Go from overwhelmed apparel founder making costly trial-and-error decisions to a founder with the expert guidance, systems, and industry knowledge to scale profitably.
Rachel Erickson brings her 20 years of expertise in the apparel manufacturing industry to The Business of Apparel podcast to inspire you to build your best brand yet. Each week, you'll hear from Rachel along with our industry experts who are shedding light on what is needed to build your own apparel line from scratch or to take your existing apparel brand to the next level and create sustainable and unstoppable growth.
Most founders "wing it" through launch & production, but scaling requires professional processes.
On the show you'll learn:
✅Profit-First Scaling: Financial architecture that protects your margins
✅Production Excellence: Mastering fit, quality control, and factory relationships
✅Operational Systems: Industry SOPs so your business can run without you
✅Strategic Guidance: Real-world advice from experts with decades of experience
No BS. Just proven frameworks you need to grow your brand. Follow the show so you don't miss an episode!
Learn more from Rachel at TheBusinessofApparel.com/masterclasses and connect with her on Instagram @BusinessofApparel
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Données mises à jour le 28/10/2026
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Why We Continue to Re-Focus and Simplify Our Business
jeudi 22 octobre 2026 • Durée 23:52
What if growing your apparel brand actually means offering less? After five years of trial and error, I'm realizing just how much simpler a business can become when you stop trying to do everything and focus on what's working. In this episode, I'm sharing how we're applying "the principle of the three ones" at The Business of Apparel: one funnel, one offer, and one million dollars as the first major milestone.
I'm sharing a sneak peek into why we're putting our energy into the Apparel Founders Board, how simplifying our offers and websites will help us better serve apparel founders, and why I believe the same approach can transform your product line. Limiting your offers can lower customer overwhelm, protect your cash flow, and build a brand people recognize for what it does best.
📝 Today We're Covering:
The principle of the three ones: one funnel, one offer, and one million dollars
How five years of testing, failures, and customer feedback shaped our business strategy
How simplifying your offers and marketing can make it easier for customers to buy
Why starting with one hero product, outfit, or collection can protect your cash flow
How to use sales and profit data to identify your best-selling products and rationalize your SKU list
How to use big businesses as a model to start small and expand strategically
Your apparel brand doesn't need dozens of products or endless offers to grow. Start by simplifying, looking at your numbers, and figuring out what you want to be known for. Focus your energy on your hero product, make it easy for customers to find, and build from a strong foundation.
Rachel Erickson is a Fractional COO, Apparel Industry Consultant, and founder of Unmarked Street and The Business of Apparel. With 20+ years in technical design and product development leadership, she sat at the executive table of a $25M apparel line and helped scale it to $60M in one year.
After decades working inside major fashion companies, she learned the truth behind billion-dollar brands, and it's not about chasing trends or pumping out endless products. It's about building clean processes, tightly edited assortments, and obsessively focused customer targeting.
Rachel helps founders and CEOs of performance apparel brands:
✅ Build lean, profitable product lines
✅ Streamline operations for growth
✅ Replace overwhelm with executive clarity
✅ Create garments that fit bodies in motion
Whether you're just hitting $1M in revenue or trying to break through the $10M ceiling, Rachel will join you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading.
Why Your Work Ethic is Actually Ruining Your Business
Épisode 189
jeudi 15 octobre 2026 • Durée 19:27
What if your stellar work ethic is actually killing your business? It sounds crazy, but if you're doing everything yourself, working 60, 80, or 100 hours a week, you may actually be creating a ceiling for your business instead of helping it grow. I've had to learn this lesson myself, and I'm seeing the same pattern with many of the apparel founders I work with.
In this episode, I'm talking about why doing more isn't always the answer. I'm sharing what my own experience taught me about letting go of tasks, giving my team room to succeed, making space to be the visionary, and recognizing when my work ethic was no longer serving me or my business.
📝 Today We're Covering:
Why doing everything yourself can create a ceiling for your business
How holding onto tasks can prevent your team from succeeding and growing
Why CEOs need space on their calendars to think about the bigger picture
What my corporate career taught me about the importance of delegation
How coaching and mentorship can help you find opportunities to save money, make more money, and move faster
Building a profitable apparel brand isn't about proving how much work you can handle. It's about creating the systems, team, and space you need to lead the business forward. My challenge for you this week is simple: give yourself permission to be the visionary.
