3 Business Lessons I Learned After Spending an Hour with The Founder of Kleinfeld Bridal Mara Urshel | By Justyna Kedra

Our journey here at WERULE really started 405 weeks ago when our founder Justyna Kedra (@thisisjustyna) walked into @kleinfeldbridal to interview Mara Urshel. PS: You probably know them from the show Say Yes To The Dress. 🫶

“She’s the one who gave me my first chance and our one hour long conversation still inspires me until today. We were just a basically non existent instagram account with a very bad website with a dream to inspire women to build great and financially sustainable businesses. Mara treated me with the same level of professionalism she would treat a big shot journalist. She opened up about her business, what she loves about every single bride that steps into her store and how much passion, hard work and dedication it took to make it into such a success. It’s iconic! I couldn’t believe I was sitting in her office… A year after graduating Parsons!

Lesson here? Success takes time. Don’t just give yourself a few weeks. Give yourself a few years. Plus, reach out to people who truly inspire you. You never know will give you an hour of their time and who’s conversation with you will still inspire you 7 years later.” - Justyna Kedra

About Kleinfeld Bridal:

Kleinfeld Bridal boasts a rich history dating back to 1941, when the Kleinfeld family, spearheaded by Hedda Kleinfeld Schachter, opened their doors in Brooklyn. With a modest investment, the store initially offered fur and special occasion dresses. However, Hedda Kleinfeld Schachter's vision extended far beyond that. In 1968, she made a pivotal decision,introducing European bridal gowns to the American market. This forward-thinking move, coupled with her talent for securing exclusive rights with prominent designers, transformed Kleinfeld into a bridal powerhouse. By 1979, fur and evening wear were phased out entirely, with the store expanding to offer a staggering 400 wedding gown styles. Hedda Kleinfeld Schachter's entrepreneurial spirit and keen eye for style laid the foundation for Kleinfeld's enduring success as a leader in the bridal industry.

Here are the 3 lessons I learned from the owner of Kleinfeld Bridal

1. Customer Comes First

Everyone at Kleinfeld is trained to put the customer first and it truly shows. Every single person that Mara passed by when showing me around (from staff to customers) she greeted and made sure that people feel important. This is shown not only on the show, but is also expected by everyone who works there.

2. Being the Biggest Is Sometimes The Best

People often say that you don’t have to be the biggest business to succeed, which is true… most of the time! I am always inspired and impressed with the way Mara grew the business from a bridal shop to becoming the best in the world. Kleinfeld has the best relationship with designers, customers and people in the industry. They also made a special moment into an iconic thing by convincing generations of women that getting their wedding dress at Kleinfeld’s is the only way to go.

For many people getting a dress there is a life mission and the business delivers on that dream in so many ways.

3. Creating an Empowering Work Environment Matters

Everyone who works there seems to geniueny love it. They have a way of hiring humans who are truly passionate about the bridal dresses they are selling. They’re able to connect with the customer on another level not only by providing top notch customer service, but also are able to deliver product that matches with the vision.

They’re also trained (educated guess based on my experience) how to navigate complex family relationships as well as making sure that the bride is prioritized.

At the end of the day you might think it’s just a bridal salon, but to me it’s a complex business operation that has been put together in a thoughtful way and perfected over the years.

Thank you Mara Urshel for inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs to build iconic businesses and provide customers with a next level experience. You’re truly a mentor to so many out there.

Thank you for reading! More coming soon! Feel free to email me: justyna@we-rule.com 🫶