From Suana Suits to Smart Waistbands: The Tech Rebirth of Athleisure with Emma Vollrath of Emma Lou The Label
Season 1 Episode 1
From Suana Suits to Smart Waistbands: The Tech Rebirth of Athleisure with Emma Vollrath of Emma Lou The Label
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https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-club/id1802430594?i=1000702710134
Emily Jean (00:09)
Hi you guys, welcome to or welcome back to Founders Club. This is Emily Jean and I'm your host. I'm really, really excited for today's episode because it's a bit of a full circle moment for me. I actually first discovered Emma Lou in a previous role when the company I was working for,
had her products in our store and online. And I saw how much potential was in the product. Not only the product itself, which you guys are gonna hear is like incredible and just an amazing design and idea, but also the branding behind it. I think that Emma's done such a good job of creating the brand to be something that really speaks to its consumer.
So anyways, I've been a huge fan ever since I discovered the brand and I'm so excited that I got to have her on the podcast. So today's episode is with Emma Vollrath and she is the founder of Emma Lou and she's a total powerhouse. She started out as a personal trainer and Pilates instructor and she had worked with a ton of women one-on-one. She kept hearing the same thing that.
So many women were feeling self-conscious about their lower stomach area. Emma decided to create something that would really help.
Basically, enhancing waistband made from recycled thermal plastics, and it's designed to reduce bloating and water weight while still being really cute and wearable.
super innovative, and has been featured in Vogue, Forbes, Cosmopolitan, The Skinny Confidential, pretty much any chic publication that you can think of.
I love Emma Lou because it's really not just your regular active wear brand. Of course, it's extremely functional, but it's also super feminine, flattering, super chic. Like I said, the branding is so on point and it's so clear how much Emma really cares about making women feel good in their bodies. She's been doing all of this as a one woman show, which is incredible.
We spoke about a lot of different things in this episode, you know, from her journey as a trainer to an entrepreneur, branding challenges, what it's like pitching to people like Emma Grede and Ashley Graham on hustlers and what's next for the brand.
I'm so excited for you guys to listen to this. hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed chatting to her. If you love this episode, of course, please leave a review on Apple or Spotify or wherever you're listening to this. You can also leave a comment or send me a DM to let me and my team know what you think. You can follow me on Instagram at emily.jeans or visit www.livegooddigital.com for more info on the podcast
you can also follow the Instagram for the podcast at @afoundersclub It's a new account we just created in the last few weeks. So yeah, let's get into it.
Emily (02:53)
well Emma, welcome to the podcast. We're so excited to have you. already told everyone about you, but why don't you give us a little bio and tell everyone about you yourself. I'd love to hear in your own words.
Emma Vollrath (03:05)
Yeah, so my name is Emma. I'm the founder of the brand, Emmaloo, or Emmaloo the label, however you want to call it. And I started this brand around when the whole quarantine COVID happened in 2020. I was a personal trainer and Pilates instructor for a few years prior to that. And I just felt like I was so deep into the fitness space that
I was able to kind of gauge what women want in their clothing and that happened to be something that was functional and also included a little bit of technology with it. So it was not, I wasn't planning on doing an active wear line. Like growing up, I didn't dream of having one, but now that I have one, I can't imagine my life without it. So that's kind of where I'm at.
Emily (03:51)
I don't know how familiar the audience is with the brand, but for me, I have seen little glimpses on Instagram definitely before I was even familiar with the brand as a whole. I think you've done such a good job of making like a functional piece of clothing, but also such an aesthetic brand at the same time.
How have you managed to do that? How did that come to be? What's the thought process from beginning to end that led you to create that product specifically?
Emma Vollrath (04:25)
Yeah, it didn't start out like that. I just didn't want the brand to be...
like too serious if that makes sense because it does have the technology. I can just explain it just so someone doesn't know, but it's called the Glow Band. It's a recycled thermoplastic fabric that goes in the inside of all of our waistbands and the leggings and the jumpsuits. Anything that has a pant component to it, there's a Glow Band in it and it's patent pending. So I've definitely worked hard to get it to this point, but it is a fabric that is heat trapping. So it helps ease water weight and bloating in the lower stomach area. And that was
the primary, I guess, complaint you could call it that a lot of my clients were giving to me during our training sessions and also I could relate to it. Like I feel as if I'm bloated very easily if I eat something wrong, if I don't drink enough water, like there's just always something and so having something that isn't a digestible supplement that's just something you can wear and feel cute that helps you with these issues I thought was a great solution but I didn't want
the brand to feel like it was primarily like just for the gym. I wanted it to be girly and feminine and fun and cute. And so in the beginning, I think I've probably changed my branding three or four times because you just never know how you want the brand to go. And so I just wanted to start and get the product out there because I feared that if I didn't just start, I would have still probably been.
figuring out my branding, which is the least important part when you're starting out, like just get the product out. So yeah.
