I’m considering starting a business selling lingerie and sleep/lounge wear, most of which will be made by my family’s factory in South America. My family is supportive and will help with production, but I’m still nervous about starting from scratch. I really want to learn about entrepreneurship and gain experience in different business areas (like marketing, finance, and operations). Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
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Sounds like a great idea! Lingerie, sleep, and lounge wear can be a good market if you do it right. Here are some things to think about:
Start with solid market research. You need to understand who your customers are – things like their age, interests, buying habits, and what they want. You should also check out your competition and see who else is selling to the same market.
Next, have a clear vision and mission for your business. Tell a story that connects with your customers. Set goals and break them down into smaller steps. Then work on your finances: think about pricing, budgeting, and cost planning.
Branding is a big deal for businesses like yours. Your brand should be clear and strong. Make sure your website and social media reflect your brand well. From my experience working with clients in this field, great branding and marketing are key.
Quality control is very important for clothing businesses. Make sure your products are well made and that you can offer a variety of options.
You also need to plan for marketing: social media, SEO, and working with influencers are great ways to get visibility. Content like videos and blogs can show your expertise and help build your brand.
Don’t forget about building an ecommerce website. Choose a platform that’s easy to manage, especially when you start to get more traffic. You might want to partner with online or brick-and-mortar stores to expand your reach.
Operations is where the hard work happens. Make sure you can ship orders on time and meet customer demands. Track your inventory carefully and avoid overproduction or stockouts.
Networking is also important. Attend events about entrepreneurship, marketing, and finance to learn and meet people who can help.
I know this is a lot, but this is just an outline. If you need more details or want to chat further, feel free to message me!
Starting a business from scratch? But you have a factory already…
Zen said:
Starting a business from scratch? But you have a factory already…
Yes, my family owns the factory. I live in the US now, and they’ll be the supplier. I’m starting my own brand though.
Zen said:
Starting a business from scratch? But you have a factory already…
Having a factory is nice, but look at Nike—they didn’t own any production facilities and they’ve been doing great since the '60s.
This sounds exciting! My family is from Chile and I’ve always wanted to import products from there. Your business has a great story, and being from South America can be a real plus. How are you planning to sell your products? Will it be online first, or will you also open a store?
@Reilly
Thanks for the support! I plan to start online and hopefully open a physical store in the future.
Having a family factory is a big win – it’s like you’re already ahead of the game. Many startups struggle to find good production partners, but you have that part covered. Focus on learning marketing (especially social media since it works well for lingerie) and set up a simple Shopify store. Start small and learn as you go. The best way to learn business is by doing it.
One important thing is to hire a trademark attorney to do a search for you. If another company has a similar name, they could make you change it, even if you’ve been in business for years. Make sure to do a trademark search and file your trademark early.