The 'Soft' Launch

I was on the Executive Leadership Team this year for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women luncheon. Before you get all impressed, it is really just a fancy title for a team that does fundraising for a non-profit event. Important? Yes. Glamorous? No*.

Though not an obvious choice in a year when I am developing pants and launching an apparel company, I decided the luncheon would make a great deadline for a ‘soft’ launch of the website. I could see it all: limited-edition t-shirt to sell at the luncheon and donate proceeds, killer website live so attendees could check us out and see what was coming, a couple of fun hats available for purchase, and…pants, priced and ready for pre-order. Damn if we didn’t almost get 4/4!

The website is live. Some days I still don’t believe it; everything feels very real, public, like there is no turning back now. My web designer is flat-out brilliant as is my brother who did the photography. I love it…I know, I know, I’m partial! I’m not going to lie…I got a little teary-eyed when it all went live and I saw it for the first time.**

We have the first-edition pants on the site for pre-order. It’s more of a place holder at the moment since we are not formally advertising yet (or in production). However, it is amazing to see them live, in color, in beautiful pictures.

We also have some fun hats available. A classic white one with the logo on it and a super fun, double entendre one.

Ah, the lesson-learned, ‘should have known better’ moment.*** I knew I wanted to do a limited-run t-shirt and donate the proceeds to Go Red. Not having been to the event before, I was unsure of what attendance at the pre-luncheon events was like. I asked the organizers if the “vendor area” was visible and well attended. They assured me it was…

It was not. Unfortunately, it was tucked in a dark ballroom, off to the side, so maybe 100 of the 500+ attendees even came into the room. We sold 20 of the 200 t-shirts. BIG bummer. A few more have sold off the site but we will not be making the large donation I was hoping for. If I am being honest, I am disappointed. But, lesson learned for the next fundraiser we attend!

Overall though, I am thrilled! I feel like this soft launch was a huge step towards getting INTERRUPTED functioning. It has helped me see a trajectory and a path. I was forced to make some decisions that I’d been dragging my feet on (oh, hello, this is a luxury brand, duh). I learned some valuable lessons in fundraising. We had a blast at the luncheon…and looked pretty cute in our t-shirts!

*Plus, I have come to the realization that I suck at fundraising. It stresses me out, I am constantly disappointed, it’s just not something I am good at.

**Ok, it might have been more of a full-on crying!!

***These are important, truly! It means you tried something, maybe it didn’t work, you pivot, learn, and adapt.