MMCS Events "Be Authentic, Honest, and... Picky" - 3 Tips from an entrepreneur who made it through the economic crisis

Article Information

  • Posted By : Marina Vatav
  • Posted On : Aug 27, 2015
  • Views : 2593
  • Category : Planning
  • Description :

    What do you do when the economy melts down? Wait the storm and come back stronger.

    Allison Andrews, the Founder of Fashion Week San Diego, was very enthusiastic for the successful first year of her show in 2008. Then came the economic crisis. It seemed inappropriate for Allison to do a fashion event in those tough times when many people were losing their jobs and homes, so she decided to postpone it until the times change. She never regretted her decision.


Overview

  • Allison AndrewsAllison Andrews

    What do you do when the economy melts down? Wait the storm and come back stronger.

    Allison Andrews, the Founder of Fashion Week San Diego, was very enthusiastic for the successful first year of her show in 2008. Then came the economic crisis. It seemed inappropriate for Allison to do a fashion event in those tough times when many people were losing their jobs and homes, so she decided to postpone it until the times change. She never regretted her decision.

    "I think it was a very smart and savvy move, and I think people also appreciated that we were doing things for the right reason," said Allison.

    In 2011, she started getting more and more emails and requests. That's when she knew that the industry was ready for another show. She announced that the Fashion Week was coming back in 2012. The event sold out 30 days in advance. They received a lot of press coverage, and a good amount of enthusiasm from their followers.

    They kept growing every year.

    What's different about Fashion Week San Diego?

    They are a traditional fashion week. Their mission is to provide opportunities to emerging designers. They pick the best and most prepared designers from around the world. The majority of their guests are buyers and industry media. And, unlike other fashion week shows, they are open to the public, allowing B2C interaction.

    "We want consumers to be the brand's cheerleader, to interact with the brand and demand the buyers to carry this brand," said Allison.

    What is their success recipe?

    1. Be Authentic

    "You have to be authentic," said Allison.

    "The only reason why this event is a success and does what it's supposed to do is because it's authentic and I'm authentic, and I'm truthful, and I do things for the right reason.

    I'm doing it to help others, not make myself better, or to be the cool kid. I'm not throwing this event so that I could be popular. I couldn't care less. I'm doing this to grow an industry, and to support emerging brands that I'm very passionate about. I'm very passionate about entrepreneurism and about giving people an opportunity that they may not have otherwise, but greatly deserve. Nothing gives me more pleasure than being able to give a well deserving entrepreneur an opportunity to shine. It's huge and fulfilling."

    2. Pick and Choose your participants, speakers, or exhibitors.

    At Fashion Week San Diego, the organizers are very serious about choosing the right designers to show on the runway. This defines the quality of the event and gives the opportunity to the people who are ready to take it and run with it.

    "The designers we show have to go through a three-part interview, and they have to qualify. We just don't accept anybody. The talent and the designers that we showcase on the runway are actual designers that could have buyer meetings, or be carried in Nordstrom, or get into Vogue. I think that's really important. If out of 100 applicants only 10 qualify to be on our runway, I'll only put 10 on the runway. We are not trying to fill a quota."

    Also, the Fashion Week San Diego requires the designers to be ready from the business point of view as well:  have business cards, websites, social media activity, etc., in order to really take advantage of the business opportunities that the event offers.

    "It's a really big partnership between us and those designers. It's a very intimate partnership. We know their fears, we know their goals, and we are here to support them to pass the finish line," shared Allison.

    3. Don't be a ‘Yes Person’

    "Be honest with your clients at all times," says Allison.

    "Don't be a ‘Yes Person’. The worst thing you can do in business is: if you know something is not right or even going to work to try to make it work or try to fake it, or tell the client it's going to work and it will be ok. It's better to be cautious and honest and communicate all scenarios.

    ‘Yeses’ are not always the most supportive things in business. Sometimes people need to hear ‘no’ and that's ok too. It's a supportive ‘no’. It doesn't have to be a mean ‘no’," points out Allison.

    Fashion Week San Diego will take place on October 1-4, 2015, in San Diego, California.

    Looking into the future Allison hopes to just be able to continue doing what they are doing and see where it takes them.

    "It's pretty humbling and pretty exciting. We are doing exactly what we need to do," said Allison.