Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in sustainable fashion but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Katie McCourt, owner of Pantee, located in London, United Kingdom.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Pantee is a sustainable underwear brand co-founded during the pandemic by myself and my sister, Amanda. We couldn't find an underwear option that ticked all our boxes – comfy, functional, stylish and sustainable – so we created our own. Designed by women for women, Pantee has been designed to support you and the planet from top to bottom.
Tell us about yourself
Amanda & I both have a background in digital marketing, but from a young age had always wanted to start a business together – so working together every day on Pantee has been a dream. On a mission to tackle some of the waste produced by the fashion industry, we launched Pantee – the worlds first underwear brand made from upcycled deadstock t-shirts. Since then, we have expanded into using a range of deadstock fabrics, have become proud members of the 1% For The Planet Community and planted over 450 trees with One Tree Planted. We are so grateful to have an incredibly engaged community of women surrounding us that have been instrumental to the way the brand has grown and developed. As well as trying to create a positive environmental impact, we are equally motivated to create a brand and product range that truly comforts and empowers women.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
It's been surreal to see Pantee featured by the likes of Vogue, Drapers & Stylist Magazine (to name a few) within months of launching. We were also very proud to see Pantee selected by The Independent as a 'Top Sustainable Underwear Brand'. However, the icing on the cake is really seeing the wonderful 5* reviews from our early customers and hearing how much they love the product.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Amanda & I both live on completely different time zones, she is in London and I live in Vancouver, so it's definitely a challenge only having a couple of hours of overlap each day. Due to travel restrictions, we weren't able to see each other in person for the first 18 months of our journey with Pantee so the brand has been built completely on Zoom calls.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- First, keep going! I think one of the biggest challenges of starting a brand is the resilience and determination to keep going day after day, especially in the early days when you may not feel like you are making progress. The little steps you take every day really do add up over time.
- Don't be afraid to talk about your idea. Start sharing your journey on social media, with your network or with the press as early as possible. Building these relationships are absolutely key.
- Finally, take time to celebrate the small wins. They really do make all the hard work worth it!
Where can people find you and your business?
https://www.instagram.com/pantee
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiemccourt/
https://www.facebook.com/panteeco/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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