Selfmade, our 10-week highly-interactive virtual business course for women, has sparked amazing business ideas and a strong network of innovators, trailblazers, and women ready to launch. Thanks to our partnership with Office Depot OfficeMax, we are telling stories of Selfmade founders as they navigate the world of entrepreneurship.
First up: Vanessa Perry, founder of Autumn Body, talks about her extreme weight loss and how she turned a personal trial into a living, breathing brand, taking small steps along the way and listening to market research to evolve her brand.
B + C: What motivated you to start Autumn Body? What problem are you trying to solve for your customers?
Vanessa: Since losing 100 pounds over a decade ago, I've had trouble finding comfortable clothing due to loose skin. Undergarments like bras and underwear are a particular challenge. So when I ask myself the question, "What problems am I uniquely positioned to help solve in the world today?," the idea of improving the everyday lives of people with loose skin came to mind right away.
I believe making innovative design changes with the right fabrics can make undergarments more comfortable, breathable, and fashionable for people managing the same skin issues I am. My vision is that these garments are functional, stylish, and something you'd want to wear every day.
B + C: How has the company evolved since your initial "aha" moment?
Vanessa: My "aha" moment came in 2020, when I realized it wasn't my body I was having issues with, it was how my clothes fit me.
I often think back to my wedding in 2019. I searched for months for a dress that was full coverage and allowed me to wear supportive undergarments. Most dresses at the time had sheer or open backs, plunging necklines or no sleeves. I was frustrated that my body type wasn't right for dresses. My "aha" moment was realizing that most dresses aren't made with my body type in mind.
That experience showed me that I can be the person to help solve this problem, starting first with creating great bras and underwear. Not only that, there are opportunities to have an impact on clothing like shirts, pants, dresses, and more.
B + C: What startup challenges have you faced along the way?
Vanessa: When it comes to startup garment development, there are many things to know. There's design, sample sewing, fabric sourcing, manufacturing, and more. Finding out where I fit in, and where I need to work with others was my first big puzzle to solve. Fundraising is another huge factor as well.
B + C: What strategies helped you overcome them?
Vanessa: Meeting people, networking, and talking it out is essential. I'm seeking and getting feedback from other small business owners and entrepreneurs, too. In the process, I've learned strategies for finding the right professionals to help build my product. The most important thing is remembering you can't build it alone. Actively seeking and applying for funding opportunities is another important thing. I'm always on the lookout!
B + C: What would you say are your top successes so far?
Vanessa: Seeing my bra and underwear ideas made into flat sketches was surreal because I could finally show people the idea I've had in my head for a long time. I'm in the middle of my first round of fabric sourcing, and I'm eager to see and feel what comes back. Finally, we are just wrapping up our first round of market research, and I learned so much about who my target audience is and what they are looking for.
B + C: How have you approached marketing your brand and raising awareness?
Vanessa: My focus is connecting with people and keeping the community updated and involved every step of the way. Since Autumn Body is in the very early stages, most of my marketing and brand awareness has been organic. During Selfmade, we learned about creating a landing page people can go to and sign up for updates. We also learned how to make content calendars so we can publish content on social media consistently.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
Vanessa: Have a bias for action. Not being intimidated by the long road ahead and taking it day by day.
B + C: Congrats on being our pitch day winner! How did it feel to win?
Vanessa: It was already a huge opportunity to be one of the 10 amazing founders to participate in pitch day. I felt amazed, fortunate, and humbled by becoming the pitch day winner. There's been a lot of momentum for Autumn Body as a result. It's great to know that there's so much support for the vision behind this brand.
B + C: Who and what inspires you?
Vanessa: Listening to people with inspiring mindsets has been great for me. I recently took two Masterclasses - one from Robin Arzón, VP/Head Instructor at Peloton. The other was from Sara Blakely, inventor of Spanx. During her course, Robin said "focus is the antidote to fear" and "action is the antidote to anxiety." Both reminded me I am in control of my destiny, and it starts with focus and action.
In Sara's course, she asks "How do you want to serve the world? Another way to ask yourself that is, "What breaks your heart?" I was so inspired by this because I thought back to my younger self, navigating body image issues. I also connect that to every person's story I learned about during market research. I want to find ways to help make these issues a bit easier for people.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Vanessa: Just explore. When I signed up for Selfmade, I just went in with an open mind. Sometimes we psych ourselves out because we don't have all the answers to our questions on day 1. How will I fund this? I can't do this all on my own ... how do I find the right people? When thoughts like that arise, there are two things to remember: you are in control of your destiny, and you will figure this out. Take it one small step at a time, every single day. When you look back, you'll be amazed at how far you came.
B + C: What's next for Autumn Body?
Vanessa: We're wrapping up our first round of market research, and we learned a lot about our core audience. People with loose skin are not a monolithic group. People have loose skin in different places on their bodies, for example. Simply put, that means people have many different undergarment needs. These are key factors we need to address during development.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot OfficeMax scholarship to Selfmade done to help you grow your business?
Vanessa: Without the Office Depot OfficeMax scholarship, I wouldn't have been in Selfmade! The scholarship was truly life changing. If you're interested in Selfmade, but unsure if the cost investment is right for you - go for the scholarship.
B + C: How have Office Depot OfficeMax services/products helped you accomplish more in your business?
Vanessa: I was able to get my first business cards printed in time for me to attend and network at LA Textile, my first industry trade show. This reminded me how Office Depot OfficeMax has been with me through every stage of my life. In elementary school, it was for notebooks or pencil cases. In middle school, it was for presentation boards. In high school, it was printer ink! Now, as an entrepreneur, it's to have business cards. It's good knowing that if I have a need, Office Depot OfficeMax is always there.
Thanks Vanessa! You can follow Autumn Body at @autumn.body and autumnbody.com.
Doing your research is an important part of being a successful entrepreneur. Along your business journey, let Office Depot OfficeMax help you stay organized & save time with a suite of business services to help you accomplish more - from signs, posters & banners to get your business noticed to marketing materials to help bring your brand vision to life. With Office Depot OfficeMax by your side, you can focus on what you do best. Learn more at Office Depot's Selfmade page.
Want to join the next Selfmade cohort? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.
