The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 64: Creating An Inclusive Clothing Company with Spider Perry

Brian chats with Spider Perry, founder of the inclusive clothing company NerdyKeppie. Spider initially created the company as a side business to provide LGBTQ Judaica for their daughter and now runs NerdyKeppie full-time with the help of several part-time employees.

On the episode, Spider shares how the business has evolved throughout its growth. They also list their top tips for keeping a business afloat and emphasize the importance of delegation.

Episode Highlights

Mission-driven businesses create the world you want to live in.

Spider defines a mission-driven business as a company that actively tries to create the kind of world you want to live in. This definition of a mission-driven business extends beyond just the products a company makes to the working environment it provides for employees.

“It has to go both ways,” Spider said. “It would be hollow if it were only outward facing or only inward facing.”

Get organized from the beginning.

When Spider started NerdyKeppie, they were the only person who had to understand how files were named and organized. But as the company has grown, the system they created didn’t always make sense to the other people working at the company. They advise other business owners to strategically organize files from the start.

“Keep track of things better than you think, and do it from the beginning,” Spider said. “I still have a file on our server now that I still have to finish sorting.”

If you don’t trust a person, don’t work with them.

Delegation is a crucial part of running a business, so it’s important to trust the people that you work with. If you don’t trust a person, you shouldn’t be working with them, Spider advises.

“If you can’t hand off something to someone and trust that they’re going to get it done in the way that you need, maybe you need to reevaluate that relationship,” Spider said.

Spider has had to end a few business relationships because they couldn’t trust the end result. However, the people he does continue to work with are empowered to make decisions and do the job right.

“I have to pay our operations lead for the job that I want him to do,” he said. “I have to make sure that he has the tools that he needs. And then I need to stop, walk away, and let him do the job.”

Resources + Links

• The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 59: Creating The Job You Want with Sarah Kendrick

• Spider: Tumblr, Patreon, Twitter

• NerdyKeppie: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

• Brian Thompson Financial: Website, Newsletter, Podcast

• Follow Brian Online: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Forbes

About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast

Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit.

On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.