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Spirit of 608: Fashion, Entrepreneurship, Sustainability + Tech


Nov 1, 2016

In this episode, we talk serial Kickstarter campaign strategy and brand-building tactics with a globe-trotting entrepreneur who grew up in China, but has a professional life that spans Norway, Ireland, Columbia and Spain. Yeah, I know what you're wondering: how cool is that and how does that happen?

Meet this week's guest, Effy Yu, Co-founder of Mamahuhu.online.

As you'll hear Effy explain, she had already launched her own companies by the time she joined ethical footwear brand Mamahuhu to found and grow its ecommerce business. Her mandate: extend the reach of the Columbia-born brand beyond the brick-and-mortar retail presence it built to sell brightly-hued boots and moccasins for men and women made by artisans skilled in leather work. Notably, Mamahuhu does more than just employ artisans from a country that, three decades ago, was known as a world center for leather manufacturing. Instead, it funds artisans' workshops, allowing them to grow their own businesses using traditional skills. Along with the company story, you'll hear Effy talk about the multiple Kickstarter campaigns the brand has used for fundraising. While many startups rely on Kickstarter just once in their lifetime and view it only as a place to turn for initial seed funds, Mamahuhu has experimented with raising relatively small amounts of money to fund the brand's extension into new categories and with new lines. But what's so juicy here is that Effy doesn't just talk about the successes, she's also matter-of-fact about the failures, challenges and crises that have hit the company, including a a store break-in that threatened to shut it down for good.

 

This episode brought to you with support from the FEST-ive folks at Betabrand. Save 20% off when you shop and use code SPIRIT20. But wait, there's more below!

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Listen to today's conversation for Effy's journey from China to Norway and Ireland to her current role building the digital business of a socially responsible footwear company that's expanding across Europe and into the States. Stick around for her thoughts on using media, public relations and press outreach to amplify the brand and find the right audience, as well as her favorite tools for online marketing.

Linkage:

Mamahuhu.online

Facebook: facebook.com/mamahuhu

Twitter: @mamahuhuonline

AppSumo

T-shirt motto: Throw what you can throw away, away.

Find more episodes featuring women at the forefront of FEST online at www.Spiritof608.com.