Fashion Business Owner Musings: Why Should I Bother?

We hear a lot about how it’s important to find ways to stand out as a fashion business in a crowded marketplace.

I understand this advice; it’s advice that I give too. As business owners in a very saturated market and at a time when “access” is a given for customers, there is certainly a need to differentiate your brand in a way that captures your customers attention, hearts, and loyalty.

But I think that this advice can sometimes be misconstrued.

I think that sometimes we take this to mean that we’re wasting our time in building our businesses if we aren’t “unique” enough.

I think it’s easy to find yourself in a mindset of believing the business won’t work if your ideas aren’t really special and different.

It’s easy to doubt not just yourself and your business but your desire for entrepreneurship as a whole.

You wonder if you’ve made a terrible mistake and whether you should be spending your time online looking for a job rather than spending your days doing what you love to do.

You start to wonder, Why Should I Bother?

So I want to make sure that you don’t give up simply because someone, somewhere told you that you have to be “unique” in order to be successful.

Yes, there are a lot of fashion brands out there. There are many many makers of clothing, handbags, jewelry, scarves, shoes, swimwear, and lingerie. Yourselves included.

But every single one of you have the ability to succeed with your businesses of making those same things, serving a very similar customer.

Every single one of you can build the business that you want to build and become profitable in it even if your business isn’t something completely different from what’s out there.

And that’s because it’s about your own, individual approach.

When you make your brand about your beliefs and your point of view and your values, you’re creating a brand that no one can copy.

When you share your voice and let them see your facial expressions, and learn about what you stand for and connect with them on the things they care about, you are creating an experience that no one else can give them.

Now, not everyone will subscribe to your particular approach. Some will be drawn to another brand. And that’s OK, that’s why there is room for every brand.

Your visual branding, your brand personality, your brand values, and your outlook are what make you, you.

That’s what is unique, that’s what makes your business stand out.

So use it.

When you do, you’ll start to see how much easier it is to find the confidence you need to keep moving forward and ultimately find success in your business.

Lots of love and encouragement,