It was like women needed suits, you know, but in
this way that was very like lifestyle dynamic. You could
wear it like over your leggings, you could wear it
with a pair of jeans, you could wear it. We
called it the Wonder Woman Cave because you put that
thing on and you slay dragons.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
Yes, And we said, you know, every woman needs to
feel this way and that that jacket changed your life,
you know, and every woman needed to feel that way.
So it wasn't just selling a product, it was selling
a philosophy of product, right, it's like how you feel
when you wear this, how you how it fits you,
how it suits you, the color.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
How you style the dickie, how you wear it.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Well, I mean, so it's so interesting. So you were
starting this in what eleven twenty ten? Okay? So okay,
so you guys both are in the middle of having kids.
You're married, you're birthing children, clothing and all the things.
So what because it's you know, it's interesting, Like I
(08:31):
think being a working mom, which obviously I'm you guys
probably know very well, is probably the hardest part of
your life, just because you're pulled in both. It's I
always say, it's like feels like a tug of war
because you have guilt on both sides. Right, you want
to be there one hundred percent for your kids, but
you know, as the founder of your brand, you it's
you or nobody right for most of it. And I
(08:55):
think you know to your point, I think, yea necessity.
It's constantly trying to figure out what women need, right,
what women need, what isn't out there in this way?
And what are you bringing to the table right that's
unique and different? So what possessed you guys to want
to in the midst of having like all these kids
(09:16):
be like I want to work my ass off right now.
We want to launch this brand. We have this to say,
Were you scared because it's very scary, Like I've been there,
and it's it's it's scary. It's like you're putting yourself
out there. You have to like it's a it's a
super high risk business. It's most don't succeed. You guys
are crushing it, and but I imagine it's not easy. Can
(09:41):
you share a little bit of like, yeah, sort of
the beginning, like what were you like, let's launch a
full scale, full collection, full brand. Like I guess what
I was saying is like how'd you go from the
one piece to the everything?
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Yeah, it didn't start off that way.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
It started off as first of all, we were we
had one rack of jackets made out of remnant fabrics
for mood, so it wasn't like bam never we had
we had a binder with little swatches of fabric and
it was basically like a jodder, like how many jackets
we could make out of that bolt of fabric? And
(10:20):
we had like twenty bolts of fabric. I mean, we
became best friends. We should have What we should have
done is had to show a TV show when we
were back.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
In the mood day right of course making up the brand.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
It was like that show that was the real really
good good days. But so we started with that and
and we had, you know, connections in fashion.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
You know, I was had been.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
A buyer, I'd worked in wholesale new people in in.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
In pr and so we started showing.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
The collection out of my apartment with a rack of
clothing and that at the end of that, you know,
at that market, we had eight accounts. So it was like,
oh my god, we have a business. We had to
do this, and we ran around all over the you know,
garment district getting it done. And it was more about
what we didn't know, I think, which it was, you know,
(11:19):
which was the fun part. I mean, we were dumping
boxes at Sacksford Avenue and didn't know how to label
them right, and.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
You know, yeah, but I have to say, like I
feel like we knew in our gut that this was
a product that we love and we knew was.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Going to sell. We knew every woman needed this thing.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
And when you make decisions in life and you go
with your gut, you know, and you take a risk
on something that you believe in, it's pretty much, you know, successful.
I was used to I ran trading desks, and I
was used to making quick decisions on big money. And
it was like, you know, you had to go with
(12:00):
your gut. You had to you had to make the
decision and stick with it and and support it.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
So kind of like that when you have to believe
the sale basically right, and when you.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
Designed something like we spent a lot of our time
going and meeting the customer and selling and selling it,
selling the dream, selling this piece, and you know, refining
the fit, refine, refine, refine, and making it elevated, making
it so that this thing and and why why was
she going to choose ours and not somebody else's because
of the dickie right, I was like, oh my gosh,
(12:32):
what is this hood? Why is this attached? Why have
I never seen this before? Oh my god, it's you know,
it's interchangeable. And you know, one of the stores called
up and said, guys, I've sold out of Dickies.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
I need more. And so we were like, what, like,
we're on this something. We need more dickies, you know, And.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
So it was a concept that we thought, we have
to sell this concept. So I think that it definitely snowball.
The business wasn't wasn't just created. It was something that
I know they wanted it and we made it, and
then we figured out what else were we missing in
this in this world?
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Where are you making everything? You guys here in the States, yes,
and now now.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
No, no, now now we're all over the world. I
mean now production is everywhere. You know, we always but
it always did knit wear and silk in China. Yeah,
but the tailor was here was fully fashioned.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
It was, of course, but I think also just on
like a on like a personal level. I think that
that for me, it was so much about being a
mom was fulfilling, but having really like personal creative fulfillment
was really really important to me, and it was something
(13:45):
that was so scary, like this is I mean, I
always say, since I was four years old, this is
my dream come true, what.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
I've always always wanted.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
But it wasn't until I had Chronica and felt that
it was actually possible. Because we are mary yin Yang
and you know what, what were my strengths have become
her strengths and her strengths have become my strengths, and
that's you know, thirteen years later. But it was amazing
(14:15):
to have a partner to do this. Obviously, it was
a super amazing to have a partner with the same
name because we could be in two places at once.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
Literally people didn't really care. And back in the beginning,
Ronca's care was blonder, so.
Speaker 4 (14:30):
I quickly went brunette, like, there's not going to be
too blonde, ronicas too.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Yeah right, I was going to say, you need a Betty.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
Yeah exactly, but uh, I think, you know, just my
mom is one of the most incredibly creative women who
should have done a thousand different things.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
And still talk about all the things she's going to do.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
And I always you know, really, I was so aware
that she didn't get that piece because she was being
an amazing wife to my dad and you know, a
great mom to us in those days, but she was
missing that And I think it's really important for women
to feel that true fulfillment.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
You know, it's I think you're a better mom for it,
you know.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
I agree that the balance question. Everyone's always like, how
do you have balance?
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Totally? And you know what I always say, I don't, Yeah,
like Yeah, it's a question that I think has to
sort of be like rephrased. It's sort of like, you know,
because there is no such thing. And I think everyone
thinks that, oh, this person has it so figured out,
and I don't think it is that. I think some
days you feel great about just working, and some days
(15:46):
you feel great about just mommying, and some days you
try to do both at the same time, and that
usually doesn't work. But at the same time, I think
it's important because I think, exactly what you just said
about your mom, I have the same thing my mom.
I always say, in another life, my mom would have
been the number one stylist in the world, Like it's
absolutely her calling. It just didn't exist and she would
(16:09):
have never thought like, oh, I should leave the kids
and my husband to go work and travel with clients
and what you know, she wouldn't ha been.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
I feel like the the brand for me, for my
advantage came.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
Out of a lot of learnings of life, right that imbalance, Right,
Like when I was getting ready for work, I was
trying to go to finance, to a desk with many
men and I wanted to look you.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Know, legit. Yeah, and yeah, still I loved fashion and
I vibe supermodel. I wanted to look like that.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
So I'm getting ready in the morning and I'm watching
my husband put this suit and tie on and walk out,
and he's like, you know, I'm meant to work, I'm
meant to be a badass because I've got my suit
and tie on.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
What the hell do we have?
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Right?
Speaker 2 (16:53):
The women have, you know?
Speaker 4 (16:55):
And it's like it never would dawned on me if
I didn't have to go there with him and get
already in ten minutes.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
That jacket was the answer, you know.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
And so I feel like out of that imbalance, we
come up with a lot of different concepts, like we
have this concept of hustle here, or you know, we
talk about the doers and the movers and the shakers,
and that's who our customer is.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
And so it's because we.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
Are like her and as busy as we are and
all the chaos, we know that she's got the same
thing going on. So totally, let us answer your questions,
let us, you know, give her what she needs.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
I also will stand by the fact that I think
truly successful brands, the only brands I know to be successful,
are authentic to who the founders are right. And it's also,
as you said, like filling this great white space of
this woman that wants to be shake, this woman that
needs to look good. She has a strong mind, she
(17:54):
has a big life, right, And you know, I do
also want to point out that it is incredibly difficult
to succeed in what you're doing. And I can say
that because I've been on every side for over twenty years.
