Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Caley Adams, Founder of Wildes District, located in New York, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Wildes District is an NYC-based design studio specializing in emerging women's and e-commerce brands in the fashion, beauty, luxury, lifestyle, and health & wellness sectors. We work closely with primarily female founders to build meaningful experiences that span multiple touchpoints, from branding to product design to strategy and development.
Our expertise lies at the intersection of fresh, of-the-moment branding and best-in-class digital execution, and our clients include brands like Andie Swim, Kin Euphorics, Aurate, Chief, Coterie, Elix Healing, Margaux, and more.
Tell us about yourself
I started Wildes District a few years ago to work with more women founders and with more lifestyle/luxury brands. Before that, I had been bouncing around different design agencies and had started feeling uninspired by the work coming in. When I opened the studio, it felt incredibly free to suddenly have the ability to choose what job to say yes or no to.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
We have launched and relaunched TONS of brands at this point, and every time it's just as exciting as the first launch. It's a thrill to see brands we've built out in the world, and it's even more exciting when those brands become household names. It is gratifying.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Being a business owner requires a lot of self-drive and self-motivation because there isn't anyone there each day to hold you accountable and make sure you are making progress. You must wake up daily and muster the energy to get things done, deliver on time, and land new clients. It can be very around-the-clock work as well - there's no such thing as a clean 9-5 as a business owner.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Make sure to nail the basics. This means getting the proper business insurance, airtight contracts, trademarks, and business administration stuff. This will save so much time and stress down the road.
- Business is also personal. Don't forget to be a human! You'd be surprised at how many businesses are run as simple transactional entities. To be a great partner, you need to fully support and be there for your clients and customers emotionally as well.
- Bake in time for yourself. When you run a business, often the "personal" things that are significant fall by the wayside. To ensure you still get a healthy dose of personal time, plan for it and schedule it each week.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.wildesdistrict.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildesdistrict/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wildesdistrict
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caleyadams/
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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