The Business of Apparel

Rachel Erickson brings her 20 years of expertise in the apparel manufacturing industry to this show to inspire you to build your best brand yet. Each week, you’ll hear from Rachel along with other industry experts who are shedding light on what is needed to build your own apparel line from scratch or to take your existing apparel brand to the next level and create sustainable and unstoppable growth. Rachel’s big emphasis on proper techniques, sustainable practices and business clarity will be sure to help you create loyal customers who happily purchase from you again and again. Make sure you follow this podcast so you don’t miss a single episode if you’re running your own apparel business or looking to start!

Your Apparel Brand Is NOT For Everyone! Niche Down to Grow and Build Customer Loyalty 01/22/2026

Your Apparel Brand Is NOT For Everyone! Niche Down to Grow and Build Customer Loyalty 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 illustrate how varied customer needs are. Discover how defining a clear customer avatar, like 'Kara', can guide all your business decisions, from product development to marketing, ensuring you build brand loyalty through superior fit and comfort. This approach helps attract new customer segments organically and build a profitable, fulfilling brand that stands the test of time. Sign up for the Secrets Behind Billion Dollar Apparel Brands Masterclass here: Join The Board here: Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: The Reality of Target Markets 00:33 Understanding Your Target Market 02:26 The Importance of Niching Down 03:03 Masterclass and Community Support 04:26 Creating Brand Loyalty Through Fit 09:21 Defining Your Target Customer 12:41 The Power of a Clear Target Customer 17:58 Conclusion Watch more of The Business of Apparel Podcast episodes: Wholesale 101: Use AI in Your Apparel Brand: Grow A 7-Figure Apparel Business: We can’t wait to hear what you think of this episode! Purchase the Business of Apparel Online Course: ABOUT RACHEL: Rachel Erickson—Fractional COO, Apparel Industry Consultant, and founder of Unmarked Street and The Business of Apparel. With 20+ years in technical design and product development leadership, I’ve sat at the executive table of a $25M apparel line and helped scale it to $60M in one year. After decades working inside major fashion companies, I learned the truth behind billion-dollar brands, and it’s not about chasing trends or pumping out endless products. It’s about building clean processes, tightly edited assortments, and obsessively focused customer targeting. I help founders and CEOs of performance apparel brands: ✅ Build lean, profitable product lines ✅ Streamline operations for growth ✅ Replace overwhelm with executive clarity ✅ Create garments that fit bodies in motion Whether you're just hitting $1M in revenue or trying to break through the $10M ceiling, my team joins you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading. To connect with Rachel, you can join her LinkedIn community here: . To visit her website, go to: . /episode/index/show/f44a829a-0239-45a4-b262-41b27b153939/id/39823735

How to Instantly Upgrade Your Apparel Tech Sketches Using Adobe Illustrator 01/15/2026

How to Instantly Upgrade Your Apparel Tech Sketches Using Adobe Illustrator 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 stitches is one of the biggest red flags manufacturers see, how stitch codes translate visually on garments, and how using the right tools can drastically reduce revisions, sampling costs, and production delays. Rachel also demonstrates how to download, install, and permanently save Illustrator libraries so they’re always accessible, making your workflow faster and more professional every time you design. This episode is ideal for brand owners, designers, and technical designers who want their sketches to communicate clearly and confidently to factories. Download the Adobe Illustrator Sketch Libraries here: Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Professional Tech Sketches 01:19 The Importance of Using Brush and Symbols Libraries 02:31 Creating Professional Tech Sketches with Adobe Illustrator 04:06 Exploring the Digital Tools and Libraries 07:50 Masterclass and Additional Resources 09:37 Demo: Importing and Using Brush and Symbols Libraries 14:30 Conclusion Sign up for the Secrets Behind Billion Dollar Apparel Brands Masterclass here: Join The Board here: We can’t wait to hear what you think of this episode! Purchase the Business of Apparel Online Course: To connect with Rachel, you can join her LinkedIn community here: . To visit her website, go to: . /episode/index/show/f44a829a-0239-45a4-b262-41b27b153939/id/39721985