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Welcome to another episode of the Style
and Strategy podcast.
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This week, I'm so excited to be able to be
chatting with a longtime friend, Sarah
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Neal, who is the founder and CEO of Miss
Tyler, the body positive social commerce
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platform, helping women find clothes that
fit, right?
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It's an area that has been in dire need
of...
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an area that's been of dire need that's to
be filled.
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And Sarah has been the brainchild behind
this particular platform.
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And Sarah has been the brainchild behind
this particular platform.
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So Sarah has actually been driving
marketing and innovation for consumer
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technology brands for 15 years and was
previously on the founding team on Mint
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Mobile, which was recently acquired by T
-Mobile for $1 .35 billion.
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So when it comes to marketing tech,
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Sarah is your go to.
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Sarah is your go to.
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So Sarah, you were recently quoted as
revealing that while one in four women are
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body confident, 89 % are more body
confident when they like their outfit.
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So that is a very significant statistic
and one that really screams home to the
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work that I actually do when I'm talking
to women around their personal brand and
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their style.
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And I absolutely love your ethos in that
you also don't see fashion as being
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superficial and actually see it tying to
mental health, confidence and the impact
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that it has on us day to day.
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So today I look forward to you enjoying
this episode with Sarah.
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Sarah, welcome to the podcast.
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Thank you so much for taking the time out
to have a chat with me.
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I am so excited to have you on the show
because I feel like you and I have got
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I am so excited to have you on the show
because I feel like you and I have got
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very similar visions around what we want
to try to do when it comes to fashion and
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very similar visions around what we want
to try to do when it comes to fashion and
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style and really body conscious and
positivity around the place.
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style and really body conscious and
positivity around the place.
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style and really body conscious and
positivity around the place.
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So I'm really thrilled to have you on
today.
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So I'm really thrilled to have you on
today.
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Yeah, it's thrilled to be here.
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I always love chatting to you, Sonya.
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I always love chatting to you, Sonya.
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as I.
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So let's maybe take a step back.
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I think you are an absolute inspiration
for so many women in this, not only in
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what you've been doing in Miss Tyler, but
actually from a career journey
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perspective.
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The fact that you've done all this work as
an experienced marketing and technology
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person for the consumer technology brands
and that experience, but then being able
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to transition.
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into startup world, you know, because you
really found this passion and drive around
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something you wanted to do.
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So why don't you share with me a little
bit around your leadership journey to from
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sort of that consumer technology side and
how did you end up getting to starting a
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startup?
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startup?
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Yeah, so yeah, it was never actually my
intention to be an entrepreneur.
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My background is marketing.
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So I love people.
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I love, you know, sort of diving into
insights.
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And that's, you know, largely what
marketing is.
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It's really understanding who is your
consumer?
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What do they think?
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What are the problems that they have and
how can you help them?
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How can you solve their problems?
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And so a lot of it is about how do I reach
them?
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How do I communicate to them?
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But it also is,
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lot about what are the problems and how
can you solve them.
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And so you start to shift into product
innovation.
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depending on the company that you're at.
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So I spent half of my career, half of my
early career on an agency side, so working
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for creative advertising agencies.
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And so there it much more is about
execution and creative.
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But when you're on the client side, which
I spent half the time on, it is a lot more
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integrated.
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And so often you can get the chance to
actually change the product to make it
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suit the customer better.
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And so in that way, I became a bit of an
entrepreneur.
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So I never thought about doing it myself,
but I was kind of like an entrepreneur.
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Also, I think,
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a lot of marketing is about execution so
you just have to be able to get things
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done and deliver which is like one of the
key skills that you need to be an
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entrepreneur.
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But anyway so I you know I had...
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been in marketing for maybe 10 years,
maybe a decade.
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And I'd moved to New York and I was
running sales and marketing for a company
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in New York, a small privately owned
business in New York.
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And I should say that my career has not
been focused on fashion.
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It's all been focused on wireless and
telecommunications.
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So like Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, back in
the day, Blackberry.
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Yeah, so that was my background.
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That was sort of like my area of
specialty.
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And I was running a sales and marketing
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telco company in New York.
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And I had an idea for a product that I
thought we could pilot.
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And so I went to the owner of the business
and I said, if you give me a small budget,
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I can actually pilot this product.
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And I think we could have a lot of success
with that.
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And I think we should just test it out.
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So as head of sales marketing, I can do
this for you.
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And he said, I think that's a great idea,
but a great idea with someone who can
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execute is actually really valuable.
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I'm going to give you a million dollars
and I want you to become the CEO of this
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business.
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over your current job, you can keep your
salary, keep your office, you can use our
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shared services and give it a go.
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And I was like, wow.
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And I remember even like I had to print
out business cards.
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This is, you know, 10 years ago.
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So we still had business cards.
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And I was thinking, I was like saying to
friends, I was like, can I really put CEO
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on there?
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Like, I felt like such a fraudster, but
I'm like, I guess technically I am a CEO,
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but it just felt like so foreign.
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But anyway.
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That was an incredible opportunity to do
that.
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And I found a creative team that built the
brand with me.
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I found an agency that built the website.
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We ultimately then hired a team and then
brought that all in -house.
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And within five months, we had developed a
beta product that we launched, and we got
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a bunch of PR around it.
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and the product I should say was Intel Co.
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It was essentially a SIM card for global
travelers that allowed you to roam and get
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data access more cost effectively.
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So this was, this was in the days when
like 78 % of people were like, actually, I
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think it was like 90 % of people turned
off cellular data when they travel because
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it was at risk of like a $20 ,000 phone
bill.
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it was at risk of like a $20 ,000 phone
bill.
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so yeah, so we had a lot of success.
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so yeah, so we had a lot of success.
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We, we launched probably a month later.
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We had 10 % week -on -week growth of our
revenue, which is insane for a startup.
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I'd never also been in the startup world.
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So I technically raised a million dollars,
but I'd never been out pitching and trying
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to raise money.
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I just was given that million dollars.
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I didn't really understand.
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I knew that we were doing well.
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I didn't know how well we were doing.
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But now, knowing what I know now 10 years
later, I'm like, holy crap.
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We were like a superstar.
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We were like a superstar.
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But that all came to an end very suddenly
when this investor who he gave me 4 %
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But that all came to an end very suddenly
when this investor who he gave me 4 %
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But that all came to an end very suddenly
when this investor who he gave me 4 %
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equity into the business.
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And so when you go into startups, you do
want to control.
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You can have a controlling stake because
it is your baby.
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It is you who is like living and breathing
the business.
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It is you asking for favors from every
single person you know.
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It's you managing relationships.
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And so you need to have control.
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which I did not.
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He was going through a bunch of stuff in
his personal life.
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It just became too much for him to manage
lots of different businesses on the side.
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And he decided that he was going to focus
on enterprise business only and shut down
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all the businesses he had that were
consumer focused.
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And I had two weeks to shut down the
company.
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And I was looking at whether I could buy
the business off him, but obviously I
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And I was looking at whether I could buy
the business off him, but obviously I
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didn't have very much money.
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or do a transfer of assets.
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And people were saying, he should just
give it to you for a dollar.
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If he's just going to shut it down, it
doesn't cost him anything to do that.
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But he just was in a mindset of, I've just
got too much on my plate.
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Any legal paperwork is too much for me to
look at.
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Unless you can give me an offer for $5
million, it's not worth it.
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And again, in hindsight, I probably could
have found a $5 million offer for the
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business, but I didn't know that.
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And so two weeks later, me and our team
had our last
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And so two weeks later, me and our team
had our last
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day in the office, we basically refunded
customers any unused credit and we left
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and we went and got a bottle of champagne
and just had a toast to what we'd done.
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Yeah.
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I didn't, I know that part of the story.
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There are, and I mean, this is not, this
is the beginning of the journey really,
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but there is so much kind of in there that
I'd love to just touch on really quickly,
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which is one, having the initiative really
at that young age to just go up to your
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boss and say, hey, I've got an idea.
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and presented in a way that actually you
boss goes, here we go, here's a million
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dollars.
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And if we think about the timeframe of
when that was, that was so significant.
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What would you say from a courage
perspective, an initiative perspective,
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was all that kind of running through your
head going, should I bring this up,
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shouldn't I?
