Hardware Podcasts

Eileen Fisher: Eileen Fisher (2017)

How I Built This · 25 Feb 2019 · 45m

What this episode covers

Eileen Fisher, an introverted interior designer, explains how she overcame severe stage fright to launch her minimalist women's clothing brand with just $350 and no prior fashion experience. She details the rapid creation of her first 12-piece line in three weeks, the initial struggle to secure production funding through COD terms, and her decision to keep the company private and employee-owned to maintain creative control. The episode also covers her journey from trade shows to department store distribution, balancing motherhood with scaling the business, and her eventual shift to a loose leadership style as the company grew to over $300 million in annual revenue.

Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies and companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Eileen Fisher, U.S. Bank, Chanel, Versace, Prada, H and M, Zara, Henry Bendel, Bloomingdale's, Sacks, Nordstroms, Coca-Cola
Products
Green Eileen, nICE mug

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Product Startup · 49m

    006: Customizable swimwear with Kelsey Duffy of Versakini

    Kelsey Duffy, CEO of Versakini, explains how she pivoted from the failed Mix Bikini to launch her own interchangeable swimwear brand after appearing on Shark Tank. She details the challenges of manufacturing, including early errors with overseas factories and the importance of building personal relationships with reliable partners in Colombia. Duffy also discusses her strategy of collaborating with Project Runway alumna Amanda Perna to design collections while maintaining a lean team and focusing on direct-to-consumer sales to control brand identity.

    Industrial & consumer product designManufacturing partners & offshoring
    8 chapters

  • Product Startup · 49m

    044: Turning customizable jackets into a multi-million dollar business, Elyse Daniels of Exodus Wear

    Elyse Daniels, founder of Exodus Wear, explains how she turned a niche idea for fully customizable senior jackets into a multi-million dollar business by rejecting online customization tools in favor of hand-drawn student designs. She details her bootstrapped journey from a $6,000 investment to scaling production, emphasizing the critical importance of maintaining a diverse network of manufacturers in China to mitigate risk and negotiate better terms. Daniels also shares her sales strategy, which relies on aggressive cold calling and a premium pricing model that avoids discounting to preserve brand value and customer loyalty.

    Manufacturing partners & offshoringDirect-to-consumer & e-commerce
    9 chapters

  • Core77 Podcast · 55m

    Afterschool Podcast, Episode 1 - Rich Brilliant Willing

    Theo Richardson, Alex Williams, and Charles Brill, co-founders of the Brooklyn design studio Rich Brilliant Willing, discuss their journey from RISD graduates to running a furniture and lighting company. They explain how the 2008 financial crisis pushed them to bypass traditional licensing models and instead design and manufacture their own products, such as the XL Perch and Delta Fabric lamp series, to maintain speed and control. The founders detail their collaborative process, the shift from seasonal trade show launches to a more continuous product release strategy, and the challenges of maintaining their creative partnership while scaling the business.

    Starting a product companyIndustrial & consumer product design
    8 chapters

  • Product Startup · 56m

    030: Launching a product with $500 and no industry knowledge, Josh Smith of Libertine Fragrance

    Josh Smith, founder of Libertine Fragrance, explains how he launched his unisex perfume brand with only $500 and no prior industry knowledge while finishing his industrial design degree. He details his bootstrapping process, including mixing 30-70 ingredients per formula in his home, navigating IFRA regulations for European markets, and validating demand through anonymous student feedback and boutique retail partnerships. Smith discusses the challenges of scaling production for new cosmetic lines, managing quality control without third-party testing, and securing a positive review from prominent perfume critic Luca Turin to boost international sales.

    Materials & manufacturing processesStarting a product company
    10 chapters

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 30m

    Founder Feature: Tabi and Meena Hoshmand of Tursh

    Tabi and Meena Hoshmand, co-founders of Tursh, discuss bootstrapping their Afghan-inspired green chutney brand from their respective homes in New York and Los Angeles. They detail the product's development based on their mother's recipe, the strategic decision to hire an external designer to translate their cultural vision into commercial packaging, and their cautious, slow-and-steady approach to scaling into boutique retail. The sisters also reflect on the emotional journey of reconnecting with their heritage and the operational realities of running a two-person, side-hustle CPG business.

    Starting a product companyPricing, margins & unit economics
    7 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by How I Built This. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.