E95: Bring your kids along on the business journey - Alice Holland-Lu, The Female Archetypes founder

What do you do when your boss tells you your pregnancy is “inconvenient”?

Start your own business.

Alice Holland-Lu used her 15 years of experience in luxury fashion to launch her own brand, based on her own experiences and struggles as her body changed throughout pregnancy and beyond.

Alice has built a hyper-local business model, a community and an emotionally-led brand, whilst carting her kids to the factory after school. What else can you do when you only have 2 days a week of childcare?

Our conversation is full of advice for women in the trenches whilst building a business during the early years of motherhood: we should all be bringing our kids on the business journey too.

Takeaways:
Childcare costs whilst your business isn't paying you a salary
The perks of a hyper-local business model
Community building
Whether fundraising is right or even possible for mums
Alice's advice for women in the trenches
3 lessons she's learnt from building a business in the early years of motherhood
And why we should be bringing our kids on our business journey too

Resources:
Muddy Stilettos: https://muddystilettos.co.uk/

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Alice Holland-Lu and Her Journey
01:45 Transitioning from Fashion Professional to Founder
04:01 The Challenges of Motherhood and Career
06:37 The Impact of COVID-19 on Maternal Mental Health
09:16 The Birth of a Fashion Brand: Female Archetypes
12:21 Innovating for Real Bodies: The Design Philosophy
14:32 Navigating the Fashion Industry and Building a Brand
17:23 The Reality of Entrepreneurship and Customer Connection
22:47 Embracing Authenticity in Fashion
25:48 The Ethical Fashion Movement
30:08 Designing for Real Women
33:28 Navigating Life Changes Together
36:28 Building Community Through Connection
39:33 Challenges of Female Entrepreneurship

Links:
Website: https://www.bumptobusinessowner.com
Instagram:   / bumptobusinessowner  
LinkedIn:   / carolinepooley  

About Alice Holland-Lu
Alice Holland-Lu is the founder of the Female Archetypes, a fashion brand built to support women's changing bodies through every life phase, from pregnancy to menopause and beyond. After 15 years in the fashion industry, Alice launched her business following two difficult pregnancies of traumatic birth and postnatal depression, which left her feeling a stranger in her own body. Nothing fit, literally or emotionally, and the seed of a business idea was planted. Her garments adapt from size UK 8 to 18 with thoughtful design features like breathable mesh, deep pockets, and underarm ventilation, supporting both form and function for real life with kids.

Alice Holland-Lu’s Links:
Website: https://thefemalearchetypes.com/
LinkedIn:   / alicehollandlu  
Instagram:   / thefemalearchetypes  


Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/