What Actually Happens When You Survive 5 Years as a Founder
jeudi 8 octobre 2026 • Durée 30:10
Reaching five years in business is a milestone worth celebrating, and it also gives you plenty of reasons to pause, reflect, and take stock of everything you've learned along the way.
In this episode, I'm reflecting on five years of building Unmarked Street and The Business of Apparel and sharing some of the biggest lessons, mistakes, and pivots that have shaped my journey. From launching my own apparel line and realizing it wasn't where my heart was to learning the importance of trusting my vision, I'm sharing the experiences that have influenced the way I lead my business today. I'm also talking about building a strong team, simplifying our offers, learning to focus, and finally taking my own advice when it comes to tracking numbers, building processes, and creating a more profitable business.
📝 Today We're Covering:
The biggest lessons I've learned after five years in business
What launching my own apparel line taught me about being a startup founder
Why fear-driven decisions can pull you away from what you really want to build
The importance of hiring and building a team you can rely on
Why simplifying and focusing can be so difficult for entrepreneurs
The importance of knowing your numbers and using data to make better business decisions
Why slowing down to build better processes can ultimately help you grow faster
What I'm focusing on as I begin the next five years of Unmarked Street and the Business of Apparel
Five years in, I'm realizing that building a business is an ongoing process of learning, adjusting, simplifying, and starting again when necessary. This episode is an honest look at the lessons that have shaped my business so far and the work I'm doing now to build a more focused, data-driven, and sustainable company for the next five years.
Building and Scaling an Apparel Brand With a Purpose, featuring Kelly Roach
Épisode 187
jeudi 1 octobre 2026 • Durée 34:39
Starting an apparel brand can require far more time, money, and patience than you might expect, and unfortunately there may be plenty of expensive lessons to learn along the way.
In this episode, I'm bringing back a conversation with entrepreneur Kelly Roach, a former NFL cheerleader and Fortune 500 executive turned 8-figure+ entrepreneur empowering thousands around the globe to achieve financial and lifestyle freedom through entrepreneurship. Kelly shares openly about the biggest mistakes she made when launching her apparel brand, Give Her Courage, along with what she learned and how she would do things differently. She is passionate about inspiring girls and women to reach incredible goals, both through her apparel line and her strategic coaching.
📝 Today We're Covering:
Why launching with too many products can make it harder to build momentum
How to test demand for your designs before investing in a lengthy and expensive custom development process
Realistic timelines of apparel development, including how samples, revisions, overseas vendors, ports, and tariffs can affect them
How inventory quantities affect your overall startup budget
Why you need a separate budget for marketing and advertising
The importance of building wholesale relationships to get your product in front of potential buyers
Why product quality, fit, and customer loyalty are essential to building a brand that can grow over the long term
Kelly's journey offers a valuable look at some of the financial and strategic realities that come with building an apparel brand. From testing your concept to planning your long term goals, this conversation is packed with lessons that can help you approach the apparel business with a clear understanding of what it takes to get a product to market and build a sustainable brand.
Why Your Online "Factory" is Actually an Expensive Middleman
jeudi 24 septembre 2026 • Durée 16:09
When you're working with an apparel manufacturer, it's important to know exactly who you're communicating with. Sometimes the person you think is part of the factory may actually be a sourcing agent working between you and the manufacturer.
Agents aren't necessarily a bad thing, but understanding how that relationship works can have a major impact on your costs, communication, and control over your production. I'm breaking down what apparel sourcing agents do, how they fit into the relationship between a brand and a manufacturer, and what you should know about the additional costs that can come with working through an agent.
📝 Today We're Covering:
What apparel sourcing agents do and how they fit between brands and manufacturers
The potential benefits of working with an agent, especially when sourcing multiple types of products or working across different manufacturing regions
How agent fees can affect your FOB costs and why you should understand exactly what you're paying for
Why detailed, line-by-line cost breakdown sheets are an important tool for evaluating your manufacturing costs
How to compare fabric prices and yields and work directly with your mill to verify pricing
Why maintaining a relationship with your manufacturer can reduce risk and give you more visibility into your production
Whether you choose to work directly with a manufacturer or through an agent, the most important thing is understanding how your sourcing relationships actually work. Knowing who is on your team, what they're responsible for, and how money and communication flow through those relationships can help you make better business decisions and avoid expensive surprises as your apparel brand grows.
