3 Things I’ve Learned in Two Years of Running a Small Business

& Reminiscing on the start of Eleanor Leftwich Collection

Thanks for reading Beyond the Uniform! If you’ve ever thought about starting a business or turning a passion project into something more, today’s post is for you. I’m doing a deep dive into how Eleanor Leftwich got its start, how it’s grown, and what I’ve learned along the way!

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If two years ago you had told me that Eleanor Leftwich would be another full time job, that I would end up hiring my sister as my COO (along with a team of creatives and marketers to help us), or that I would be shipping clothes I designed to the kindest (not an exaggeration!) people all over the world, I simply would not have believed you.

Being an entrepreneur and designing my own clothing line wasn’t on my 2023 bingo card, but I’m so thankful I rolled the dice and went for it when the opportunity arose. I couldn’t have done it without some incredible people guiding me along the way (especially in the beginning). In an effort to pay it forward, I wanted to take some time to share a little more about how I started ELC and a few important lessons I’ve learned along the way!

Humble Beginnings

To say that the brand evolved from humble beginnings would be a major understatement. As a political science major turned farmer, wife, and mom of four, “fashion designer” wasn’t something I aspired to until much later in life. In fact, when someone asks me what I do for a living, I still simply say “I’m in agriculture” as ELC remains surreal. However, I have always loved to shop and style. So in 2018, shortly after the birth of my fourth kiddo, and with nothing more than a desire for a creative outlet, I began sharing outfits I wore and loved. There was no strategic schedule or 5-year plan behind the posts; I wasn’t looking to be an influencer or content creator - it was simply a way to share my own personal style and celebrate small designers I admired or vintage pieces I’d found.

Sharing was very sporadic in the beginning, and things nearly came to a halt during the pandemic. Trying to do anything for yourself with 4 children and e-learning (a phrase I hope I never have to use again) for a year was nearly impossible, and frankly it felt a bit tactless; but in 2022, I felt the pull to pick it up again. My community was small, (I was sitting around 600 followers), but then something unexpected happened: a popular account, @thingsiboughtandliked, shared one of my posts. Overnight, my audience grew to over 8,000.

To me, this was akin to going viral. All of a sudden, I was part of a community that was engaged, supportive, and eager for content. It was (and remains to be) very important to me to stay true to my values. I didn’t want my account to turn into a never ending commercial; I definitely didn’t want to answer to anyone else nor give up my current career of running our family farm. However, I did recognize it as another opportunity I had been given. The question was, what?

I began posting more consistently, sharing what I genuinely loved — and listened closely to the response. That initial community that originated from TIBAL was very engaged (and still is!). At first, I thought personal styling might be the direction forward and had lengthy conversations with my IG friend turned real friend @theowngown, but I quickly realized two things. One, I needed something that could be done on my off hours - evenings and weekends. The second was that there was a huge gap in the market when it came to luxury clothing. Major design houses were continuing to raise prices while quality rapidly declined (something that has just recently become a major conversation on TikTok and Instagram with many major brands coming under fire for ungodly markups). By being part of this incredible community, I quickly realized I wasn’t alone in being insanely frustrated by this and I started to consider that I could (and should) fill that gap. From there, the Eleanor Leftwich Collection began to take shape.

What I’ve learned since then

1. Lean on your community and your network.
   I had no idea how to begin sourcing fabrics, let alone how to get anything actually produced, so I reached out to a designer friend in New York. She graciously offered so much guidance and introduced me to several trusted mills and factories. In November of 2022, I made my first sourcing trip to New York. It was exciting and nerve wracking and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I felt a bit of imposter syndrome sitting in the NYC offices of European mills. With my Retrouvai pinky ring with a flying pig on it, engraved on the inside with “Anything is possible” and decked out in my favorite vintage Chanel blazer, I played the part, but was honest that I was naive to timelines and MOQs, amongst many other acronyms. When I told the mills that I planned to launch a preorder in April 2023 to ship summer of 2023, most looked at me like I had a third eye, but in this instance my naivete served me well. Looking back, I now realize how insane it was to turn a collection around in 5 months.

   

   

   From left to right: My first sourcing trip to New York; sampling fabric and buttons; one of my first blazer samples.

