HOPIE STOCKMAN NEVER met a craft she didn't like. Growing up in New Jersey, Stockman, and her three sisters would spend hours painting, knitting, and sewing. During the summer, they went to weaving camp together. "We were always obsessed with highly specific artistic processes," says Stockman, 38.
In 2013, Stockman and her sister Lily turned their passion for crafts into a business by partnering with a co-op of block printers Lily had met in India. The sisters launched Block Shop Textiles in Los Angeles, specializing in home goods and hand-block-printed apparel made using centuries-old methods. Today, the eight-person company works with small textile mills, printers, and weavers in India, Italy, and the U.S. to create everything from robes and scarves to curtains and table linens. And though Stockman spent five years as a consultant at the investment firm Cambridge Associates in Boston, she decided against raising capital to fund her business.
Kendra Scott, for her part, knows a thing or two about being bootstrapped. A college dropout who began working in retail when she was 14, Scott founded her eponymous jewelry company in Austin in 2002 and waited a decade before raising capital. In 2016, she sold a minority stake to a private equity firm in a deal that valued the company at $1 billion. Scott transitioned from CEO to executive chair in 2021, but continues to be hands-on at the company, while also investing in the next generation of entrepreneurs.
"I love mentoring, especially at this stage of my career," says the 48-year-old Scott, who has backed small businesses as a guest on ABC's Shark Tank.
Both founders have made their mark through style and in style-so Inc. recently brought Scott and Stockman together at Block Shop's new showroom in Los Angeles to talk about customer service, work-life balance, and the art of keeping products fresh.
Denne historien er fra March 2023-utgaven av Inc..
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Denne historien er fra March 2023-utgaven av Inc..
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
A Bankable Pet Project - How Moonshots Capital helped eTailPet scale up and attract a buyer in just three years.
Berenice Giannini's startup, eTailPet, wasn't a natural fit for Moonshots Capital. The Austin-based venture firm, launched in 2014 by Kelly Perdew and Craig Cummings, both of whom had previously served in the U.S. Army, frequently backs companies founded by military veterans.
Backers Should Have Your Back - The best capital provider for your business will offer a helping hand, not just deep pockets.
Three years ago, U.S. entrepreneurs were enjoying one of the best funding environments in decades. Venture capital and private equity hit all-time highs as banks loaned at historically low interest rates. All you needed to get a term sheet, it seemed, was a smile and a pitch deck.
Lift Off - Would you pay $50,000 to touch the edge of space?
Would you pay $50,000 to touch the edge of space? Meet the entrepreneurs providing a rarified clientele with a luxurious, once-in-a-lifetime journey.So you want to go to space. To take in the expansive curvature of the Earth glowing miles above the atmosphere, surrounded by pure darkness. To experience the mind-altering overview effect described by astronauts as a transcendent state of awe, staring back at the planet on which you've inhaled your every living breath.
There Will Always be Those Who Doubt You and Your Vision. Here's How to Tune Them Out. - Recently, I invited an experienced luxury hotelier to visit the new campus we were building near Santa Fe for Modern Elder Academy,
Recently, I invited an experienced luxury hotelier to visit the new campus we were building near Santa Fe for Modern Elder Academy, the midlife wisdom school I co-founded in 2018.
A Scientific Discovery that Unlocks Your Body's Healing Power
The founder of Stemregen, a company that creates powerful supplements that stimulate the body's natural repair system, explains how a \"fringe idea\" opened up a new world of stem cell therapy.
Transformative Growth: Agency Masters the Art of Evolution
As a destination marketer, Awestruck has mapped out a journey to success by constantly developing its services and its staff.
For the Love of the Restaurant Experience
The founder and CEO of DJB Hospitality shares his passion for the challenging and uniquely rewarding hospitality industry.
Custom PEO Solutions for Blue-Collar Industries
COMPEO is an HR management solutions provider with a jaw-dropping five-figure growth rate.
Homebuying Was BrokenMeet the Founders Here to Fix It
Cecilian Partners is a fast-growing technology firm providing end-to-end solutions for production homebuilders and land developers.
A Focus on Complete Solutions for Regulatory Environments
The Northcross Group develops sustainable processes for clients with compliance needs.