There are a lot of opinions about where you should and shouldn't manufacture apparel, but the truth is that no single region of the world is automatically good or bad for apparel production. What matters is finding the right manufacturing partner for your specific product, quantities, timeline, and business needs.
In this episode, I'm breaking down some of the biggest misconceptions about apparel manufacturing by region and talking about all the factors that should go into your decision about choosing a manufacturer. I'm also sharing a real example of a client project where we've run into unexpected sourcing challenges, even with 25 years of industry experience behind us.
📝 Today We're Covering:
Why you shouldn't assume that an entire country or region is bad for apparel manufacturing
The differences between woven and knit fabrics and why those differences can affect your sourcing options
The advantages and challenges of domestic manufacturing, including smaller MOQs and "Made in the USA" opportunities
Why tariffs, duties, shipping costs, and transit times can make overseas manufacturing more complicated right now
How working with an experienced sourcing partner can help you navigate difficult manufacturing challenges
There is no single best region for apparel manufacturing. The right choice depends on your product, your quantities, your sourcing needs, your timeline, and the manufacturing partner you're able to find. I hope this episode gives you a more nuanced perspective on where apparel can be produced and reminds you that finding the right partner can make a huge difference for your brand in the long run.
The 4 Things That Instantly Prove You're an Amateur to Factories
Épisode 184
jeudi 10 septembre 2026 • Durée 14:35
Getting a response from the manufacturer you want to work with can feel like a challenge, especially when you're building an apparel brand and still learning how the industry works. But sometimes, the way you approach a factory can be the very thing keeping you from getting a response.
In this episode, I'm breaking down four things that can make you look like a beginner to manufacturers and suppliers, and what you should understand before you reach out. I'm sharing the questions you should be asking, the information you need to have prepared, and the tools that can help you build credibility and create stronger manufacturing partnerships.
📝 Today We're Covering:
Why asking a manufacturer for their "best price" can be a major red flag
What MOQ means and why it's so important to your budget and cash flow
Why understanding lead times and a factory's production calendar is essential
Why having a professional tech pack can completely change your conversations with manufacturers
What information should be included in a tech pack, including garment measurements, construction details, and a bill of materials
How asking the right questions can help you build stronger relationships with manufacturing partners
The more you understand about how apparel production actually works, the more confidently you can approach the manufacturers and suppliers you want to work with. I hope this episode helps you feel more prepared, professional, and equipped to have better conversations as you build your apparel brand.
The Advice You Didn't Know You Needed (Office Hours Unlocked)
Épisode 183
jeudi 3 septembre 2026 • Durée 39:50
One of my favorite things about running a membership is that I have the opportunity to give apparel brand founders direct access to experienced industry professionals who can help them navigate the challenges of launching, growing, and scaling a business.
In this episode, I'm giving you an inside look at what happens during an Apparel Founders Board office hours meeting. I'm sharing a real preview of the conversations, questions, and resources that help our members make smarter decisions and navigate the many challenges that come with building and growing an apparel brand.
📝 Today We're Covering:
What it's actually like inside an Apparel Founders Board office hours meeting
The resources, templates, and curriculum I provide to Board members
How I recommend apparel brands respond to rising shipping costs and changing market conditions
What founders should consider when navigating ethics and sustainability in the apparel industry
How to audit your time and identify the right roles to delegate or hire
How I think about ROI and budget when hiring your first team members
As an apparel brand founder, you don't have to navigate this journey alone. I hope this insider's look at the kind of practical questions, resources, and strategic advice available in the Board encourages you to join us!
Don't Read My New Book, "The Business of Apparel," Until You Do THIS
Épisode 182
jeudi 27 août 2026 • Durée 19:18
Starting an apparel brand is a big investment, and taking the time to validate your idea before jumping into product development can save you time, money, and frustration down the road.
As the launch of my book The Business of Apparel is right around the corner, I want to be sure you have a solid foundation for your brand before reading about how to start your business. I'm walking through the essential research I recommend doing before launching an apparel brand. I explain why researching your idea, understanding your potential customers, and creating a business plan can help you enter the apparel industry with a stronger foundation and a clearer path forward.
