We recently connected with Megan Luchtel and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Megan, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I’ve been told “no” many more times than I’ve heard “yes” since starting my company. In fact, I heard “no” from Nordstrom after they reviewed my catalog, but two months later my products were on their website. I’d love to take credit for my resilience and say that it’s just something I muster up on my own. But I don’t believe it’s my resilience to own. It is a resilience that comes from the support and help of so many people who are behind me, in front of me, and always in my corner.
I’m Megan, the founder and designer of Lake Label, an ethically and sustainably made sun protective children’s swimwear line.
When I decided to start designing a sun protective swimsuit for babies, I had no idea where to start. I had no formal training in fashion or design and as soon as I decided to pursue this dream, I started flexing what would become a strong muscle of resilience. I don’t think anyone starts out full of resilience – it’s not something that we’re born with. But I do believe that like any muscle it can be strengthened and refined. In my case, the discomfort of building the muscle of resilience started right away.
Ever since I was little, I have always loved design. My grandmother taught me to sew when I was young, by middle school I was creating patterns and sewing pieces of clothing for myself and in college I designed and sewed a sorority formal dress. As a teenager, I remember telling my parents that I wanted to study fashion in college, but I felt like it wasn’t serious enough, so I went to school for international business. I spent years in corporate America before deciding to start my own company. It’s funny how Lake Label ended up being a fusion of so many of my passions: design, being outdoors, health, and taking care of our little ones.
In the beginning, I didn’t know what to do other than to start sketching. I had to figure out how to take the idea in my head and bring it into the real world. For me, that meant drawing it and thinking through what the physical product was going to look and feel like. This included thinking through details like fabric quality, seams, zippers, print designs, etc. I quickly realized that I would need some kind of partner to help me with the logistics of manufacturing and developing the product. After a lot of research (and a lot of “no’s”), I found a partner that worked with ethically certified manufacturers to bring small fashion startups to life. They helped me turn my sketches into digital designs which were then eventually turned into prototypes for testing. We went through more than 20 versions of prototypes before finalizing the sunsuit design. In every detail and decision that was made, I thought of my own children and how they would feel in the swimwear.
Fabric sourcing was another component of the business I knew nothing about. I had originally intended to outsource sourcing to my partner, but quickly realized that to achieve the level of quality I was looking for, I needed to manage this part of the business myself. I had never sourced fabric before and had no idea where to start so I picked up the phone and started calling fabric suppliers all over the US looking for chemical free UPF 50+ fabric. After a few weeks of calls (and lots of “no’s”), I found a fabric supplier who has been an integral part of my business. This was one of the first times I realized that it was going to be very important for me to take ownership of projects and trust my gut, sometimes even when I wasn’t the most qualified. Afterall, it’s my business and I need to learn about all aspects of it.
When it finally came time to sell the product, I was naively thrilled and excited! Little did I know that the resilience that got me from idea to launch was going to have to expand to get me through cold calling hundreds of shops and prepare me to hear hundreds of more “no’s”.
I knew that I would need to find retail partners in other parts of the country to raise brand awareness for Lake Label in places where I physically couldn’t be and I always dreamed of seeing my line at a store like Nordstrom or REI but had no idea that would be my reality within three years. That first year, I started by reaching out to a few of my favorite shops in my favorite vacation destinations and was encouraged by the interest and feedback on the product.
So, after two years of selling mostly in smaller boutiques, it was time to go after some larger accounts. Little did I know it was impossible to find an email address for buyers at big retail shops. I knew that paying thousands of dollars to go to a major tradeshow wasn’t going to work for my shoestring start up, so I started searching on LinkedIn for Children’s Buyers at Nordstrom and began guessing their email addresses until I figured out the correct format for all employees at the company. I sent my catalog to hundreds of buyers asking them to pass it along to the swimwear buyer and finally, I found her. Originally, she told me “no”, but after some encouragement from my husband, I sent her a sample anyway. Two weeks later, I was on a Zoom call discussing how soon I could have product ready for them.
Throughout the last three years of building Lake Label, I have become so used to hearing “no” that now all I really hear is “not right now”. And like so many entrepreneurs who have come before me, I put my head down and keep working until that “no” becomes a “yes” or at least a “maybe”.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Hi, I’m Megan.
My family loves to be outdoors, especially near the water. But getting three kids beach ready is not easy. I’ve spent hours chasing the shade with a newborn and lathering up my toddlers with sunscreen – only to find a red spot on their shoulder after a long day of swimming and boating. So, after five years of sunscreen in the eyes, reapplication tantrums and watching all of my hard work rub off into the sand and water, I knew there had to be a better way.
Lake Label was created out of my own family’s need for swimwear that protected our children from the harmful rays of the sun without exposing them to the toxic chemicals found in sunscreens. Our swimsuits are designed to provide full body coverage for little ones without the use of chemicals. The unique, full length, hooded design is lightweight, breathable and most importantly provides children with UPF 50+ protection while still allowing them to stay cool in the hot sun.
I’m on a mission to create beautiful and safe swimwear for families that want to enjoy the outdoors without worrying about the sun. It’s my hope that our swimwear makes it a little simpler to load the kids up for swimming at the beach, playing at the pool, or cruising on the boat.
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?
These three abilities were the most impactful and beneficial for me in my first three years of business:
1. Trust your gut
2. Only work with people you like and trust
3. Seek quiet and peace through exercise, meditation or solitude to allow yourself to best plan for your business and personal life goals.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
The Relentless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
It is very difficult to achieve anything worthwhile personally or professionally in a hurried state. Only by slowing down can we pursue our truest most creative work. The modern world is not made to encourage deep, creative work and the hustle and bustle of modern living makes it difficult to find peace and quiet – which is necessary for entrepreneurs to find in order to seek clarity in their business and life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lakelabel.com
- Instagram: @lakelabelswim
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lakelabelswim
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lakelabelswim
Image Credits
Mariah Mueggenberg
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