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Or did you not even think about it at that
time?
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Or did you not even think about it at that
time?
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To be honest, if I'd thought, I'm going to
pitch this idea and try and raise a
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million dollars to become a CEO and run
this business, I would never have done
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that.
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I was not that ambitious.
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But thinking, I could just do this little
pilot or something just to test it out.
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I thought about it in a very small way.
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So I think because of that, I didn't think
it was that big a deal.
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Yeah.
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And marketing, a lot of it is kind of like
taking something and being like, hey, I
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have this idea for this campaign.
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This is what it's going to cost.
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This is the time.
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This is what resources we're going to need
for it.
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This is how it's going to flow through.
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It's kind of like what I was doing
already.
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I guess he just saw it in a different way.
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And we obviously, I mean, it was obviously
a very stressful time ending that.
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He also was not based in the US, so I
didn't see him very often.
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And we really didn't speak after that.
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point because it was kind of like it
wasn't great.
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But crazily, I was in San Francisco
earlier this year and I ran into him on a
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staircase.
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This is like maybe 11 years later and I
was like, my God, his name is Michael
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Michael.
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And I was almost like, that is Michael,
right?
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And we ended up catching up and we went
out for a cup of tea and we like chatted
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for two hours and we had a really like
nice time and he
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sort of did acknowledge like that he
wasn't being super patient and had a lot
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on his plate.
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And I guess it was as close to an apology
as he could get, but it was actually just
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really nice because I didn't know whether
we would ever be able to, you know, yeah.
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really nice because I didn't know whether
we would ever be able to, you know, yeah.
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that piece.
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Yeah, so you've gone through this journey.
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You've created this business which had,
you know, 10%, 10 % week a week sort of
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growth as well.
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You've got to the end of that journey.
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And then what were your thoughts next?
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What like, what's next?
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What like, what's next?
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Yeah.
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to say on that is like we, because we were
trying to find a way to like, I don't
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know, like save the company, we didn't
give customers much notice.
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We basically gave them 48 hours notice.
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And so these are people who are using our
service to be connected while they're
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traveling.
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So it's a pretty like essential service.
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So I sent out an email and I was like, Hey
everyone, I'm so sorry that we're giving
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you such a little notice.
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Like we honestly tried to save the company
to the last minute, but
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Unfortunately, we're shutting down.
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We're going, you've got essentially two
days notice to try and find another
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solution and we will refund anything that
you haven't used.
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And I was expecting to get like a barrage
of like, you know, hate mail.
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And we didn't get anything negative.
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We got emails back from people saying,
thank you so much for giving it a go.
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Like, is there anything we can do?
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One person said, if I carry a sign saying
save doodad, the company was called
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doodad.
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If I carry a sign called saying save
doodad down the streets of
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If I carry a sign called saying save
doodad down the streets of
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will it help?
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It was just really beautiful.
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And I mean, I had an incredible creative
team.
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Like this guy, Zach, who's a copywriter,
who's like phenomenal, worked on the
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Like this guy, Zach, who's a copywriter,
who's like phenomenal, worked on the
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Like this guy, Zach, who's a copywriter,
who's like phenomenal, worked on the
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brand.
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The brand was called Doodad and our
tagline was when in Rome, which was like
00:13:04:23 - 00:13:05:23
so cute.
00:13:05:23 - 00:13:09:21
And then everything about the brand I
loved, it was like, you know, it was like,
00:13:09:21 - 00:13:14:07
if you need help, email us, like you ask
your mom and if she can't help you, but
00:13:14:07 - 00:13:16:18
then email us that I need help at Doodad.
00:13:16:18 - 00:13:18:04
That's fantastic.
00:13:18:04 - 00:13:21:17
been very intentional about being very
human, very fun.
00:13:21:17 - 00:13:25:22
And so I think when you think of a
business doing you wrong, it can feel very
00:13:25:22 - 00:13:28:09
And so I think when you think of a
business doing you wrong, it can feel very
00:13:28:09 - 00:13:31:03
like you feel disconnected and you can get
angry at them.
00:13:31:03 - 00:13:33:23
But when you feel like there's actually
just people on the other side that are
00:13:33:23 - 00:13:36:12
just human trying their best.
00:13:36:12 - 00:13:39:17
I think people have a lot of empathy for
you.
00:13:39:17 - 00:13:43:09
And that's always been something that I've
wanted to do with anything that I've
00:13:43:09 - 00:13:47:08
worked on is kind of like have that
relationship and have that authenticity
00:13:47:08 - 00:13:49:11
and transparency for the brand.
00:13:49:11 - 00:13:50:14
and transparency for the brand.
00:13:50:14 - 00:13:53:15
So anyway, cutting that down.
00:13:54:04 - 00:13:54:21
And to I'd actually already been booked in
to speak at a bunch of conferences and it
00:13:54:21 - 00:13:58:02
And to I'd actually already been booked in
to speak at a bunch of conferences and it
00:13:58:02 - 00:13:58:22
And to I'd actually already been booked in
to speak at a bunch of conferences and it
00:13:58:22 - 00:13:59:23
was all paid for.
00:13:59:23 - 00:14:01:12
So I decided to still go.
00:14:01:12 - 00:14:06:15
So I went to a couple of conferences and
one of them was in Dallas in the US.
00:14:06:15 - 00:14:10:12
And I basically was like, hi, I'm Sarah,
the CEO of Doodad that shut down two weeks
00:14:10:12 - 00:14:11:04
ago.
00:14:11:04 - 00:14:15:19
And this is my experience setting up and
shutting down an MVNO, which is this sort
00:14:15:19 - 00:14:16:06
And this is my experience setting up and
shutting down an MVNO, which is this sort
00:14:16:06 - 00:14:17:11
of industry term.
00:14:17:11 - 00:14:19:02
And at the end of that,
00:14:19:02 - 00:14:19:04
And at the end of that,
00:14:19:04 - 00:14:24:07
this guy called David approached me and he
said, well, who do you work for now?
00:14:24:07 - 00:14:25:13
And I was like, no one.
00:14:25:13 - 00:14:26:16
He's like, how are you in the country?
00:14:26:16 - 00:14:28:14
I'm like, as a tourist.
00:14:28:20 - 00:14:30:05
So who's paying you?
00:14:30:05 - 00:14:30:21
I was like, no one.
00:14:30:21 - 00:14:32:18
And he's like, OK, well, I've got a
company.
00:14:32:18 - 00:14:33:18
We're growing really fast.
00:14:33:18 - 00:14:36:13
We need someone entrepreneurial to come in
and help us out.
00:14:36:13 - 00:14:40:03
And potentially, we can help you relaunch
that brand.
00:14:40:03 - 00:14:43:05
And he'd sort of been watching along and
he'd actually reached out to me in the
00:14:43:05 - 00:14:43:11
past.
00:14:43:11 - 00:14:46:16
And I just never got back to him because I
was very busy when I was running Doodad.
00:14:46:16 - 00:14:48:02
So anyway, that business was called Ultra
Mobile.
00:14:48:02 - 00:14:50:11
So anyway, that business was called Ultra
Mobile.
00:14:50:11 - 00:14:54:06
And three years later, we created a brand
called Mint Mobile.
00:14:54:06 - 00:14:58:12
And those two brands just got sold for $2
billion to T -Mobile.
00:14:58:12 - 00:15:02:01
So I was there for six years on the
executive team.
00:15:02:01 - 00:15:02:03
So I was there for six years on the
executive team.
00:15:02:08 - 00:15:04:09
working across every facet of the
business.
00:15:04:09 - 00:15:08:13
In the last year, I was also doing the
chief of staff role, so working very
00:15:08:13 - 00:15:12:01
closely with David across all elements of
the business, from product to operations
00:15:12:01 - 00:15:13:17
to finance to marketing.
00:15:13:23 - 00:15:19:17
And the first company, Ultramobile, was
the fastest growing and the fastest
00:15:19:17 - 00:15:22:02
private growing company in America.
00:15:22:09 - 00:15:26:09
It was like the Ink magazine has this list
of the Ink 5000.
00:15:26:09 - 00:15:28:03
We were number one.
00:15:28:21 - 00:15:29:13
Wow.