📝 Today We're Covering:
How to vet an apparel product idea before investing in development
What questions to include in customer surveys to guide product development
How competitor research can help you understand pricing, products, and opportunities
Why every apparel founder should consider creating a business plan
How a SWOT analysis can help you identify your brand's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
Why thinking like a CEO from the beginning can set your apparel business up for long-term success
If you're still developing your brand idea, or if you're looking forward to reading my new book The Business of Apparel, you need to know these practical steps in order to validate your concept, understand your customers, and build your brand with a stronger business foundation.
If You Aren't Prepping BFCM Now, Your Q4 is in Trouble
Épisode 181
jeudi 20 août 2026 • Durée 19:38
Black Friday and Cyber Monday can be some of the most profitable days of the year for your apparel brand, but success doesn't happen by accident. The brands that see the biggest results are the ones that start planning months in advance with a clear marketing strategy.
I will walk you through how to create a successful Black Friday Cyber Monday strategy that attracts new customers, increases repeat purchases, and protects your profit margins. I'll share how to plan your product launches, discounts, marketing campaigns, customer service, and post-purchase follow-up while using key performance metrics to measure your success and improve future promotions.
📝 Today We're Covering:
Why Black Friday and Cyber Monday planning should begin months in advance
How to create a profitable BFCM marketing and promotional strategy
The key metrics every apparel founder should track before, during, and after the sales weekend
How to balance discounts with healthy profit margins and inventory goals
Why customer retention, community building, and post-purchase nurturing are essential for long-term growth
Whether you're preparing for your first Black Friday Cyber Monday promotion or looking to improve the results of future sales events, you'll gain practical strategies to help you plan with confidence, maximize revenue, and turn seasonal shoppers into loyal customers.
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Rachel Erickson is a Fractional COO, Apparel Industry Consultant, and founder of Unmarked Street and The Business of Apparel. With 20+ years in technical design and product development leadership, she sat at the executive table of a $25M apparel line and helped scale it to $60M in one year.
After decades working inside major fashion companies, she learned the truth behind billion-dollar brands, and it's not about chasing trends or pumping out endless products. It's about building clean processes, tightly edited assortments, and obsessively focused customer targeting.
Rachel helps founders and CEOs of performance apparel brands:
✅ Build lean, profitable product lines
✅ Streamline operations for growth
✅ Replace overwhelm with executive clarity
✅ Create garments that fit bodies in motion
Whether you're just hitting $1M in revenue or trying to break through the $10M ceiling, Rachel will join you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading.
Rachel Erickson is a Fractional COO, Apparel Industry Consultant, and founder of Unmarked Street and The Business of Apparel. With 20+ years in technical design and product development leadership, she sat at the executive table of a $25M apparel line and helped scale it to $60M in one year.
After decades working inside major fashion companies, she learned the truth behind billion-dollar brands, and it's not about chasing trends or pumping out endless products. It's about building clean processes, tightly edited assortments, and obsessively focused customer targeting.
Rachel helps founders and CEOs of performance apparel brands:
✅ Build lean, profitable product lines
✅ Streamline operations for growth
✅ Replace overwhelm with executive clarity
✅ Create garments that fit bodies in motion
Whether you're just hitting $1M in revenue or trying to break through the $10M ceiling, Rachel will join you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading.
Rachel Erickson is a Fractional COO, Apparel Industry Consultant, and founder of Unmarked Street and The Business of Apparel. With 20+ years in technical design and product development leadership, she sat at the executive table of a $25M apparel line and helped scale it to $60M in one year.
After decades working inside major fashion companies, she learned the truth behind billion-dollar brands, and it's not about chasing trends or pumping out endless products. It's about building clean processes, tightly edited assortments, and obsessively focused customer targeting.
Rachel helps founders and CEOs of performance apparel brands:
✅ Build lean, profitable product lines
✅ Streamline operations for growth
✅ Replace overwhelm with executive clarity
✅ Create garments that fit bodies in motion
Whether you're just hitting $1M in revenue or trying to break through the $10M ceiling, Rachel will join you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading.
Rachel Erickson is a Fractional COO, Apparel Industry Consultant, and founder of Unmarked Street and The Business of Apparel. With 20+ years in technical design and product development leadership, she sat at the executive table of a $25M apparel line and helped scale it to $60M in one year.
After decades working inside major fashion companies, she learned the truth behind billion-dollar brands, and it's not about chasing trends or pumping out endless products. It's about building clean processes, tightly edited assortments, and obsessively focused customer targeting.