   
   Simultaneously, I had shared this idea with my closest friends, one of which owns and operates A.B. Ellie, a women’s bridal accessory company. She put me in contact with The Law Bridal in Philadelphia who subsequently connected me with Digit Pattern Services, a small woman-owned pattern and production business in Chicago. After an introductory call, I knew in my bones that Digit was the right partner. Meilin, the owner, and her team helped me bring my sketches to life (sketches another beloved designer helped me create, Jennifer Klein, in Frankfurt) — proof that a strong network and a willingness to ask questions can open real doors. Just five months later, in April 2023, I launched the first official collection. My takeaway: people are usually much more willing to help than you might think! Don’t be afraid to reach out to people who have done what you also want to do; you never know what may come of it – and besides, the worst they can say is no. While I’ve heard time and time again that any entrepreneur needs to get comfortable with that word, I for one don’t take it lightly, and don’t ever forget those that were integral in my start and continue to be part of my support system.
   

2. Slow growth = sustainable growth
   In every area of my business, I have tried to prioritize a strong foundation over speedy results. From the raw materials I’ve sourced to how I’ve navigated branding and marketing, I’ve prioritized quality over quantity. This tenant of the brand has trickled down into every element of the business (even into little things like the amount of emails I send). I’ve still made plenty of mistakes along the way, but thoughtfulness has saved me from some major hiccups that could have turned into real setbacks. While originally, my timetable was faster than the industry standard, not rushing allows you to refine as you go instead of having to circle back and rebuild. It also allows you to truly connect with your audience. Organic connections are everything, and those take time to build. People are much smarter than most brands credit and some of my best ideas have come from suggestions and feedback from friends, my IG community, and clients.

   

   

   From left to right: Packing orders (with a little help!); BTS from one of my first photo shoots.

3. Sometimes you just have to embrace the crazy
   As much joy as running this business brings me, it’s also chaotic and stressful at times. Answering emails after the kids are in bed, packing orders on a Saturday in between soccer games, and constantly questioning if I’m doing right by my children is all part of it that likely isn’t as visible as the incredible photo shoots, beautiful fabrics, and brand story telling. This also isn’t my only job as I still operate our family farm with my husband and our brother-in-law. Embracing the unknown has always been difficult for me (I am an eldest daughter after all), but reminding myself that I’ve figured everything out 100% of the time brings me clarity and some degree of calmness. While designing clothes may look glamorous, I frequently drop my kids off at school in my robe while carrying an open mug of coffee because that’s the reality of this season of life. You may not feel ready when an opportunity presents itself, but what does ready even mean? Trust yourself to discern when it’s time to take the leap and know that if things feel hard or crazy, it doesn’t mean they aren’t worth doing. Embrace the seasons for what they are - even if it’s a tough one, I promise it’s worth pushing through to the other side. And remember: no one really knows what they’re doing, even if they’re faking it for the ‘gram.

I’m so thankful for the last two years, and I can’t wait for what’s to come in year three! What questions do you have? Are you working on any projects? Tell me about them in the comments!

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Last thing…

I know it’s warm and sunny in lots of places around the country right now, but it’s still FREEZING in Minnesota. The warmest it’s gotten here this week was in the low 60s, so I’ve still been in my cashmere nonstop. I hardly ever do sales or promotions, and I’ve NEVER exclusively done one for just cashmere, but I wanted to do a little something special! This weekend only, you can use code WARMUP to get 15% off all cashmere sweaters and pants. It’s light enough to wear with shorts in the summer, but warm enough to keep you cozy during colder months, so whether you're ordering to wear now (like me!) or stockpiling for the inevitable colder temps later this year, it is the perfect time to invest in what will be a wardrobe staple for years to come.

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What I’m loving/reading/watching these days!

Watching: I am obsessed with Mobland (streaming on Paramount+) from Guy Ritchie and openly have a crush on both Tom Hardy and Pierce Brosnan. If that’s wrong, I don’t want to be right.

Reading: I just downloaded Sarah Penner’s The Amalfi Curse. I really liked her book, The Lost Apothecary, so am excited to dive into this one.

Loving: I’ve really been enjoying the content that @hursoffical has been providing on Instagram. It’s more nuanced than the bigger fashion publications like @bof (business of fashion).