Female Founders: Kirsten K Harris of Eavolu On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
First, and ideally, begin your business while you still have a job and an inflow of income. My situation happened during the pandemic, so in my household the financial situation has been a bit unstable. It would have taken a lot of pressure off me (and my family) to have my income and benefits while starting a new business. I know this isn’t always possible. In my case, prior to the pandemic, I was traveling 85% of my time. That would have been a difficult situation in which to balance travel, work, family and starting a new company.
As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kirsten K. Harris.
Kirsten K. Harris assists apparel companies in becoming more sustainable. She leads by example with the eco-conscious brand Eavolu. Kirsten has 25+ years in the active apparel industry including: product development, commercialization, marketing, leadership, sales, design, sustainability, eco-conscious apparel, building brands, ecommerce, consulting, contracts, fabric development, strategic planning, budgeting, supervising, and chief sustainability officer.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?
I began my career in the active apparel industry after graduating from the University of Texas with a BS in textiles and clothing. During my time in Austin, I spent a semester in London and Paris studying design and participating in couture fashion shows. In the early 90’s, concern regarding overseas labor practices was heightened. Addressing these concerns became the topic of my senior thesis.
My professional journey started at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. From day one, I knew that I had found home, no matter where my career might take me. It took 12 interviews to become an Apprentice Product Developer! Nike takes seriously the hiring process, always working to ensure they hired team members to fit within its unique culture. April Floren was a wonderful first manager who, as I managed NCAA basketball product, pushed me to be my best at every step in the development process. I made mistakes, I learned, and I moved forward. It is the Nike way. I still live by the original 11 maxims Nike incorporated into our daily work life. They continue to keep me efficient, organized, and never let my ego get ahead of me.
From Nike, my path led to Nordstrom’s private label group, where I oversaw Callaway Golf, and worked and traveled with an amazing mentor, Jack Irving, EVP of Nordstrom, in charge of the French brand Faconnable. I met regularly with the elusive, brilliant, and eccentric designer, Alber Elbaz. It was my first glimpse into the true life of French design. As I was still early in my career, it was invaluable to travel globally and learn my craft with top level executives.
Life, it seems, leads me back to Nike, repeatedly! Team soccer, volleyball, track & field, NASCAR, and NFL retail jerseys were a few of the categories I managed. It was during my last stint at Nike that I was introduced to one of the biggest influencers in my life, Morgan Fisher. She was levelheaded, strong, brilliant, and kind. This time, I learned more deeply that in the apparel industry, relationships are everything. To make a supply chain work really well, you are always intentional and honest as you choose and grow with your partners.
After my second and third Nike stop, I had a brief stint with Eddie Bauer, overseeing outerwear and active and gear. Then, I was back to Nordstrom (notice a pattern) to manage women’s active product development. When Amazon started their private label business, I had the opportunity to educate a team on the basics of apparel commercialization (things I hadn’t thought of in years and yet are simply second nature in the industry). I built sourcing matrixes, implemented testing standards, audited factories. I loved the opportunity to work with another strong woman, Gwyn Wiadro, who had started UA’s women’s program years prior as their VP in charge of women’s product. She challenged me at every turn and helped me learn to think on my feet in a way I had never done before.
From Amazon, NILIT (the world’s largest supplier of Nylon 6.6, the premium nylon in the industry) asked me to become their Vice President of Marketing in North America, and an integral part of NILIT’s Sensil Global Marketing Team. It was here that I met with over 200 active and apparel brands (both power brands and boutique next-gen brands), all struggling with the same question: What is sustainability and how do we define it to our customers? I spent much of my time forming collaborations and close relationships. I worked closely with companies developing additives to make Nylon 6.6 biodegradable.
It was at this time I became aware of my true calling in the apparel world. I would walk with apparel companies on the journey to become more sustainable, in an authentic way (not just for a label), and create my own brand, one which provides transitional apparel that is eco-conscious, focused on ethics and sustainability and works well with comfortable sports bras and leggings. This is where the roots of eavolu were planted.
As I wore (daily) incredibly comfortable leggings and sports bras from premium apparel brands, I felt I needed a professional (and extremely comfortable) layer to easily wear on my commute to work, remove quickly for a mid-day yoga class, pop back on to wear in meetings, and to be that perfect top for happy hour with friends. My idea was to create an amazingly soft, incredibly comfortable, minimalistic outfit that is absolutely eco-friendly, and could be paired easily with premium bra tops and leggings. After all the above, eavolu was born. The Evolution of You.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?
