June 12, 2024 • 18 mins
Ever wonder what it takes to transition from a world-famous fashion model to a powerhouse business mogul? Kathy Ireland, the visionary founder and CEO of Kathy Ireland Worldwide, joins us to share her incredible journey, highlighting the pivotal moments that led her to build a brand based on trust rather than celebrity status. Kathy opens up about her struggles with shyness, the invaluable lessons she learned from her entrepreneurial mother, and how embracing failure has been crucial to her educational journey. Get ready for an episode filled with rich insights and practical wisdom on how to surround yourself with a supportive yet critical network and the resilience needed to bounce back from rejection.
In a compelling chapter focused on empowering women in business, Kathy dives into the often overlooked challenges female entrepreneurs face, such as gender bias and maintaining control over a private company. She passionately discusses the importance of setting firm boundaries, and ensuring ethical standards in business practices. Finally, she offers her personal strategies for balancing the demands of business, family, and personal well-being, all while prioritizing faith, family, and service. This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking inspiration and actionable advice on navigating the complexities of entrepreneurship.
Thank you for tuning in to The Female Founder Show with host and entrepreneur Bridget Fitzpatrick. If you like what you heard, please give us a review and let us know what you think?
Want to hear and see more great content to help you run your business more profitably? Go to ASBN.com.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
This is the Female Founder Show with host and
entrepreneur Bridget Fitzpatrick, exclusively on ASBN.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Hello everyone and welcome to this episode of the
Female Founder Show.
I'm Bridget Fitzpatrick.
Thank you so much for joiningus today.
Today, we're joined by KathyIreland, founder and CEO of
Kathy Ireland Worldwide.
Thank you so much for joiningus, Kathy.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Thank you so much for inviting me to the Female
Founder.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Congratulations on your great work, thank you so
much I would love for you toshare with us the moment that
you realized that you could useyour name and celebrity to sell
products, which ultimately ledto the success that you've seen
over the last few decades I knewthat my customer was going to
be too savvy to purchasesomething just because it had my
(00:56):
name on it and if our team wasdependent upon any smidgen of
celebrity I might have had inthe last century, we'd all be
unemployed.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
So we knew we had to build our brand on trust and,
yes, there was some recognitionfrom that long ago modeling
career and there were somebenefits of that.
I mean, there were some doorsthat opened.
They weren't doors that took myideas as CEO seriously and
(01:29):
ultimately they were doors thatreally wasted each other's time.
So, to the woman who has thegift of anonymity, that is a
wonderful blessing.
It is a great gift because youwalk in that door, you're your
own brand and you get toredefine that brand every day,
make it stronger and better.
And when you walk in that dooryou get to determine what your
(01:52):
brand is all about withoutpreconceived notions that
someone might have if they'veknown you for something else,
sure, sure, and you have been.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
You've really kept your business under the radar.
You know, so many people knowyou as the famous fashion model
and then but you're so much morewith your Kathy Ireland
Worldwide.
It's incredible how you havekept that a little bit under the
radar but still gainedphenomenal success.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
When I worked as a model, I knew I belonged on the
other side of the lens.
I was trying and failing atbusinesses.
Just took me a while to getthere.
I look at failure as education.
In that respect, I'm very welleducated and, organically, I'm
very shy, an introvert, and sobeing behind the scenes, under
(02:42):
the radar, that's my comfortzone.
In maturity I've recognizedthat comfort is irrelevant.
There's a lot to be done, a lotto be accomplished, and if that
means getting off the radarhere and there, that's fine.
I still prefer to be under theradar.
But when it's beneficial toothers for me to communicate
(03:07):
what we're doing and I love whatyou're doing, bridget, and it's
so refreshing to hear that youare also shy and here you are
leading this wonderfulopportunity the female founder
and it's important information.
You have amazing guests andit's great work and recognizing
(03:28):
that being of service to othersit's a lot more important than
being uncomfortable and we canget over it and get over
ourselves.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yes, well, thank you so much for your kind words, and
we do have so much in common,not only being shy, but I also
realized, doing the researchhere for this interview, that we
have more in common, one ofthem being that we learned the
value of hard work from our mom.
Your mom worked three or morejobs like mine, and they both
sold Avon.