Emily (06:00)
Yeah, I think some of the best advice I ever heard was that like, who are not professionals will spend a lot of time coming up with the name of something. And I think that is such a good point. because I have the tendency to do that, I'm like, it's something that I think is really important. That's really not in the grand scheme of things. And how did you come up with Emma Lou? Like, what's the story behind that name?
Emma Vollrath (06:22)
It's a nickname actually I've had since I was young. Not only am I just a family nickname, but before that it was something completely different, like very activewear based. And I just wanted it to kind of feel like if I wanted to venture out and do something else, then I could and I wouldn't be bound to like the activewear name. That's why it's Emma Lou the label. So kind of have some room to move around.
Emily (06:45)
like that. Are you planning on branching out big time from active for like what would be the goal that in terms of branching?
Emma Vollrath (06:51)
Not yet. I feel like I still need to create a super good core collection because I do capsule drops. I'm just like drop-based. I'm not like a Lululemon where they drop who knows how many pieces a week. This is like one per month or one for every three months. So think right now I'm gonna stick with activewear but in the future I don't even know what I would do. Maybe I wouldn't do swim I don't think. Wouldn't do regular clothes. I don't know. I kind of have to...
Emily (06:56)
Yes.
Emma Vollrath (07:18)
I kind of have to figure that out, just in case, have that as a backup plan.
Emily (07:24)
I love that. I think swim actually would be a good idea though. I feel like as soon you said it, I'm like, that's genius. I would love to see you guys do swim.
Emma Vollrath (07:30)
Yeah, well maybe now
that you said it, maybe we'll have to do a little sample.
Emily (07:37)
Okay, so I feel like you correct me if I'm wrong. don't want to put words in your mouth, but do you feel like your designs are really focused on empowering women when it comes to their fitness journeys?
Emma Vollrath (07:46)
Yes, I love flattering cuts. love cute colors. Just anything girly and feminine. just love it a lot. I don't love the block designs or very like strappy, loud pieces. I just like something that's classic and chic and just kind of elegant and that you can pair with like cute ballet flats or your favorite sweater. Just something that you can kind of bounce around like from class to lunch to
coffee, like whatever you want. So I feel like creating pieces that are like supportive for you and your body, but also that are cute and can be dressed up or down. think that's so fun.
Emily (08:25)
I think even just looking at how athleisure wear has evolved in the last, from 2000s on to now, is really interesting to me. we're, you know, we kind of have this like Gucci couture, Gucci, that's not what I'm saying. Juicy couture.
Yeah, or in the 2000s. And I think that was really kind of the height of making athleisure wear, but also making it more comfortable and stylish in a way. And since then, we've seen a lot of different changes. And I think that you have done such a good job of taking something both functional and also making it very chic.
Emma Vollrath (09:05)
Thank you. That was the goal is to have the functional piece, like the more boring part of it, quote unquote, that, you know, maybe people don't want to like learn about or don't want it to look too like structured or scientific. And then it's like, we have that component and then it's also the girly component that you, you know, you may not even want the piece for the glow band. Like maybe you just want it because of the cut and color and that's okay too.
Emily (09:27)
In terms of the globe band itself, like do you have a background in that kind of, I mean, science, technology, like how did you find a manufacturer to do that? How did that kind of come about?
Emma Vollrath (09:39)
I definitely don't have the background or experience. just did lots of research and looked at lots of like past decades of like what their fitness trends were and like why some of them lasted, why some of them didn't. And the most famous one was the sauna suit and that lasted, I mean, a long time. So I definitely took inspiration from that. And then the wetsuit and just things that I felt like were technical pieces of clothing that I don't really see in active wear.
much and so finding a manufacturer was definitely challenging. A lot of them didn't agree that
this type of fabric should be inside of a piece of clothing. They thought it would be too thick or just not visually appealing. And I kind of, knew that there was a way around it. And so I probably asked like 60 people if they could help me. And then finally one said, yes, and I'm still with the same one today because he just gets the vision, gets the brand understands like that we have the technology component, but also the fashion component. And so that was definitely key in finding a manufacturer.
