Rachel Katzin designs & sells unique fashion wear that provides women with relaxed confidence and endless opportunities
Rachel pictured on the right
I stay motivated by… My passion for what I believe in.
Three adjectives that describe me are… Enthusiastic, real, determined.
If I could have dinner with one person (dead or alive) it would be… Gal Gadot, because she inspires me both as a woman and as the Wonder Woman character she played
The most exciting innovation to me is… being able to run a business from everywhere in the world.
We design and sell unique fashion wear that provides women with relaxed confidence and endless opportunities. We work to dress women so they are comfortable and ready for every occasion, releasing thereby the stress of having to think what to wear when. You look at yourself in the mirror and you are ready for whatever will come your way. We bring Italian inspiration, top quality fabrics and manufacturing and important attention to every detail of our garments. Our collections are designed so they can be easily styled to create the perfect look for any occasion. Trendy but solid colors, small details that add a touch of class and mix & match styles that look like runway but feel like workout clothes.
How did you come up with your business idea? What inspired you?
I was born and grew up in Milan, Italy, where my parents had a fashion business. Style and fashion awareness has always been in my blood; as a woman and a martial artist, I was also looking for a way to invent clothes that look nice and feel comfortable to a point that a woman can feel she is ready for every situation. My daughter Alba, my fashion background and martial arts were my muses.
What were you doing before this? How did it prepare you for the entrepreneurial life?
I worked in hi-tech for many years before I started this business. To me it was a world without a vision and a purpose. After I gave birth to my second child I understood that it was not what I wanted to do in life. I was determined to create my own business.
Do you have a fixed work routine? Is it important to have one? Any tips for our readers?
I have a half-fixed work routine I live in Israel and my business partner Brielle lives in the US. We have our ‘working hours’ when both of us are free from family duties and we speak and work together on the phone or zoom every day. Other than that, our days are divided between work and our families, but we have found a good way to juggle. I believe that working moms cannot be too rigid with their schedule and have to be able to improvise, be spontaneous and juggle, but that is often also a big advantage, because it leaves us a great flexibility. I like it!
What do you think is the biggest obstacle for female founders? How can we overcome it?
The business world is male dominated and I believe that men have a different way of doing business than we do. I have learned to listen more to my inner voice and to always remind ourselves that women think differently, work differently, shop differently. That doesn’t make us better or men worse, it’s just a different way of doing business. I find that in some cases, the tips I got from male friends were very genuine, but not always relevant.
How do you generate new ideas to stay relevant on the market? Is it important to innovate in your space?
Innovation is very important and not easy. There is almost nothing that hasn’t been done yet. Being open minded is crucial and so is spending time networking and on social networks. You learn a lot from people around you and from what goes on in people’s lives. I personally spend a great amount of time on social networks, reading blogs and articles, speaking to people and attending real or virtual events. I think that this is the best way to really understand where the wind blows and how we can offer our customers something unique.
What are your short/long term goals?
Our short term goal is to raise brand awareness, communicate our vision and message to a large community of women and be present in women’s lives as a meaningful brand. Our long term goal is turning into an international brand that will be able to make a difference in the world.
What sacrifices have you had to make to be a successful entrepreneur?
My family knows how hard I work, especially due to the time difference between Israel and the US. I am often not available on late afternoons and night and my kids know they have to turn to their father for whatever they need. Traveling is also part of my job (during normal times) and my kids miss me and I them.
How far are you willing to go to succeed?
I am willing to work hard and change many things in my life to be successful, but I am not willing to sacrifice my family for it and am not willing to become ruthless and step on people’s feet to get where I want. I believe in good, in collaboration and support to reach success.
Was it difficult get capital/investors? Has anyone underestimated you as a female entrepreneur?
It felt like God was on my side and knew how important it was for me to make this dream come true. My business partner and I met by chance on a pre-school visit and connected right away. I was not actively looking for investors or partners at the time, it happened in the most natural way. Once we became partners we grew our business together and took it a few levels up. I don’t think our investor underestimates neither of us as entrepreneurs. He has always supported us and believed in us.
What do you think about company culture? What are some of your tips on being a good leader?
Employees are the most precious asset of a company and most of all, they are human beings. To me, people and their lives are more important than anything else, so if an employee comes to me with some personal issue, I listen and try to help as much as I can. I also put a lot of effort in engaging all employees in the company vision and values. I don’t believe someone can work inside a company, if they don’t believe in what it does. The good thing is that our employees applied for a job in our company, because they connected with the brand vision and we feel it every single day
Who is the one super successful person you look up to? Why them?
I admire Gal Gadot, because she was not afraid to try to get where she believed she belonged. I once read that she got a part in one of the big Hollywood movies after sending an audition video of her self she had filmed at home with her phone! That’s brave and shows a high level of self-confidence! If you don’t try you will never know and she was not afraid to try. Also, in spite of her success, she is one of the most humble and caring celebrities I know.
What is one thing you find to be true that most people would disagree with?
Good brings good. Most people say that you cannot be successful without being ruthless and step on people’s feet. I don’t believe it’s true and I don’t want to believe that that’s the only way.
What are some pros and cons of having entrepreneurial parents?
Probably wanting to prove yourself and meet their expectations. I have never really had this issue though.
What is your biggest dream? Why?
My biggest dream is to have a successful business that will change women’s perception of themselves and life and that will bring enough income to allow me to contribute to all sorts of organizations that help women in need.