Finding a brand name and logo was one of the first most important steps. I had lists and lists, and I finally set my heart on a Finnish word that cannot be translated into English. It is Sisu. It means self-determination, strength, tenacity of purpose, grit, bravery, resilience, and hardiness. These were all characteristics that I found my brand’s customers could relate to. Unfortunately, after many weeks of work, I found Disney had many, many, many trademarks submitted for that name — as Sisu was set to become a new Disney character. My journey for a new name began anew.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I have worked in the apparel industry for 30 years, so I felt confident regarding my skills in most areas from concept to market. With all that experience, I wondered how hard it would really be to start an apparel brand in which I believed. I forgot, though, that as I moved up in the corporate world, many of my original tasks became delegated to others. As a result, I no longer knew some of the simplest formulas, processes critical to product creation, and the humble, day-to-day tasks. It was a sobering experience (it still is). I relearned many tasks critical for my daily work, and I continue to relearn more each day. However, it is also one of the joys of starting your own business.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I mentioned quite a few of my mentors in my bio above. However, I would say another one of the most influential people along my career path is my dear friend and colleague, Scott M. Darlington. He and I managed separate divisions at Nordstrom’s Product Group together. I went on from Nordstrom to build the Active apparel division at Amazon and then to Nilit to oversee all of the marketing for North America, before creating EarthFirst Consultants (earthfirstconsultants.com) and Eavolu. Scott left Nordstrom to broaden his horizons by joining the large apparel manufacturer, SanMar, to lead teams, create factories and continue his incredible career path.
Even though our paths and careers are very, very different, we trust each other’s experience in the industry, the authenticity of the other to always be honest, and the gift of offering sound advice when asked. I recently experience a situation I found extremely challenging, and I needed a very quick motivational talk to go on stage to present. I texted Scott immediately, and within minutes he had the perfect response that made me laugh and describes our friendship. Leaving out the supporting expletives about the specific challenge, he jokingly said, “If I needed someone to help me bury a body, you would immediately show up at my doorstep with a shovel.” It made me laugh, and he is right. No matter where we are in our careers or the world traveling, we are there for each other with moral support. My presentation was a success because his words snapped me out of my negative state and put me in a beautiful frame of mind, full of self-confidence. Everyone deserves a friend and colleague like Scott.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. According to this EY report, only about 20 percent of funded companies have women founders. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women to create companies. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from founding companies?
Self-Confidence and Opportunity. Women have been held to different standards for so many years that it begins to sink into our souls. You begin to accept the negative and outlandish frameworks the world wraps around your aspirations and story. I am so thankful for all the trailblazers out there, each of whom have been knocked down and continue to get up and speak honestly for the experience and capacity of women (and many others who are underrepresented in industry).
I greatly respect women who speak against stereotypes, for social equality, for real promotions, and for access to difference-making financial resources. I hope one day to be in a position where I can make a real difference to help more women take a deep breath, jump off the corporate ladder, and dive into what can be rather dark and scary waters. As women, we must remember to keep swimming and support one another with each and every stroke we take.
Can you help articulate a few things that can be done as individuals, as a society, or by the government, to help overcome those obstacles?
Have financial and governmental institutions create and offer more grants, along with simple, long-term, low-interest loans. These must be offered through an easy to access, one stop, consumer-oriented platform. Also, regarding benefits, medical insurance and social security are two expenses that add up very quickly when you are not used to paying the full amount. Further simplifying the system to purchase medical insurance would be wonderful.
This might be intuitive to you as a woman founder, but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become founders?
For one, I truly believe that society functions better when there is greater diversity among the empowered actors and decision makers. Women offer new perspectives, unique insights into all types of consumers, are often more intuitive and practical than their male counterparts, and are very used to multi-tasking, which is critical for being a founder.
What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a founder? Can you explain what you mean?
The first myth is that education trumps experience. While a good education is important, experience provides the key framework through which education can be applied to daily business life. If you have worked in a business field from soup to nuts — you will know the ins and outs more than someone who read a textbook and passed a course.
The second myth is women can’t balance a family, home, and a new business — it’s too much! It is a lot (I won’t lie to you about that), and it is achievable, especially with a supportive family and some good planning.
The third myth is women aren’t natural, born leaders. Well, I don’t even have an answer for that one; it is simple nonsense. I daily experience women as excellent leaders and founders. Every day more women are becoming CEOs, becoming Founders, and the truth is we are succeeding in a spectacular manner.
Is everyone cut out to be a founder? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful founder and what type of person should perhaps seek a “regular job” as an employee? Can you explain what you mean?
Yes! I believe every person can become a successful founder. I do believe, though, there are certain traits that make the journey less painful. It is helpful to be comfortable taking calculated risks. It is helpful to be comfortable with ambiguity. It is helpful to love adventure and the journey, while not quite knowing for sure if things will work.