I've you know, my best friends are the greatest designers
in the world that I've watched with their own struggles,
(18:16):
working for the biggest houses in the world, the most funded,
the most supported, the most pr the most everything right,
and then I've seen a lot of small businesses, like
you know, go up and down and sideways and backwards.
And you know, I really do believe that it is
very much about the business of fashion because first and foremost,
(18:38):
you have to have an incredible product. You have to
have founders that are amazing and authentic, and also it
has to be it has to mean something to people,
and it has to stay the quality. You have to
maintain the quality and of great product ultimately, right, I.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Think what you said is, you know, the white space
is all that we talk about it's like her lifestyle
and every season, every delivery, it's like what is she doing,
what does she need? What is she shopping for them?
Where is she going? What's the weather, what's the zeitgeist?
All those things. Every designer does that. But I think
for us, truly like what you said, we are, we
(19:23):
are our customer truly truly like we living her life.
We walk in the shoes, we know the hustle from
seven am to midnight. And that woman is you know,
in our twenties, just starting out, and she's in her eighties,
and it's everybody in between, and that really has been
(19:45):
the success. It's like, you know, there's a lot of
brands that do you know, evening wear a lot better
than less or Print or whatever, but we're really delivering
this uniform and this whole like the core sort of
piece of your wardrobe that are like your real lifeblood
to getting ready.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
And I think, how the stores do you guys have?
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Now? Thirty two?
Speaker 1 (20:09):
That is crazy all all us?
Speaker 2 (20:14):
No, we have one in London and one in Toronto.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Nice, and then three we have three shopping shops in
South Korea.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
My god, and I imagine your data, say is huge yes.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
We're like and that's that's been actually the most amazing
part of this, you know, sort of growing up in
the last thirteen.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Years of retail where you know, we went.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
When we started, it was all wholesale, and you know,
we were then sort of you know, all of these
really like you know, disruptor digitally native brands were coming up,
and we were sort of feeling like a little bit
like Dinosaur and then it flips.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
And I think, as it does, yeah, and I think.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
What we've learned from the thirteen years of business starting
out being one hundred percent wholesale and now flipping to
being you know, the.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Majority DTC.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Is you have to be good at every channel, right
and our whole thing is about omni and you know,
our customer wants to be wherever she she wants Ronica beer,
wherever she guys Ronica beer.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
You know, That's the thing about D two C is
like it's a trust in the brand and knowing that
what you're buying online without trying it on right, like,
because not everyone is people like us that like knows
this will look good on us in this one and
this fit and this size. They know when they go
to you guys that they're getting something amazing and they
(21:43):
feel confident because that's the only way that D two
C survives truthful.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
Right, very quality.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Yeah, well, it's trust in the brand. You have to
because a lot of it's repeat buying, probably most of it.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
And it's about how you're made to feel.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
You No, customers will come back if they're thought about,
if they're considered.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
One hundred percent, and your stores are great, and I
imagine that's an experience too.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
That is so much fun. It's like decorating home every time.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
I was going to say, I feel like when you
are successful with stores, that's like the dream because you
get to you know, you get to really put your
message and your brand out exactly the way you want it,
versus being in multi retailers where it's like, okay, there's
six pieces here, there's one piece on a mannequin, there's
(22:32):
three other designers on that mannqin with our top or
like you know, this is just you and then you
know when that works. I mean, that to me is
the golden ticket. You know, well, we love it.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
It's so fun and that's we get to For me.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
Interiors are my like great, great, great love and so
to do that is so fun.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
You guys are so great. I mean, I'm so impressed
with you, honestly, I really am, and I'm I and
I love of the club. I mean I love the
clothes and I have so many people in my life
that live in it, which is also so nice. You know,
you need to.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
You need to. We need to send you some Florence. Yeah,
send you a lot of I think that you, you know,
have tried to appreciate. They're very Yeah, I am.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
I am so about it. I'm really a fan. I
love it. I love it, and I'm very I do
want to know a little bit something I do want
to talk about because it's something that you know, pendulum
Oi swings right, and I want to talk to you
a little bit about the influencer movement because you know,
I'm someone It's kind of It's kind of funny because
(23:45):
I got an award in New York, like a big
award many years ago, and I was called the Fashion
Oracle and it was at one of those big like
FGI or what you know, of those big award shows
at Tipriani or whatever. And I remember at the time, Yeah,
but I I just remember at the time looking at
my husband as I was like putting on my gown,
He's like, what's the award for. Again, I'm like, I
(24:07):
don't know. I'm like an oracle. And I literally was like,
I don't even actually know what this is. And I
remember him saying to me, my father saying to me,
it's someone who influences people, right, And and I didn't
think anything of it, and I went through the night
and I just remember being so nervous because of who
was in that room and since that time, as you know,
(24:29):
the influencer movement, and I don't consider myself an influencer,
but I think my question is, how do you what
is your perspective on influencers, influencer marketing, the whole culture
of it. Do you think there's some that you know
(24:50):
I would say I think that the best ones are
standing because they're truly authentic to who they are and
what they do and what they believe in. But I'm
curious to know how influencers have played a role in
your brand, how big, how small, what your thoughts are.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Well, I think again, because we've been around for thirteen
years that by.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
The way, it's not one hundred Just be clear, right,
but but it feels like aging yourself. Just kidding, chill, Well,
I'm just kidding.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
But it's funny because you know, when so when we started,
it was you were you were the oracle, you know
what I'm saying, Like it was an influencer. Culture was
very different, right, it was. There was much much like
much fewer influencers even know.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
What that was, you guys thirteen years old.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
Well, we also didn't consume you know, all sorts of
content creation at the furious rate that we do today.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
It was television Instagram back then it's television fairly.
Speaker 6 (25:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
So just I think that whether it was you or
Gwyneth Paltrow, who are influencers when we started, right, both
of you are still remain huge influencers. I think, you know,
it's celebrities, it's influencers, big influencers, it's micro influencers, it's
regional influencers. Our customer to us is the biggest influencer, right,
(26:20):
I mean, truly, what we care the most about is
the grassroots word of mouth business that we've built. And
we started that when we started, you know, having trunk
shows all over the country, getting getting together with these
women and really learning from her and you know, getting
(26:41):
a lot of feedback on the product and the fit
and the fabrics and all that kind of stuff. So
to us, I think the influencer piece is always going
to be really important. How that how that sort of
presents itself, whether it's like a TikTok influencer or Instagram influencer,
an actress, you know, but it's a.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
Part of your plan, like meaning and I'm saying, that's
your marketing plan that worked for you.
Speaker 6 (27:08):
And it's community community birling, and it's influencers within community
and then ones that create a community on our behalf
even you know, it's like it could be and and
you know where we find a lot of them in
strange places, like like a basketball.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Coach, a female basketball coach.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
It's like ridiculed for being you know, uh, distraction. Well
let's double down on that distraction, you know, for a
doctor wearing it under her scrug, you know, like curing
cancer and and people are like, you know what, you
look great every day and you feel good every day.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
So it's your energy that's influencing me. You know, we
always say that. I mean it's you know, the what's
the Nike and movie air?
Speaker 3 (27:57):
Yeah, you know, and we've been saying this long before
I saw the movie or read the book. But it's
the same for any product, right, Like that product doesn't
have life until someone steps into it.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Right, the Air Jordan wasn't the Air Jordan.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
Until Michael Jordan got into it and rock a beard
blazer or a suit or a dress or shoes or whatever.
It's about what that woman does in that that gets
other people to look at her and say, oh, I
want that too, you know, so that we can does
anybody who design a laser or dicky jacket or anything.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
But it's really about what the wearer that person, doesn't it.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
You know, I consider the influencers in this type of situation,
and I imagine this is true for you guys. Is
that the women that are buying your clothes, whether it's
people that you bring in as part of your marketing
story or they're actually just women that are influencers within
their end group. Because it's always that woman, right, It's
(29:03):
that woman who's like the one that all the girls
consider the queen bee with style or it's smart or
successful or whatever it is, and she's wearing her clothes.
