[05:45] HOW DID MOODELIER BEGIN?

In 2018, Claire was freelancing and working on projects for live events and photo shoots. She was also working at a startup and quickly learned she was not meant to climb the corporate ladder. Drawing on her varied experience of photography, event planning, and fashion/retail management, she began to lay down the groundwork for Moodelier. She registered the business in late-2019 and launched Moodelier’s first collection in 2020.

[10:35] WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT BEING YOUR OWN BOSS?

Claire loves the freedom that comes with working for herself. While she does admit that the lack of a given structure and routine is a challenge, she ultimately prefers the flexibility she has in her work and the ability to fully pursue her own vision.

While she does admit that the lack of a given structure and routine is a challenge, she ultimately prefers the flexibility she has in her work and the ability to fully pursue her own vision.

[12:10] HOW DO YOU KEEP YOURSELF MOTIVATED?

Claire involves others in her plans in order to hold herself accountable and uses her meetings as a way to focus her attention on a specific area of business or project.

She also commits to a handful of major “priority tasks” each day and always executes smaller tasks immediately.

[14:40] CAN YOU SHARE MORE ABOUT YOUR DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING PROCESS?

Claire first starts her design process by sourcing inspiration for her products. She then produces detailed technical drawings and sends her designs to a manufacturer in China. Claire notes she experiences a common frustration among product-based businesses: Moodelier’s product development process is incredibly long and has become more challenging during the pandemic due to the distance between her and her manufactures.

[22:42] HOW DID YOU INITIALLY FUND YOUR PROJECTS?

Moodelier is fully self-funded, and that has presented an ongoing challenge for the product-based business. To navigate the inevitable strugglers of being self-funded, Claire works with manufacturers to try to get a lower minimum order for certain products and runs preorders strategically.

[27:55] WHAT KIND OF COURSES DO YOU CURRENTLY OFFER?

Moodelier currently offers courses on photography, photo shoot styling, branding, portfolio development, and proposal drafting. Claire teams up with other talented creatives and industry experts to teach the courses to better showcase different skill sets and approaches.

[30:15] WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR CREATIVES STRIVING TO DEVELOP A MORE REFINED AND DISTINCT AESTHETIC?

Claire cautions creatives against following trends not authentic to them. She encourages brands to embrace color in their work, especially if they’re targeting Gen Z buyers. Finally, she assures listeners that brand evolution is natural and nothing to be distressed by.

[34:20] HOW DID YOU KNOW IT WAS TIME TO HIRE A VA (VIRTUAL ASSISTANT) FOR YOUR BRAND?

Once Claire figured out her systems for day-to-day tasks like social media and customer service, she decided to bring on a VA to take on these important but time-consuming tasks. Doing so has allowed her to allocate her time to bigger projects that require more specialization.

[35:55] WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT GROWTH STRATEGY?

Claire is placing an emphasis on trade show exposure; she notes that in-person events are a great way for consumers to experience the quality of her products. She also currently focuses on Pinterest over Instagram for product marketing and ecommerce.

[38:00] WHAT FINAL ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR CREATIVES WHO WANT TO GO FULL-TIME WITH THEIR BUSINESS?

Claire encourages listeners to stop waiting for the perfect moment to kick off their business and to just start strong. She notes that as long as there is sufficient enthusiasm and momentum backing a business, all potential issues can be resolved along the way.