I want it to look like Nike where it was like very sport focused. I wanted it to be a little bit different than that. So it was hard, but we did it.
Emily (10:48)
Yeah, absolutely. And then I'm sorry, this is just my own lack of knowledge, but what is the sauna suit? Like, what, I've never heard that before.
Emma Vollrath (10:57)
It was really big in the eighties, seventies and eighties. It was when working out became super big and it's all silver. It's a similar material to ours, but we tweaked it a little bit, but theirs was, I don't know exactly what theirs was made out of, maybe PVC, but it was a sauna suit that you wore. was like a sweat suit, but it was a PVC material and it was like bright silver and people wore it in the sauna. They wore it to the gym. They wore it on runs. It was just a huge thing.
honestly carried up until I think it was like early 2000s. People kind of stopped wearing it just because it was so ugly. But I mean, it worked for people for years.
Emily (11:34)
That's amazing. I had no idea. I have never heard of that before. How did you hear about that?
Emma Vollrath (11:40)
I just like being in this space, but if you Google it, you'll probably have seen it before. It's just, maybe it has a different name, but it's just like what I think of it as, but yeah, you've definitely seen one before.
Emily (11:50)
Yeah.
Okay, I'm definitely going to look it up. I'm so curious. Okay, so, but athleisure wear is definitely a very competitive space. What are some of the biggest challenges you faced when watching? How did you navigate them?
Emma Vollrath (12:03)
Well, just as a small brand, you face a plethora of challenges, but I think the biggest one even today is brand awareness and just finding different avenues to market to. I mean, I don't have a marketing agency or I don't have PR. Like I just do everything myself. I very guerrilla grassroots about this, telling like whether that's sending 50 DMs a day, offering a discount code to somebody or doing lots of
shops. Like just finding super scrappy ways to get your brand out is always helpful, especially if you don't have a huge budget like another athlete's brand might have. And so that's still I think the biggest challenge today is just finding creative ways to market the brand at a low cost but also that's effective.
Emily (12:49)
Yeah, you're saying it's just you, like it's just you right now, your one woman show, yeah? That's amazing. I mean, it's incredible too to think about just, I know it might feel like a short time to you, but in the grand scheme of e-commerce brands, Malu has been there for a little bit now and has made a severe dent in the athleisure art wear company. And the press too, I think is very impressive.
You were just on Hustlers last year at the beginning of the summer, right?
Emma Vollrath (13:18)
Yes, was in, it was last May we shot it.
Emily (13:22)
Yeah. How was that? What was that experience like? How did that opportunity come about?
Emma Vollrath (13:27)
Yeah, honestly, it's funny because I actually forgot that had happened. And I don't think I really talked about it much, but it was a show on Peacock called Side Hustlers hosted by Emma Greed and Ashley Graham, were crazy successful, love them. And I got a random DM on LinkedIn. I thought it was spam just being like, hey, we're shooting this show for women entrepreneurs in Southern California. And I was like, you know, disregard, disregard. I'm not really, I'm not.
interested
whatever and then she DM'd me again and just was saying I think you'd be a really good fit like we'd love to talk to you and so did more research ended up going through like months of casting and interviews it was a like really rigorous process honestly getting to the actual shoot day and so I made it and they were think there was 15 of us out of
couple thousand that ended up getting through. And I did not expect that at all. That was not on my 2024 bingo card, but then I ended up getting it and went to pitch to Emma Greed and Ashley Graham. And it was, you had, think a minute to pitch. I don't remember, but then they really liked the product, but then they ended up not choosing me to go to the next round. But nonetheless, honestly, it was a really cool experience. And I got to meet so many other entrepreneurs who were just hustling like crazy to get their product off the ground. And
It was just honestly a really cool experience and then it aired and I got to see myself pitch, which was a little bit cringe, but it ended up being a good learning experience.
Emily (14:59)
Yeah, absolutely.
And what a good like networking experience too, to meet so many people in that industry. So cool. And it doesn't surprise me at all because I think the product is so unique when you hear about it, like explaining it to people. I can totally see how it just is like you haven't heard of something like that in a while. You know what I mean? It's kind of reminiscent to me of
what Spanx was not that long ago. I think when you first hear the idea before it really becomes popularized, it's exciting. To me, it's interesting. All I want to do is learn more.
