Behind Her Empire #53: Don’t Let Fear Hold You Back with Rebecca Minkoff, Founder of Rebecca Minkoff
Rebecca Minkoff is the co-founder and creative director of her namesake company Rebecca Minkoff, a global lifestyle brand that spans apparel, handbags, accessories, footwear, and jewelry. She has also created a community of superwomen through her platform, Female Founder Collective, and is dedicated to devoting resources and time to promote and uplift other women-owned businesses.
Despite being a household name and global fashion powerhouse, Rebecca opens up about the many obstacles she’s faced to build her iconic brand and multi-million dollar business.
We’ll dive deep into the early days when Rebecca was a young aspiring designer in NY, the lessons she’s learned in the highest highs and lowest lows, mistakes founders are making when raising capital & building a sustainable brand, and her candid thoughts on work-life balance.
Rebecca’s journey and unspoken rules will show you that having faith, working hard, and staying committed to your dreams will allow you to make success happen on your own terms.
In this episode, we’ll talk to Rebecca about:
* How Rebecca fared during the pandemic and decisions she took to look after her mental health. [3:07]
* The role that Rebecca’s mom played in her life and how she instilled independence in her early on. [5:19]
* Why Rebecca chose not to pursue dancing and decided to go with design instead. [7:21]
* The decision Rebecca made to move to New York at 18 to pursue design. [8:55]
* It took Rebecca many, many years to pay herself a six figure salary. [10:23]
* Rebecca shares her experience during 9/11 and how it changed her life. [11:24]
* How Rebecca’s I Love NYC t-shirt became a viral fashion item. [13:00]
* Why being fired turned out to be a blessing in disguise. [13:41]
* The money-related fears Rebecca had when she was starting out. [14:42]
* The story of Rebecca’s famous Morning After Bag and how it grew in popularity. [15:48]
* When Rebecca’s brother officially joined the business. [0:20:03]
* Rebecca’s advice for owners who are looking to raise capital for their businesses. [20:45]
* There are specific conditions that come with taking external capital. [22:41]
* How Rebecca thought about profitability and how it has changed over time. [23:43]
* The confidence Rebecca had around being on social media early on, despite the backlash. [26:49]
* A tough time the business faced and how they overcame it. [28:27]
* There will always be problems and you have to build resilience to get through them. [30:16]
* How Rebecca gains perspective during the tough times she has been through. [31:20]
* Why Rebecca chose to title her book Fearless and what the word means to her. [33:16]
* The value of networking and the role it has played in Rebecca’s success. [35:15]
* The unique way Rebecca views mentors in her life. [38:11]
* Why Rebecca thinks that balance is a dirty word and why we should have boundaries instead. [39:47]
* The struggles Rebecca has had around comparison and how she views it now. [42:08]
* The value that being a mother added to Rebecca’s life. [44:35]
Follow Rebecca:
* Website: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccaminkoff
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liavalenciakey
* Rebecca’s Book - The New Rules for Unlocking Creativity, Courage, and Success: https://www.rebeccaminkoff.com/products/fearless-the-new-rules-for-unlocking-creativity-courage-and-success
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
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