Turning Vision into Reality: My Journey with Resili

Looking back, I realize that coming up with the idea behind Resili was the easiest part of my journey. Turning my vision into reality has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding tasks. I knew I wanted to take this risk, and with it came many challenges.

I have always wanted to own a business, and this time, I wasn’t going to let anyone talk me out of it. Those close to me questioned my idea, wondering why start another apparel company, what would make my brand different, and why use bamboo. These were valid questions that created a lot of self-doubt. This decision also came with the risk of losing money, especially as a mom of two teenage boys.

After a lot of reflection and journaling, I knew that if I didn’t take this chance, I would live with regret. I didn’t want to spend my life wondering, "What if I had started Resili?" I decided that the worst that could happen was losing money, but I could always make more. The skills I’ve learned alone have made it worth it, but more importantly, I am living without regret. There will be no "what if" — I know.

Some of the biggest challenges so far have been figuring out how to start, wearing all the different hats of a business owner, and taking risks. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is overcoming self-doubt; every day is a roller coaster. One day everything seems to be working out, and the next day I wonder what I’m even doing.

I don’t have a fashion or business background. The first thing I did was research and study other brands. I wanted to know how they started, what mistakes they made (so I could try to avoid them), and more than anything, how they became successful. This is still something I learn every day. There really aren’t resources out there that describe each step of the process. There are some basic blogs about starting a fashion business, but nothing really explains the process, just the overall basics.

Through every step and every mistake, the most important part of my journey has been to keep going, never quit. I truly believe that if you keep pushing forward, you will be successful. It may not end with the success you initially envisioned, but there will be some success.

One of the first blessings was meeting a local business owner who taught me a lot about the basics of owning a clothing business and some essential skills. Through every step of my process so far, I realized that these interactions with people in the industry have taught me the most and helped me move further in my journey.

I needed a company to help bring my visions to life. It started with two sweatshirt designs, and I researched different cut-and-sew clothing manufacturers in the US. I wanted to have my line made in America. I talked with five different companies and even met with one in my city. I wanted to work with the one in Columbus, but it was out of my budget. I ended up going with one in Los Angeles.

This company drew me in because I would be part of the process, learning how to take an idea and create a product. I learned how to source fabric, create patterns, and visited the company for the first fitting. Although this experience was expensive and time-consuming, I don’t regret it. I gained skills and knowledge about the fashion industry that I wouldn’t have learned otherwise.

However, this company was too expensive for a startup fashion brand. I couldn’t afford the samples, the production cost was too high, and they couldn’t source the fabric I needed. I had to find other resources.

Currently, I am working with my third manufacturer. I have learned even more about the manufacturing process and have gained many lessons. At this point, I have sourced my own fabric and am waiting for new samples of my sweatshirts to be made. Hopefully, these will be available by early fall.

Throughout my journey, I have learned more skills than I ever imagined and made more mistakes than I anticipated. Yet, I have no regrets because without those mistakes, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It is still a daily struggle, but it has made me more resilient in ways I never thought possible. I am Resili.