And so you know, we did this as a couple
of years ago in our business, and we found that
there was a lot of people following us that were
the considered to be the influencers in their group, whether
(29:24):
it's ten people, one hundred people, five hundred people, that's
the thing so correct. So I mean, I'm I'm so
impressed with you guys. What is next? What is next?
What is now? What are you excited about? And also,
I before I actually asked that question, I do want
to ask you because I think a lot of people
(29:44):
building brands and really struggling. I would love to know
sort of has there ever been a moment where you
were like, I'm out, this is crazy, I'm not doing
this anymore, Like have you been so scared or so
discouraged that you were like I give up A can
do this? Or like what has been some of your
(30:05):
greatest challenges and fears along the way.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
I mean, I had one.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
Moment where in the beginning, so we have.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
Like year three, our business was at this point where it.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
Was like commercially it was taking off, but we also
weren't like running it properly.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
We didn't have infrastructure.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
It had become real, but we were sort of not
fully prepared for it being real. Right then there's somebody
who is going to invest. And it was sort of
to me felt like this is going to be the
golden ticket, this is going to legitimize us.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
I feel great, We're.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
Going to have you know, money in the bank account
to make pyroll okay.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
And entrepreneurial stuff.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
And I remember Ronica and I don't live in a
city anymore, but Ronica and I and she still drives everywhere,
but we would drive all the time in the city.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
And like I was always pregnant, which.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
By the way, no one does. I was always pregnant.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
You were.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
Delivery, well you never know when she has to like
detour to a hospital to like a bres.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
Exactly, I could take the wheel. But I was in
the car and I had dropped off the kids at school,
and I was waiting for this call that we were expecting,
and and the phone rang, and I was like, oh
(31:38):
my god, this is coming, and I'll never forget. It
was like it was like the Matthew McConaughey book, you know,
dream Lighter. You know, it was this very defining moment
where what I thought he was going to say, he
said the exact opposite and.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
Your whole entire inside dropped out of your body.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Yes, and he said it and the most lovely I
understood it. I will kill him.
Speaker 3 (32:01):
I was just like, oh my god, it's so discouraged.
And I remember it was so clear to me. I
was at the light and the light turns green, and
I was like, there is two things I can do here.
I can turn this into and it's like Taylor Swift
and she's like that was yes, you know. I was like, yes, yes,
you know, and and it was it was like it
(32:23):
was the nose I think became became really fuel for
us to keep going.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
Intercourse so that we could do it.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
There was never a time where either of us we're
ever going to aboard shift No.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
It was always that's a blessing that they said no
or whatever it was.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
But you typically don't know that until later, of course.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
But because mom had closes a door and he opens
the window, right, and we love the word no, because
we're going to find a.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Way well you know, yeah, yeah, don't.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
Tell well, don't tell us no. But also you know,
and I'm going to figure it out.
Speaker 1 (33:01):
And it'll be a common thread.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
He'll be back and it'll be too late.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
Common thread on climbing and hills. It's it's it's it's
about people. I think you can only withstand the insanity
of founding your own business and continuing it through getting
your ass kicked, getting nose, getting doors closed, getting the
things that you think are going to happen, and just don't.
(33:26):
And in the moment you feel like it's over, right,
in the moment, you're like and then you go, no,
I understand that this is happening for a reason, and
this fully sucks right now, and I've got to figure
out how to turn this around. And then once you do,
you inevitably look back and be like, remember when blah
blah blah. But for me, at least, it wasn't until
(33:50):
I had enough of those where I was able to
safely securely say I know that this is happening for
a reason, and like, you know, you get to be
more rational, like I know, for me, like in my twenties,
right and in my early thirties, I would just be like,
oh my god, it's over. It's over, everything's done. Everyone
(34:10):
hates me.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
Let's go back to Wall Street.
Speaker 4 (34:13):
Yeah, exactly, It's never over, right, and it's only opportunity,
and it's it's like, that's what we're upset about.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
That's nothing, right, you know, it's like people's worlds tell apart.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
Yeah, it's not amazing how much your job served you
before you started this. Yeah for me, yeah, yeah, I
mean it's incredible because you know how you know, how
quick and fast.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
But beyond that, it's like just I don't know. This
was this is lovely, This is like you know, sport,
this is fun.
Speaker 1 (34:45):
Yes, that was like yes, feast or famine. I was like,
oh my god, ware not sleeping, yes, okay, so you
have loved it. Beyond it's hard and it's all the
things keeps you guys awake at night.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
Everything, Oh take it.
Speaker 1 (35:05):
I'm taking your kids out of it as it pertains
to work, because my kids keep me awake at night.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
I didn't get bigger. There's so much more to lose. Yeah, right, And.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
It's and it's not even it's not even financial. It's like,
you know, the loyalty of the customer are our employees,
which you know are like the lifeblood of this business.
Speaker 4 (35:27):
Interest rates, the economy Okay.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
Spoken like a true finance girl.
Speaker 5 (35:34):
World macroeconomic events, Oh my god, how many.
Speaker 1 (35:38):
How big is your team? You guys, how big is
your team? Now?
Speaker 2 (35:42):
We have over three hundred employees.
Speaker 1 (35:44):
Stop it, yes, guys, it's a huge business.
Speaker 4 (35:48):
Eyes Like, we have issues, you know, it's like to
worry about and we got through that.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
I'm just saying no.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
More more well you know what I say, more people,
more problems.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
Off or not right.
Speaker 3 (36:01):
I think you've got to, like as as a as
a creative and as a business person, I think you
have to like keep your head down and you know,
blinders onto like really looking at like focusing on vision
and what you do and what you're about and being
and at the same time like popping your head up
(36:22):
to see what's going on. But if you start actually
like you know, freaking out and comparing yourself to other people,
we have a bus track.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
We have to be nimble. And a wise man told.
Speaker 4 (36:37):
Me when we were building another business, do not build
a stadium before the fans any in anything we're doing.
And look at we lived through survive through COVID, and
you know, it's like thank god that we we just kept.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
Moving forward and knew she'd be back.
Speaker 4 (36:56):
But but also, if you know you've got a good
it should sell.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
In any tape. I agree, you know, And I just
got to be nimble and adjust, to keep adjusting inventory
levels and adjusting trend wise whatever it is. Adjust and
she's going to come.
Speaker 1 (37:12):
I could not agree more. And the fact that you
guys have been together this long, by the way, how
is that You're very lucky to have each other. Because
having a good partner that you don't want to hit
with a baseball bat on a daily basis is wonderful.
So tell me how it is to work together, because
you guys kind of do everything together. I mean not really,
(37:32):
but you know what I mean, you're very connected personally,
We're very connected.
Speaker 3 (37:37):
It's funny because it I mean, when we started this,
it was it was.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
You know, again, we didn't have an office. Then finally
we got in the office. We were in one room.
Speaker 3 (37:48):
Ronic and I still share the same office, not the
same space that we did originally, but we're still in
one office. That yes, I love that really that I
mean because in a lot of ways we operate as
this one one being.
Speaker 4 (38:05):
But we have to give each other that space, of course,
and that respect to be who we are. It's hard
having two Veronica, and we are really really different and
we have. We always say one perspective, two visions. One perspectives,
(38:26):
two perspectives, one vision.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Okay, we always say.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
That, but I know what you meant.
Speaker 4 (38:32):
But you know what we have to we have to
really respect that space. And it's tough sometimes because we
might see something differently, or we might you know, have
different styles, you.
Speaker 2 (38:46):
Know, and they're both valid, they are, and you know,
we have to step back and go all right, I
have to listen to her. I have to trust her.
I'm not going to die on that mountain.
Speaker 4 (38:57):
We're both super passionate about how we feel well, so
it's really hard to give that space sometimes.
Speaker 1 (39:04):
But I actually think that two perspectives is actually so
much better.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
It is, well, it just multiplies actually the clothes and.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
The correct that's what I mean. Because there is no
one woman, right, there is no one woman with the
same with the same anything. So it's like every.