So can you talk to us aboutthat and how it impacted you as
(04:00):
an adult?
Speaker 3 (04:01):
so your mom was an Avon lady.
Yes, did you get those littlesamples of lips?
Speaker 2 (04:08):
oh yeah, oh yeah yeah , I learned how to do put on
mascara with her and the Avonproducts and all kinds of things
, so it was great.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Yes, she did it was a wonderful lesson.
My mom is the ultimateentrepreneur, like yours.
Everything from babysitting allthese you know kids at our
house that made it fun.
She had a house cleaningbusiness, avon lady.
She made dresses and I madejewelry and handbags to
coordinate with her dresses.
(04:36):
We sold them at art fairs.
She ultimately went back toschool to become a nurse when I
was a teenager.
But it really gave as a childwatching my mom just navigate
through life and without fearand trying new things and
knowing that you know, if thisdoesn't work out, I can do
something else for a living.
I don't have to be desperatefor anything, and that was a
(05:00):
powerful lesson, yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Yeah, for sure, for sure.
So when my husband and I werejust starting our business, we
ran the idea by some friends andfamily and we were surprised by
some of the feedback that werereceived.
Things like that will neverwork, or if it's such a great
idea, why hasn't it been donebefore?
Did you have any of that whenyou first started out?
And if so, how did you handleit?
Speaker 3 (05:23):
You know, people have a lot of comments and it's
really important to surroundyourself with people who are
supportive.
I don't like, yes, people.
I do like a critical mind.
I like someone who will tell mehow I can do better and grow.
Yet you need encouraging people,and when we started our brand
(05:45):
with that single pair of socksand started banging the door on
retailers to carry our socks,the comments that we received I
mean just like you shared youknow that well, they would say
that's a stupid idea.
You can't start a brand with apair of socks.
It's never been done.
And it's never been done doesnot mean that it can't be done,
(06:11):
and it it no means.
Now we're talking, and I thinkthat was a really powerful
lesson to me.
I got so much rejection, somany no's when I worked as a
model, so when people madenegative comments or they said
no, it didn't destroy me.
Someone else's opinion does notdestroy or define me.
(06:35):
And it's much like the lessonsyou know is that I had, as a
child and when I worked as in apaper route, just really
overcoming someone else'sopinion.
When you believe in what you'redoing, you're willing to fight
for it yes, absolutely.
I always say that no just meansnot yet if you're getting a no,
(06:55):
ask why no, because you knowmaybe there's something you
could do better.
So often I've asked and I'vegotten great feedback.
That's been really helpful.
A lot of times people can justbe mean and negative, but you've
got to face it Now.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
I think a lot of women still have a hard time
with people taking themseriously in business, as crazy
as that sounds.
As a young woman who gracednumerous magazine covers, did
you encounter challenges inconvincing people that there
were brains behind your beauty?
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Coming from a modeling background, there are a
lot of perceptions and, as Ishared, just walking through the
door people can have an idea.
They think they know everythingthere is to know about you.
And what I encourage, women,everybody, is just, please,
don't let someone else's opinionof you define you or destroy
(07:47):
you.
Don't let anyone put you in abox, and sometimes you're going
to have to push through a littleharder.
If you're going to be dealingwith stubborn people, that's
okay.
If you believe in what you'redoing, don't give up, you know.
Fight through it and whensomeone is challenging you, ask
them to refute you.
(08:07):
Don't allow them to dismiss.
You See if there's somethingyou can learn, but allow your
voice to be heard and just keepon asking until you get your
answer.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Great advice.
I love that.
I've experienced a lot of that,especially early on my, you
know, working with my husband.
A lot of times people, wouldyou know, direct their attention
to him if there was somethingto be discussed in business.
And over the years I've learnedmyself that I have to speak up,
have to, you know, ask somequestions to kind of not get too
(08:41):
upset or take it too personal.
Sometimes people you know theywere just, it's the way they
were raised or they're a littlebit you know old school and
might think that you know it'sjust the, you know it's a man's
world.
But we've learned a lot overthe last 10, 11 years in
business with my husband.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
So you're so inspirational and I love how you
and your husband work togetherand and it's true, I mean we
can't control someone else'sreaction to us.
