When Overwhelm is Present: Leading Through Change, Burnout & Breakthroughs
Release Date: 09/18/2025
Why Sustainable Apparel Brands Fail (And How Wildhaven Wools Is Doing It Right) with Julia Billings
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Why Sustainable Apparel Brands Fail (And How Wildhaven Wools Is Doing It Right) with Julia Billings What does it really take to build a sustainable apparel brand that lasts? In this episode of The Business of Apparel Podcast, Rachel sits down with Julia Billings, founder and CEO of Wildhaven Wool, to unpack the real story behind building a values-driven kids apparel brand from Alaska, without cutting corners, chasing trends, or underpricing the product. Julia shares how she turned a personal need into a profitable brand, why merino wool is one of the most misunderstood materials in fashion,...
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This Simple Calendar System Will Scale Your Clothing Brand
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This Simple Calendar System Will Scale Your Clothing Brand Is the #1 thing you're avoiding right now a timeline and calendar for your brand? In this episode of The Business of Apparel Podcast, Rachel unpacks why building a detailed, backwards-planned timeline is the foundation of a successful and stress-free apparel brand. Whether you're selling direct-to-consumer or eyeing wholesale, understanding your calendar isn’t just helpful, it’s essential. Rachel details production schedules, fashion industry timelines, and the leadership mindset required to hit your dates and grow your brand....
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Your Apparel Brand Is NOT For Everyone! Niche Down to Grow and Build Customer Loyalty
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Your Apparel Brand Is NOT For Everyone! Niche Down to Grow and Build Customer Loyalty In this episode of The Business of Apparel podcast, Rachel discusses why your apparel brand cannot be for everyone. Learn the critical strategy of niching down to a specific target market, which is essential for launching, growing, and scaling your business. Rachel explains that trying to create a product for everyone leads to making products for no one, highlighting the importance of focusing on one perfect target segment. She uses compelling examples, from nudist colonies to different types of runners, to...
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How to Instantly Upgrade Your Apparel Tech Sketches Using Adobe Illustrator
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How to Instantly Upgrade Your Apparel Tech Sketches Using Adobe Illustrator If you want manufacturers to take you seriously from the very first sketch, your tech drawings have to speak their language. In this episode of the Business of Apparel Podcast, Rachel breaks down one of the most overlooked professional upgrades in apparel design...using stitch and symbol libraries in Adobe Illustrator. This is a live, step-by-step demo that shows how the best designers save time, reduce costly sample mistakes, and instantly elevate how their tech packs are received. You’ll learn why manually drawing...
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Why Pop-Ups and Trunk Shows Will Dominate Fashion in 2026 (and How to Use Them to Grow Your Brand)
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Why Pop-Ups and Trunk Shows Will Dominate Fashion in 2026 (and How to Use Them to Grow Your Brand) Pop-ups, trunk shows, and IRL brand experiences are back in a big way and 2026 is already shaping up to be the year they dominate the fashion and apparel space. In this episode of The Business of Apparel Podcast, Rachel breaks down why in-person activations are becoming a non-negotiable strategy for growth, especially as AI-driven brands begin to lose their human touch. If you’ve been relying on digital alone, it’s time to reconsider how you connect with your audience. Whether it’s a...
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2026 Planning, Profit vs. Growth, and the 6 Segments Every Apparel Brand Must Understand
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2026 Planning, Profit vs. Growth, and the 6 Segments Every Apparel Brand Must Understand 2025 taught us some hard lessons. 2026 is about consistency, focus, and finally doing what works. In this New Year’s Day episode of The Business of Apparel Podcast, Rachel breaks down what really happened behind the scenes in 2025. What grew, what burned out the team, and why understanding your actual customer segments (not just your ideal target customer) is the key to profitable growth in 2026. Rachel also touches on how prioritizing profitability over vanity metrics, saying no to burnout-driven...
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How to Turn Holiday Returns into Lifetime Customers for Your Apparel Brand
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How to Turn Holiday Returns into Lifetime Customers for Your Apparel Brand Returns don’t have to hurt your brand...they can build it. In this short yet powerful episode of The Business of Apparel Podcast, Rachel shares how returns and exchanges, especially during the busy holiday season, can be transformed into a strategic advantage for your apparel brand. Instead of dreading post-holiday returns, learn how to handle them for quality data, improve your customer service touchpoints, and build brand loyalty. Rachel walks through how to handle customer feedback (the good and the brutal), why...
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Wholesale 101: Is Your Apparel Brand Ready to Sell to Boutiques?
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Wholesale 101: Is Your Apparel Brand Ready to Sell to Boutiques? Are you ready to sell your apparel line into wholesale? Before you jump into boutiques and department stores, make sure your pricing is solid...or risk losing money fast. In this episode of The Business of Apparel Podcast, Rachel breaks down the essentials of launching a wholesale strategy the smart way. From understanding keystone pricing and margin structure to the nitty-gritty of salesman samples and development timelines, this is your crash course in Wholesale 101. Whether you’re scaling from DTC (Direct to Consumer) or...
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Post-BFCM Profits | How to Decode Your Data & Boost 2026 Sales
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Post-BFCM Profits | How to Decode Your Data & Boost 2026 Sales Black Friday and Cyber Monday are over, but your most important work is just beginning. If you're only looking at total sales, you're missing the bigger picture. This episode of the Business of Apparel Podcast breaks down how to actually read your BFCM data so you can scale smarter, not just harder. Rachel is also diving into what to do after the madness of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Discover why focusing on gross sales alone is a costly mistake and how to analyze the data in your CRM, ad accounts, and customer base to...
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How to Create an Unboxing Experience That Builds Brand Loyalty
The Business of Apparel
How to Create an Unboxing Experience That Builds Brand Loyalty Your packaging is more than just a box, it’s your brand’s first physical impression. If you're not thinking about it early, you're risking delays, legal issues, and missed opportunities to connect with your customer. In this episode of The Business of Apparel Podcast, Rachel breaks down why your apparel brand’s unboxing experience could be the secret weapon for brand loyalty, customer retention, and operational efficiency. From mandatory care content labels to QR code innovation and sustainable packaging, Rachel walks through...
info_outlineWhen Overwhelm is Present: Leading Through Change, Burnout & Breakthroughs
What if the growth you dreamed of is finally here, but it’s arriving as burnout, resistance, and overwhelming transition? In this episode of the Business of Apparel, we unpack what real leadership looks like when everything shifts at once.
We're talking about navigating intense change, both personally and professionally, as the CEO of a growing apparel business. From team burnout and shifting client dynamics to personal therapy breakthroughs and a major life move, Rachel shares how overwhelm can sneak in even during seasons of success. But more importantly, she reframes that overwhelm as a signal is not an identity.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- Leading through business transitions without losing your team
- Burnout signals and how to spot them in yourself and your staff
- Managing rapid business growth alongside personal life changes
- How to frame stress without identifying with it
- Balancing honesty, boundaries, and leadership responsibility
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