00:15:29:13 - 00:15:30:03
Okay.
00:15:30:03 - 00:15:34:00
was, so just to give you some scope, it's
a brand that nobody's ever heard of, but
00:15:34:00 - 00:15:39:01
it was like, we did 118 million USD in
revenue in our first full year of
00:15:39:01 - 00:15:39:21
operations.
00:15:39:21 - 00:15:42:07
So it was like a rocket ship.
00:15:42:07 - 00:15:42:22
And then at the very end of my tenure
there, we brought Ryan Reynolds on to be
00:15:42:22 - 00:15:48:14
And then at the very end of my tenure
there, we brought Ryan Reynolds on to be
00:15:48:14 - 00:15:49:17
an owner of the business.
00:15:49:17 - 00:15:51:15
So I did the Ryan Reynolds deal.
00:15:51:15 - 00:15:53:08
And that's when,
00:15:53:08 - 00:15:54:12
in the right - my god!
00:15:54:12 - 00:15:55:05
in the right - my god!
00:15:55:05 - 00:15:56:07
that a hell deal.
00:15:56:07 - 00:15:56:08
So that was really exciting.
00:15:56:08 - 00:15:58:05
So that was really exciting.
00:15:58:05 - 00:16:02:03
And it was kind of like, you know, you
work for a company that nobody's heard of.
00:16:02:03 - 00:16:05:22
And there is kind of like an element of
being like, it's cool that you know, my
00:16:05:22 - 00:16:09:11
friends have actually heard of the company
I work for now, you know, it definitely
00:16:09:11 - 00:16:12:11
just like got so much excitement through
the business and put us on the map.
00:16:12:11 - 00:16:16:03
And I left there.
00:16:16:03 - 00:16:21:20
to start Miss Tyler because I, through the
experience of DoDad was like, I actually
00:16:21:20 - 00:16:24:17
can be an entrepreneur and I'm actually
pretty good at it.
00:16:25:03 - 00:16:30:19
And when you know that you can do that and
then you have an idea and a problem that
00:16:30:19 - 00:16:34:19
you want to solve, it's very hard to like
not want to just get started solving that
00:16:34:19 - 00:16:35:19
problem.
00:16:36:18 - 00:16:41:08
So I eventually after six years had like
six years of entrepreneurial energy built
00:16:41:08 - 00:16:41:20
up.
00:16:41:20 - 00:16:44:19
I couldn't start building Miss Tyler.
00:16:44:19 - 00:16:48:20
from the US because I needed a visa to be
in the US.
00:16:48:20 - 00:16:52:03
And so I needed a job and someone who
could pay me and someone who could fire
00:16:52:03 - 00:16:56:22
me, which was the way that DoDad worked
out because I had such a small ownership
00:16:56:22 - 00:16:57:06
in it.
00:16:57:06 - 00:17:00:17
I was able to be fired and I didn't have
controlling equity.
00:17:00:17 - 00:17:05:20
So I had to make the decision to leave the
US to start Miss Tyler and to leave this
00:17:05:20 - 00:17:07:20
rocket ship that had been so great.
00:17:07:20 - 00:17:10:15
So I did that and I got back to Australia
at the beginning of January, at the end of
00:17:10:15 - 00:17:11:13
So I did that and I got back to Australia
at the beginning of January, at the end of
00:17:11:13 - 00:17:12:11
2019.
00:17:12:11 - 00:17:14:09
in time for Christmas 2019.
00:17:14:12 - 00:17:18:00
I started working on Miss Tyler full time
in January and then two months later it
00:17:18:00 - 00:17:20:06
I started working on Miss Tyler full time
in January and then two months later it
00:17:20:06 - 00:17:23:00
was COVID and we went into lockdowns.
00:17:23:06 - 00:17:24:07
So...
00:17:24:22 - 00:17:26:14
A journey, my goodness.
00:17:26:14 - 00:17:28:12
That's only the beginning.
00:17:28:16 - 00:17:29:13
Yeah.
00:17:29:13 - 00:17:35:03
And so then how I pivoted into fashion and
it's kind of ironic that I'm now like the
00:17:35:03 - 00:17:39:14
CEO of a fashion company because I would
never describe myself as fashionable.
00:17:39:14 - 00:17:39:23
I was never the one who enjoyed reading
fashion magazines.
00:17:39:23 - 00:17:43:08
I was never the one who enjoyed reading
fashion magazines.
00:17:43:08 - 00:17:46:10
Like I just don't notice the trends.
00:17:46:10 - 00:17:47:23
I never know how to style things.
00:17:47:23 - 00:17:50:15
I'll be wearing something and my friends
go like, they'll pull down the sleeve and
00:17:50:15 - 00:17:52:06
be like, that's supposed to be off the
shoulder.
00:17:52:06 - 00:17:53:04
And I'm like,
00:17:53:15 - 00:17:54:19
that looks so much better now.
00:17:54:19 - 00:17:56:04
Like, why did I not know that?
00:17:56:04 - 00:17:59:20
But like, for some people, it's just like,
they just, I don't know, they just know
00:17:59:20 - 00:18:01:20
how to use things and like, style them.
00:18:01:20 - 00:18:02:14
how to use things and like, style them.
00:18:02:14 - 00:18:05:18
And I just, you know, for me, that's just
never been intuitive.
00:18:05:18 - 00:18:16:20
But 10 years ago, 2014, I was thinking, I
often don't like what I wear, like
00:18:16:20 - 00:18:17:17
frequently.
00:18:17:17 - 00:18:17:19
frequently.
00:18:17:19 - 00:18:18:20
And you're not alone.
00:18:18:20 - 00:18:20:20
I know there's many women out there who
feel the same.
00:18:20:20 - 00:18:22:01
I know there's many women out there who
feel the same.
00:18:22:01 - 00:18:23:18
And I was like, I'm in New York City.
00:18:23:18 - 00:18:25:13
I can get away with literally wearing
anything.
00:18:25:13 - 00:18:28:03
So it's not like I have to wear like, you
know, super corporate.
00:18:28:03 - 00:18:29:03
I could be wearing jeans.
00:18:29:03 - 00:18:30:16
I could be wearing really fun things.
00:18:30:16 - 00:18:32:18
But I don't wear fun things.
00:18:32:18 - 00:18:34:04
I wear really boring things.
00:18:34:04 - 00:18:37:21
And half the time, I feel like I'm
inappropriately dressed and I just feel
00:18:37:21 - 00:18:39:02
uncomfortable.
00:18:39:06 - 00:18:40:01
And, you know, like when I'm at an event,
I want to like, I'm thinking about what
00:18:40:01 - 00:18:42:00
And, you know, like when I'm at an event,
I want to like, I'm thinking about what
00:18:42:00 - 00:18:43:04
And, you know, like when I'm at an event,
I want to like, I'm thinking about what
00:18:43:04 - 00:18:45:17
I'm wearing as opposed to thinking about
what's happening.
00:18:45:17 - 00:18:46:12
And so...
00:18:46:12 - 00:18:51:13
I decided I need to invest in myself and I
need to invest in my wardrobe, but I don't
00:18:51:13 - 00:18:56:02
need to just get some outfits that make me
feel better that I can just wear as a
00:18:56:02 - 00:18:56:23
uniform.
00:18:56:23 - 00:19:02:21
And so I recruited my friend, also called
Sarah, and I was like, Sarah, you always
00:19:02:21 - 00:19:04:21
know what looks great.
00:19:04:21 - 00:19:06:19
You always know how to put things
together.
00:19:06:19 - 00:19:08:01
You always look immaculate.
00:19:08:01 - 00:19:09:23
You're ahead of all the trends, et cetera,
et cetera.
00:19:09:23 - 00:19:12:14
Let's go shopping and pick me out some
outfits.
00:19:12:14 - 00:19:14:17
And then I very quickly realized that she
had
00:19:14:17 - 00:19:19:22
no idea how to dress for me because I'm
tall, skinny, brunette.
00:19:19:22 - 00:19:23:10
She's like shorter, curvier and blonde.
00:19:23:10 - 00:19:27:13
And she has spent her entire life
perfecting the art of dressing for her
00:19:27:13 - 00:19:27:17
body.