Yet we can control how werespond and I seek not to be
reactive but to um, to respond.
And you know, just askquestions like help me
(09:18):
understand what you mean by that.
So I'm not assuming, but youknow, it's a, it's a great big
world filled with all kinds ofpersonalities, for sure, for
sure.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Now you've been at the helm of your company since
the beginning and built anamazing legacy.
Have there been offers to buyyour company and, if so, why
haven't you sold?
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Yes, there have, there, continue to be, and I
never say never, I mean I neversay that.
Yet what I love about being aprivate company is I love the
control that we're able to have.
Some people call me a controlfreak I prefer to think of it as
(09:59):
passionate I do and ourproprietary business, the
intellectual property, everydetail, how people are treated
at the factories, from, you know, from manufacture to marketing,
every detail matters, and so I.
(10:19):
It's important to me to haveassurance of what's going on and
how people are being treated.
My dad worked in labor relationswith farm workers and so
experiencing the food we got onour table, how that came to be
and what people had to gothrough and how dad had to fight
(10:39):
to bring dignity to those lives.
And so we've got the toughesthuman rights contracts that I'm
aware of.
And and I appreciate that yetyou know there there are an
answer to your question there'stimes that we're in discussions
with people about maybe aportion of our company, yet for
(11:02):
me it's interesting to retainthat control, so you can make
sure I love working with otherpeople.
I love just the value that thatbrings.
Getting other opinions, yetbeing able to protect what's
really important.
That's always been somethingthat I care deeply about.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Yes, and it shows your passion really comes
through in all that you do.
Your brand is so strong.
What advice would you give tofemale entrepreneurs looking to
grow their brand, and if youhave any do's or don'ts for them
?
Speaker 3 (11:37):
I think when we take our eyes off ourselves and focus
on who we're serving, it makesit so much better and it makes
it so much more fun.
For me, it just gets rid of ifthere was any fear or anxiety.
That's gone because there's somuch to do, and so that's
something I recommend.
(11:58):
You know you really want tolook at your values, look at
boundaries and then look at waysthat you can grow and protect
your brand and honor your valuesall at the same time.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Yes, Great advice.
Thank you so much.
Now I imagine that you'reapproached constantly from
companies wanting to work withyou.
How do you decide what productsthat you're willing to put your
name to?
Speaker 3 (12:22):
I don't simply put my name to anything back from the
very beginning with that pair ofsocks and it's.
I knew that women were notgoing to buy my socks just
because it had my name on it.
It better be a good qualityitem.
It better have that fashionelement, especially knowing that
I came from a modelingbackground.
It's got better have thatfashion element, especially
knowing that I came from amodeling background.
(12:42):
It's got to have that fashionelement to it.
It's got to have value.
It's got to really bringsolutions.
So my customer is wonderfullydemanding.
She keeps us on our toes.
I love that.
But rather than putting my nameon, I pour my heart into
everything we do, and that'strue of our entire team.
(13:04):
But people really over theprofits.
So we look at all right, whatare these people all about?
Our vetting process the firstdoor that someone goes through
when we're contemplating apotential relationship is our
company has these millennialgoals that are really very
(13:27):
universal.
They encompass everything fromfighting disease, fighting
poverty, helping with education,children, the environment,
fighting human trafficking,supporting our military veterans
, and we don't dictate amonetary amount, but we do
insist, if someone's going towork with us, that they choose
(13:47):
one that they will support.
Maybe it's volunteer days fortheir team, but that they will
give a significant effort to oneof these initiatives and that
assures us that, in success,we're going to be honoring our
(14:08):
vision.
And our vision for our companyis teach, inspire, empower, make
our world better.
And that's also how we decidewhat products we're going to
include products and services.
So it's got to be a value.
It's gotta make someone's dayand life better.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
Now there are a lot of women watching today that
struggle with trying to do itall wife, motherhood, business
owner, et cetera.
How do you balance it all sosuccessfully?
Speaker 3 (14:35):
I don't.
Some days I'm really offbalance.
It's hard, it's really hard andI think there is a lot of
pressure, especially on women,to do it all and have it all,
and I don't even really knowwhat that means, because I think
it means something differentfor each woman.