Speaker 4 (39:20):
Valid, everyone, everybody's got got a voice, yes, you know,
so you've got to respect it and move and let
that person run.
Speaker 2 (39:29):
You know. It's like if you believe that so so much,
then go go with it. Let's see what.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
Happened to your husbands, like die for you guys or
do they think you're bat shit crazy?
Speaker 2 (39:38):
No, I mean the best.
Speaker 3 (39:42):
My husband's very, very very They've both been amazing supporters
and believers and partners and and I think that like
have respected our space in this which is really important.
Speaker 1 (39:59):
Yeah, it's the dream. And you have so many kids,
and I love it because you get to raise your
kids together, your husbands are you know, It's like it
all just works. And I love anything that feels like
a family business, you know, which it is obviously kind
of sort of in all ways of differentness, and like,
you know.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
There's safety in that.
Speaker 1 (40:20):
Yeah, one hundred.
Speaker 2 (40:22):
It's like, you know, you got to Caraman today.
Speaker 1 (40:25):
I feel shit right exactly exactly.
Speaker 2 (40:28):
You know Miami, She's like, I don't feel well, I'm
staying home. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (40:34):
It's just like yes, o, yes, And there's like.
Speaker 4 (40:38):
This thing that you're part of that You're like, you know,
thank God that we have this big, you know family here.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
I love it, Like the whole place is our family.
Speaker 1 (40:46):
I love it so much. I'm so honestly impressed with
you guys. I am so impressed with the business. I
love your brand.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (40:57):
I think you're just fantastic honestly all around, Like I
think you're you're I don't know just all the things,
and I do want to reiterate that to me, just
having lived in it for most of my life, it
is one of the hardest things to do to build
a fashion brand. It just is it is it is,
(41:18):
and I think if you can win on it, win
at it, you know, really executing on your vision and
your dream and your creativity and all the things, and
get to have a family and you guys as partners.
It really is the dream. It's a very rare thing.
I hope you guys recognize that. It is very rare.
So I love watching your success. I've watched it from
(41:41):
the beginning and I just you know, I wish you
guys the best. I'm very excited for you, and I'm
very excited to see what's to come. It's that time
in the show and I answer to listener questions, So
let's see what we have today. Okay, Funny was just
(42:04):
talking about this. What was your favorite look at the
Golden Globes. I would say for me, it was j
Lo and Nicole Felicia, And I think that's a combination
of her being j Loo and just owning that look
and taking the carpet down when she walked in. And
I always really appreciate a moment where someone just goes
there with the full regalia because I truly miss it.
(42:30):
I really miss those moments and we can always turn
to John fer Lopez for them. So I think that.
And then I loved Margot Robbie because she just looked like,
you know, the most gorgeous Barbie ever, with the most
gorgeous Hollywood smile ever. And I just the thing I
love about Margot Robbie is like whatever she's wearing to
(42:51):
me is so secondary to her. And I just like,
no matter how amazing or not amazing, whatever she might
be wearing, is I look at her first, and that's
like a very rare thing. I just think her smile.
She has that like that smile that I have not
seen since like Julia Roberts, where like that smile just
lights up any room that she walks into. So I
(43:13):
just love that. And who else I loved El Fanning.
I thought Hailey Steinfeld looked really chicn old Hollywood. I
thought that was super pretty. But those are probably my
favorites of the night. Okay, I saw an Instagram that
you had a migraine. What do you treat your migraines with?
It's interesting. I never had migraines in my entire life,
(43:35):
and then when I got pregnant with my first son,
I would get like headaches periodically. And then I think,
since I've had my kids, I find I get when
I'm really run down and exhausted or really really stressed,
I'll get like a bad tension headache, honestly, and so unfortunately,
(43:57):
because of my acid rex, I can't take like like
hardcore migraine medicine. I can't take like Ecceedron or Advil
or any of those because they're really hard on my stomach.
So I end up just taking tile and all and
like trying to just close my eyes and then I
just wait till it goes away and I just live
with it. Funny enough, my sweet little baby angel son Caius,
(44:21):
was on my computer and on Amazon and found something
for migraines, and he actually purchased in my account something
that says used to treat and cure migraines. And it's
like some kind of head ice pack for migraines, and
so I now have that so the next time I
get hit with one I'm gonna try this head ice
(44:45):
pack that my son got me and I'll let you
know how that goes. So don't forget to submit your
questions for next week's episode. All you have to do
is dm us your questions to at Climbing Hills pod
on Instagram and I might just answer your question. Thank
(45:07):
you so much to both Veronica's for being on the
pod today. Honestly, their work ethic and dedication to refining
and perfecting their beautiful, beautiful products is such an important
key to a successful business and more importantly to a
successful brand, because I would argue to say that probably
(45:28):
building a brand and making a brand, creating a brand
that means something to people that people want to go
back to and are loyal to and truly love to
me is the ultimate challenge. And they've clearly proved that
they have the recipe. And you know, I love that
their mothers, their sister in laws, they're working together in
(45:50):
a family business, which I always love. I don't know,
I adore them. I love the brand. I'm sure you
do too. It's inspirational, aspirational, but it's also related to
wearable and just beautiful quality. And you can see that
they are what they're making, so very impressed with them.
I hope you love this episode as much as I did.
(46:11):
Don't forget to write a review. Wherever you get your podcasts,
I love reading them, and while you're at it, follow
me on at Rachel Zoe and at Cleming and Hills
pod on Instagram for more updates on upcoming guests, episodes,
and all things character and I will see you next week.
Wellness levers. I have curated a set to make checking
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(00:21):
up with beloved products some of my personal favorites by
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free gift. Hi everyone, I'm Rachel Zoe and you're listening
(00:52):
to Climbing in Heels. This show is all about celebrating
the most extraordinary superwomen who will be sharing their incredible
journey to the top, all while Stang Glamours. I'm so
excited this week to interview two incredible women who are
the founders of the mega successful brand Veronica Beard. These
two women are sisters in law married to actual brothers
(01:14):
and came together to create a brand for women that
was a reflection of themselves and what they wanted from
a women's brand. Both names Veronica Beard, which is kind
of amazing. They're both working moms to three kids and
five kids and have opened thirty two Veronica Beard stores.
They're sharing so many insights about how they built and
(01:35):
grew their business, So let's get right into it. I'm
very excited to have you on. I'm such a fan
of the brand. I love what you guys do. I
have so many women in my life that love your brand,
and you know, and I always love badass females that
(01:56):
work really hard and create something to be proud of
and means something to people, because you know, probably one
of the things I could asked the most at this
point in my life is how to build a brand?
How did I build my brand? And my answer is
I wish I could ever tell you that, but I
can't see. So I'm very happy to have you guys on.
(02:18):
I do want to start for a minute by just
sharing with our listeners like how you met and like
just a little bit of how you formed this brand,
because you know, it's kind of ironic and funny and
twisted and amazing.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
It is. It's like a bad movie and then it's
a good comedy.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Yeah, exactly. I imagine you guys feel like you're living
in a comedy sketch all the time.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
No, basically, we're like, you know, we have that mother
who named us over.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
That's one really funny.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
We met twenty two years ago, isn't that long ago?
Longer than that, because it's the night that I met
my husband. We were at a wedding and I.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Had just moved to New York. I was at Parsons.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
I was single and and seated next to my now husband,
who was also single, and Veronica was there with her husband.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Who's my husband's brother, and they were married.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
She was gorgeous, pregnant with her first baby one, this
was the first one, and we both had the same
reaction when we were introduced, like, there's no other Veronica, Like,
no one's ever I'd never met another Vronica.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
She never met him. I want to introduce you to
the other Veronica. Yeah, like, okay, there's only two in
the world.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
But we we were we were seated across from each other,
and my Jamie, my now husband, was super forward and like,
you know, working hard that night, and I just kept
looking at him, thinking, God, there's never going to be
too bron of yours.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
And I wasn't even trying to be like a crazy.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Right of course.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
I was like, this guy's nuts, Like this is not
going to go anyway.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
Meanwhile, I was winking at him and saying, get on that,
because that would be very cool to have too wrong.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
And he was like, oh my god, I'm on it.