00:19:27:17 - 00:19:29:12
And she knows exactly what suits her.
00:19:29:12 - 00:19:30:13
And she had no idea.
00:19:30:13 - 00:19:33:23
Like the things she would pick up from me,
I'd be like, that will never, like I'd put
00:19:33:23 - 00:19:35:09
it on and I would just look ridiculous.
00:19:35:09 - 00:19:41:07
And so I thought, okay, well, how do I
find somebody who looks like me that...
00:19:41:07 - 00:19:44:13
is more fashionable, like that's already
doing the job of like going out there
00:19:44:13 - 00:19:47:12
trying things on styling them and then I
can just copy them.
00:19:47:15 - 00:19:52:18
So this was like, again, like the age of
the blogger and you know, Instagram like
00:19:52:18 - 00:19:54:09
was newish.
00:19:54:09 - 00:19:54:10
was newish.
00:19:54:10 - 00:19:57:09
And so I was going on to Instagram trying
to find people who looked like me to
00:19:57:09 - 00:19:57:21
follow.
00:19:57:21 - 00:20:01:16
But it's really hard because even if you
see someone who proportionately looks like
00:20:01:16 - 00:20:06:03
you, you actually have no idea because
like, they I'm five foot eight, they could
00:20:06:03 - 00:20:07:10
be five foot two.
00:20:07:10 - 00:20:10:15
And they proportionately look similar to
me, but like,
00:20:10:15 - 00:20:14:10
things are gonna look a lot different on
me than them.
00:20:14:18 - 00:20:16:00
And so the whole idea of Ms.
00:20:16:00 - 00:20:18:13
But yeah, so yeah, that was the idea of
Miss Tyler was just essentially, how do I
00:20:18:13 - 00:20:24:08
find like, you know, if you can find the
people that are already shopping and
00:20:24:08 - 00:20:27:14
styling for your body, then it can help
everybody.
00:20:27:14 - 00:20:32:21
find like the brands, the items and the
styling that works for them.
00:20:32:21 - 00:20:37:13
And the person that you follow doesn't
need to be a fashion influencer or a
00:20:37:13 - 00:20:38:15
stylist.
00:20:38:19 - 00:20:42:12
They, because they don't need to be
trained because you know, a stylist like
00:20:42:12 - 00:20:45:06
you, you know how to dress lots of
different bodies.
00:20:45:11 - 00:20:48:19
Somebody who's not a stylist, they may not
know how to dress anybody else's body but
00:20:48:19 - 00:20:52:05
their own, but that's actually all that's
relevant for you if you're trying to, you
00:20:52:05 - 00:20:53:06
know, get dressed.
00:20:53:06 - 00:20:54:09
And so that was the idea.
00:20:54:09 - 00:20:54:18
So Ms.
00:20:54:18 - 00:20:55:06
Tyler, I registered the domain.
00:20:55:06 - 00:20:56:18
Tyler, I registered the domain.
00:20:56:18 - 00:20:58:15
in 2014, I created a development brief and
actually started speaking to developers
00:20:58:15 - 00:21:01:07
in 2014, I created a development brief and
actually started speaking to developers
00:21:01:07 - 00:21:05:07
about how much it would cost to build out
Miss Tyler, which honestly, it didn't
00:21:05:07 - 00:21:09:00
change much from from then to launching
it.
00:21:09:00 - 00:21:12:17
Like it's really like it stayed true to
sort of like what I wanted to achieve.
00:21:12:23 - 00:21:18:12
But yeah, so, you know, like I had, you
know, six years of, you know, I guess,
00:21:18:12 - 00:21:21:18
informally validating the idea, like
chatting to friends all the time about,
00:21:21:18 - 00:21:22:14
you know,
00:21:22:16 - 00:21:26:12
this idea, Miss Tyler and my friends would
be like, out of all your ideas, Miss Tyler
00:21:26:12 - 00:21:27:23
is the one that we want you to build.
00:21:27:23 - 00:21:32:00
And what also resonated was even my
fashionable friends that I thought would
00:21:32:00 - 00:21:34:03
need this were like, I would also love
that.
00:21:34:03 - 00:21:37:11
So it was, you know, it really resonated
to everyone.
00:21:37:11 - 00:21:39:10
And it just made a lot of sense to me.
00:21:39:10 - 00:21:40:06
for sure.
00:21:40:06 - 00:21:43:06
So just take me back a second.
00:21:43:06 - 00:21:49:10
The fact that David found you, you know,
back when he did, the fact that you then
00:21:49:10 - 00:21:53:18
were able to, you know, we'll touch on
Miss Tyler a little bit more, but, you
00:21:53:18 - 00:21:57:19
know, Ghana, some support and backing
around, you know, when you really
00:21:57:19 - 00:22:03:17
established Miss Tyler, how much of that
do you really put down to your personal
00:22:03:17 - 00:22:05:21
brand and experience?
00:22:05:21 - 00:22:07:22
over those years.
00:22:07:22 - 00:22:12:07
Do you think that that played a bit of a
role for you as well as your grit and
00:22:12:07 - 00:22:13:12
determination?
00:22:13:22 - 00:22:22:04
Yeah, I mean, so I applied to a program
called Antla, which is in the world of
00:22:22:04 - 00:22:22:11
startups.
00:22:22:11 - 00:22:25:21
So startups are really fragile.
00:22:25:21 - 00:22:29:05
And so there's a very, very high failure
rate of startups.
00:22:29:05 - 00:22:32:20
And so you have these things called
accelerators or incubators.
00:22:32:20 - 00:22:35:13
And you can think of an incubator like a
baby incubator.
00:22:35:13 - 00:22:38:03
It's designed for something fragile to
look after it.
00:22:38:03 - 00:22:41:00
And so in an incubator, they're like, what
does a startup need to thrive?
00:22:41:00 - 00:22:41:09
And so in an incubator, they're like, what
does a startup need to thrive?
00:22:41:09 - 00:22:42:06
And so in an incubator, they're like, what
does a startup need to thrive?
00:22:42:06 - 00:22:43:21
So maybe they need a co -
00:22:43:21 - 00:22:48:06
working space, they might need a peer
network, they might need advisors, they
00:22:48:06 - 00:22:51:15
might need coaching, they might need
money.
00:22:51:15 - 00:22:53:14
And so incubators are essentially like
that they'll take high potential
00:22:53:14 - 00:22:53:19
And so incubators are essentially like
that they'll take high potential
00:22:53:19 - 00:22:54:18
And so incubators are essentially like
that they'll take high potential
00:22:54:18 - 00:22:56:09
And so incubators are essentially like
that they'll take high potential
00:22:56:09 - 00:23:02:08
businesses that they believe in, they'll
give you an investment and give you like
00:23:02:08 - 00:23:06:19
three or six months worth of like these
facilities like the coaching, the
00:23:06:19 - 00:23:08:18
advising, the space.
00:23:08:18 - 00:23:11:06
And so they're really great.
00:23:11:12 - 00:23:14:15
place for a startup to launch because you
do have that support network around you.
00:23:14:15 - 00:23:15:21
place for a startup to launch because you
do have that support network around you.
00:23:15:21 - 00:23:19:21
And especially if you're a first time
founder and a lot of this stuff is new,
00:23:19:21 - 00:23:24:05
like it's really helpful to kind of have
the experience of those around you going
00:23:24:05 - 00:23:24:18
through it.
00:23:25:08 - 00:23:27:13
Getting into these things is still hard.
00:23:27:13 - 00:23:31:09
And so definitely like having been like a
serial entrepreneur, I guess, by this
00:23:31:09 - 00:23:33:20
And so definitely like having been like a
serial entrepreneur, I guess, by this
00:23:33:20 - 00:23:38:23
point helps because honestly, like
startups are really hard.
00:23:38:23 - 00:23:42:13
And like, there'll be multiple times if
anyone has a business that you'll think,
00:23:42:13 - 00:23:45:08
why did I ever think this was a good idea?
00:23:45:08 - 00:23:46:02
Because it's, it's, you know, it's like,
why didn't I just like take a salary and
00:23:46:02 - 00:23:48:07
Because it's, it's, you know, it's like,
why didn't I just like take a salary and
00:23:48:07 - 00:23:53:12
like enjoy vacations and have weekends
and, you know, yeah.
