Inspiring Empathy & Inclusion - Pals Socks
Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in clothing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Hannah Lavon, creative director, and founder of Hooray Hoopla LLC., located in Philadelphia, PA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
The reason Pals Socks exists is to physically, undeniably show, that it is SOO FUN to have a friend who is not exactly just like you. All Pals come paired as two different friends that perfectly go together! My customers are empathetic, socially conscious quirky moms who want to pass on these values to their kids. And also, damn the man by encouraging mismatching socks wearing!
Tell us about yourself
I originally created mismatched battling animal mittens for adults, called Vs. Mittens. Selling mittens were too seasonal, and I wanted to be a full-time business owner. Mittens morphed into socks but rebranded to a message I felt passionate about: that you can be friends with someone who is not exactly like you, be it the way you look, religion, even if you have a differing favorite color. Pals Socks introduces this open-minded friendship concept to kids in an easy and unassuming way that will impact their life as they grow. I am motivated each day by our wonderful customer retailers and knowing that Pals are actively creating a friendlier world.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
That we are still in business! It had been quite challenging when I was the sole founder and had no background in retail, business, finance, or marketing. But I have taken it pretty far with luck, research, and hard work! We have never raised capital; Pals is 100% bootstrapped.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
No off switch to stop working or thinking about work, the pressure of success and growth, managing a remote team.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Always growing, never staying stagnant. Pivot if need be. If I had only made mittens, I would have never created a concept I feel really has the potential for positive social change, not to mention I would still be freelancing today.
- Don't schedule and organize; pay in advance for a launch party when your product is not ready to be launched (I learned this the hard way when I had an app startup years ago)!
- Don't go overboard on business books/podcasts; make sure you pace yourself. I don't read too many business books; to be honest, they stress me out because I judge myself as a business owner. In my free time enjoy reading snippets and articles and adding new ideas to my gigantic to-do list. And maybe only listen to a handful of business and marketing podcasts.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
After launching at the start of 2016, Pals are now in 800+ retailers in the US, Canada, Asia, and Australia, been featured in numerous publications like GMA, USA Today, Parents Magazine, the Washington Post, Romper, and I was featured in the new empowering book 'Girls Who Run the World' by Diana Kapp.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://palssocks.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palssocks/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahlavon/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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