Rachel helps founders and CEOs of performance apparel brands:
✅ Build lean, profitable product lines
✅ Streamline operations for growth
✅ Replace overwhelm with executive clarity
✅ Create garments that fit bodies in motion
Whether you're just hitting $1M in revenue or trying to break through the $10M ceiling, Rachel will join you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading.
Rachel Erickson is a Fractional COO, Apparel Industry Consultant, and founder of Unmarked Street and The Business of Apparel. With 20+ years in technical design and product development leadership, she sat at the executive table of a $25M apparel line and helped scale it to $60M in one year.
After decades working inside major fashion companies, she learned the truth behind billion-dollar brands, and it's not about chasing trends or pumping out endless products. It's about building clean processes, tightly edited assortments, and obsessively focused customer targeting.
Rachel helps founders and CEOs of performance apparel brands:
✅ Build lean, profitable product lines
✅ Streamline operations for growth
✅ Replace overwhelm with executive clarity
✅ Create garments that fit bodies in motion
Whether you're just hitting $1M in revenue or trying to break through the $10M ceiling, Rachel will join you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading.
Rachel Erickson is a Fractional COO, Apparel Industry Consultant, and founder of Unmarked Street and The Business of Apparel. With 20+ years in technical design and product development leadership, she sat at the executive table of a $25M apparel line and helped scale it to $60M in one year.
After decades working inside major fashion companies, she learned the truth behind billion-dollar brands, and it's not about chasing trends or pumping out endless products. It's about building clean processes, tightly edited assortments, and obsessively focused customer targeting.
Rachel helps founders and CEOs of performance apparel brands:
✅ Build lean, profitable product lines
✅ Streamline operations for growth
✅ Replace overwhelm with executive clarity
✅ Create garments that fit bodies in motion
Whether you're just hitting $1M in revenue or trying to break through the $10M ceiling, Rachel will join you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading.
Rachel Erickson is a Fractional COO, Apparel Industry Consultant, and founder of Unmarked Street and The Business of Apparel. With 20+ years in technical design and product development leadership, she sat at the executive table of a $25M apparel line and helped scale it to $60M in one year.
After decades working inside major fashion companies, she learned the truth behind billion-dollar brands, and it's not about chasing trends or pumping out endless products. It's about building clean processes, tightly edited assortments, and obsessively focused customer targeting.
Rachel helps founders and CEOs of performance apparel brands:
✅ Build lean, profitable product lines
✅ Streamline operations for growth
✅ Replace overwhelm with executive clarity
✅ Create garments that fit bodies in motion
Whether you're just hitting $1M in revenue or trying to break through the $10M ceiling, Rachel will join you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading.
Rachel Erickson is a Fractional COO, Apparel Industry Consultant, and founder of Unmarked Street and The Business of Apparel. With 20+ years in technical design and product development leadership, she sat at the executive table of a $25M apparel line and helped scale it to $60M in one year.
After decades working inside major fashion companies, she learned the truth behind billion-dollar brands, and it's not about chasing trends or pumping out endless products. It's about building clean processes, tightly edited assortments, and obsessively focused customer targeting.
Rachel helps founders and CEOs of performance apparel brands:
✅ Build lean, profitable product lines
✅ Streamline operations for growth
✅ Replace overwhelm with executive clarity
✅ Create garments that fit bodies in motion
Whether you're just hitting $1M in revenue or trying to break through the $10M ceiling, Rachel will join you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading.
Rachel Erickson is a Fractional COO, Apparel Industry Consultant, and founder of Unmarked Street and The Business of Apparel. With 20+ years in technical design and product development leadership, she sat at the executive table of a $25M apparel line and helped scale it to $60M in one year.
After decades working inside major fashion companies, she learned the truth behind billion-dollar brands, and it's not about chasing trends or pumping out endless products. It's about building clean processes, tightly edited assortments, and obsessively focused customer targeting.
Rachel helps founders and CEOs of performance apparel brands:
✅ Build lean, profitable product lines
✅ Streamline operations for growth
✅ Replace overwhelm with executive clarity
✅ Create garments that fit bodies in motion
Whether you're just hitting $1M in revenue or trying to break through the $10M ceiling, Rachel will join you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading.