00:23:53:12 - 00:23:53:22
So it's really hard.
00:23:53:22 - 00:23:54:07
So it's really hard.
00:23:54:07 - 00:23:55:06
So it's really hard.
00:23:55:06 - 00:23:58:12
And so I think, you know, if you have done
it before, first of all, you know, that
00:23:58:12 - 00:23:59:04
it's hard.
00:23:59:04 - 00:24:02:08
And so you probably, you're going to be
less likely to like give up when it gets
00:24:02:08 - 00:24:04:16
hard because you already knew that.
00:24:04:16 - 00:24:04:17
And then you have a bunch of the training,
but you can also go into these things.
00:24:04:17 - 00:24:05:16
And then you have a bunch of the training,
but you can also go into these things.
00:24:05:16 - 00:24:08:13
And then you have a bunch of the training,
but you can also go into these things.
00:24:09:00 - 00:24:10:10
any sort of background, but definitely
they love to see people who have either
00:24:10:10 - 00:24:10:19
any sort of background, but definitely
they love to see people who have either
00:24:10:19 - 00:24:12:01
any sort of background, but definitely
they love to see people who have either
00:24:12:01 - 00:24:13:14
any sort of background, but definitely
they love to see people who have either
00:24:13:14 - 00:24:18:19
done it before or it could be that you're
from like an industry where you could be a
00:24:18:19 - 00:24:25:02
lawyer and you know the tools that you use
as a lawyer are XYZ and this one tool is
00:24:25:02 - 00:24:29:02
great except for this one thing that's
super super annoying and because you're a
00:24:29:02 - 00:24:33:20
lawyer you have this unique insight into a
problem to be solved and so then you can
00:24:33:20 - 00:24:34:20
bring that.
00:24:34:20 - 00:24:37:12
to the program, that becomes really
valuable as well.
00:24:37:12 - 00:24:41:15
So you can be a subject matter expert that
can identify something very niche, or you
00:24:41:15 - 00:24:43:07
could be like a serial entrepreneur.
00:24:43:07 - 00:24:43:15
But yeah, no, definitely like, you know,
you know, I mean, you can come out of
00:24:43:15 - 00:24:46:11
But yeah, no, definitely like, you know,
you know, I mean, you can come out of
00:24:46:11 - 00:24:47:18
But yeah, no, definitely like, you know,
you know, I mean, you can come out of
00:24:47:18 - 00:24:50:07
university and have a great idea and be
ready to go.
00:24:50:07 - 00:24:54:04
And there's also benefits of that because
you know, especially if you still have at
00:24:54:04 - 00:24:57:16
home or you're like, very like low cost,
you know.
00:24:57:16 - 00:25:02:07
you know, co -living situation, it's great
to have like a very lean base when you're
00:25:02:07 - 00:25:04:16
a startup, because you're not going to get
paid very well.
00:25:04:16 - 00:25:05:04
a startup, because you're not going to get
paid very well.
00:25:05:12 - 00:25:05:17
But definitely like having experience is,
is, you know, really well regarded.
00:25:05:17 - 00:25:10:15
But definitely like having experience is,
is, you know, really well regarded.
00:25:10:15 - 00:25:10:23
But definitely like having experience is,
is, you know, really well regarded.
00:25:10:23 - 00:25:17:22
And so now if you reflect upon sort of
this journey that you've been across, how
00:25:17:22 - 00:25:18:03
And so now if you reflect upon sort of
this journey that you've been across, how
00:25:18:03 - 00:25:23:05
do you think maybe your brand or your
style has it evolved over the years?
00:25:23:06 - 00:25:27:06
I think, I mean, one thing, I mean, I came
from advertising.
00:25:27:06 - 00:25:30:14
So for instance, like George Patz.
00:25:30:14 - 00:25:36:07
you know, I was looking up to Telstra and
you create a campaign and you have a
00:25:36:07 - 00:25:40:12
copywriter and an art director and then it
goes to the creative director to get
00:25:40:12 - 00:25:43:22
signed off and then it goes through 17
,000 iterations.
00:25:43:22 - 00:25:46:11
And then finally you have like the final
piece and then it has to go through
00:25:46:11 - 00:25:47:11
quality assurance.
00:25:47:11 - 00:25:50:07
And then all of a sudden they're like, no,
this shouldn't be a full stop at the end
00:25:50:07 - 00:25:50:19
of this thing.
00:25:50:19 - 00:25:54:11
So it needs to go back to the creative
director and the team and then back
00:25:54:11 - 00:25:56:02
through the whole process again.
00:25:56:03 - 00:25:58:15
Like you have to have like such high
attention to detail.
00:25:58:15 - 00:26:00:09
And I was always like,
00:26:00:19 - 00:26:03:16
they'll still get the message if it
doesn't have a full stop.
00:26:04:01 - 00:26:08:04
So I've never been the perfectionist,
which, you know, like, you know, when you
00:26:08:04 - 00:26:11:09
are in that industry, so I think that that
definitely lends itself to being an
00:26:11:09 - 00:26:12:01
entrepreneur.
00:26:12:01 - 00:26:17:06
So I'm very much, you know, like,
comfortable with launching things that
00:26:17:06 - 00:26:21:06
aren't perfect, if I think they're better
than they were before.
00:26:21:06 - 00:26:24:01
And I'm also very comfortable.
00:26:24:01 - 00:26:27:23
And I think, yeah, this has definitely
like evolved over time, like knowing that
00:26:27:23 - 00:26:30:03
there's value in better.
00:26:30:03 - 00:26:33:16
as opposed to holding off until it's
perfect.
00:26:34:09 - 00:26:39:13
I also think there's huge value and again,
more and more so, like this is really
00:26:39:13 - 00:26:43:23
important to me is like to have like an
open dialogue, to be human, to be
00:26:43:23 - 00:26:48:09
accessible, so that you can have more
conversations with the people that are
00:26:48:09 - 00:26:50:13
interacting with your product or service.
00:26:50:20 - 00:26:54:14
And also just so that you do have that
forgiveness, like, you know, it's not
00:26:54:14 - 00:26:56:22
perfect, but rather than like, you know,
hating on them.
00:26:56:22 - 00:26:59:03
I'm going to reach out and tell them that
something's broken and they'll be like,
00:26:59:03 - 00:27:00:08
thank you so much.
00:27:00:08 - 00:27:01:10
Like, let's fix that.
00:27:01:10 - 00:27:01:13
Like, let's fix that.
00:27:01:13 - 00:27:07:05
rather you be honest and upfront about it
and you can have that open conversation.
00:27:07:05 - 00:27:12:07
And so now with sort of that growth in
Miss Tyler going from, I know you're still
00:27:12:07 - 00:27:14:09
really in that startup, but you've grown
significantly sort of from where you first
00:27:14:09 - 00:27:17:18
really in that startup, but you've grown
significantly sort of from where you first
00:27:17:18 - 00:27:19:07
sort of started.
00:27:19:07 - 00:27:26:03
What do you think in terms of the role
that Miss Tyler plays in the whole fashion
00:27:26:03 - 00:27:28:16
landscape and the influence that you've
now
00:27:28:16 - 00:27:33:03
brought out to especially from a retailer
to bringing the consumers and overall just
00:27:33:03 - 00:27:34:05
brought out to especially from a retailer
to bringing the consumers and overall just
00:27:34:05 - 00:27:34:17
in terms of body positivity etc.
00:27:34:17 - 00:27:37:12
in terms of body positivity etc.
00:27:38:08 - 00:27:46:11
Yeah, so I mean, when we first launched,
we actually launched, we had what's called
00:27:46:11 - 00:27:51:12
a cold start problem, which is when you
have a marketplace, you need to have
00:27:51:12 - 00:27:53:22
products and you need to have customers.
00:27:53:22 - 00:27:55:13
But then which one do you have first?
00:27:55:13 - 00:27:57:14
Do you have products without having, you
know, so we had the same problem where we
00:27:57:14 - 00:27:59:03
Do you have products without having, you
know, so we had the same problem where we
00:27:59:03 - 00:28:02:00
needed to have creators, we need to have
content on the platform.
