Thriving Outside Your Comfort Zone

“Oh, you’re JUST an accessories designer? How nice…” Cue the end of the conversation. 

I heard this line at every event I attended when I was launching my brand. At the time, apparel designers were the only founders being ushered into the sanctimonious fashion community. A line of handbags, regardless of how popular, didn’t qualify you as a “true designer.” What’s a bag without an outfit, anyway? 

Being an outsider made me feel self-conscious when I was 22. Now, I view it as a strength. Launching a non-profit as a fashion entrepreneur gives me perspective I wouldn’t have otherwise. Did I have any insight on how to establish a 501C? Not the slightest. Still, it was our founding team of serial entrepreneurs and operators that enabled us to build The Female Founder Collective into a self-sustaining organization. 

No matter how many risks you’ve taken, being out of your comfort zone is scary. It’s also the only way to grow. I’ve learned that the world will move beyond you if you don’t innovate. We have to choose growth every day. 

The fashion industry has gone through multiple metamorphoses since I became a designer. There are always young brands pushing boundaries and legacy ones with more resources. Innovation isn’t an edge in business. It is a matter of survival. The industry may be competitive but the real race you’re running is against yourself. We ask ourselves every morning: What can we do to evolve today? How will we keep pushing ourselves? 

For innovation to be constant, it has to exist on a spectrum; Some risks are company-defining, while others are smaller experiments. Our first See Buy Wear fashion show seemed like a party; We closed down Greene Street and toasted our customers while they shopped after the show. In reality, it required an overhaul of our entire production process. We went from having a six month timeline to bring a new season to stores to 60 minutes. I went to sleep wondering - Will we make it in time? - for three very long months. Whereas See Buy Wear had a transformative impact on our business, we’re constantly forging new pathways. Our new rental program, Borrow, and sustainable collection, RM Green(e), give us avenues to innovate, without dramatically influencing our business.  

My optimal stretching state is to expand, not snap. I’ve learned to pace myself starting new projects. My book, Fearless, demanded my attention for three months. It required developing a new sales and marketing process to build an audience of readers. I didn’t release it during Fashion Week because I knew I needed to be patient learning a new skill. I also didn’t want to go grey!

Preparation is important, still it never equates to doing. Being out of your comfort zone feels like being thrown into a pool without floaties. I keep myself from drowning by finding stable things I can rely on: Who has done this before who I can ask for advice? What did and didn’t work for them? What learnings can I gather to inform my decisions? The deeper I dive, the greater my assurance that I can keep kicking my feet to stay above water. My security in life is that I know how to figure things out. If I’ve done it once, I can do it again. 

There are rare periods when you reach a moment of pause. One fateful year business was stable all summer. It was the first time I had space to really think. Sitting on the plateau allowed me to see bigger mountains to climb. When you’re laser focused on one, you miss the range right in front of you. Entrepreneurship is the journey of an explorer. Climb to new territory. Take a drink of water at the top. Choose the next mountain to summit. 

Our pursuit of growth is vital to our brand’s longevity. It also informs how I design my life. I’m reminded every day that if you don’t take risks, you miss out on all of the incredible outcomes that could happen. You are the only one who can realize your full potential. 

How do you thrive outside your comfort zone? Share your story in the comments! 

I wrote Fearless for everyone who has a vision for their life and the change they aim to make in the world. It’s a collection of 21 rules that help me overcome my fears and turn my dreams into reality. I’m honored to share them and hope they do the same for you. You can learn more and order it here!