Oh my god, what if I were together ever since?
Speaker 1 (04:26):
But that's amazing And that was twenty two years ago.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
That was twenty two years ago.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
I love that. Okay, so that's amazing. So fun fact,
you guys might might just sidebar. My mom's my dad's
younger brother married my mom's younger sister.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Oh yeah, dad's younger brother married.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
So two brothers, two sisters got married.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
Well it's also something I mean, well that's even more
interesting than us.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Yeah no, but you guys have the same name, so
I think it's a tie.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
No, but my sister and I are both married to James,
which is like, I.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Mean, that's a different yeah, but.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
I'm just saying, like that is wild.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
The whole thing is.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
But we basically, yeah, we basically we met that night,
became great friends. I was in fashion Bronco was in finance,
and you know, it was a lot of years of
talking in the corner of parties and family gatherings and
(05:31):
you know, being obsessed with product and what was missing
in the market and brands that we loved, ideas that
we had, maternity ideas, importing bags from Europe.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
I mean, there was a lot of ideas. Thank god,
we didn't act.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
On any of them really, but and then really we
this this. We did act on that Jack and and Dickie,
well we did, but not to do the act on
the other maternity. We were like, maternity clothes that you
can wear, you know, in pregnant.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Yeah, because when you're pregnant, all you want to do
is make things for pregnant people because you realize how
hellish it is.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Oh yeah, but then when you're done, you're like, don't
even there's no longevit, no investment in return.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
It's you'll only realize that when you live it, right.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
So we we saw this Jacket and Dickey concept and
we were like, wait, every woman needs this.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
They had this for men. We need a uniform for women.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
And then you know, interchangeable one and one that you style,
one that you live in, you know, day.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Night, place brands start with one singular product, you know,
So that was we were We came out with a
very unique product that didn't exist on the market, that
was stood out and you know, was tactile, and people
were drawn to it on you know, on a rack,
and and Gwyneth Paltrow was drawn to it.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
That was real excited. That was a big launch moment
for us.
Speaker 5 (07:04):
It doesn't get bigger, yeah, but but it was you know,
it was really it was you know, things are born
out of necessity, right.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
It's like, what's the quote that that one of my
favorite quotes is necessity is the mother of invention.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
And and that is so true.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
It was like women needed suits, you know, but in
this way that was very like lifestyle dynamic. You could
wear it like over your leggings, you could wear it
with a pair of jeans, you could wear it. We
called it the Wonder Woman Cave because you put that
thing on and you slay dragons.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
Yes, And we said, you know, every woman needs to
feel this way and that that jacket changed your life,
you know, and every woman needed to feel that way.
So it wasn't just selling a product, it was selling
a philosophy of product, right, it's like how you feel
when you wear this, how you how it fits you,
how it suits you, the color.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
How you style the dickie, how you wear it.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Well, I mean, so it's so interesting. So you were
starting this in what eleven twenty ten? Okay? So okay,
so you guys both are in the middle of having kids.
You're married, you're birthing children, clothing and all the things.
So what because it's you know, it's interesting, Like I
(08:31):
think being a working mom, which obviously I'm you guys
probably know very well, is probably the hardest part of
your life, just because you're pulled in both. It's I
always say, it's like feels like a tug of war
because you have guilt on both sides. Right, you want
to be there one hundred percent for your kids, but
you know, as the founder of your brand, you it's
you or nobody right for most of it. And I
(08:55):
think you know to your point, I think, yea necessity.
It's constantly trying to figure out what women need, right,
what women need, what isn't out there in this way?
And what are you bringing to the table right that's
unique and different? So what possessed you guys to want
to in the midst of having like all these kids
(09:16):
be like I want to work my ass off right now.
We want to launch this brand. We have this to say,
Were you scared because it's very scary, Like I've been there,
and it's it's it's scary. It's like you're putting yourself
out there. You have to like it's a it's a
super high risk business. It's most don't succeed. You guys
are crushing it, and but I imagine it's not easy. Can
(09:41):
you share a little bit of like, yeah, sort of
the beginning, like what were you like, let's launch a
full scale, full collection, full brand. Like I guess what
I was saying is like how'd you go from the
one piece to the everything?
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Yeah, it didn't start off that way.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
It started off as first of all, we were we
had one rack of jackets made out of remnant fabrics
for mood, so it wasn't like bam never we had
we had a binder with little swatches of fabric and
it was basically like a jodder, like how many jackets
we could make out of that bolt of fabric? And
(10:20):
we had like twenty bolts of fabric. I mean, we
became best friends. We should have What we should have
done is had to show a TV show when we
were back.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
In the mood day right of course making up the brand.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
It was like that show that was the real really
good good days. But so we started with that and
and we had, you know, connections in fashion.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
You know, I was had been.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
A buyer, I'd worked in wholesale new people in in.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
In pr and so we started showing.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
The collection out of my apartment with a rack of
clothing and that at the end of that, you know,
at that market, we had eight accounts. So it was like,
oh my god, we have a business. We had to
do this, and we ran around all over the you know,
garment district getting it done. And it was more about
what we didn't know, I think, which it was, you know,
(11:19):
which was the fun part. I mean, we were dumping
boxes at Sacksford Avenue and didn't know how to label
them right, and.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
You know, yeah, but I have to say, like I
feel like we knew in our gut that this was
a product that we love and we knew was.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Going to sell. We knew every woman needed this thing.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
And when you make decisions in life and you go
with your gut, you know, and you take a risk
on something that you believe in, it's pretty much, you know, successful.
I was used to I ran trading desks, and I
was used to making quick decisions on big money. And
it was like, you know, you had to go with
(12:00):
your gut. You had to you had to make the
decision and stick with it and and support it.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
So kind of like that when you have to believe
the sale basically right, and when you.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
Designed something like we spent a lot of our time
going and meeting the customer and selling and selling it,
selling the dream, selling this piece, and you know, refining
the fit, refine, refine, refine, and making it elevated, making
it so that this thing and and why why was
she going to choose ours and not somebody else's because
of the dickie right, I was like, oh my gosh,
(12:32):
what is this hood? Why is this attached? Why have
I never seen this before? Oh my god, it's you know,
it's interchangeable. And you know, one of the stores called
up and said, guys, I've sold out of Dickies.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
I need more. And so we were like, what, like,
we're on this something. We need more dickies, you know, And.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
So it was a concept that we thought, we have
to sell this concept. So I think that it definitely snowball.
The business wasn't wasn't just created. It was something that
I know they wanted it and we made it, and
then we figured out what else were we missing in
this in this world?
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Where are you making everything? You guys here in the States, yes,
and now now.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
No, no, now now we're all over the world. I
mean now production is everywhere. You know, we always but
it always did knit wear and silk in China. Yeah,
but the tailor was here was fully fashioned.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
It was, of course, but I think also just on
like a on like a personal level. I think that
that for me, it was so much about being a
mom was fulfilling, but having really like personal creative fulfillment
was really really important to me, and it was something
(13:45):
that was so scary, like this is I mean, I
always say, since I was four years old, this is
my dream come true, what.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
I've always always wanted.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
But it wasn't until I had Chronica and felt that
it was actually possible. Because we are mary yin Yang
and you know what, what were my strengths have become
her strengths and her strengths have become my strengths, and
that's you know, thirteen years later. But it was amazing
(14:15):
to have a partner to do this. Obviously, it was
a super amazing to have a partner with the same
name because we could be in two places at once.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
Literally people didn't really care. And back in the beginning,
Ronca's care was blonder, so.