It's really important toprioritize our time and for me,
(14:56):
it's my faith, it's family, andthen it's being of service
through our work, and when Idon't honor those values, those
priorities, I'm a disaster, I'mnot effective at anything.
So I really don't have a choicein that.
I've got to do that and itmakes us better and it makes us
stronger.
It means saying no to things.
(15:17):
At times, it means saying no tobusiness opportunities.
I can't be at every friend'sbirthday party, and it's hard.
It's hard, but we just can't do.
We.
I think we can do it all andhave it all, but not all at once
.
Yeah, and I think being goodwith that and I was 40 years old
(15:38):
before I learned that no was acomplete sentence, no, thank
you's better.
But I think sometimes, as women, we just we try to.
We're good at multitasking, sowe try to do everything and it's
good to say no.
It feels good.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Now you and your husband are working on a very
important project.
You have a documentary comingout Anxious Nation.
Can you talk to us about whatthat's all about?
Speaker 3 (16:04):
Anxious Nation is a project that our company had the
privilege of producing withLaura Morton she is a 21-time
New York Times bestsellingauthor and Vanessa Roth, an
Academy Award-winning directorand it takes a look at the lives
of several young people kidsand their parents.
(16:24):
And what I love about this,it's not so much about a cookie
cutter answer for everyone, yetit shows families you're not
alone and there's alsointerviews by psychologists and
counselors and therapists whowork with young people, and they
(16:45):
give some really great insights.
Each child is different and theapproaches are different as
well, but it is a difficult timeand something that we most
definitely need to be alert to.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
Absolutely.
Well, we'll be looking for thatand I can't wait to watch it.
Congratulations to that.
Now, crazy question, becauseyou've come so far, but where do
you see yourself in the nextfive to 10 years?
Speaker 3 (17:11):
I'm excited for the future.
I would never want to go back,so looking forward is exciting
to me.
There's a lot to be done, a lotto be accomplished.
It's exciting to experienceyoung people being mentored and
seeing what they're doing.
They're brilliant and justlooking at you know what.
(17:34):
What does that look like forour company for the future?
It's.
It's exciting, but being opento new opportunities, new ideas,
new people and the world ischanging so rapidly, so we
really need to have our ear tothe ground, our eyes on the
horizon and, rather thanreacting to change, be the ones
(17:55):
to initiate it.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
That's right.
Well, you are making hugechanges in the world and are
just unbelievable your story andeverything that you're doing
for so many people.
Kathy, thank you so much forbeing on the show with us today.
It's been great.
I know that everyone watchingis going to get so much out of
it.
We really appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Bridget.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
This is the Female Founder Show with host and
entrepreneur Bridget Fitzpatrick, exclusively on ASBN.
If you're a female founder andwould like to help other female
founders with your inspiringstory, we would love to hear
from you.
This is the Female Founder Show with host and
entrepreneur Bridget Fitzpatrick, exclusively on ASBN.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Hello everyone and welcome to this episode of the
Female Founder Show.
I'm Bridget Fitzpatrick.
Thank you so much for joiningus today.
Today, we're joined by KathyIreland, founder and CEO of
Kathy Ireland Worldwide.
Thank you so much for joiningus, Kathy.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Thank you so much for inviting me to the Female
Founder.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Congratulations on your great work, thank you so
much I would love for you toshare with us the moment that
you realized that you could useyour name and celebrity to sell
products, which ultimately ledto the success that you've seen
over the last few decades I knewthat my customer was going to
be too savvy to purchasesomething just because it had my
(00:56):
name on it and if our team wasdependent upon any smidgen of
celebrity I might have had inthe last century, we'd all be
unemployed.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
So we knew we had to build our brand on trust and,
yes, there was some recognitionfrom that long ago modeling
career and there were somebenefits of that.
I mean, there were some doorsthat opened.
They weren't doors that took myideas as CEO seriously and
(01:29):
ultimately they were doors thatreally wasted each other's time.
So, to the woman who has thegift of anonymity, that is a
wonderful blessing.
It is a great gift because youwalk in that door, you're your
own brand and you get toredefine that brand every day,
make it stronger and better.
And when you walk in that dooryou get to determine what your
(01:52):
brand is all about withoutpreconceived notions that
someone might have if they'veknown you for something else,
sure, sure, and you have been.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
You've really kept your business under the radar.
