We recently connected with Anita Thomas and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Anita, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
It’s so interesting to look back at key moments in my life where I can see how my work ethic started to pronounce itself. As a kid, I was always curious and intensely interested in learning new things. I loved reading and language, in particular. My sisters used to tease me about how I would read the thesaurus like it was a novel or something. I just had a voracious appetite to know more in order to satisfy my brain. To my young mind, life felt like this enormous thing to be conquered with so many breadcrumbs of knowledge I needed along the way to make sense of it all (as if anyone could ever master that!). So the awareness of how time-intensive learning can be drove me to apply myself so I wouldn’t feel like I was left in the shadows.
But I also attribute my work ethic to the dynamics of being in a single parent household. When you see a parent working so hard–and sometimes holding multiple jobs–in order to make ends meet, it rubs off on you. The behavior that is modeled, and the subsequent appreciation you have for all the sacrifices made on your behalf, leaves quite an impression. My work ethic was definitely shaped through that experience. And because my sisters and I wanted to do our part to pitch in and help, we started working as soon as we could get work permits.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am the founder and CEO of Lavāda which is the only patented, 4-in-1 vegan leather handbag on the market. My mission is to help people achieve fun and function in their wardrobes while holding onto their sustainability goals. If we can reimagine ways to get more useful life out the items in our closet, it frees us from not only chasing trends frantically, but also reducing waste. And I am very passionate about stewardship. It’s something that goes beyond the trending buzzwords so many of us have been hearing lately: eco-friendly, sustainable, slow fashion, etc. If we are truly going to make a social and environmental impact, stewardship is what we need to uphold as the standard. And this is about more than the materials we use. It includes fair trade and fair wages, and sometimes (frankly) just saying no to producing things in excess. It’s easy for me to get on a soapbox about these things because the more I have come to learn about just how many issues there are in fashion, the more compulsive it is for me to do my part.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three qualities, skills, or knowledge categories that served me most were these:
1) Persistence and tenacity. Regardless of your role or your industry, you have to be consistent and you have to persevere. So many people give up. And they may do so when they realize just how much work is required. Or they quit prematurely before allowing ample time for their business to truly take off. There is a ramp up period that must be accounted for. And some industries are faster or slower than others.
2) It’s not enough to be good at just the core skills you possess in your trade. You also need to know marketing and sales. If you’ve developed a great SAAS platform, for example, you’ll have to pitch it in order for it to be adapted. And if you’re seeking funding, it’s not all about the numbers. You also have to pitch. It doesn’t matter if it’s a B2B or B2C play. Sales and marketing will be essential. Of course, you can hire out for these skills. But you’ll be the one who defines the audience, user personas, psychographics, etc. in the first place. All of this is the formation for marketing anyway.
3) Trade secrets. Whatever vertical you’re in, there are trade publications, conferences, meet-ups, forums, or groups you can join. Network and learn. Keep learning. Get involved in your industry where it makes sense. Stay abreast of the latest research and get your hands on relevant data, as well.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I would love to collaborate with other brands or businesses that value sustainability. Right now, I am looking to help customers understand not only how Lavāda’s products are sustainable, but how they can be empowered to make informed decisions as they’re shopping for just about anything. And these businesses do not necessarily have to be squarely rooted in fashion. There are so many ancillary products and services that make sense. I’m open to collaborations across verticals.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lavadabags.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/lavadahandbags
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lavada-handbags/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lavadahandbagsofficial?sub_confirmation=1