Speaker 4 (14:30):
I quickly went brunette, like, there's not going to be
too blonde, ronicas too.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Yeah right, I was going to say, you need a Betty.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
Yeah exactly, but uh, I think, you know, just my
mom is one of the most incredibly creative women who
should have done a thousand different things.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
And still talk about all the things she's going to do.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
And I always you know, really, I was so aware
that she didn't get that piece because she was being
an amazing wife to my dad and you know, a
great mom to us in those days, but she was
missing that And I think it's really important for women
to feel that true fulfillment.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
You know, it's I think you're a better mom for it,
you know.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
I agree that the balance question. Everyone's always like, how
do you have balance?
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Totally? And you know what I always say, I don't, Yeah,
like Yeah, it's a question that I think has to
sort of be like rephrased. It's sort of like, you know,
because there is no such thing. And I think everyone
thinks that, oh, this person has it so figured out,
and I don't think it is that. I think some
days you feel great about just working, and some days
(15:46):
you feel great about just mommying, and some days you
try to do both at the same time, and that
usually doesn't work. But at the same time, I think
it's important because I think, exactly what you just said
about your mom, I have the same thing my mom.
I always say, in another life, my mom would have
been the number one stylist in the world, Like it's
absolutely her calling. It just didn't exist and she would
(16:09):
have never thought like, oh, I should leave the kids
and my husband to go work and travel with clients
and what you know, she wouldn't ha been.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
I feel like the the brand for me, for my
advantage came.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
Out of a lot of learnings of life, right that imbalance, Right,
Like when I was getting ready for work, I was
trying to go to finance, to a desk with many
men and I wanted to look you.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Know, legit. Yeah, and yeah, still I loved fashion and
I vibe supermodel. I wanted to look like that.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
So I'm getting ready in the morning and I'm watching
my husband put this suit and tie on and walk out,
and he's like, you know, I'm meant to work, I'm
meant to be a badass because I've got my suit
and tie on.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
What the hell do we have?
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Right?
Speaker 2 (16:53):
The women have, you know?
Speaker 4 (16:55):
And it's like it never would dawned on me if
I didn't have to go there with him and get
already in ten minutes.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
That jacket was the answer, you know.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
And so I feel like out of that imbalance, we
come up with a lot of different concepts, like we
have this concept of hustle here, or you know, we
talk about the doers and the movers and the shakers,
and that's who our customer is.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
And so it's because we.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
Are like her and as busy as we are and
all the chaos, we know that she's got the same
thing going on. So totally, let us answer your questions,
let us, you know, give her what she needs.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
I also will stand by the fact that I think
truly successful brands, the only brands I know to be successful,
are authentic to who the founders are right. And it's also,
as you said, like filling this great white space of
this woman that wants to be shake, this woman that
needs to look good. She has a strong mind, she
(17:54):
has a big life, right, And you know, I do
also want to point out that it is incredibly difficult
to succeed in what you're doing. And I can say
that because I've been on every side for over twenty years.
I've you know, my best friends are the greatest designers
in the world that I've watched with their own struggles,
(18:16):
working for the biggest houses in the world, the most funded,
the most supported, the most pr the most everything right,
and then I've seen a lot of small businesses, like
you know, go up and down and sideways and backwards.
And you know, I really do believe that it is
very much about the business of fashion because first and foremost,
(18:38):
you have to have an incredible product. You have to
have founders that are amazing and authentic, and also it
has to be it has to mean something to people,
and it has to stay the quality. You have to
maintain the quality and of great product ultimately, right, I.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Think what you said is, you know, the white space
is all that we talk about it's like her lifestyle
and every season, every delivery, it's like what is she doing,
what does she need? What is she shopping for them?
Where is she going? What's the weather, what's the zeitgeist?
All those things. Every designer does that. But I think
for us, truly like what you said, we are, we
(19:23):
are our customer truly truly like we living her life.
We walk in the shoes, we know the hustle from
seven am to midnight. And that woman is you know,
in our twenties, just starting out, and she's in her eighties,
and it's everybody in between, and that really has been
(19:45):
the success. It's like, you know, there's a lot of
brands that do you know, evening wear a lot better
than less or Print or whatever, but we're really delivering
this uniform and this whole like the core sort of
piece of your wardrobe that are like your real lifeblood
to getting ready.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
And I think, how the stores do you guys have?
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Now? Thirty two?
Speaker 1 (20:09):
That is crazy all all us?
Speaker 2 (20:14):
No, we have one in London and one in Toronto.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Nice, and then three we have three shopping shops in
South Korea.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
My god, and I imagine your data, say is huge yes.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
We're like and that's that's been actually the most amazing
part of this, you know, sort of growing up in
the last thirteen.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Years of retail where you know, we went.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
When we started, it was all wholesale, and you know,
we were then sort of you know, all of these
really like you know, disruptor digitally native brands were coming up,
and we were sort of feeling like a little bit
like Dinosaur and then it flips.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
And I think, as it does, yeah, and I think.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
What we've learned from the thirteen years of business starting
out being one hundred percent wholesale and now flipping to
being you know, the.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Majority DTC.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Is you have to be good at every channel, right
and our whole thing is about omni and you know,
our customer wants to be wherever she she wants Ronica beer,
wherever she guys Ronica beer.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
You know, That's the thing about D two C is
like it's a trust in the brand and knowing that
what you're buying online without trying it on right, like,
because not everyone is people like us that like knows
this will look good on us in this one and
this fit and this size. They know when they go
to you guys that they're getting something amazing and they
(21:43):
feel confident because that's the only way that D two
C survives truthful.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
Right, very quality.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Yeah, well, it's trust in the brand. You have to
because a lot of it's repeat buying, probably most of it.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
And it's about how you're made to feel.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
You No, customers will come back if they're thought about,
if they're considered.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
One hundred percent, and your stores are great, and I
imagine that's an experience too.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
That is so much fun. It's like decorating home every time.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
I was going to say, I feel like when you
are successful with stores, that's like the dream because you
get to you know, you get to really put your
message and your brand out exactly the way you want it,
versus being in multi retailers where it's like, okay, there's
six pieces here, there's one piece on a mannequin, there's
(22:32):
three other designers on that mannqin with our top or
like you know, this is just you and then you
know when that works. I mean, that to me is
the golden ticket. You know, well, we love it.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
It's so fun and that's we get to For me.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
Interiors are my like great, great, great love and so
to do that is so fun.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
You guys are so great. I mean, I'm so impressed
with you, honestly, I really am, and I'm I and
I love of the club. I mean I love the
clothes and I have so many people in my life
that live in it, which is also so nice. You know,
you need to.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
You need to. We need to send you some Florence. Yeah,
send you a lot of I think that you, you know,
have tried to appreciate. They're very Yeah, I am.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
I am so about it. I'm really a fan. I
love it. I love it, and I'm very I do
want to know a little bit something I do want
to talk about because it's something that you know, pendulum
Oi swings right, and I want to talk to you
a little bit about the influencer movement because you know,
I'm someone It's kind of It's kind of funny because
(23:45):
I got an award in New York, like a big
award many years ago, and I was called the Fashion
Oracle and it was at one of those big like
FGI or what you know, of those big award shows
at Tipriani or whatever. And I remember at the time, Yeah,
but I I just remember at the time looking at
my husband as I was like putting on my gown,
He's like, what's the award for. Again, I'm like, I
(24:07):
don't know. I'm like an oracle. And I literally was like,
I don't even actually know what this is. And I
remember him saying to me, my father saying to me,
it's someone who influences people, right, And and I didn't
think anything of it, and I went through the night
and I just remember being so nervous because of who
was in that room and since that time, as you know,
(24:29):
the influencer movement, and I don't consider myself an influencer,
but I think my question is, how do you what
is your perspective on influencers, influencer marketing, the whole culture
of it. Do you think there's some that you know
(24:50):
I would say I think that the best ones are
standing because they're truly authentic to who they are and
what they do and what they believe in. But I'm
curious to know how influencers have played a role in
your brand, how big, how small, what your thoughts are.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Well, I think again, because we've been around for thirteen
years that by.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
The way, it's not one hundred Just be clear, right,
but but it feels like aging yourself. Just kidding, chill, Well,
I'm just kidding.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
But it's funny because you know, when so when we started,
it was you were you were the oracle, you know
what I'm saying, Like it was an influencer. Culture was
very different, right, it was. There was much much like
much fewer influencers even know.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
What that was, you guys thirteen years old.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
Well, we also didn't consume you know, all sorts of
content creation at the furious rate that we do today.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
It was television Instagram back then it's television fairly.
