Female Startup Club

Today’s episode is with Phoebe Greenacre, the co-founder of a women’s activewear brand, Silou London. When Phoebe and her business partner Tatiana weren’t able to find premium, sustainable activewear that they wanted to wear day in and day out, they knew they’d spotted a gap in the market and went for it. 

And what’s really special about this episode is actually how the brand has been able to thrive during the pandemic, and let their true DNA shine through. A brand that’s always put their community first, now more than ever have been able to innovate and bring people together from all over the world through live yoga classes, guided meditations and a calendar full of heart warming activities on a daily basis for the women in their network. 

WE COVER VALUABLE TOPICS LIKE: 

• How to find a business partner and how to work out the who-does-what stuff
• Understanding what’s really involved when you want to launch a brand and the reality of how long it can take to launch
• The struggles of being a smaller brand up against bigger brands 
• How to grow an email database through;
• Giveaways and collabs with other brands, 
• Collecting data through pop ups and events, 
• Collecting data during archive sales 
• “An email subscriber is more valuable than a Instagram follower.”
• Pop Ups and Partnerships on a consignment basis
• Finding the right opportunities that fit the brand 
• What does it mean to be a sustainable activewear brand and how to deliver on that promise throughout the manufacturing and packaging process 
• Making a 100% recyclable collection and developing your own fabric from scratch
• Rethinking your strategy during the current global climate and asking the question: are brick and mortar retailers what we should be focused on and should brands be entirely focused on DTC. 
• The importance of finding opportunities to pivot, adapt or innovate during this time that can deepen your connection with your community in a real way; creating a wellness calendar packed with live events and activities online like meditation, yoga, advice and barre. And advancing that to include self care, cooking, 
• On creating content and tone of voice: “Go back and make it more human.” Ensure you’re helping and supporting the community through the power of language. 
• How to support your team while #WFH and moving to remote working. 
• Is a business plan needed in the beginning? 
• The pros and cons to stocking your brand with bigger retailers. 
• The advice you need before bringing a new brand into the world.

LINKS WE MENTION:

https://siloulondon.com/

Silou’s Instagram

Phoebe’s personal Instagram