When she couldn’t find a comfortable white shirt to wear under a sweater, she set out to make one. Because Elizabeth Thurer had been a ballet dancer, how the body looked and moved had been a major focus in her life. In the real world, she loved the polished look of a button down shirt but never liked how the shirt lookek, felt bunched up underneath, and always came un-tucked.
With need driving her invention, Elizabeth had her tailor sew a button down collar onto a stretchy t-shirt bodice to see what her concept might look like. Now she had found a solution. Getting encouragement from friends and family Elizabeth thought, “I might be on to something and the story of Spanx resonated with her, because there was nothing like her product on the market.”
Knowing nothing about the fashion business, Elizabeth says, “Ignorance is bliss. When I met with people in the industry I asked them to explain how things worked…and they happily helped. It was a steep learning curve. Had I known more, I probably wouldn’t have started my business.”
She found a workroom, sourced fabrics, produced 100 shirts and promptly sold out. Now came the hard part – selling shirts, trunk shows, trade shows, accounting and production. It was overwhelming and Elizabeth thought about abandoning her idea, when someone said, “You have to meet Lisa.” Sometimes finding the right partner can make all the difference in the evolution of a business.
Lisa Daniel had experience with on line and in store selling. Her first job, first day was at the chaotic sidewalk sales for Ralph Lauren. When the two met, Lisa had been running an on line store featuring the Calypso line, among other brands, and selling mainly to East coast customers. When Calypso added locations in the East, her service was shrinking and Lisa wanted something of her own. “I was tired of putting so much time in for someone else’s business.”
Lisa and Elizabeth met several times and realized that the sum of their talents could make the shirt line a more viable business. “Starbucks was our best friend; it became our office.” They revamped the line, added colors and sleeveless shirts and went back out into the field in October of 2011. The line now has five shirt styles that can be worn alone or as an essential layering piece. Selling at holiday boutiques, trunk shows and trade fairs, their shirts are now in multiple stores and sales are promising. Elizabeth says, “There are so many ways to sell and market a product that didn’t exist 20 years ago.”
Lisa has two kids, and runs the back end of the business, “It’s more than full time, but the flexibility is great. I grew up with a working mom and I love how my daughter sees me with a job.”
With three boys, Elizabeth works around their schedules. She says, the nice thing about running your own business, “There is no monotony, every day is different and exciting.”
Elizabeth Daniel shirts now found in the VentureMom Shop
VentureMom Tip
When you are overwhelmed, think about finding the right partner.