Speaker 6 (25:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
So just I think that whether it was you or
Gwyneth Paltrow, who are influencers when we started, right, both
of you are still remain huge influencers. I think, you know,
it's celebrities, it's influencers, big influencers, it's micro influencers, it's
regional influencers. Our customer to us is the biggest influencer, right,
(26:20):
I mean, truly, what we care the most about is
the grassroots word of mouth business that we've built. And
we started that when we started, you know, having trunk
shows all over the country, getting getting together with these
women and really learning from her and you know, getting
(26:41):
a lot of feedback on the product and the fit
and the fabrics and all that kind of stuff. So
to us, I think the influencer piece is always going
to be really important. How that how that sort of
presents itself, whether it's like a TikTok influencer or Instagram influencer,
an actress, you know, but it's a.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
Part of your plan, like meaning and I'm saying, that's
your marketing plan that worked for you.
Speaker 6 (27:08):
And it's community community birling, and it's influencers within community
and then ones that create a community on our behalf
even you know, it's like it could be and and
you know where we find a lot of them in
strange places, like like a basketball.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Coach, a female basketball coach.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
It's like ridiculed for being you know, uh, distraction. Well
let's double down on that distraction, you know, for a
doctor wearing it under her scrug, you know, like curing
cancer and and people are like, you know what, you
look great every day and you feel good every day.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
So it's your energy that's influencing me. You know, we
always say that. I mean it's you know, the what's
the Nike and movie air?
Speaker 3 (27:57):
Yeah, you know, and we've been saying this long before
I saw the movie or read the book. But it's
the same for any product, right, Like that product doesn't
have life until someone steps into it.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Right, the Air Jordan wasn't the Air Jordan.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
Until Michael Jordan got into it and rock a beard
blazer or a suit or a dress or shoes or whatever.
It's about what that woman does in that that gets
other people to look at her and say, oh, I
want that too, you know, so that we can does
anybody who design a laser or dicky jacket or anything.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
But it's really about what the wearer that person, doesn't it.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
You know, I consider the influencers in this type of situation,
and I imagine this is true for you guys. Is
that the women that are buying your clothes, whether it's
people that you bring in as part of your marketing
story or they're actually just women that are influencers within
their end group. Because it's always that woman, right, It's
(29:03):
that woman who's like the one that all the girls
consider the queen bee with style or it's smart or
successful or whatever it is, and she's wearing her clothes.
And so you know, we did this as a couple
of years ago in our business, and we found that
there was a lot of people following us that were
the considered to be the influencers in their group, whether
(29:24):
it's ten people, one hundred people, five hundred people, that's
the thing so correct. So I mean, I'm I'm so
impressed with you guys. What is next? What is next?
What is now? What are you excited about? And also,
I before I actually asked that question, I do want
to ask you because I think a lot of people
(29:44):
building brands and really struggling. I would love to know
sort of has there ever been a moment where you
were like, I'm out, this is crazy, I'm not doing
this anymore, Like have you been so scared or so
discouraged that you were like I give up A can
do this? Or like what has been some of your
(30:05):
greatest challenges and fears along the way.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
I mean, I had one.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
Moment where in the beginning, so we have.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
Like year three, our business was at this point where it.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
Was like commercially it was taking off, but we also
weren't like running it properly.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
We didn't have infrastructure.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
It had become real, but we were sort of not
fully prepared for it being real. Right then there's somebody
who is going to invest. And it was sort of
to me felt like this is going to be the
golden ticket, this is going to legitimize us.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
I feel great, We're.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
Going to have you know, money in the bank account
to make pyroll okay.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
And entrepreneurial stuff.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
And I remember Ronica and I don't live in a
city anymore, but Ronica and I and she still drives everywhere,
but we would drive all the time in the city.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
And like I was always pregnant, which.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
By the way, no one does. I was always pregnant.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
You were.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
Delivery, well you never know when she has to like
detour to a hospital to like a bres.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
Exactly, I could take the wheel. But I was in
the car and I had dropped off the kids at school,
and I was waiting for this call that we were expecting,
and and the phone rang, and I was like, oh
(31:38):
my god, this is coming, and I'll never forget. It
was like it was like the Matthew McConaughey book, you know,
dream Lighter. You know, it was this very defining moment
where what I thought he was going to say, he
said the exact opposite and.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
Your whole entire inside dropped out of your body.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Yes, and he said it and the most lovely I
understood it. I will kill him.
Speaker 3 (32:01):
I was just like, oh my god, it's so discouraged.
And I remember it was so clear to me. I
was at the light and the light turns green, and
I was like, there is two things I can do here.
I can turn this into and it's like Taylor Swift
and she's like that was yes, you know. I was like, yes, yes,
you know, and and it was it was like it
(32:23):
was the nose I think became became really fuel for
us to keep going.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
Intercourse so that we could do it.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
There was never a time where either of us we're
ever going to aboard shift No.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
It was always that's a blessing that they said no
or whatever it was.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
But you typically don't know that until later, of course.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
But because mom had closes a door and he opens
the window, right, and we love the word no, because
we're going to find a.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Way well you know, yeah, yeah, don't.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
Tell well, don't tell us no. But also you know,
and I'm going to figure it out.
Speaker 1 (33:01):
And it'll be a common thread.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
He'll be back and it'll be too late.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
Common thread on climbing and hills. It's it's it's it's
about people. I think you can only withstand the insanity
of founding your own business and continuing it through getting
your ass kicked, getting nose, getting doors closed, getting the
things that you think are going to happen, and just don't.
(33:26):
And in the moment you feel like it's over, right,
in the moment, you're like and then you go, no,
I understand that this is happening for a reason, and
this fully sucks right now, and I've got to figure
out how to turn this around. And then once you do,
you inevitably look back and be like, remember when blah
blah blah. But for me, at least, it wasn't until
(33:50):
I had enough of those where I was able to
safely securely say I know that this is happening for
a reason, and like, you know, you get to be
more rational, like I know, for me, like in my twenties,
right and in my early thirties, I would just be like,
oh my god, it's over. It's over, everything's done. Everyone
(34:10):
hates me.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
Let's go back to Wall Street.
Speaker 4 (34:13):
Yeah, exactly, It's never over, right, and it's only opportunity,
and it's it's like, that's what we're upset about.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
That's nothing, right, you know, it's like people's worlds tell apart.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
Yeah, it's not amazing how much your job served you
before you started this. Yeah for me, yeah, yeah, I
mean it's incredible because you know how you know, how
quick and fast.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
But beyond that, it's like just I don't know. This
was this is lovely, This is like you know, sport,
this is fun.
Speaker 1 (34:45):
Yes, that was like yes, feast or famine. I was like,
oh my god, ware not sleeping, yes, okay, so you
have loved it. Beyond it's hard and it's all the
things keeps you guys awake at night.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
Everything, Oh take it.
Speaker 1 (35:05):
I'm taking your kids out of it as it pertains
to work, because my kids keep me awake at night.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
I didn't get bigger. There's so much more to lose. Yeah, right, And.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
It's and it's not even it's not even financial. It's like,
you know, the loyalty of the customer are our employees,
which you know are like the lifeblood of this business.
Speaker 4 (35:27):
Interest rates, the economy Okay.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
Spoken like a true finance girl.
Speaker 5 (35:34):
World macroeconomic events, Oh my god, how many.
Speaker 1 (35:38):
How big is your team? You guys, how big is
your team? Now?
Speaker 2 (35:42):
We have over three hundred employees.
Speaker 1 (35:44):
Stop it, yes, guys, it's a huge business.
Speaker 4 (35:48):
Eyes Like, we have issues, you know, it's like to
worry about and we got through that.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
I'm just saying no.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
More more well you know what I say, more people,
more problems.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
Off or not right.
