In this week’s episode, we’re re-airing one of our top episodes Rebecca Hessel Cohen, the founder and CEO of LoveShackFancy, a fashion and lifestyle brand know for its unique floral prints and bohemian dresses.

LoveShackFancy was born out of necessity when Rebecca was in search of the perfect bridesmaid dresses and was out of luck. After creating her own designs, she garnered lots of support from family and friends and began selling dresses from the trunk of her car and the rest was history. Born and raised in New York, Rebecca was surrounded by fashion starting at the age of 4 and her story is nothing short of spectacular. Today, LoveShackFancy has gained mass appeal from her vintage-inspired details, flattering silhouettes and playful dresses and ultimately catering to all age groups.

The ultra feminine super-maximalist clothing and lifestyle business now has 17 retail locations in the U.S. and is continuing to expand. What started out as a dress company in 2013 has evolved into an all-encompassing lifestyle brand selling fragrances at Sephora to kid’s clothing and a home collection that is set to launch later this month.

In this week’s episode we chat about her upbringing surrounded by fashion, her early career as a fashion editor and why she felt like it was time to do something different in her life despite her incredible career. We talk about how her interest making a few pieces of clothing turned into a successful side hustle and eventually years later, her full time gig. Rebecca opens up about how many people told her that the feminine prints and vibe would never sell, and that her brand’s name was horrible - and why she didn’t let that stop her. We also chat about the unglamorous days of building the brand, overcoming fears in business, and using social media for success. She stresses setting boundaries, LoveShackFancy's mission, and shares dos and don'ts for running a business for over a decade.

In this episode, we’ll talk to Rebecca about:

* Rebecca's upbringing influenced her early fashion and confidence. [04:03]

* Impact of Rebecca's mom on her upbringing. [06:31]

* Rebecca’s fashion ideation process. [08:32]

* The concept of LoveShackFancy. [10:25]

* Starting LoveShackFancy as a side hustle and career pivot. [13:49]

* Dealing with the fear of change. [21:14]

* Confidence in LoveShackFancy’s vision. [23:36]

* LoveShackFancy’s first store and Rebecca’s key learning. [27:14]

* Juggling high in-store demands and early social media presence. [31:13]

* Balancing business with motherhood. [33:37]

* Launching fragrance and partnering with Sephora. [40:30]

* Going viral on TikTok and its business impact. [47:04]

* Maintaining her creative momentum. [52:26]

* Discoveries during a decade with LoveShackFancy. [55:30]

* Rebecca's belief in operating without a business plan. [58:33]

* Upcoming plans for LoveShackFancy. [01:03:13]

This episode is brought to you by beeya:

* Learn more about beeya's seed cycling bundle at https://beeyawellness.com/free to find out how to tackle hormonal imbalances.

* Get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10

Follow Yasmin:

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/

* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/

Follow Rebecca:

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becknyc/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveshackfancy/

* Website: https://www.loveshackfancy.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luna Aziz is the founder and CEO of Legendairy Milk, a wellness brand known for its lactation support and holistic products for women navigating motherhood and beyond.

But Legendairy Milk didn’t start as a business. It started with Luna as a new mom struggling with chronic low milk supply and asking one question no one could answer: why? So she did the unglamorous work herself. She researched what women across cultures had used for centuries, ground herbs in her kitchen with a coffee grinder, filled capsules by hand using a pill machine from eBay, and tested everything on herself. With just $750 and a newborn, she opened a tiny Etsy shop, expecting maybe one order a month, until a single Facebook post brought in 50 orders overnight and she turned her hobby into a business then.

In this episode, Luna shares how curiosity became her unfair advantage, taking her from postpartum survival mode to building a multimillion-dollar, education-first brand now sold at Target, Walmart, and Amazon. We talk about bootstrapping, finding the right manufacturing partners, growing without outside capital, and the burnout that taught her to build a team and protect her health. If you’re waiting to feel ready before you start, Luna’s story is a powerful reminder that curiosity and resourcefulness matter far more than having it all figured out.

In this episode, we’ll talk to Luna about:

* How her own health struggles sparked curiosity around holistic healing. [02:06]

* Luna’s “why” — creating wellness solutions born from lived experience. [04:57]

* Luna’s upbringing, cultural influences, and early relationship with wellness. [05:33]

* Who Luna was before motherhood and building her brand. [08:14]

* Navigating motherhood and the wake-up call that shifted her priorities. [11:37]

* The moment Luna realized she wanted to create something of her own. [17:44]

* Her experience working in tech and questioning the traditional office path. [21:39]

* Navigating motherhood, finances, and building a business from scratch. [24:11]

* Finding the right manufacturer and business partner. [26:50]

* Working with her husband and him transitioning to Legendairy Milk full-time. [29:18]

* How Luna approached growth without chasing traditional startup pressure. [30:48]

* How Luna sustained her brand’s position in the market while navigating growth. [33:09]

* The process behind ideating and launching the products. [36:40]

* The lessons Luna learned about burnout and delegating to grow her brand. [40:30]

* Luna’s passion for her brand is deeply personal, fueled by the support of her community. [44:50]

* How three years of effort led to Target placement and a major business milestone. [47:12]

* Experiencing the gap in postpartum care. [50:05]

* Expanding presence in Target, Walmart, and Amazon to reach moms everywhere. [52:39]

* Luna’s cautious approach to risk has shaped her business decisions. [55:36]

* Advice for women building businesses while caring for themselves. [58:25]

This episode is brought to you by Beeya:

* If you or anyone you know have been struggling with hormonal imbalances and bad periods, go to https://beeyawellness.com/free to download the free guide to tackling hormonal imbalances

* Plus, get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10

Follow Yasmin:

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/

* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/

Follow Luna:

* Website: https://www.legendairymilk.com/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legendairymilk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.