Emma Vollrath (15:33)
Yeah, Spanx is a crazy good story, great example. I always read her story and how she did it because it's just such an inspiring, yeah, she's great.
Emily (15:44)
Yeah, absolutely. How would you say, there much that has come from being on hustlers that's like kind of shaped or influenced the trajectory of the brand so far?
Emma Vollrath (15:54)
I think me appearing on Hustlers didn't, it honestly didn't generate much because I think I was only on the show for a couple of minutes. But I think after that, it kind of inspired me to honestly work a little bit harder, just seeing all these other women entrepreneurs, like absolutely killing it. And so after that, I think that's when I started getting into wholesale. Like you mentioned Ambience Boutique, like that happened after and just really like...
pedal to the metal on getting the brand out without having to spend a bunch of money and that was wholesale outreach, which was really helpful. I ended up getting into a couple of different great boutiques that I still am in contact with today or getting into other press from that or just new collections, campaigns, and just kind of like learning how to expand.
the brand better just from like hearing these other women on the show, like how they've been able to do it. kind of took that and asked myself, how can I replicate that, but in my own way? And so that was just really helpful, like learning from other people, because I don't talk to that many entrepreneurs unless I'm like in at an event or something, like you're just kind of by yourself. So I think hearing others and what they're doing was helpful to navigate what I was going to do after that.
Emily (17:10)
Yeah. And so is primarily the product that you're pushing now, is it, you primarily doing wholesale or do you still focus on that kind of one-to-one through your website?
Emma Vollrath (17:22)
It's mostly just through my website, but I do want to focus on larger retailers like Revolve, Nordstrom, things like that. think, and I'm in a couple of Pilates studios too, but I think now I'm ready to get into the larger retailers. So anyone listening has a contact, definitely let me know.
Emily (17:37)
Yeah.
She's looking at these bands. She's ready. Okay, so I'm curious in terms of the Glow Band, what is it made out of? I know you kind of touched on it briefly, but let's dive in a little bit further. I think I read somewhere it's like recycled thermoplastics.
Emma Vollrath (17:42)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Yeah, it's a recycled thermoplastic, so it comes from a PVC type of fabric, but it's safe for your skin and safe for the body. You can wear it all day. And it's just, it's, whenever I say it's heat chapping, people always ask me, well, is the sweat gonna be dripping down? Like, am I gonna have to shower? And not at all. Like, you wear it, I'll wear it to...
work at my desk all day and you don't sweat or I'll wear it to go on a walk and then I'll sweat. So it, and it's a heat trapping. So it just stays there. It's doesn't like drip down. It's not like going everywhere. It just sits there. It's hot. Like you can put your stump, your hand on your stomach after you've worn it for a couple hours and you'll feel a little bit of sweat. And then you kind of know it's working, but it's honestly not a complicated fabric. And I'm
grateful for that because it's easy for us to make and kind of like tweak and what we want to put it in. That's how we're able to use it in the jumpsuits and just fun new designs that are coming in 2025 too that just have the glow band in it that I didn't think we'd be able to put in it. But because it's just a super easy fabric to work with, we're able to kind of like maneuver in different pieces.
Emily (19:10)
Right. When you're making these new designs for 2025, is there a particular process that you have when coming up with them?
Emma Vollrath (19:17)
It kind of depends. Sometimes I know what I want to do months in advance and I'm like waiting for the month to come so I can drop the piece. But other times I just look on Pinterest, honestly, and I see something that inspires me, whether it's from like 2002 or from something I already did. I just like to look at pieces and aesthetics and vibes and like seasons, upcoming seasons, and just kind of see like what would my consumer want. So.
I know when this is coming out, but for February we're doing like the cutest drop ever with a color that somebody, that everybody is wanting me to drop, which is pink. And I'm just so excited because I love pink and like it's just such an emily color and I'm just excited for the girlies to wear it.
Emily (20:02)
my gosh, that sounds so cute. I'm so excited. That's like, I can't wait to see what it looks like. I'm pumped.
Emma Vollrath (20:10)
It's gonna be fun. It's something
we haven't done before, which is always a little bit scary, but I think it'll be perfect.
Emily (20:15)
Yeah, yeah. Okay, well, in terms of collaboration, which I feel like so many brands are honing in on this, are you exploring partnerships or joint projects with any other brands or is there like a dream brand you'd love to partner up with?
