In this episode, Bora sits down with Pauline Nakios, founder of Lilla P, who shares her remarkable 25-year journey from selling a single t-shirt design to building a successful fashion brand. She reveals the nitty-gritty details of starting and scaling a clothing business, offering invaluable insights for aspiring brand builders.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The reality of starting with minimal capital ($10,000 in 1998) and how to make it work
• Navigating manufacturing challenges, including minimum order quantities and factory relationships
• The art of cold calling and building relationships with boutiques and retailers
• How to balance wholesale (75%) and direct-to-consumer (25%) channels effectively
• The evolution of marketing strategies from traditional methods to modern digital approaches
• Managing seasonal collections and inventory across multiple delivery windows
• The importance of staying true to your brand identity while adapting to trends
• Practical insights on working with sales representatives and expanding territorial coverage
• Current challenges in the fashion industry, including tariff impacts and production sourcing
• The role of AI in modern fashion business operations

Key highlights include Pauline's candid discussion of early mistakes (like not knowing stores bought seasons in advance), the importance of building genuine relationships with retailers, and how she maintained brand consistency while expanding from a single t-shirt to a full collection. She also shares valuable perspectives on modern challenges like balancing wholesale and DTC channels, and adapting to changing marketing landscapes.

Whether you're starting a fashion brand or building any consumer product business, this episode offers a masterclass in sustainable brand building, relationship-based sales, and long-term business growth.

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