The Business of Apparel

Reaching five years in business is a milestone worth celebrating, and it also gives you plenty of reasons to pause, reflect, and take stock of everything you've learned along the way.
In this episode, I'm reflecting on five years of building Unmarked Street and The Business of Apparel and sharing some of the biggest lessons, mistakes, and pivots that have shaped my journey. From launching my own apparel line and realizing it wasn't where my heart was to learning the importance of trusting my vision, I'm sharing the experiences that have influenced the way I lead my business today. I'm also talking about building a strong team, simplifying our offers, learning to focus, and finally taking my own advice when it comes to tracking numbers, building processes, and creating a more profitable business.
📝 Today We're Covering:
The biggest lessons I've learned after five years in business
What launching my own apparel line taught me about being a startup founder
Why fear-driven decisions can pull you away from what you really want to build
The importance of hiring and building a team you can rely on
Why simplifying and focusing can be so difficult for entrepreneurs
The importance of knowing your numbers and using data to make better business decisions
Why slowing down to build better processes can ultimately help you grow faster
What I'm focusing on as I begin the next five years of Unmarked Street and the Business of Apparel
Five years in, I'm realizing that building a business is an ongoing process of learning, adjusting, simplifying, and starting again when necessary. This episode is an honest look at the lessons that have shaped my business so far and the work I'm doing now to build a more focused, data-driven, and sustainable company for the next five years.
➡️ Your Next Steps:
Order my book The Business of Apparel here!
Say Good-Bye to $20,000 Apparel Brand Mistakes here: https://www.thebusinessofapparel.com/goodbye
Join The Board here: https://www.thebusinessofapparel.com/join
Get help with product development: www.unmarkedstreet.com/contact
‼️ Don't Miss These Episodes:
Wholesale 101: https://youtu.be/lpezH1YwCyE
Use AI in Your Apparel Brand: https://youtu.be/Dn9tjPNmfaw
Grow a 7-Figure Apparel Business: https://youtu.be/rpQYDyo5Rao 
🤝 Meet Rachel:
Rachel Erickson is a 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, she 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, she 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.
Rachel helps 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, Rachel will join you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading.
Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-erickson-pmp/ and visit her website at www.unmarkedstreet.com.

Starting an apparel brand can require far more time, money, and patience than you might expect, and unfortunately there may be plenty of expensive lessons to learn along the way.
In this episode, I'm bringing back a conversation with entrepreneur Kelly Roach, a former NFL cheerleader and Fortune 500 executive turned 8-figure+ entrepreneur empowering thousands around the globe to achieve financial and lifestyle freedom through entrepreneurship. Kelly shares openly about the biggest mistakes she made when launching her apparel brand, Give Her Courage, along with what she learned and how she would do things differently. She is passionate about inspiring girls and women to reach incredible goals, both through her apparel line and her strategic coaching.
📝 Today We're Covering:
Why launching with too many products can make it harder to build momentum
How to test demand for your designs before investing in a lengthy and expensive custom development process
Realistic timelines of apparel development, including how samples, revisions, overseas vendors, ports, and tariffs can affect them
How inventory quantities affect your overall startup budget
Why you need a separate budget for marketing and advertising
The importance of building wholesale relationships to get your product in front of potential buyers
Why product quality, fit, and customer loyalty are essential to building a brand that can grow over the long term
Kelly's journey offers a valuable look at some of the financial and strategic realities that come with building an apparel brand. From testing your concept to planning your long term goals, this conversation is packed with lessons that can help you approach the apparel business with a clear understanding of what it takes to get a product to market and build a sustainable brand.
➡️ Connect with Kelly:
Website: kellyroachcoaching.com
IG: @kellyroachofficial
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kellyroachint/
Join the club: thecourageousbrand.com
Listen to her podcast: kellyroachinternational.com/podcast/
➡️ Connect with Rachel:
Join The Board: thebusinessofapparel.com/join
Get in touch here: thebusinessofapparel.com/contact
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rachel-erickson-pmp/
Order my new book, The Business of Apparel, here!
🤝 Meet Rachel:
Rachel Erickson is a 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, she 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, she 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.
Rachel helps 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, Rachel will join you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading.