Emma Vollrath (20:29)
Yeah, I love partnering with Pilates studios. have two coming up this year, which are very exciting because they're both people that I love to work with and brands that really resonate with my own audience. So when you combine the two, it's just great. But last year I did a collab with one of my favorite workout studios in Charleston, South Carolina, and we just had the best time. Honestly, we designed a custom jumpsuit, had our logos on it through a dinner. Like it was just so much fun because
I love collabing because then you're like merging their audience with yours and you're also meeting people that you may have not have even thought about meeting just because you think that they might not be in your audience or your demographic and then it's perfect because then you like merge brands and it's just super fun. So I have a lot of that coming up in 2025 just because I saw how successful it could be and so.
Yeah, I'm looking forward to just creating more pieces with other brands because then it's also like, I'm not just in my own head, I'm able to talk to other people about what we're doing too and like get other inputs. So it's not just like me at my desk and like waiting for an input. It's like now I can work with other people and see what people will like and won't like. So yeah, I'm excited about that.
Emily (21:44)
That sounds great. And then do you often work with influencers like to promote the product or is that not really the MLU style?
Emma Vollrath (21:53)
No, I honestly don't work with influencers unless it's organic. So I've worked with Lauren Bostic. She's just an organic person that we love to work with and who has been super supportive of the brand, but I haven't done any influencer marketing yet.
Emily (22:09)
Okay, all right, got it. That's good to know. It's such an interesting approach as opposed to a lot of other brands right now, but I think I kind of like that. I mean, it makes it more unique, like it exists in its own plane, I guess, you know?
Emma Vollrath (22:24)
Yeah, and I feel like also when you engage your community opposed to engaging influencers who might not even know about your brand or know anything about it, I like to engage my audience who is actually passionate about the product. So that's been really helpful too.
Emily (22:39)
Yeah. And I think your audience has, I mean, it seems like you've built a really strong community of supporters. How have you approached that? Like, how have you been able to build such a loyal audience?
Emma Vollrath (22:50)
Asking questions has been really important, especially like creating, I don't know what it's called on Instagram, but like the little thing where you can like ask questions, like the group chat thing. I've just gotten into that and it's been really fun. But I also just think Instagram polls, DMing your customers, like throwing events with them. I've loved to meet.
all the people who buy the products in person. So throwing events has been a huge part of the brand and that started last year and I definitely want to continue that because it was just so fun and they come wearing the products and it just is super rewarding, not only for me, but also I think it's cool to like, I love to meet other brand founders, especially when they're throwing the event. So I think I hope it translates the same. Like they can come and we can hang out and talk and like they can shop at Emma Lou and
It's just so much fun and I'm so grateful for the audience because when you first start out, you think that you'll never get that and you think that it's super unattainable. But then when you actually have it and maybe you have this experience too where you're just so grateful for the audience that you have built and you're like, oh my gosh, when did this happen? Like, when all of sudden did I have people like, you know, talking about the product so that I'm really happy I'm at that point now.
Emily (24:05)
Yeah, absolutely. And I think you've used, you've really utilized social media as such a big tool for that. primarily Instagram, correct?
Emma Vollrath (24:13)
Yes.
Emily (24:14)
Yeah. And then do you too, in terms of your other marketing efforts, like are there other platforms you use or is, know, do you have an email list that you use often or what's that look like?
Emma Vollrath (24:25)
Yeah, I definitely use TikTok. I'm getting better at TikTok, so hopefully it doesn't go away in a couple of days, because I'm just now getting the hang of it. And I use Klaviyo for emails and just try to get really personal with all the emails and just like including the audience and basically everything that I'm doing is helpful. But I don't really use Pinterest, but I need to start because I've heard that's also a great marketing medium. So, yeah.
Emily (24:50)
Yeah, I feel like you guys would thrive on Pinterest, just given like the aesthetic of everything. Are there certain platforms or areas in which you feel like you wish you had more resources or guidance around, like in terms of your marketing efforts? Because I feel like I talked to a lot of brands where when it's a one woman show and there are these specific areas that like it's just too much. I mean, there's like 17 different things you can be on nowadays, you know.
Is there something you wish that you were doing more of or that you had more information about?