Speaker 3 (36:01):
I think you've got to, like as as a as
a creative and as a business person, I think you
have to like keep your head down and you know,
blinders onto like really looking at like focusing on vision
and what you do and what you're about and being
and at the same time like popping your head up
(36:22):
to see what's going on. But if you start actually
like you know, freaking out and comparing yourself to other people,
we have a bus track.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
We have to be nimble. And a wise man told.
Speaker 4 (36:37):
Me when we were building another business, do not build
a stadium before the fans any in anything we're doing.
And look at we lived through survive through COVID, and
you know, it's like thank god that we we just kept.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
Moving forward and knew she'd be back.
Speaker 4 (36:56):
But but also, if you know you've got a good
it should sell.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
In any tape. I agree, you know, And I just
got to be nimble and adjust, to keep adjusting inventory
levels and adjusting trend wise whatever it is. Adjust and
she's going to come.
Speaker 1 (37:12):
I could not agree more. And the fact that you
guys have been together this long, by the way, how
is that You're very lucky to have each other. Because
having a good partner that you don't want to hit
with a baseball bat on a daily basis is wonderful.
So tell me how it is to work together, because
you guys kind of do everything together. I mean not really,
(37:32):
but you know what I mean, you're very connected personally,
We're very connected.
Speaker 3 (37:37):
It's funny because it I mean, when we started this,
it was it was.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
You know, again, we didn't have an office. Then finally
we got in the office. We were in one room.
Speaker 3 (37:48):
Ronic and I still share the same office, not the
same space that we did originally, but we're still in
one office. That yes, I love that really that I
mean because in a lot of ways we operate as
this one one being.
Speaker 4 (38:05):
But we have to give each other that space, of course,
and that respect to be who we are. It's hard
having two Veronica, and we are really really different and
we have. We always say one perspective, two visions. One perspectives,
(38:26):
two perspectives, one vision.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Okay, we always say.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
That, but I know what you meant.
Speaker 4 (38:32):
But you know what we have to we have to
really respect that space. And it's tough sometimes because we
might see something differently, or we might you know, have
different styles, you.
Speaker 2 (38:46):
Know, and they're both valid, they are, and you know,
we have to step back and go all right, I
have to listen to her. I have to trust her.
I'm not going to die on that mountain.
Speaker 4 (38:57):
We're both super passionate about how we feel well, so
it's really hard to give that space sometimes.
Speaker 1 (39:04):
But I actually think that two perspectives is actually so
much better.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
It is, well, it just multiplies actually the clothes and.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
The correct that's what I mean. Because there is no
one woman, right, there is no one woman with the
same with the same anything. So it's like every.
Speaker 4 (39:20):
Valid, everyone, everybody's got got a voice, yes, you know,
so you've got to respect it and move and let
that person run.
Speaker 2 (39:29):
You know. It's like if you believe that so so much,
then go go with it. Let's see what.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
Happened to your husbands, like die for you guys or
do they think you're bat shit crazy?
Speaker 2 (39:38):
No, I mean the best.
Speaker 3 (39:42):
My husband's very, very very They've both been amazing supporters
and believers and partners and and I think that like
have respected our space in this which is really important.
Speaker 1 (39:59):
Yeah, it's the dream. And you have so many kids,
and I love it because you get to raise your
kids together, your husbands are you know, It's like it
all just works. And I love anything that feels like
a family business, you know, which it is obviously kind
of sort of in all ways of differentness, and like,
you know.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
There's safety in that.
Speaker 1 (40:20):
Yeah, one hundred.
Speaker 2 (40:22):
It's like, you know, you got to Caraman today.
Speaker 1 (40:25):
I feel shit right exactly exactly.
Speaker 2 (40:28):
You know Miami, She's like, I don't feel well, I'm
staying home. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (40:34):
It's just like yes, o, yes, And there's like.
Speaker 4 (40:38):
This thing that you're part of that You're like, you know,
thank God that we have this big, you know family here.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
I love it, Like the whole place is our family.
Speaker 1 (40:46):
I love it so much. I'm so honestly impressed with
you guys. I am so impressed with the business. I
love your brand.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (40:57):
I think you're just fantastic honestly all around, Like I
think you're you're I don't know just all the things,
and I do want to reiterate that to me, just
having lived in it for most of my life, it
is one of the hardest things to do to build
a fashion brand. It just is it is it is,
(41:18):
and I think if you can win on it, win
at it, you know, really executing on your vision and
your dream and your creativity and all the things, and
get to have a family and you guys as partners.
It really is the dream. It's a very rare thing.
I hope you guys recognize that. It is very rare.
So I love watching your success. I've watched it from
(41:41):
the beginning and I just you know, I wish you
guys the best. I'm very excited for you, and I'm
very excited to see what's to come. It's that time
in the show and I answer to listener questions, So
let's see what we have today. Okay, Funny was just
(42:04):
talking about this. What was your favorite look at the
Golden Globes. I would say for me, it was j
Lo and Nicole Felicia, And I think that's a combination
of her being j Loo and just owning that look
and taking the carpet down when she walked in. And
I always really appreciate a moment where someone just goes
there with the full regalia because I truly miss it.
(42:30):
I really miss those moments and we can always turn
to John fer Lopez for them. So I think that.
And then I loved Margot Robbie because she just looked like,
you know, the most gorgeous Barbie ever, with the most
gorgeous Hollywood smile ever. And I just the thing I
love about Margot Robbie is like whatever she's wearing to
(42:51):
me is so secondary to her. And I just like,
no matter how amazing or not amazing, whatever she might
be wearing, is I look at her first, and that's
like a very rare thing. I just think her smile.
She has that like that smile that I have not
seen since like Julia Roberts, where like that smile just
lights up any room that she walks into. So I
(43:13):
just love that. And who else I loved El Fanning.
I thought Hailey Steinfeld looked really chicn old Hollywood. I
thought that was super pretty. But those are probably my
favorites of the night. Okay, I saw an Instagram that
you had a migraine. What do you treat your migraines with?
It's interesting. I never had migraines in my entire life,
(43:35):
and then when I got pregnant with my first son,
I would get like headaches periodically. And then I think,
since I've had my kids, I find I get when
I'm really run down and exhausted or really really stressed,
I'll get like a bad tension headache, honestly, and so unfortunately,
(43:57):
because of my acid rex, I can't take like like
hardcore migraine medicine. I can't take like Ecceedron or Advil
or any of those because they're really hard on my stomach.
So I end up just taking tile and all and
like trying to just close my eyes and then I
just wait till it goes away and I just live
with it. Funny enough, my sweet little baby angel son Caius,
(44:21):
was on my computer and on Amazon and found something
for migraines, and he actually purchased in my account something
that says used to treat and cure migraines. And it's
like some kind of head ice pack for migraines, and
so I now have that so the next time I
get hit with one I'm gonna try this head ice
(44:45):
pack that my son got me and I'll let you
know how that goes. So don't forget to submit your
questions for next week's episode. All you have to do
is dm us your questions to at Climbing Hills pod
on Instagram and I might just answer your question. Thank
(45:07):
you so much to both Veronica's for being on the
pod today. Honestly, their work ethic and dedication to refining
and perfecting their beautiful, beautiful products is such an important
key to a successful business and more importantly to a
successful brand, because I would argue to say that probably
(45:28):
building a brand and making a brand, creating a brand
that means something to people that people want to go
back to and are loyal to and truly love to
me is the ultimate challenge. And they've clearly proved that
they have the recipe. And you know, I love that
their mothers, their sister in laws, they're working together in
(45:50):
a family business, which I always love. I don't know,
I adore them. I love the brand. I'm sure you
do too. It's inspirational, aspirational, but it's also related to
wearable and just beautiful quality. And you can see that
they are what they're making, so very impressed with them.
I hope you love this episode as much as I did.
(46:11):
Don't forget to write a review. Wherever you get your podcasts,
I love reading them, and while you're at it, follow
me on at Rachel Zoe and at Cleming and Hills
pod on Instagram for more updates on upcoming guests, episodes,
and all things character and I will see you next week.
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