Meg Strachan launched jewelry brand Dorsey in November 2019 as a side project. Though she knew she eventually wanted to launch her own company, financially, it didn't seem possible. "My path to founder was not a leap, it was gradual. I call it a parallel path," Strachan said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. Strachan had over 15 years of experience as a growth marketer at brands like Anine Bing, Carbon38 and Bandier. But when it came time to fundraise for Dorsey, she faced roadblocks. "I wasn't able to raise money prior to the brand having traction, which was fascinating for me, because I met with a lot of incredible VCs," Strachan said. "I was told, 'You have the exact resume of a founder we would invest into,' but all of them really told me, 'We don't really know the jewelry market.'" In September of 2019, Strachan joined sustainable activewear company Girlfriend Collective as the vp of growth across all channels. "I took on the role on a full-time consulting basis. I was [working] 9-to-5 with Girlfriend ... and I started to moonlight Dorsey at night and on weekends, essentially running the company when I wasn't doing my full-time job," Strachan said. Strachan's growth marketing and e-commerce experience helped Dorsey scale to become a seven-figure business in less than three years. Simultaneously, Girlfriend Collective saw 350% year-over-year growth during her tenure at the company. As Strachan transitioned into running her company full-time, growth and expansion through creative marketing and wholesale have been some of the most exciting areas of focus for her. "How I'm growing the business is certainly very different than most of the companies that I've worked for before," Strachan said.  

Though Lele Sadoughi the brand has been around for a decade, founder and creative director Lele Sadoughi brings a wealth of knowledge to her namesake business. Previously. she worked at Tory Burch, Club Monaco and Banana Republic. She launched J.Crew’s jewelry category in 2005 before creating her own line. “Working for these bigger companies, you had interaction with merchandising, with copywriting, with planning, with production, with visuals — with everything. In retrospect, it was the greatest primer to me starting my collection,” Sadoughi said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. After making a splash in 2018 with its pearl and jewel headband, Lele Sadoughi has since expanded into nearly 15 different categories including handbags, eyewear and home decor. Sadoughi attributes the brand’s success to its organic marketing, dedication to its DNA and authentic collaborations, like the one it did with LoveShackFancy in 2020. According to Sadoughi, the company has seen record revenue since the start of the pandemic and shows no signs of slowing down. Currently, Sadoughi is focused on opening more physical retail spaces. The plan is to open the brand’s first NYC location, on Bleecker Street, at the end of summer. It has two existing store locations, in Dallas and Newport Beach. “Our best, newest advertising is all of our stores opening up. It’s a way where people can see the brand and see all the categories in one space,” said Sadoughi.