You know, so many people knowyou as the famous fashion model
and then but you're so much morewith your Kathy Ireland
Worldwide.
It's incredible how you havekept that a little bit under the
radar but still gainedphenomenal success.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
When I worked as a model, I knew I belonged on the
other side of the lens.
I was trying and failing atbusinesses.
Just took me a while to getthere.
I look at failure as education.
In that respect, I'm very welleducated and, organically, I'm
very shy, an introvert, and sobeing behind the scenes, under
(02:42):
the radar, that's my comfortzone.
In maturity I've recognizedthat comfort is irrelevant.
There's a lot to be done, a lotto be accomplished, and if that
means getting off the radarhere and there, that's fine.
I still prefer to be under theradar.
But when it's beneficial toothers for me to communicate
(03:07):
what we're doing and I love whatyou're doing, bridget, and it's
so refreshing to hear that youare also shy and here you are
leading this wonderfulopportunity the female founder
and it's important information.
You have amazing guests andit's great work and recognizing
(03:28):
that being of service to othersit's a lot more important than
being uncomfortable and we canget over it and get over
ourselves.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yes, well, thank you so much for your kind words, and
we do have so much in common,not only being shy, but I also
realized, doing the researchhere for this interview, that we
have more in common, one ofthem being that we learned the
value of hard work from our mom.
Your mom worked three or morejobs like mine, and they both
sold Avon.
So can you talk to us aboutthat and how it impacted you as
(04:00):
an adult?
Speaker 3 (04:01):
so your mom was an Avon lady.
Yes, did you get those littlesamples of lips?
Speaker 2 (04:08):
oh yeah, oh yeah yeah , I learned how to do put on
mascara with her and the Avonproducts and all kinds of things
, so it was great.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Yes, she did it was a wonderful lesson.
My mom is the ultimateentrepreneur, like yours.
Everything from babysitting allthese you know kids at our
house that made it fun.
She had a house cleaningbusiness, avon lady.
She made dresses and I madejewelry and handbags to
coordinate with her dresses.
(04:36):
We sold them at art fairs.
She ultimately went back toschool to become a nurse when I
was a teenager.
But it really gave as a childwatching my mom just navigate
through life and without fearand trying new things and
knowing that you know, if thisdoesn't work out, I can do
something else for a living.
I don't have to be desperatefor anything, and that was a
(05:00):
powerful lesson, yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Yeah, for sure, for sure.
So when my husband and I werejust starting our business, we
ran the idea by some friends andfamily and we were surprised by
some of the feedback that werereceived.
Things like that will neverwork, or if it's such a great
idea, why hasn't it been donebefore?
Did you have any of that whenyou first started out?
And if so, how did you handleit?
Speaker 3 (05:23):
You know, people have a lot of comments and it's
really important to surroundyourself with people who are
supportive.
I don't like, yes, people.
I do like a critical mind.
I like someone who will tell mehow I can do better and grow.
Yet you need encouraging people,and when we started our brand
(05:45):
with that single pair of socksand started banging the door on
retailers to carry our socks,the comments that we received I
mean just like you shared youknow that well, they would say
that's a stupid idea.
You can't start a brand with apair of socks.
It's never been done.
And it's never been done doesnot mean that it can't be done,
(06:11):
and it it no means.
Now we're talking, and I thinkthat was a really powerful
lesson to me.
I got so much rejection, somany no's when I worked as a
model, so when people madenegative comments or they said
no, it didn't destroy me.
Someone else's opinion does notdestroy or define me.
(06:35):
And it's much like the lessonsyou know is that I had, as a
child and when I worked as in apaper route, just really
overcoming someone else'sopinion.
When you believe in what you'redoing, you're willing to fight
for it yes, absolutely.
I always say that no just meansnot yet if you're getting a no,
(06:55):
ask why no, because you knowmaybe there's something you
could do better.
So often I've asked and I'vegotten great feedback.
That's been really helpful.
A lot of times people can justbe mean and negative, but you've
got to face it Now.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
I think a lot of women still have a hard time
with people taking themseriously in business, as crazy
as that sounds.
