Building a product from scratch with Brisbane fashion entrepreneurs VIVRA

Sarah and Emily have set up shop in an industrial precinct in the inner north Brisbane suburb of Windsor, where VIVRA’s office space and warehousing sit side-by-side. We dropped into the HQ and caught up with the VIVRA founders to find out their top tips for fashion entrepreneurs starting out in the industry.

They say that time flies when you’re having fun, and that’s been the case for Emily and Sarah – but the reality is that it’s taken them five years to reach the point they’re at today. 

“The advice that I would give to those considering going into business is not to expect things to happen overnight,” Emily says. 

“Especially if you are going to market with a new product or a new app, it takes time. If you consider how long manufacturing takes, all these things you can look at, it could be at least a year before you are going to get things off the ground. 

“And it’s really important that you don’t strive for ‘perfection’. If you think about big brands like Apple, they’ve had major progression of their product – what the Apple phone is today is not what it was 20 years ago. So you can’t expect to go to market with an absolutely perfect product straight away.”

Funding the development of a product while trying to get a business off the ground takes time and hard work – but more than that, it takes money. So when it comes to the bottom line, the VIVRA founders found doing what they could, themselves, was essential for spending their money where it counted. 

“Be prepared to work very, very, very hard for nothing,” Emily says. “And I mean that in a monetary sense. It’s very satisfying to have built the brand and the business to where it is today. But for four years we didn’t take any money from the business. 

“And on top of that, I would have to say that whatever you anticipate it will cost to start the business, multiply that by at least three, because there are going to be unforeseen expenses. You just need to protect yourself.”

The VIVRA founders have been cheered on from the sidelines by their epic customer community built online through their website and social channels. But the pair also found common connections among Brisbane’s business community at Brisbane Business Hub.

“BBH has assisted us with inviting us to a lot of networking events,” Emily says. “And through those networking events we have met some fabulous entrepreneurs and business owners, who know people that we might need to connect with or vice versa.

“I think that’s just the most beautiful thing about that space, is that you can go there and feel supported and comforted. That’s especially important if you are by yourself. I mean, Sarah and I are fortunate to have each other, but sometimes it can also feel lonely for us. 

“To be able to go there and talk to other entrepreneurs about what their experiences are and say, ‘Yeah, I’m going through that, too’. It’s super cool.”

Emily and Sarah now have their sights set on global markets. With their hands free, there’s no stopping them.