00:28:02:00 - 00:28:04:23
so that we can get users because we had
something to offer them.
00:28:04:23 - 00:28:07:22
But then it's hard to get creative on the
platform when you have no users.
00:28:07:22 - 00:28:12:02
So what we did is we started, I created a
database of celebrities.
00:28:12:02 - 00:28:12:03
So what we did is we started, I created a
database of celebrities.
00:28:12:03 - 00:28:13:21
And so I tried to find as many celebrities
as they can that where you could publicly
00:28:13:21 - 00:28:17:05
And so I tried to find as many celebrities
as they can that where you could publicly
00:28:17:05 - 00:28:17:20
find their data.
00:28:17:20 - 00:28:22:04
I could find their height, their chest,
bust, waist size, their hair color, their
00:28:22:04 - 00:28:23:15
eye color, all that sort of stuff.
00:28:23:15 - 00:28:28:23
And I really wanted to focus on as to be
as diverse as possible, just because I
00:28:28:23 - 00:28:29:12
wanted to have.
00:28:29:12 - 00:28:33:19
any person who tried to use this app would
have a good experience because they could
00:28:33:19 - 00:28:35:13
find somebody who represented them.
00:28:35:13 - 00:28:38:06
So from the very beginning, I was very
intentional about being diverse.
00:28:38:06 - 00:28:42:03
I was like, you know, tall celebrities,
short celebrities, curvy celebrities,
00:28:42:03 - 00:28:43:14
skinny celebrities.
00:28:44:20 - 00:28:47:00
So that was always like, you know, part of
the plan.
00:28:47:00 - 00:28:54:10
But I think I underestimated, you know,
why that was so important, which is the
00:28:54:10 - 00:28:56:16
world of fashion is not representative.
00:28:56:20 - 00:29:04:13
So, you know, it's like the average model,
you know, looks like 0 .01 % of us.
00:29:06:11 - 00:29:09:04
So it's not that some of us don't look
like them.
00:29:09:04 - 00:29:12:13
It's like almost all of us don't look like
them.
00:29:12:13 - 00:29:18:06
So, you know, we're all trying to like buy
clothes off someone who doesn't look like
00:29:18:06 - 00:29:21:06
us and then try to imagine how the thing's
going to look on us.
00:29:21:06 - 00:29:24:20
And even, you know, like there's, you
know, the physical attributes of our body,
00:29:24:20 - 00:29:29:05
but there's also age and, you know, people
going, well, that's on a 20 year old, but,
00:29:29:05 - 00:29:30:10
you know, as someone turning 50 this year
or someone turning 60 this year, is that
00:29:30:10 - 00:29:33:19
you know, as someone turning 50 this year
or someone turning 60 this year, is that
00:29:33:19 - 00:29:34:22
appropriate for me to wear?
00:29:34:22 - 00:29:35:19
Because I need.
00:29:35:19 - 00:29:38:08
I need references that show me that that's
acceptable for me to wear.
00:29:38:08 - 00:29:39:17
I need references that show me that that's
acceptable for me to wear.
00:29:39:17 - 00:29:42:07
Even though I know that it's like wear
whatever you want.
00:29:42:07 - 00:29:45:14
But for many of us, we're looking for
guidance.
00:29:46:08 - 00:29:51:18
And so yeah, when we first launched the
app, so we started with celebrities.
00:29:51:18 - 00:29:54:02
And as soon as we launched, we started
getting users.
00:29:54:02 - 00:29:57:18
And we also started recruiting creators,
because now we could show creators this is
00:29:57:18 - 00:29:59:15
what the app looks like.
00:29:59:15 - 00:30:03:20
If you join when we go live, you'll
essentially be on this feed.
00:30:04:04 - 00:30:08:15
So six months later, we had our first 180
creators that had applied and they added
00:30:08:15 - 00:30:09:06
four posts.
00:30:09:06 - 00:30:12:09
So we had 180 creators times four posts
ready to launch.
00:30:12:09 - 00:30:15:22
So we launched that to the platform and
immediately we started getting feedback.
00:30:15:22 - 00:30:18:18
First of all, like we blended them in with
celebrities.
00:30:18:18 - 00:30:21:08
It was like, you'd see your celebrity
match, then a creator, then celebrity
00:30:21:08 - 00:30:22:01
match, then a creator.
00:30:22:01 - 00:30:24:06
And the feedback was, I have to skip
through the celebrities just to find the
00:30:24:06 - 00:30:26:14
And the feedback was, I have to skip
through the celebrities just to find the
00:30:26:14 - 00:30:29:08
real people because the real people are
like, what's valuable.
00:30:29:08 - 00:30:31:23
And interestingly enough, when I was
pitching investors, they were like,
00:30:31:23 - 00:30:34:15
Okay, but of course people want to follow
celebrities, but why would they want to
00:30:34:15 - 00:30:35:14
follow real people?
00:30:35:14 - 00:30:37:01
And I was like, no, they will.
00:30:37:01 - 00:30:39:17
And so then it was just nice validation.
00:30:39:19 - 00:30:44:16
But secondly, we started getting emails
like that this was the first time they'd
00:30:44:16 - 00:30:47:14
seen themselves represented in fashion,
like the first time, you know, and, you
00:30:47:14 - 00:30:48:10
seen themselves represented in fashion,
like the first time, you know, and, you
00:30:48:10 - 00:30:53:08
know, we had this one email that was one
of the first ones that came through that
00:30:53:08 - 00:30:54:05
will always stick with me.
00:30:54:05 - 00:30:58:03
And it was a woman and she said, I have
felt fat and ugly almost my entire life.
00:30:58:03 - 00:31:00:11
And now at the age of 76, I feel human.
00:31:00:11 - 00:31:01:22
Thank you.
00:31:02:02 - 00:31:10:03
And that was just like incredible to just
think that people have, you know, been in
00:31:10:03 - 00:31:13:23
this world that has made them feel crap
for so long.
00:31:13:23 - 00:31:16:17
And it's such a simple solution.
00:31:17:01 - 00:31:19:02
And so, yeah, so that that we just and we
got a lot more along that thing.
00:31:19:02 - 00:31:21:09
And so, yeah, so that that we just and we
got a lot more along that thing.
00:31:21:09 - 00:31:25:15
Like, you know, it's great seeing like the
curvy girls out there again, also just
00:31:25:15 - 00:31:28:02
like seeing women of different ages
featured.
00:31:28:02 - 00:31:29:04
So.
00:31:29:04 - 00:31:34:20
You know, I think it's always, you know,
the job was always to help every single
00:31:34:20 - 00:31:38:20
person find content that's relevant to
them.
00:31:38:20 - 00:31:43:00
But really, like, we're doing so many
other jobs that were really like just
00:31:43:00 - 00:31:44:17
broken in the world of fashion.
00:31:44:17 - 00:31:49:11
And we haven't done it for a while, but we
used to send out a survey every six months
00:31:49:11 - 00:31:50:03
and ask people, you know, how, you know,
how would you rate your body confidence?
00:31:50:03 - 00:31:52:13
and ask people, you know, how, you know,
how would you rate your body confidence?
00:31:52:13 - 00:31:54:23
How's your body confidence increased since
using this title?
00:31:54:23 - 00:31:57:08
And 86 % of users say that they're
00:31:57:08 - 00:31:59:08
more confident just by using this Tyler.
00:31:59:08 - 00:32:02:18
And it's a combination of one, seeing all
these amazing people that look like them.
00:32:02:18 - 00:32:04:01
And it's a combination of one, seeing all
these amazing people that look like them.
00:32:04:01 - 00:32:08:03
And it's like, wow, you look like me, and
you're confident, and you're stylish.
00:32:08:03 - 00:32:11:04
And so not only do you look great, but I
can look great.
00:32:11:04 - 00:32:15:01
But it's also seeing the diversity and
actually seeing women of all different
00:32:15:01 - 00:32:18:23
heights and shapes and sizes and ages and
colors and being like, that's right.
00:32:18:23 - 00:32:21:05
We look very different.
00:32:21:05 - 00:32:24:08
And I fit into this because we all fit
into this.
00:32:24:08 - 00:32:25:13
And so.
00:32:25:18 - 00:32:30:17
Definitely representation has become
really, really a passion for me.
00:32:30:20 - 00:32:35:04
Actually, one thing that I'm working on at
the moment is if you Google the average
00:32:35:04 - 00:32:41:05
dress size of someone in Australia or in
America, like take America, for example,
00:32:41:05 - 00:32:46:08
you were pointed to a publication from
2016 that's using data from 2010.
00:32:47:05 - 00:32:52:22
And Holly Richards, who runs Amplefolk,
she wrote an article in Refinery29 about
00:32:52:22 - 00:32:53:14
Australia.
00:32:53:14 - 00:32:56:16
And it's like in Australia, like the data
comes from like the Australian Bureau
00:32:56:16 - 00:33:01:09
statistics health survey, and they asked
for your waist circumference.
00:33:01:09 - 00:33:03:12
So it's like the data out there is really
poor.
00:33:03:12 - 00:33:08:00
And so, you know, here, like, I don't know
who's making decisions, but making
00:33:08:00 - 00:33:10:23
decisions without having the data about
what women look like.
00:33:10:23 - 00:33:14:16
And so we have 360 ,000 body profiles.
00:33:14:16 - 00:33:20:08
And so we know like actually in the US,
the most common dress size on our
00:33:20:08 - 00:33:20:16
platform.
00:33:20:16 - 00:33:23:04
So we have 44 ,000 profiles in the US.
00:33:23:08 - 00:33:26:12
The most common dry size is an Australian
size 20.
00:33:26:15 - 00:33:28:00
Wow, that is.
00:33:28:00 - 00:33:32:11
Australia, at the moment, it's a 14 and
then it's a 16.
00:33:32:11 - 00:33:36:11
But this is very different to, I think,
what we imagine or what media and the
00:33:36:11 - 00:33:37:19
But this is very different to, I think,
what we imagine or what media and the
00:33:37:19 - 00:33:40:07
general person imagines.
00:33:40:13 - 00:33:41:04
Exactly.
00:33:41:04 - 00:33:42:13
So I think just making data transparent
and making just putting representation on
00:33:42:13 - 00:33:47:10
So I think just making data transparent
and making just putting representation on
00:33:47:10 - 00:33:51:02
the forefront is super important and is
just very empowering.
00:33:51:02 - 00:33:54:05
Not to mention one of the biggest issues
in fashion.
00:33:54:07 - 00:33:59:05
And sustainability is just that 40 % of
what gets purchased online gets returned.
00:33:59:05 - 00:34:03:00
So that's like a lot of shipping and
packaging and handling and a bunch of
00:34:03:00 - 00:34:03:23
So that's like a lot of shipping and
packaging and handling and a bunch of
00:34:03:23 - 00:34:06:14
stock that they can't resell that goes to
landfill.
00:34:06:14 - 00:34:10:15
So just by getting the fit wrong, it's
like one of the most unsustainable parts
00:34:10:15 - 00:34:11:18
of fashion.
00:34:11:18 - 00:34:15:03
So if you can just improve fit, it's huge.
00:34:15:03 - 00:34:17:01
And so again, on our platform, we are...
00:34:17:10 - 00:34:20:17
We are brand agnostic, so we're just kind
of like, if you're a creator, you just
00:34:20:17 - 00:34:23:10
post whatever makes you feel good,
whatever brands that is.
00:34:23:10 - 00:34:27:03
If it's a brand that has an affiliate
program, affiliate marketing is a way that
00:34:27:03 - 00:34:29:16
you can get compensated for driving
traffic.
00:34:29:16 - 00:34:31:20
So if they have a program, we'll sign up
to it.
00:34:31:20 - 00:34:36:00
And so on some of our links, we can make a
bit of money, which we share with the
00:34:36:00 - 00:34:37:01
And so on some of our links, we can make a
bit of money, which we share with the
00:34:37:01 - 00:34:37:17
creator.
00:34:37:19 - 00:34:41:08
And one of the things that affiliate
marketing does is it says they don't want
00:34:41:08 - 00:34:42:04
anyone to game it.
00:34:42:04 - 00:34:45:00
So they basically like, if you have a 30
day return window,
00:34:45:00 - 00:34:49:07
then we won't pay out unless the item has
not been returned by day 31, which means
00:34:49:07 - 00:34:53:08
that on transactions that use affiliate
links, we can see return data.
00:34:53:08 - 00:34:55:06
And the returns through Ms.
00:34:55:06 - 00:34:55:17
Tyler are 4%.
00:34:55:17 - 00:34:57:08
Tyler are 4%.
00:34:57:18 - 00:35:00:13
So it's like 10 times lower.
00:35:00:13 - 00:35:01:06
Yes.
00:35:01:06 - 00:35:06:18
And so the size of Fashion, if you can
reduce the return rate, if we could reduce
00:35:06:18 - 00:35:11:21
the return rate by 5%, it makes a huge
impact.
00:35:11:21 - 00:35:12:02
So.
00:35:12:02 - 00:35:15:21
I think there's some really exciting stuff
there about like, how can we actually just
00:35:15:21 - 00:35:19:16
make shopping a better experience so that
rather than going to a website and
00:35:19:16 - 00:35:23:01
scrolling through and be like, well,
that's not going to suit me because I
00:35:23:01 - 00:35:24:20
don't have big enough boobs for that one.
00:35:24:20 - 00:35:28:16
And I don't, I'm too tall for this one and
X, Y, Z and trying to find the things that
00:35:28:16 - 00:35:29:17
will suit you.
00:35:29:17 - 00:35:33:09
Imagine the experience of going on and
being like, everything here suits me.
00:35:33:09 - 00:35:34:15
Which one do I want?
00:35:34:15 - 00:35:35:11
Or what do I like?
00:35:35:11 - 00:35:36:15
Like that's much better.
00:35:36:15 - 00:35:40:17
And then, and then you get it and it fits
and you can wear it.
00:35:40:17 - 00:35:41:10
Yeah.
00:35:41:10 - 00:35:41:17
Yeah.
00:35:41:21 - 00:35:42:22
Amazing.
00:35:42:22 - 00:35:48:15
So Sarah, I've got three quick fire kind
of questions for you.
00:35:48:15 - 00:35:57:10
So if, say you had an event to go to, or
you just really wanted to feel empowered,
00:35:57:10 - 00:36:03:03
and I would define it as your signature
style piece, what is that piece do you
00:36:03:03 - 00:36:06:03
think that would truly represent your
brand?
00:36:06:03 - 00:36:09:07
And why do you think it's an essential
part of your wardrobe?
00:36:10:12 - 00:36:13:14
Unfortunately, like the irony of this, and
I keep thinking I need to actually get
00:36:13:14 - 00:36:16:20
better at fashion because now it looks
like the product doesn't work.
00:36:17:08 - 00:36:20:08
But I'm always like stuck behind a
computer and I'm you know, but anyway, but
00:36:20:08 - 00:36:21:11
But I'm always like stuck behind a
computer and I'm you know, but anyway, but
00:36:21:11 - 00:36:21:13
no, I am I
00:36:21:13 - 00:36:23:15
no, I am I
00:36:23:15 - 00:36:28:15
would say I have like an amazing black
dress that's kind of like it just hits
00:36:28:15 - 00:36:34:21
just below the knees and it's got a really
like nice sort of cut sort of neckline.
00:36:34:21 - 00:36:39:23
And I wear that if I bought it actually
for my one of my first speaking gigs and
00:36:39:23 - 00:36:44:15
it was kind of like a bit of a splurge
purchase and it just makes me feel so
00:36:44:15 - 00:36:45:15
chic.
00:36:45:20 - 00:36:48:23
And you know, it's one of those dresses
that I feel like you can dress up you can
00:36:48:23 - 00:36:53:06
dress down so you don't feel like you're
trying too hard but then it just like
00:36:53:06 - 00:36:53:13
looks really
00:36:53:13 - 00:36:54:06
great.
00:36:54:06 - 00:36:56:20
So that's definitely like one of my like
power pieces.
00:36:56:20 - 00:36:57:03
So that's definitely like one of my like
power pieces.
00:36:57:03 - 00:36:57:23
love it.
00:36:57:23 - 00:36:58:09
Okay.
00:36:58:09 - 00:37:04:05
And then so for those listeners looking
for a little bit of inspiration, are you
00:37:04:05 - 00:37:09:08
maybe currently or have you read a book
lately or maybe listen to something on
00:37:09:08 - 00:37:15:01
Audible or a podcast that you would say
has had a significant impact in the way
00:37:15:01 - 00:37:19:11
that you've sort of run your leadership
journey or entrepreneurial journey that
00:37:19:11 - 00:37:21:17
you would recommend at all?
00:37:22:19 - 00:37:26:01
from an entrepreneurial perspective, this
is an older book that I read a long time
00:37:26:01 - 00:37:29:01
ago, but I honestly do think it's one of
the best books.
00:37:29:01 - 00:37:33:14
it's called a lean startup and it
introduces a lot of topics that people
00:37:33:14 - 00:37:37:20
might have heard about now, like MVP or
minimum viable product, but it's, it's
00:37:37:20 - 00:37:41:12
this whole concept of just like, rather
than trying to get things perfect and then
00:37:41:12 - 00:37:45:17
launching and realizing people actually
only use 10 % of your product launch, you
00:37:45:17 - 00:37:48:09
know, launch the first thing you have and
get feedback and then build based on what
00:37:48:09 - 00:37:49:14
people actually want.
00:37:49:14 - 00:37:51:04
So you're not wasting time.
00:37:51:04 - 00:37:51:20
absolutely.
00:37:51:20 - 00:37:52:09
that's great.
00:37:52:09 - 00:37:58:13
And then I actually just my friend Anna
Lozinski runs a book club based on
00:37:58:13 - 00:38:00:05
innovative books.
00:38:00:05 - 00:38:04:09
And so you read this book and then you
discuss it for an hour.
00:38:04:09 - 00:38:05:13
It's fantastic.
00:38:05:13 - 00:38:07:16
And yeah, we had a book club I just
joined.
00:38:07:16 - 00:38:11:11
We had the first book club yesterday, but
the book was called Co -Intelligence.
00:38:11:11 - 00:38:16:14
And it's written by a Warton professor, a
Warton Business School professor.
00:38:16:14 - 00:38:18:00
And it's about AI.
00:38:18:00 - 00:38:22:03
But it's written from somebody who's not
technical, but really has been exploring
00:38:22:03 - 00:38:24:09
the applications of AI for a very long
time.
00:38:24:09 - 00:38:26:14
So it's a very accessible book.
00:38:26:14 - 00:38:28:02
It's very easy to read.
00:38:28:02 - 00:38:33:00
And it helped me understand AI so much
better than I had before.
00:38:33:00 - 00:38:35:00
And it even talks through the style of
prompting and the things you can do and
00:38:35:00 - 00:38:37:15
And it even talks through the style of
prompting and the things you can do and
00:38:37:15 - 00:38:40:22
how you can improve your own use of AI and
how
00:38:40:22 - 00:38:45:09
Yeah, anyway, I highly recommend that for
anyone who wants to understand AI a little
00:38:45:09 - 00:38:46:01
bit more.
00:38:46:01 - 00:38:46:05
bit more.
00:38:46:05 - 00:38:47:10
I love that.
00:38:47:10 - 00:38:53:05
Definitely very topical, obviously as AI
is everywhere at the moment.
00:38:53:05 - 00:38:57:01
So everyone's good to really get on board
and just understand and learn how to use
00:38:57:01 - 00:38:58:07
it properly.
00:38:58:07 - 00:39:03:09
And then finally, the third one is we all
have those days where we need an extra
00:39:03:09 - 00:39:04:04
boost.
00:39:04:04 - 00:39:09:07
And I know in the entrepreneurial world
that you've had and the ups and downs that
00:39:09:07 - 00:39:11:04
everyone faces, what...
00:39:11:04 - 00:39:16:10
is your quick sort of maybe mindset ritual
that you'll go to to help you feel like
00:39:16:10 - 00:39:18:05
you can tackle anything again.
00:39:19:07 - 00:39:21:02
Honestly, a really good song.
00:39:21:02 - 00:39:21:16
Honestly, a really good song.
00:39:22:05 - 00:39:23:21
Yeah.
00:39:25:12 - 00:39:26:01
I love the Robin dancing on my own.
00:39:26:01 - 00:39:29:14
I love the Robin dancing on my own.
00:39:29:14 - 00:39:31:08
That's such a good one.
00:39:31:08 - 00:39:35:22
Honestly, put your headphones in and just
like pump out some music or even if I'm
00:39:35:22 - 00:39:38:01
working, I'll just like play some music in
the background.
00:39:38:01 - 00:39:43:06
I honestly don't generally listen to music
when I work, but that's such a good...
00:39:43:06 - 00:39:47:20
tool and my best friend is a psychologist
and she's always talking about like when
00:39:47:20 - 00:39:53:03
you find things that make you feel good
like a song or like a food or a texture or
00:39:53:03 - 00:39:57:08
whatever it is like add it to your mental
toolbox so that whenever you are feeling
00:39:57:08 - 00:39:59:15
shitty you can just like go to that
toolbox and be like i have a list of
00:39:59:15 - 00:40:03:08
things that make me feel good or massage
or whatever it happens to be and then just
00:40:03:08 - 00:40:07:18
like you know give yourself permission to
indulge in those things when you are
00:40:07:18 - 00:40:08:14
feeling crappy.
00:40:08:14 - 00:40:08:19
feeling crappy.
00:40:08:19 - 00:40:10:04
I love that Sarah.
00:40:10:04 - 00:40:12:19
Thank you so much for that because I
really enjoy the terminology, your mental
00:40:12:19 - 00:40:13:23
Thank you so much for that because I
really enjoy the terminology, your mental
00:40:13:23 - 00:40:16:08
toolbox, because then it's there and you
just go and pick it out.
00:40:16:08 - 00:40:17:05
toolbox, because then it's there and you
just go and pick it out.
00:40:17:05 - 00:40:18:13
You don't actually have to think about it.
00:40:18:13 - 00:40:22:04
You just know you're in this other zone
and you just need something for an uplift.
00:40:22:04 - 00:40:26:13
So if someone wanted to connect with you,
find out more about Miss Tyler, I will
00:40:26:13 - 00:40:28:11
have a whole bunch of details in the show
notes.
00:40:28:11 - 00:40:32:19
But do you want to let them know what the
best way to find the Miss Tyler?
00:40:32:19 - 00:40:33:01
But do you want to let them know what the
best way to find the Miss Tyler?
00:40:33:10 - 00:40:37:23
so you can follow I mean, you can download
Miss Tyler from the App Store or Google
00:40:37:23 - 00:40:38:18
Play.
00:40:38:18 - 00:40:44:23
So it's Miss Tyler, Y s, and then Tyler
Tyler T y l e r, where on Instagram is
00:40:44:23 - 00:40:46:10
probably like the platform that we use the
most.
00:40:46:10 - 00:40:48:23
So it's my s dot t y l e r.
00:40:48:23 - 00:40:55:13
If you want to reach out to me, it's Sarah
with an H at Miss hyphen Tyler calm.
00:40:55:13 - 00:40:55:21
If you want to reach out to me, it's Sarah
with an H at Miss hyphen Tyler calm.
00:40:56:10 - 00:40:57:03
Yeah.
00:40:57:03 - 00:40:57:10
Yeah.
00:40:57:10 - 00:41:02:15
thank you so much, Sarah, for taking the
time out to chat with me today.
00:41:02:15 - 00:41:08:08
There's been so many gold nuggets along
your journey that if you haven't thought
00:41:08:08 - 00:41:14:10
about writing a book or putting that in
the list, maybe for 2028 or when you get
00:41:14:10 - 00:41:19:17
that five minutes, I do think it'd be a
really interesting read behind the scenes
00:41:19:17 - 00:41:23:12
or at least a movie deal somewhere around
the way.
00:41:24:05 - 00:41:26:06
Definitely, but thank you so much.
00:41:26:06 - 00:41:29:01
I've absolutely loved chatting with you
today.
00:41:29:01 - 00:41:29:05
I've absolutely loved chatting with you
today.
00:41:29:10 - 00:41:31:16
My pleasure, as always.