As a young woman who gracednumerous magazine covers, did
you encounter challenges inconvincing people that there
were brains behind your beauty?
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Coming from a modeling background, there are a
lot of perceptions and, as Ishared, just walking through the
door people can have an idea.
They think they know everythingthere is to know about you.
And what I encourage, women,everybody, is just, please,
don't let someone else's opinionof you define you or destroy
(07:47):
you.
Don't let anyone put you in abox, and sometimes you're going
to have to push through a littleharder.
If you're going to be dealingwith stubborn people, that's
okay.
If you believe in what you'redoing, don't give up, you know.
Fight through it and whensomeone is challenging you, ask
them to refute you.
(08:07):
Don't allow them to dismiss.
You See if there's somethingyou can learn, but allow your
voice to be heard and just keepon asking until you get your
answer.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Great advice.
I love that.
I've experienced a lot of that,especially early on my, you
know, working with my husband.
A lot of times people, wouldyou know, direct their attention
to him if there was somethingto be discussed in business.
And over the years I've learnedmyself that I have to speak up,
have to, you know, ask somequestions to kind of not get too
(08:41):
upset or take it too personal.
Sometimes people you know theywere just, it's the way they
were raised or they're a littlebit you know old school and
might think that you know it'sjust the, you know it's a man's
world.
But we've learned a lot overthe last 10, 11 years in
business with my husband.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
So you're so inspirational and I love how you
and your husband work togetherand and it's true, I mean we
can't control someone else'sreaction to us.
Yet we can control how werespond and I seek not to be
reactive but to um, to respond.
And you know, just askquestions like help me
(09:18):
understand what you mean by that.
So I'm not assuming, but youknow, it's a, it's a great big
world filled with all kinds ofpersonalities, for sure, for
sure.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Now you've been at the helm of your company since
the beginning and built anamazing legacy.
Have there been offers to buyyour company and, if so, why
haven't you sold?
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Yes, there have, there, continue to be, and I
never say never, I mean I neversay that.
Yet what I love about being aprivate company is I love the
control that we're able to have.
Some people call me a controlfreak I prefer to think of it as
(09:59):
passionate I do and ourproprietary business, the
intellectual property, everydetail, how people are treated
at the factories, from, you know, from manufacture to marketing,
every detail matters, and so I.
(10:19):
It's important to me to haveassurance of what's going on and
how people are being treated.
My dad worked in labor relationswith farm workers and so
experiencing the food we got onour table, how that came to be
and what people had to gothrough and how dad had to fight
(10:39):
to bring dignity to those lives.
And so we've got the toughesthuman rights contracts that I'm
aware of.
And and I appreciate that yetyou know there there are an
answer to your question there'stimes that we're in discussions
with people about maybe aportion of our company, yet for
(11:02):
me it's interesting to retainthat control, so you can make
sure I love working with otherpeople.
I love just the value that thatbrings.
Getting other opinions, yetbeing able to protect what's
really important.
That's always been somethingthat I care deeply about.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Yes, and it shows your passion really comes
through in all that you do.
Your brand is so strong.
What advice would you give tofemale entrepreneurs looking to
grow their brand, and if youhave any do's or don'ts for them
?
Speaker 3 (11:37):
I think when we take our eyes off ourselves and focus
on who we're serving, it makesit so much better and it makes
it so much more fun.
For me, it just gets rid of ifthere was any fear or anxiety.
That's gone because there's somuch to do, and so that's
something I recommend.
(11:58):
You know you really want tolook at your values, look at
boundaries and then look at waysthat you can grow and protect
your brand and honor your valuesall at the same time.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Yes, Great advice.
Thank you so much.
Now I imagine that you'reapproached constantly from
companies wanting to work withyou.
How do you decide what productsthat you're willing to put your
name to?
Speaker 3 (12:22):
I don't simply put my name to anything back from the
very beginning with that pair ofsocks and it's.
I knew that women were notgoing to buy my socks just
because it had my name on it.
It better be a good qualityitem.
It better have that fashionelement, especially knowing that
I came from a modelingbackground.
It's got better have thatfashion element, especially
knowing that I came from amodeling background.
(12:42):
It's got to have that fashionelement to it.
It's got to have value.
It's got to really bringsolutions.
