How do you build a career where opportunities come to you instead of constantly applying for jobs? And how did Quince become a $10.1 billion company selling $50 cashmere sweaters?

This week on Fashion and Founders, I'm joined by Dakota Kate Isaacs, Head of Brand Strategy and Narrative at Quince, to talk about building a career in fashion, taking risks, and the technology changing the fashion industry. Dakota has never applied for a job she's held. After completing 12 internships in college, she took a chance on a little-known beauty startup called Deciem, the parent company of The Ordinary, where she helped build the brand in the US. Today, she's shaping the narrative behind Quince, one of fashion's most talked-about companies. We get into the career moves that helped her get here, from building relationships and making yourself invaluable at work. Get an inside look at Quince's business model. Dakota breaks down how the company uses technology to rethink traditional retail, why luxury products cost what they do, how Quince approaches quality and manufacturing, and the debate around dupes, sustainability, and fast fashion. Whether you're looking to break into fashion, take the next step in your career, or build a breakthrough business, this episode is packed with lessons from someone who has helped shape two of the industry's most disruptive brands.

This episode is brought to you by Swap Commerce.

Learn more about Swap and join their private fashion community HERE.

Follow Fashion & Founders:

Podcast IG: @fashionandfounders

Podcast Substack: Fashion and Founders

Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com

Podcast TikTok: @fashionandfounders

Podcast YouTube: Fashion and Founders

Podcast Links: Shop My

Job Board opportunities in fashion, tech, and more.

Follow Dakota:

IG: @dakotakisaacs

Substack HERE

Follow Quince:

IG: @onequince

Shop HERE

PremiumBeat Monetization ID: KFDNIZV8PLN5ZJZB

Thanks for listening!

How to start a jewelry business. Engagement ring trends. Lab-grown vs. natural diamonds. Acquired Style Wedding.

Ring Concierge founder Nicole Wegman joins Fashion and Founders to talk about scaling to a $100 Million Business. Nicole shares advice for anyone who wants to become an entrepreneur, leave corporate and work for themselves, or eventually start their own brand. She explains why she believes you should gain work experience before starting a company, what aspiring founders should learn while working for someone else, how she built Ring Concierge without an industry network, and what it takes to grow from founder to CEO. We talk engagement ring trends, the bridal economy, and how social media is changing the market. Plus, we talk hiring, leadership, outside investment, natural vs. lab-grown diamonds, the biggest misconceptions in the jewelry industry, and what today’s brides are actually looking for.

This episode is brought to you by Roller Rabbit.

Take 20% off your order of $150 with code VICTORIA20 at rollerrabbit.com

Follow Fashion & Founders:

Podcast IG: @fashionandfounders

Podcast Substack: Fashion and Founders

Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com

Podcast TikTok: @fashionandfounders

Podcast YouTube: Fashion and Founders

Podcast Links: Shop My

Job Board opportunities in fashion, tech, and more.

Follow Ring Concierge:

IG: @ringconcierge

Shop HERE

Follow Nicole Wegman:

IG: @itsnicolewegman

PremiumBeat Monetization ID: KFDNIZV8PLN5ZJZB

Thanks for listening!

How to work with luxury fashion brands. How to get invited to fashion week. Top 1% of fashion creators.

Kate Bartlett has built one of the most recognizable careers in fashion content going from an FIT student posting day-in-the-life videos to working with some of the biggest luxury brands in the world. In this episode of Fashion and Founders, Kate breaks down how she turned content creation into a real business, what it actually takes to build relationships with fashion brands, and the behind-the-scenes realities of being a full-time creator. We talk about the TikTok that changed her career, gaining 100,000 followers overnight, getting signed by management, making money as a creator, and why reaching one million followers changed the way luxury brands viewed her. Kate also shares the unspoken rules of working with luxury fashion houses, how creators actually get invited to Fashion Week, and what brands are really looking for beyond follower count. We also get into the business side of influencing brand deal negotiations, exclusivity, whitelisting, production costs, working with photographers and glam teams, and why a 15-second sponsored video can take weeks of work behind the scenes. Plus, Kate talks about going back to school for her MBA at NYU, how she thinks about the future of her career beyond influencing, and her advice for anyone trying to build a career in fashion today. If you want to work in fashion, grow as a creator, work with luxury brands, or understand the business behind the influencer industry, this episode is for you.

This episode is brought to you by Swap Commerce.

Learn more about Swap and join their private fashion community HERE.

Follow Fashion & Founders:

Podcast IG: @fashionandfounders

Podcast Substack: Fashion and Founders

Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com

Podcast TikTok: @fashionandfounders

Podcast YouTube: Fashion and Founders

Podcast Links: Shop My

Job Board opportunities in fashion, tech, and more.

Follow Kate Bartlett:

IG: @katebartlett

TikTok: @katebartlett

Thanks for listening!