Doubling Down On Ocean SF
It's no secret that being an entrepreneur is difficult. With the cost of labor and materials Ocean SF costs twice what it earns to operate annually. One of the reasons, I have kept the company alive is because it serves as an incubator for women in leadership through my intern program. This has been the most successful aspect of the company and likely the most rewarding although I hope we turn a monetary profit in 2024.
Starting your own company and an apparel brand at that is the type of endeavor that is so difficult that you want to quit regularly, but it has garnished so much support that I am never able to completely let it go. One friend said, it’s not so much about creating a company, but about how much you change bringing it to life. I have learned so much about myself, my perseverance, and my own ingenuity. This is the hardest job I have ever had apart from motherhood, the most agonizing part being the constant self-doubt and the constant struggle to continue to believe in my own vision and strategy. The idea that we can make apparel in the U.S. out of sustainable natural fibers while paying a living wage to the sewers is a solid idea. Ensuring that our drinking water and our oceans remain free of microparticles is also a worthwhile cause. Teaching young women to be product managers, capable managers, and strong leaders is also well worth my time.
Since Ocean SF can’t yet support me I’ve been very involved in tech here in San Francisco with most of my UC Berkeley students in that field especially the working adults in my leadership night classes. I also spoke at Silicon Valley Forum, and I have five leadership development clients. I am not a coach as I don’t coach my clients I rather advise them using my own leadership background, experience, and the wealth of knowledge I’ve gained from teaching at UC Berkley since 2015. I often think I should simply do that instead of making clothing because I truly love turning people into great leaders.
While working on my leadership development program I put Ocean SF on hold last spring. Sure, I get the occasional order, but it’s nothing I can’t take of on a Saturday morning. Then, out of the blue, I got a message from a friend who wanted me to talk to her daughter about interning with Ocean SF over the summer. I met with her and her enthusiasm inspired me to dedicate my summer to Ocean SF once again. I probably didn’t need too much persuasion, but I committed to it and added another intern from the University of San Cruz. The three of us have been busy restructuring the company.
What is clear is that Ocean SF needs money to grow and thrive, so I will be taking on a contract job for the next six months to save money to re-invest in inventory and advertising. In the meantime, I am creating a body of content for social media and I have found it surprisingly fun.
I am happy I made the decision to stay in San Francisco and now I am doubling down on Ocean SF as well. Wish me luck.