So my customer is wonderfullydemanding.
She keeps us on our toes.
I love that.
But rather than putting my nameon, I pour my heart into
everything we do, and that'strue of our entire team.
(13:04):
But people really over theprofits.
So we look at all right, whatare these people all about?
Our vetting process the firstdoor that someone goes through
when we're contemplating apotential relationship is our
company has these millennialgoals that are really very
(13:27):
universal.
They encompass everything fromfighting disease, fighting
poverty, helping with education,children, the environment,
fighting human trafficking,supporting our military veterans
, and we don't dictate amonetary amount, but we do
insist, if someone's going towork with us, that they choose
(13:47):
one that they will support.
Maybe it's volunteer days fortheir team, but that they will
give a significant effort to oneof these initiatives and that
assures us that, in success,we're going to be honoring our
(14:08):
vision.
And our vision for our companyis teach, inspire, empower, make
our world better.
And that's also how we decidewhat products we're going to
include products and services.
So it's got to be a value.
It's gotta make someone's dayand life better.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
Now there are a lot of women watching today that
struggle with trying to do itall wife, motherhood, business
owner, et cetera.
How do you balance it all sosuccessfully?
Speaker 3 (14:35):
I don't.
Some days I'm really offbalance.
It's hard, it's really hard andI think there is a lot of
pressure, especially on women,to do it all and have it all,
and I don't even really knowwhat that means, because I think
it means something differentfor each woman.
It's really important toprioritize our time and for me,
(14:56):
it's my faith, it's family, andthen it's being of service
through our work, and when Idon't honor those values, those
priorities, I'm a disaster, I'mnot effective at anything.
So I really don't have a choicein that.
I've got to do that and itmakes us better and it makes us
stronger.
It means saying no to things.
(15:17):
At times, it means saying no tobusiness opportunities.
I can't be at every friend'sbirthday party, and it's hard.
It's hard, but we just can't do.
We.
I think we can do it all andhave it all, but not all at once
.
Yeah, and I think being goodwith that and I was 40 years old
(15:38):
before I learned that no was acomplete sentence, no, thank
you's better.
But I think sometimes, as women, we just we try to.
We're good at multitasking, sowe try to do everything and it's
good to say no.
It feels good.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Now you and your husband are working on a very
important project.
You have a documentary comingout Anxious Nation.
Can you talk to us about whatthat's all about?
Speaker 3 (16:04):
Anxious Nation is a project that our company had the
privilege of producing withLaura Morton she is a 21-time
New York Times bestsellingauthor and Vanessa Roth, an
Academy Award-winning directorand it takes a look at the lives
of several young people kidsand their parents.
(16:24):
And what I love about this,it's not so much about a cookie
cutter answer for everyone, yetit shows families you're not
alone and there's alsointerviews by psychologists and
counselors and therapists whowork with young people, and they
(16:45):
give some really great insights.
Each child is different and theapproaches are different as
well, but it is a difficult timeand something that we most
definitely need to be alert to.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
Absolutely.
Well, we'll be looking for thatand I can't wait to watch it.
Congratulations to that.
Now, crazy question, becauseyou've come so far, but where do
you see yourself in the nextfive to 10 years?
Speaker 3 (17:11):
I'm excited for the future.
I would never want to go back,so looking forward is exciting
to me.
There's a lot to be done, a lotto be accomplished.
It's exciting to experienceyoung people being mentored and
seeing what they're doing.
They're brilliant and justlooking at you know what.
(17:34):
What does that look like forour company for the future?
It's.
It's exciting, but being opento new opportunities, new ideas,
new people and the world ischanging so rapidly, so we
really need to have our ear tothe ground, our eyes on the
horizon and, rather thanreacting to change, be the ones
(17:55):
to initiate it.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
That's right.
Well, you are making hugechanges in the world and are
just unbelievable your story andeverything that you're doing
for so many people.
Kathy, thank you so much forbeing on the show with us today.
It's been great.
I know that everyone watchingis going to get so much out of
it.
We really appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Bridget.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
This is the Female Founder Show with host and
entrepreneur Bridget Fitzpatrick, exclusively on ASBN.
If you're a female founder andwould like to help other female
founders with your inspiringstory, we would love to hear
from you.
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