Hardware Podcasts

M.M.LaFleur: Sarah LaFleur (2020)

How I Built This · 10 Jan 2022 · 1h 08m

What this episode covers

Sarah LaFleur, who left a high-pressure private equity job to co-found M.M.LaFleur with designer Miyako Nakamura, explains how she bootstrapped the company with $70,000 and pivoted from failed trunk shows to a successful 'Bento' subscription model. LaFleur details her struggle to raise venture capital, facing repeated rejections from male-dominated VCs who dismissed working women as a 'niche' market, until investor Bob Deutsch helped her secure crucial early funding. She describes the operational nightmare of early inventory management and the breakthrough moment when sending pre-selected clothing boxes to customers tripled revenue, proving product-market fit for professional women seeking tailored, wrinkle-resistant workwear.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
M.M.LaFleur, Zach Posen, Bain, WeWork, Bonobos, Warby Parker, Stitch Fix, Trunk Club
Also
Miyako Nakamura, Bob Deutsch

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