Oct 22, 2019
Being a product based business owner takes a lot of creativity on all fronts- in your designs, in operations, your marketing and how your reach people and tell your story. Now there are so many different platforms and technologies it can be hard to know where to start or which platform to choose. On today’s Proof to Product episode with Dani Nagel, the founder of Dazey LA, we sit down to talk about the importance of finding platforms that work best for your creativity and that start your kind of conversation.
Dani founded Dazey LA as a fashion brand focused on empowering women through conversation and community. She intentionally built a business that supports her personal values. Each design is hand drawn by Dani and then manufactured to order in Los Angeles, California.
On today's episode, Dani and I talk about how her corporate and startup experience shaped her business perspective. We discuss sustainability, community building, and how Dani built Dazey LA from the ground up. Dani talks about how transparency and showing behind the scenes processes of her marketing and product development has helped her business. And we dive into Dazey LA's ambassador program, which tools they use, how they structure it, and how it has helped them build the retail side of their business.
ON TODAY’S EPISODE:
- The spirit and inspiration behind Dazey LA
- How Dani uses her clothing designs to start a conversation
- Making the switch from corporate life to full-time freelance
- What Danielle learned working for a start-up company
- How Dazey grew out of Dani’s studio apartment
- Using Instagram to tell the real Dazey LA story
- Coping with copy-cats and look-alikes
- Dazey’s daily marketing tactics
- Why Danielle decided to start an ambassador program
- How the ambassador program took off
- The size of the Dazey team today
- Dazey’s make to order model and zero-waste goals
- Advice for new product designers and what’s up next for Dani & Dazey
KEY TAKE-AWAYS:
“Every step of the way with Dazey, I've just been very intentional about aligning my messaging and my values along with my brand and my aesthetic. And somehow it worked out.” - Danielle Nagel
“I really try to design things that I want to wear, and I want to promote. I just follow what feels right to me. I try to stay true to myself in everything that I do.” - Danielle Nagel
“So through Instagram Story I just started to transparently share the highs and lows of running a business, the fun behind the scenes, and all the nitty gritty I remember wishing I could see when I was working for these corporate companies.” - Danielle Nagel
“When we're just starting out, we want to look bigger than we are because we want to be taken seriously, and we want people to purchase our products. But then it gets to a point to where maybe we want people to know we're small and nimble.” - Katie Hunt
“At the end of the day, I feel like my art stands on its own, and my messaging and branding is really strong. I know that the sharing transparently has been what has helped my business grow.” - Danielle Nagel
“At my corporate job I was always trying to push the rules, always getting in trouble. So it's really fun having control of my own brand and be able to say, "Screw it, I'm going to share everything. I'm going to share designs before they're released. I'm going to share how I made them." - Danielle Nagel
“When I started Proof to Product, I felt like if we all get together and share what we know all of us will thrive. All of us will grow stronger together. And now, we've got this great amazing community.” - Katie Hunt
“We use our platform as a space to create conversation, and we really want that to be a back and forth conversation. We design along with our audiences. I ask their opinions.” - Danielle Nagel
“I'm okay with sacrificing crazy profit margins to be able to have a company that aligns with my values, and create something our community really cares about, that’s a great conversation starter.” - Danielle Nagel
“I'm always chasing what's next and what's new. So whenever I get to refresh the brand it's so exciting for me.” - Danielle Nagel
LINKS
Website: http://www.dazeyla.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dazeyla
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dazey_la/
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ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT:
Proof to Product is hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, Proof to Product has worked with thousands of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode!