How She Did It Her Way (and Revolutionized an Entire Apparel Category) with Kerry O'Brien, Founder of Commando
Dear FoundHer...Real Founder Stories for Women Small Business Owners
Lindsay Pinchuk
4.9 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 14 March 2023
⏱️ 47 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
“When I opened my top drawer, I felt deflated,” says Kerry O’Brien, founder, CEO and Lead Designer of trailblazing undergarment line Commando, of what first inspired her to start her business. Commando is the first undergarment line to be free from both elastic and trim, and she holds two patents for her innovative hosiery and slips. Her fashion designs have been featured on countless runways and in top fashion magazines, earning her entry into the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2012. Though she spent years in financial public relations in New York, Kerry, a fourth-generation Vermonter, now resides in Burlington with her three children.
Top takeaways from today’s episode:
- People want to help you, or find someone who can
- Women lean into brands they trust—trust which has to be earned
- Grassroots marketing has been replaced by authenticity—people want to know the story behind the brand
- Challenges and obstacles are normal, everyone should know that
- Ask for help, and if the person you’re asking can’t help, ask them if they know someone who can
Quotes
• “Ask for help. If they can't help help you, there's another question you ask: ‘Do you know someone who can?’” (43:48-43:56 | Kerry)
• “Women lean into brands that they trust, and you have to earn that trust from day one. It’s a friendship, a relationship you have with your customer.” (18:03-18:12 | Kerry)
• “Grassroots has been replaced by authenticity. Everyone talks about authenticity. You want it to be authentic. People care about brands because they want to know the story of the brand, who they're dealing with. Grassroots was like person-to-person in the know. Now you're able to talk about your authenticity and doing things like the carry fit, caring about where your fabrics come from, how they're made, and not paying people to wear our stuff. All that adds to that authenticity.” (21:45-22:22 | Kerry)
Connect with Kerry O'Brien:
Instagram Commando | http://www.instagram.com/wearcommando
Instagram Kerry | http://www.instagram.com/commandokerry
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Dear Founder, as you know, there's no blueprint for entrepreneurship. |
| 0:07.0 | You wear so many hats, you burn the men'side oil, you pour your heart and soul into everything |
| 0:11.9 | that you do. |
| 0:13.0 | But without a doubt, the journey is worth every single second that you put into it. |
| 0:18.1 | I'm Lindsay Pinchuk, host of the Dearer Founder podcast. I say this because I've |
| 0:22.7 | lived it for over a decade. I started my first company with $500 in my pocket and a baby in my belly. |
| 0:29.3 | I grew it and I sold it all. This podcast is my weekly letter to you. We'll talk all things |
| 0:35.6 | starting, growing, nurturing, and in some cases, even |
| 0:39.3 | selling a business. Together with some of my closest contacts, I'm here to help you find your |
| 0:44.1 | own success, whatever that means to you. The ride as a founder is the ride of your life. So come on |
| 0:50.2 | and join me for another episode that will get you one step closer to reaching your own |
| 0:54.6 | founder goals. Welcome back to another episode of Dear Founder. Today I am talking to Carrie O'Brien, |
| 1:03.5 | who is the founder CEO and lead designer at Commando, a 20-year-old brand that started with one product and now includes hundreds. |
| 1:14.3 | Carrie talks about how she started, how she expanded, and where she's going. |
| 1:18.1 | But most important, Carrie talks about how she built her business her own way. |
| 1:23.9 | Her story is fascinating and I cannot wait to share it with you. |
| 1:28.0 | But before we dive into today's episode, I'm your host, Lindsay Pinchuk. |
| 1:31.6 | I have been building brands for nearly 25 years. |
| 1:34.8 | And with a $500 investment, I founded, built, and sold a seven-figure business that reached |
| 1:39.5 | three million people per month. |
| 1:41.5 | This podcast is my twice weekly letter to you to inspire you to find success |
| 1:45.9 | through your own entrepreneurial endeavors. This podcast is really the show I wanted 13 years ago |
... |
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