Emma Vollrath (25:22)
That's a really good question. think maybe Facebook ads was a bit daunting to me when I first started because nobody really talks about the analytics of the brand. Like when you first start, it's mostly about make sure you're taking good pictures, make sure you're getting good content. But also on the other side of that, you have to be a little bit analytical about it. And I don't love that side of the business. I'll be honest. But after learning and watching YouTube and listening to other founders talk about how beneficial
meta ads have been. I'm learning still, but I wish there was just an easy resource that women founders could go to to learn. Maybe there is, and I just don't know about it, but I've learned it myself. think okay to do it. I do it sometimes, but it's also just risky because you're putting tons of money into it, and it's like, it's a little bit daunting, just all the things, and it's, there's like nothing easy about it, I think personally, so.
That's the one thing I think I knew a little bit more about and had a little bit more help on.
Emily (26:20)
Yeah, absolutely. think too, the problem with a lot of the tutorials or lessons or seminars, whatever, I find that they're really usually oriented towards men or male-focused brands as well. And I think that those advertising efforts, while they have a place, it's so difficult to take that format and apply it to woman-based business, in my opinion.
Of course, there will always be elements that are similar, but it's really hard when you leave out like a full, you know, half of the consumer population and expect that the other half will have this one-for-one shot at approaching them as a client, you know?
Emma Vollrath (27:02)
Yeah, it feels very tech company based, which is fine, but I just wish they would include more of like the CPG brands and the fashion brands. That would just be fantastic.
Emily (27:13)
Yeah, absolutely. Just a do-it-yourself guide. Make it simple. Yeah.
Emma Vollrath (27:18)
Yeah, very
simple, like one page. It doesn't need to be a lot.
Emily (27:22)
Okay, so what can we expect next from Emmalue? I mean, I know you just said that you are launching some pink products in February. Is there anything else we should be looking out for or anything you want to hone in on?
Emma Vollrath (27:35)
some really fun events if you're based in Southern California. Definitely gonna get started on some really cool events and just lots of cool products. We're restocking a few of our most loved sets that sold out really quickly. So we definitely wanna get those restocked and then just some really cool innovative pieces that I don't think we've seen before, fingers crossed, but also fun collabs with great Pilates studios and brands that will be really cute and exciting.
Emily (28:02)
Great. Well, I'm looking forward to that. In terms of the brand as a whole, where do you envision yourself the brand in five years from now? Like, what's the dream? What's the goal?
Emma Vollrath (28:14)
Definitely want to have my own storefront in one of my favorite cities. I'm not sure which one yet, but definitely just a city that has a lot of my demographic in it or girls that I already know would be amazing. And then definitely will be on Revolve. And I want to do a collab with Sportszilla, Shirted Swimsuit, Victoria's Secret, just like brands that I really resonate with that I think.
would be beneficial for both parties. So just kind of throwing it out there, manifesting it a little bit and seeing what happens.
Emily (28:42)
Yeah, I love that. think even like, Giraffe Avenue would be such a good... I mean, I think that those aesthetics are very similar in my mind.
Emma Vollrath (28:50)
I love that brand.
Emily (28:51)
Yeah. Okay, I think you just answered it, but if you could collaborate with any designer or brand, who would it be and why?
Emma Vollrath (28:59)
So the sports illustrated, Victoria's Secret, love Dirk Avenue. Honestly, I love Frankie's bikinis too, but I know they already do active sometimes, but I think it'd be fun if we did one together. Of I'm blanking out on my favorite brands, but I love a lot of brands, so it's honestly hard to pick. I think I'd be happy with like a good 10 of them that I just really, really like. I love MEJ, just like cute brands that I think.
resonate with me and my customers already that I think would be really fun. So we'll see what happens.
Emily (29:29)
Yeah, absolutely. Okay, so this is kind of rapid fire, but you don't have to answer them rapid fire. okay, what is your favorite fitness activity right now?
Emma Vollrath (29:40)
hot pilates.
Emily (29:41)
Ooh, good answer. I can't really, I never work out. But I wish I did, I'm jealous. That's a point actually. Yeah, I just need some emmalu and then I'll hop to it. Okay, what is the most surprising thing about starting your own business?
Emma Vollrath (29:44)
Really? Well you just need some Q-activeware and then you'll be good to go.
how mundane it can be sometimes and how the tasks are sometimes the same every single day. But that's how you build the brand of your dream. So you just have to keep doing the boring tasks every day.
Emily (30:14)
I love that. I think that's a great answer. I think that's very true for a lot of people as well. Okay, if you could gift a glow band to any celebrity, who would it be and why?
