# 052: The business model behind custom window coverings, Alice Orozco of Pret-a-Portiere

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2017-05-09
- Length: 47m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-05-09-052-the-business-model-behind-custom-window-coverings-alice-orozco-of-pret-a-por
- Listen: https://theproductstartup.com/052-business-model-behind-custom-window-coverings-alice-orozco-pret-portiere/

## Summary

Alice Orozco, founder of Pret-a-Portiere, explains how she built a custom window covering business by reinventing the traditional drapery model through direct-to-mill sourcing and an online sales funnel. She details her journey from bootstrapping with no initial capital to iterating through multiple failed business models, including ready-made and traditional in-home sales, before finding success with a made-to-order online approach. Orozco highlights the critical importance of supplier relationships, sharing how she overcame a major quality failure by training overseas manufacturers and implementing strict quality assurance protocols. She also discusses her unique marketing strategy, which uses free physical samples as a lead magnet to achieve high conversion rates, and her focus on transparency and customer education to compete with larger, fragmented competitors in the Australian market.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-05-09-052-the-business-model-behind-custom-window-coverings-alice-orozco-of-pret-a-por#t=0) Introduction: Alice Orozco and Pret-a-Portiere
- [2:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-05-09-052-the-business-model-behind-custom-window-coverings-alice-orozco-of-pret-a-por#t=161) Bootstrapping and Feasibility Research
- [8:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-05-09-052-the-business-model-behind-custom-window-coverings-alice-orozco-of-pret-a-por#t=509) Differentiation and Market Positioning
- [12:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-05-09-052-the-business-model-behind-custom-window-coverings-alice-orozco-of-pret-a-por#t=760) Iterating Business Models and Website Challenges
- [16:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-05-09-052-the-business-model-behind-custom-window-coverings-alice-orozco-of-pret-a-por#t=988) Sourcing, Supplier Relationships, and QA
- [23:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-05-09-052-the-business-model-behind-custom-window-coverings-alice-orozco-of-pret-a-por#t=1439) Supplier Failure and Trust Building
- [30:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-05-09-052-the-business-model-behind-custom-window-coverings-alice-orozco-of-pret-a-por#t=1834) Digital Marketing and Lead Magnets
- [38:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-05-09-052-the-business-model-behind-custom-window-coverings-alice-orozco-of-pret-a-por#t=2293) Wholesale, IP, and Customer Service
- [41:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-05-09-052-the-business-model-behind-custom-window-coverings-alice-orozco-of-pret-a-por#t=2515) Failure as Data and Final Takeaways

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Pret-a-Portiere (company)
- QQ (tool)
- Station Houston (company)
- Crowdfunding Uncutt (company)

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## Citing this page

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