Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in clothing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Nora Gardner, CEO and Creative Director of Nora Gardner, located in New York, NY, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Nora Gardner is a workwear brand based in New York City since 2013. We design for working women that need beautiful and functional clothing. We proudly manufacture our collection in the Garment District in New York City.

Tell us about yourself

I started my career in Investment Banking in NYC because I wanted the financial independence that generations of women in my family never had. When I received my first promotion, I wanted to revamp my wardrobe to reflect my new position, but I couldn’t find any styles that met my needs. Everything I found was either still too expensive for me, too sexy, too cheap, or too dowdy. The fact that I could not dress this way was frustrating, so I began to have my own clothes custom-made. Soon my colleagues asked where they could buy my clothes, and after being asked enough times, I decided to launch my own label. The rest is history.

I ultimately made the decision to leave my Wall Street career to help women feel confident at work so that they can achieve their goals and reach financial independence. The seemingly unchanging reality is that professional women are judged for how they look and what they wear to work. Over the years, we’ve seen how women’s representation in the workplace has increased, yet there is still a small number of women that hold executive-level positions. With my business, I hope to continue helping these women thrive in the corporate world.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

During the pandemic, we converted our factories into PPE manufacturing facilities and were able to provide front-line workers with emergency protective equipment. We were very grateful for the opportunity to serve our community and help save lives.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

When you are your own boss, the work is 24/7, and the buck stops with you. Anything that goes wrong within the organization is ultimately your responsibility. This means that, of course, hiring the right people is critical, and working well as a team is essential. Even when business is incredibly busy, taking time to pause and check in with your team is essential for long term success. This requires discipline, planning, and organization. Managing all of this can be stressful, but with clear goals, and a positive, problem-solving attitude, great success is possible.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Maintain a mindset of service. I believe your team and your customers’ needs should be served equally. While the customers’ needs are critical to driving sales and growing the business, the organization must be thriving - running like a well-oiled machine - in order to execute with excellence and last over the long term. As the boss, your job is to serve the organization by overseeing the entire process; this means evaluating the needs and requests of customers and your employees and ensuring that the proper resources are deployed for success. Therefore, you are serving them.
  2. Never, never, never sacrifice the brand. Building an authentic brand with integrity makes you irreplaceable. Your essence is hard to copy, and your legacy is hard to erase. This goes for you as the owner, as well. Never cut corners. Stand for something, and don’t budge. Know what you are and what you aren’t. Plant your flag and stand by it, and you’ll last. Be honest and clear, and deliver on promises.
  3. Be responsible with money. Look for savings the smart way, always compare costs, do not be lazy and overpay, sign contracts thoughtfully, charge fair prices and be very realistic in your projections and accounting. Don’t sell yourself short and undercharge just to make a sale. Keep your overhead as low as possible, in the beginning, you will be doing a lot of work that you will be able to delegate later. Enjoy the hustle!!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://noragardner.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noragardnernyc/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/NoraGardnerNYC/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoraGardnerInfo
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nora-gardner/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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