Hi everyone! So like all of these interviews, I met Cindy in person and just loved her. She is so sweet, kind and creative, and seems like she would be the greatest friend. I first attended a kid’s fashion event in LA and hear Cindy and Joe describe the inspiration behind their collection with such enthusiasm and spirit, I just fell in love with the brand! The stories, prints and whimsy behind Izzy and Ferd are unmatched. I hope you love hearing their story! Without further ado, meet Cindy and Joe!
What did you do before Izzy and Ferd? How did you decide to start your own business? Can you give us a brief history?
We founded Izzy & Ferd in 2014 because we believe in the power of clothes to tell stories. Stories about who we are and who we want to be. That’s why every Izzy & Ferd collection tells a tale of discovery and adventure.
Since our founding, we’ve travelled to the deep ocean, trekked west with Lewis and Clark, discovered the North and South Pole, and climbed Jack’s magic beanstalk.
What’s your big picture WHY? What motivates you to work hard and build your business?
Our son Joseph inspired us to start Izzy & Ferd, and now Julia our daughter. There are a lot of cute kidswear brands but not so many that are fun and comfortable for both boys and girls. And we realized what we wanted to share with our kids went beyond textile designs. We wanted to create and share little moments of wonder. We wanted to inspire kids to go out and explore their world.
What has your growth looked like?
We’re excited to see so many kids and moms and dads love our clothes! We’ve continued to add retailers and customers since launch. The response has been overwhelmingly positive to both our clothes and our brand.
I’m Like Brave is about creating an uncommon life. What does an “uncommon life” you love look like for you? How does your business help to create this ideal lifestyle?
An uncommon life is a life where family, friendships, work, and passions can thrive together. We hope to lead by example through Izzy & Ferd. As we mentioned, our mission at Izzy & Ferd is to inspire kids to go out and explore their world. Executing on this mission means we have inspired other parents and their kids to lead an uncommon life by staying open, young at heart, and curious.
Where did you find your mentors, or resources to help learn about entrepreneurship and running a successful business?
Cindy’s grandfather was a master tailor in Vietnam and he passed his love of clothes to her. So there’s definitely some of the clothing business just running in the veins!
Can you tell us a story of some of the “unglamorous” moments just starting up?
Of course there are the less glamorous parts of running a business like forecasting and accounting. We can’t emphasize enough the importance of really understanding your business by developing a solid business plan. There are plenty of great books out there that will walk you through the key steps of creating the business plan. Spend ample planning time on what will set your business apart from the pack, and enough time on what you need to do to make it operate.
Can you tell a story of a specific failure you encountered while building Izzy & Ferd?
When we first started we didn’t think enough about how to package our products. Our advice: make the opening of your product special. How can you create an unboxing experience that pays off your brand?
What did you learn from it? What would you consider are your strengths as a business owner?
We’re a husband a wife team, and our greatest strength is each other! We’re also supported by a team of great suppliers, retailers, bloggers, and other business partners. Someone once gave us great advice: contracts matter, but no matter how tightly worded a contract is don’t do business with a party you don’t trust. The great news is that the world is full of people who do great work. So be patient, find those people, and cultivate those relationships.
How many hours per week do you work? How do you balance family life with work?
Balancing family life and work is a challenge. The best advice we can give is to plan in advance, and make time for fun along the way. Plus, accept any offers for babysitting that might come your way!
What does your morning ritual ideally look like?
We like how you said ideally, as kids always make a morning unpredictable! Cindy loves vietnamese iced coffee, and Joe likes to stretch in the morning. These simple things set us up for success throughout the day.
What has been the most exciting thing to happen to your business so far?
The most exciting part of our business is seeing little kids in our clothes, and hearing their stories from moms and dads. When a kid only wants to wear your shark leggings for weeks on end, you know you’re doing something right :).
What is your ultimate vision for your business in the coming year? Where do you see Izzy & Ferd in 5 years?
Izzy & Ferd’s mission is to inspire kids to go out and explore their world. For this year, we’ve got a lot of room to grow in kidswear and you’ll see us add new styles and accessories. Some of that you’ll see through some collaborations currently in the works!
Over the next 5 years, when you think of where we’re going, think about the stories, characters, and places you want to share with your kids. Clothes are one way for us to transport you there. Looking further out, there could be more. Whether it’s through collaborations or Izzy & Ferd entering new categories, that’s where we’re headed.
What’s your favorite success quote and why?
Our favorite success quote is on all of our hangtags. It is a T.S. Eliot quote. “We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” Success is really about the journey and the adventure.
What’s the best business book you’ve read?
This seems like an atypical answer to this question, but for us, The Odyssey. It is probably one of the most important books in literature. When a key element of your business is storytelling, the classics become your bible. There’s so much inspiration to draw from.
I’m so grateful to Cindy and Joe taking the time to share with us all. Their new collection is launching soon and you can find them on instagram @izzyandferd or on their website at www.izzyandferd.com. Stay tuned for more video interviews coming soon!
Be Brave,
Hillary
