"I Almost Lost My Business In 9 Months Because Of This" | Rebecca Minkoff

Rebecca Minkoff bootstrapped her handbag brand for seven years to a $100M Brand. Then two hires she trusted almost sank it in nine months. The fashion designer and founder shares why her biggest wins came from going against the grain, how designing for editors instead of customers hurt her apparel line, and why she would take the valuation her team once passed on. We also get into why not every business should take investor money, how she learned the language of business by asking what EBITDA meant in her own boardroom. And why no night or weekend she worked ever changed her company's path. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN \- How to spot the red flags in a hire before they damage your business \- Why you might not need investors to build a company that lasts \- When to say no to events and opportunities that pull you from family CHAPTERS 0:00 Rebecca Minkoff On Bootstrapping And Breaking With The Pack 4:17 Designing For Editors Instead Of Customers 7:19 Why Following The Pack Never Worked 9:42 Turning Handbags Into Milestone Purchases 13:23 Treating Business Cards Like Cash 17:47 Investor Lessons And A Missed Valuation 22:54 Learning The Language Of Business 26:47 Staying Present As A Mom And A Founder 38:20 The CMO Who Almost Sunk The Company 46:27 Using AI To Join Cultural Moments FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson MORE FROM Rebecca Minkoff: 🌐 Website: https://www.rebeccaminkoff.com/ Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright \[CardoneVentures.com] (https://cardoneventures.com) 2025