Stephanie Mark quotes: excellent biz advice by the Coveteur cofounder.
“For all the fun and excitement that has come with building Coveteur from a passion project to a full-fledged media company, there has also been a lot of hard work and tons of tough decisions to make. Over the years I’ve relied on the inspiring women in my life and the values I hold dear to navigate being a young entrepreneur.”
“Put in the work. You need to put all of your effort and energy into your brand at the very beginning. You may lose friends and think that everyone hates you, but you need to be okay with canceling plans in order to get your brand off its feet—so that you can one day hire employees.”
“Don’t get bogged down with the competition.”
“Change your scope.”
“So often you hear of success stories of individuals changing their careers at the drop of a hat, jumping into uncharted waters, and heading in a completely new and unforeseen direction.”
“Women share how they became successful and the lessons they learned along the way. When I speak to other business owners, one glaring difference that stands out between our companies is how we got started. I’ve heard tons of stories of people crafting business ideas with colleagues and launching their companies with funding or fully-developed business plans. None of these experiences are similar to my own.”
“There was no business plan, no seed money, and no savings. The only thing we had was an idea that we really believed in and the desire to start our own company in what was then a new digital age.”
“One of the main reasons I started my own business is because I was extremely frustrated when my ideas and opinions would not being taken seriously at companies I had previously worked at because I was junior. That experience taught me that good ideas and the ability to be a good collaborator doesn’t only come from age and experience but from being innovative, a team player, reliable and dedicated to the company you work for. At Coveteur we rely heavily on young talent to come up with new and exciting ideas and to have a really strong ear to the ground.”
“We’ve had a crash course in business, media, fundraising, and management. There have definitely been many bumps and bruises in our journey, but there’s no course or class that can better prepare you for owning a business than actually just going out and doing it. I wouldn’t trade the lessons I’ve learned, or the hardships I’ve endured, for anything.”
“We were able to hire experienced professionals to help us grow and innovate. Having a company with 25 people is exciting, but also overwhelming at times. It may not seem like a big number to some, but learning how to manage everyone’s expectations and create an environment that people are proud to work in takes an insane amount of hard work, coaching, and dedication.”
“Taking control and being a team player have to go hand-in-hand to be an all-star. As an entrepreneur there is nothing that brings me more joy or alleviates anxiety like having someone come in and really run with an area of the business. To the same end, nothing makes me more anxious or upset when that person doesn’t communicate their ideas and lean on other members of the team for execution. By not being a team player you end up negating all of your hard work and ideas because people end up becoming frustrated at your lack of communication and don’t focus on all the good you are doing.”
“I strongly suggest that any new business considering outside funding do their homework. Reach out to other people in your field who have taken on outside funding and listen to their advice. It’s easy to get swept up in the allure of raising money, but there are real and important issues to be aware of such as your valuation and board of directors. Hearing other people’s experiences with this can help inform yours. Most importantly, stick to your guns for your vision of the company and find people who believe in that, and of course, in you.”
“If you had asked me in high school if I ever thought I would own my own business, the answer would have been no. I truly believe the main reason I am here today with Coveteur is because I just got to work and started doing it. If I had been concerned with going to business school or learning how to set up accounting, I would have stopped myself from moving forward and achieving my goals.”
“If I knew then what I know now, what would I do differently? I probably wouldn’t have started a business! No one tells you how hard it is, so it actually worked to our benefit that we were so green. Now if I had to start another business again, I’d be filled with so much anxiety about all of the factors that go into it.”
“I think it’s easy, especially with Instagram and social media, for everyone to look like they’re living their best life all the time. But running a company and being responsible for people is a big responsibility.”
“It’s equally important to acknowledge your accomplishments along the way as well.”
“People who really make a difference in their industries always inspire me. At the end of the day, our brand ethos is to celebrate the people who push their industries forward.”
“Since Coveteur was my first business, I relied on a combination of things to navigate scaling up the business. The first was gut instinct. If you feel like a certain hire or going in a certain direction is the right move, it usually is.”
“The second thing that I relied on was looking at what areas of the company needed attention the most at that time.”
“The last thing that I relied on was the advice of other founders. Leaning on people in similar positions or who have been in similar circumstances is really valuable. You will also be very surprised at how willing other founders are at giving their time and advice.”
“For those looking to turn their own passion projects into their full-time job, the most important and difficult part is to just do it and start trying. If you just do it, you’re already way ahead of everyone else who is still just talking about their idea. I really think just getting out there and putting the effort into trying is about 80% of it all.”
“We’re living in an age where moments in time are often magnified by the reactions they incite on social media.”
“We want our content to feel important and not waste anyone’s time.”
“Video is certainly growing and is becoming more important, as is experiential. A lot of companies started offline and are now trying to go online.”
“It has taken the last few years of running a business and constant traveling to realize just how important it is to be at least semi-organized, even some of the time.”
“From the day we were born we have been hearing various people in our lives (parents, teachers, bosses, to just name a few) to remember to always be nice. While it may seem like a cliché, I truly believe that the simple act of just being nice can get you much further along in your career, as well as life, than you would expect. As a business owner, how people interact with others on the team is the number one thing I look out for.”
“I believe in equality for all. In the workplace, at home, in your social settings, anywhere. If you don’t feel like you are being treated equally in any space or place, assess why, look at the situation, remember your worth (male, female, transgender) and then leave. You deserve better.”
“As the saying goes, the customer is always right. Add to that the fact that we are in an age where even on demand seems slow and the idea of how to please your customer could seem daunting, if not impossible.”
“I think it was our authenticity and passion that made Coveteur something people wanted to read and be a part of from the beginning. I truly believe that if we had set out with a firm business plan for the site, it might not have taken off the way it did.”
“Coveteur started a decade ago with the sole purpose of showcasing the lives and wardrobes of the people in the fashion industry who inspired us. The mission was to give readers a behind-the-scenes look at people, places, and spaces they were unable to see anywhere else.”
“Focus on these high-quality clothing staples rather than buying every cheap, trendy item that catches your eye. Investing in a quality piece can actually save you in the long run. As the cofounder of the fashion and lifestyle site Coveteur, I’ve peeked into a lot of closets over the years and spent maybe too much time thinking about women’s clothing.”
“Someone’s closet is a window into what that person is like. It says so much about them, even by the way it is organized.”
“One of the things I treasure most about my job is the access to people, places, and things that I never dreamed imaginable.”
“Being able to have a vision, bring it to life and also make it profitable not only for yourself but for other people as well is very rewarding and surreal.”
“My mom is someone I greatly admire and look up to. In addition to being funny as hell and a great mom, it’s her work outside of the home that really makes me proud of her.”
“Every Friday afternoon I picture my weekend. Mostly it includes catching up on work and doing some heavy-duty relaxing so I am prepped and fresh for the new week ahead.”
“It is important to always getting enough sleep and take care of yourself. I think hearing someone really successful stress the importance of maybe slowing down a little bit was also really nice.”
“The weekend is a time to reset and renew emotionally, physically, and spiritually.”
“In a world full of extra, sometimes it is nice to step back and appreciate the more refined pleasures in life.”
“The Coveteur started as a passion project and then became a blog, which then became a website, which then became a media company… and it’s been a wild ride ever since that first day. I think the ultimate vision is to see the Coeveteur through as a brand. And hopefully, that brand will have many different dimensions to it: a website, TV, books, product, and maybe even someday, travel.”