When you're working with an apparel manufacturer, it's important to know exactly who you're communicating with. Sometimes the person you think is part of the factory may actually be a sourcing agent working between you and the manufacturer. 
Agents aren't necessarily a bad thing, but understanding how that relationship works can have a major impact on your costs, communication, and control over your production. I'm breaking down what apparel sourcing agents do, how they fit into the relationship between a brand and a manufacturer, and what you should know about the additional costs that can come with working through an agent.
📝 Today We're Covering:
What apparel sourcing agents do and how they fit between brands and manufacturers
The potential benefits of working with an agent, especially when sourcing multiple types of products or working across different manufacturing regions
How agent fees can affect your FOB costs and why you should understand exactly what you're paying for
Why detailed, line-by-line cost breakdown sheets are an important tool for evaluating your manufacturing costs
How to compare fabric prices and yields and work directly with your mill to verify pricing
Why maintaining a relationship with your manufacturer can reduce risk and give you more visibility into your production
Whether you choose to work directly with a manufacturer or through an agent, the most important thing is understanding how your sourcing relationships actually work. Knowing who is on your team, what they're responsible for, and how money and communication flow through those relationships can help you make better business decisions and avoid expensive surprises as your apparel brand grows.
➡️ Your Next Steps:
Get help with product development: www.unmarkedstreet.com/contact
Subscribe to the Apparel Founder's Boardroom Notes on Substack: substack.com/@businessofapparel
Join The Board here: https://www.thebusinessofapparel.com/join
Order my new book, The Business of Apparel, here!
‼️ Don't Miss These Episodes:
Wholesale 101: https://youtu.be/lpezH1YwCyE
Use AI in Your Apparel Brand: https://youtu.be/Dn9tjPNmfaw
Grow a 7-Figure Apparel Business: https://youtu.be/rpQYDyo5Rao 
🤝 Meet Rachel:
Rachel Erickson is a 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, she 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, she 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.
Rachel helps 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, Rachel will join you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading.
Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-erickson-pmp/ and visit her website at www.unmarkedstreet.com.

There are a lot of opinions about where you should and shouldn't manufacture apparel, but the truth is that no single region of the world is automatically good or bad for apparel production. What matters is finding the right manufacturing partner for your specific product, quantities, timeline, and business needs.
In this episode, I'm breaking down some of the biggest misconceptions about apparel manufacturing by region and talking about all the factors that should go into your decision about choosing a manufacturer. I'm also sharing a real example of a client project where we've run into unexpected sourcing challenges, even with 25 years of industry experience behind us.
📝 Today We're Covering:
Why you shouldn't assume that an entire country or region is bad for apparel manufacturing
The differences between woven and knit fabrics and why those differences can affect your sourcing options
The advantages and challenges of domestic manufacturing, including smaller MOQs and "Made in the USA" opportunities
Why tariffs, duties, shipping costs, and transit times can make overseas manufacturing more complicated right now
How working with an experienced sourcing partner can help you navigate difficult manufacturing challenges
There is no single best region for apparel manufacturing. The right choice depends on your product, your quantities, your sourcing needs, your timeline, and the manufacturing partner you're able to find. I hope this episode gives you a more nuanced perspective on where apparel can be produced and reminds you that finding the right partner can make a huge difference for your brand in the long run.
➡️ Your Next Steps:
Reach out to me at hello@unmarkedstreet.com
Subscribe to the Apparel Founder's Boardroom Notes on Substack: substack.com/@businessofapparel
Join The Board here: https://www.thebusinessofapparel.com/join
Pre-order my book, The Business of Apparel, here!
Pre-order the e-book version here!
‼️ Don't Miss These Episodes:
Wholesale 101: https://youtu.be/lpezH1YwCyE
Use AI in Your Apparel Brand: https://youtu.be/Dn9tjPNmfaw
Grow a 7-Figure Apparel Business: https://youtu.be/rpQYDyo5Rao 
🤝 Meet Rachel:
Rachel Erickson is a 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, she 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, she 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.
Rachel helps 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, Rachel will join you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading.
Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-erickson-pmp/ and visit her website at www.unmarkedstreet.com.

Getting a response from the manufacturer you want to work with can feel like a challenge, especially when you're building an apparel brand and still learning how the industry works. But sometimes, the way you approach a factory can be the very thing keeping you from getting a response.
In this episode, I'm breaking down four things that can make you look like a beginner to manufacturers and suppliers, and what you should understand before you reach out. I'm sharing the questions you should be asking, the information you need to have prepared, and the tools that can help you build credibility and create stronger manufacturing partnerships.
📝 Today We're Covering:
Why asking a manufacturer for their "best price" can be a major red flag
What MOQ means and why it's so important to your budget and cash flow
Why understanding lead times and a factory's production calendar is essential
Why having a professional tech pack can completely change your conversations with manufacturers
What information should be included in a tech pack, including garment measurements, construction details, and a bill of materials
How asking the right questions can help you build stronger relationships with manufacturing partners
The more you understand about how apparel production actually works, the more confidently you can approach the manufacturers and suppliers you want to work with. I hope this episode helps you feel more prepared, professional, and equipped to have better conversations as you build your apparel brand.
➡️ Your Next Steps:
Learn about our product development services: http://unmarkedstreet.com/contact
Say Good-Bye to $20,000 Apparel Brand Mistakes here: https://www.thebusinessofapparel.com/goodbye
Pre-order my book, The Business of Apparel, here!
Pre-order the e-book version here!
‼️ Don't Miss These Episodes:
Wholesale 101: https://youtu.be/lpezH1YwCyE
Use AI in Your Apparel Brand: https://youtu.be/Dn9tjPNmfaw
Grow a 7-Figure Apparel Business: https://youtu.be/rpQYDyo5Rao 
🤝 Meet Rachel:
Rachel Erickson is a 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, she 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, she 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.
Rachel helps 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, Rachel will join you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading.
Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-erickson-pmp/ and visit her website at www.unmarkedstreet.com.