Emma Vollrath (30:22)
There's actually one I was just thinking of. Maybe Hailey Bieber.
Emily (30:25)
that's so good. Yeah, that's answer.
Emma Vollrath (30:27)
I feel like she would love it. She
does hot pilates all the time. I'm like, Haley.
Emily (30:31)
Hey, girl!
Emma Vollrath (30:33)
Yeah, here we
go. Who knows? You never know what can happen.
Emily (30:36)
That's a great answer. I'm not going to see it in a year from now. I'm going to see paparazzi photos, Hailey Bieber leaving Pilates studio, and Emilio won't be surprised at all.
Emma Vollrath (30:45)
I would
love that, that would be amazing.
Emily (30:47)
Okay, best piece of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Emma Vollrath (30:51)
think it doesn't hurt to reach out to entrepreneurs of brands that you already really like, and I've done that a million times and they always get back to you, or at least sometimes get back to you, but I think it's helpful reaching out if you're about to start a brand or if you want to. I think reaching out to an entrepreneur who has done exactly what you want to do is helpful because they'll literally get on the phone with you and give you great tips. And I've done that multiple times and it's been life changing, honestly.
Emily (31:19)
I love that. Is there a piece of advice that you hear often that you would discourage people from taking?
Emma Vollrath (31:27)
I think it's, I don't know if this is like something that I hear, but it's something that I see a lot. It's definitely the like TikTok overnight sensations. If somebody has a brand and they just blow up overnight, like it wasn't overnight. was probably eight years in the making and they just happened to post that one video at that one day and someone saw and it just blew up. So I think like I will get discouraged as well. Just seeing that sometimes because it makes me think, well, why haven't that happened to me yet? But
They've probably been in it 10 times longer than I have, you know, just like working different hours. So it just, just don't even compare to that because it's not true. But maybe that's something that I would try to avoid is even like looking on TikTok for more than five minutes a day because you'll probably come across something like that and it will maybe derail you or discourage you.
Emily (32:15)
That's a really good answer. And I think such a good point. think social media has a way of, what do people say? You're comparing like your day 20 to someone's day 645, you know? But we don't see it that way, you know?
Emma Vollrath (32:31)
Yeah, exactly, you have no idea how long they've been doing it, who, if they're paying for it, you just don't know. So I've completely stopped doing that and it's been really helpful.
Emily (32:40)
Right. Is there like a lot of entrepreneurs I hear have failures that in the long term ended up benefiting them? there, do you have like a favorite failure of yours if you've ever failed before in your life? Or is there a time that like you felt and you were like, this actually really ended up benefiting me in the long term. Failure is a strong word too, a mistake or something like that.
Emma Vollrath (33:02)
I love the favorite failures. That's a good one. think rebranding before it was a fail, like how I had branded it prior to Emma Lou, I think it just wasn't me. I was trying to fit into a certain category and it just was not, it wouldn't have lasted because I didn't love it. And if you don't love it and you're not, then it just isn't going to work out. So I'm grateful that my first
branding, like font colors, logo, like I'm glad that that failed because I would probably would have been miserable if it was still the same because it just wasn't what I liked or who I am. So I'm glad that that's no longer.
Emily (33:39)
Yeah, it wasn't you. I think that's a great, point. And what's great about branding is like we can get attached to it, but it's relatively easy to change. At the beginning, you know, you can play around a little bit. Nothing's set in stone.
Is there a class or like a seminar or a book that you have read that's kind of gotten you to this place or has provided some, you know, knowledge in your journey as an entrepreneur that you would recommend to somebody else?
Emma Vollrath (34:10)
I love the Skinny Confidential podcast. I think they have tons of entrepreneurs on that are really helpful. I love listening or I love reading Ed Mylett. He's really helpful, not even for business, but just like life in general and like having a good morale and a good attitude. And why am I blanking out on other books? I mean, I've read a bunch, but obviously none of them really had an impact on me if I can't remember.
Emily (34:32)
Yeah, that's great. That's a great tip. And those are great podcasts. I think you were even on the Skinny Confidential at one point, like I had to mention, right?
That's a good place to be is when you forget your press. You're like, I'm just too famous.
Yeah, absolutely. Thank you so much for joining us. And yeah, for anyone who hasn't heard or has been thinking about buying from Emma Liu, now obviously you have every reason to. And yeah, thank you so much for joining us. I'm so happy that we got to do