It is helpful to be comfortable learning from your failures (believe me, I have failed a lot this first year). Yet, If I am learning, then I believe I am moving forward. Become comfortable with reaching out for help; Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask. If I can’t figure something out, I will find someone who can.
Be comfortable with very long hours. When you get to a certain point in your career, you get accustomed to perks, to set hours, and being able to take your foot off the gas now and then. When you own your own business, the old benefits, paychecks, and perks disappear. New ones do appear, and they can sometimes be more difficult to recognize, but they do appear. Your working hours also get much longer. However, you can determine your own schedule for the most part.
Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)
First, and ideally, begin your business while you still have a job and an inflow of income. My situation happened during the pandemic, so in my household the financial situation has been a bit unstable. It would have taken a lot of pressure off me (and my family) to have my income and benefits while starting a new business. I know this isn’t always possible. In my case, prior to the pandemic, I was traveling 85% of my time. That would have been a difficult situation in which to balance travel, work, family and starting a new company.
Second, find mentors. Find the people who are doing what you want to do and are doing it very well. I am thankful for the Massing Group in LA. They are fabulous partners for me as I continue to create Eavolu. Even though I have spent 30 years in the apparel industry, I wasn’t aware of the significant difference between owning my own company and being part of a large corporation. Find people to help you fill in the gaps of your knowledge and practice base.
Third, don’t overspend. It is so easy to do. There is great temptation to “try a little bit of this and try a little bit of that”. It does take money to figure out what works and what doesn’t. However, be disciplined! Capital does disappear quickly, especially when building an apparel brand. On top of that, creating a brand that is truly sustainable takes more money for research, for vendors, and for implementing newly emerging processes. Focus on utilizing your funds for what makes your company unique. “Helpful” businesses and agencies come out of the woodwork when you start a new company. Most of what you hear is expensive and seems too good to be true. Most of the time, it is, so ask a lot of questions and trust your growing wisdom.
Fourth, create a supportive network (in addition to your mentors). Find friends you can turn to for honest advice and support as you start your own business. The process of building a business is hard enough. There will be plenty of folks saying you can never do it. Tune out the negative and focus on the positive. What you focus on is where you go. This includes the voices of the people with whom you surround yourself.
Finally, focus on the results. To-do lists can become overwhelming very quickly, as having your own business means there is always something that “needs” to be done. 20% of the work gives you 80% of the results you need to succeed. Create action items in order of importance, AFTER you have determined what result you are working towards.
How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
During the pandemic, I (like many people) looked long and hard at my career. I love the fashion industry, but how was I helping the world? I came to strongly believe that I need to be the change I desire to see. That is how EarthFirst Consultants began. I vowed to help apparel companies become more sustainable. I vowed to share my experience by writing articles about sustainability. I vowed to help educate people about greenwashing, about what is the truth and what is not.
That is also why I started eavolu. I wanted to lead by example. I thought the best way I could do that was to create my own small company and start on day one with a focus on sustainability. Eavolu products are made locally in Los Angeles, with workers that are treated very well and earn a fair wage. The fabric comes locally from Lenzing, which is known for their commitment to sustainability and creating innovative products to help improve the apparel industry. In addition, I have eyes on the ground with the Massing Group in LA. They are fabulous and know that everything that goes into Eavolu must be sustainable. My garments are all packed and shipped in compostable packaging. I work to keep my carbon footprint as small as possible, and I am willing to grow, change, and innovate to become even more sustainable. This has helped me realize the challenges that so many companies can run into as they try to figure out how to become more sustainable. With a great team, solutions are much easier to find. Great relationships, trust, and collaboration are key.
In addition, eavolu gives a portion of our profits to three key non-profit organizations that focus on sustainability, female empowerment, and helping women with children who are experiencing homelessness.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
I want to help the world become more sustainable in all areas of business, yet it is easy to forget that none of us live, work, and play in a silo. I am familiar with a woman living in India. She goes on her own to landfills every day. She picks out garments that have been disposed of. She cleans, mends, and gives them away. It is her way to promote upcycling. I very much support upcycling. If everyone took a moment, before they purchased a garment, and began to understand how its creation effects our planet as a whole (as well as so many overseas workers), we could create an amazing movement. Like the woman above, we could all contribute to having long-lasting, premium (yet affordable) upcycled apparel. As apparel consumers, just a little different look at our clothes might change habits, might change the world.
We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
Rita Wilson — She inspires me every day. She also looked at her life and realized that she needed to make some changes to live out her passion. I listen to that passion every day at my desk, and it motivates and inspires me to be the best person that I can be every day.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
Female Founders: Kirsten K Harris of Eavolu On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.