If you haven’t already subscribed to the LadyGang podcast, drop everything and sign up right now. (Trust us, you won’t regret it.)
Each week, the pod’s trio of hilarious hosts, Keltie Knight, Becca Tobin, and Jac Vanek, deliver a dose of #realtalk alongside celebrity guests by the likes of Sarah Baker, Audrina Patridge, and Jenna Ushkowitz. With over 85 million downloads and a sterling 4.7-star rating on iTunes, it’s safe to say it’s become a must-listen among the pod-obsessed set.
Below, the ladies behind LadyGang tell us how they amassed their empire, touching on how they gained a loyal following of weekly listeners, what it’s like to run a successful brand together as a trio, and how they remain true to themselves in the face of criticism.
CREATE & CULTIVATE: What do you wish you had known when you were first starting out? What have been some of the unexpected challenges along the way? And what are some of the biggest lessons you've learned as a result?
KELTIE KNIGHT, BECCA TOBIN, & JAC VANEK: We couldn't have imagined just how big LadyGang would become and how many businesses we would have inside the brand. One of the biggest challenges for starting was deciding where we should reinvest the money we were making back into the business. We knew we needed help, but it was hard to decide what area would be the most meaningful to our growth. The biggest lesson we've learned is how to pivot quickly after a mistake. We are imperfect and small business owners, and learning to not keep forcing something that isn't working was important.
As a trio running a brand together, what challenges (expected or unexpected) have you run into in terms of balancing leadership and creativity? And how have you worked through them?
Having the right partners is the most important thing. We actually couldn't have dreamed up a more perfect balance of creativity and leadership, we each have our strengths and weaknesses, but overall, the most important thing we've learned is, to be honest (sometimes brutally) with each other. We make every decision together and we have to speak out when something is bothering us so we can work through it. We try not to take these curves in the road personally, and just do what's best for LadyGang.
“We took a major risk and created a table that *WE* get to sit at and find success.”
When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?
Learning to make peace with rejection quickly. Becca has a quote she brought to LadyGang that we live by: "Man's rejection is God’s protection."
How do you remain unique and true to your voice in the face of criticism?
We discuss all of our criticisms and decide if the haters might have a point. If they do and it opens our eyes to a new way of running our business, that’s great! If not, we throw it out with the trash. At the end of the day, we can't possibly make everyone happy so we just focus on keeping our OG LadyGangers happy.
What inspires you to keep evolving your brand? What's next for LadyGang?
Our mission for LadyGang, from the start, has been to make women feel less alone. So everything we do is to make lady life better for our gals and to connect us all. We are thrilled that we have a book coming out in summer 2020! We are working on a line of workwear for ladies that is easy and affordable. We just launched our phone number where we text and chat with our ladies all day long.
On the the LadyGang podcast, you discuss a lot of topics that are often left out by the mainstream. Why is it important to have these raw conversations that some may feel embarrassed or ashamed to talk about?
There are so many things that we find ourselves embarrassed to talk about, even with our closest friends. LadyGang makes it okay to admit that we are all kinda gross, have messy periods, weird hairs, unsure moments, and questionable sex lives… again, we just want women to feel less alone.
What's a mistake you made and what did you learn from it? How did you turn it into an opportunity?
Early on the podcast, when we were in deep debt from starting the show, we took on an advertiser for a diet product. Instantly, we heard back from our listeners that they were NOT okay with this type of ad on the podcast. This learning lesson has made us extremely precious about what brands we chose to partner with. We've had success ever since because we've only brought brands to our ladies that we would actually use ourselves, and those brands also win because our girls end up actually using them. Win/win.
What do you wish more people knew about your jobs? What are the biggest misconceptions?
Probably that our fans think we have some big staff and crew helping us. Sometimes, when we write newsletters or do customer service emails for our LadyBoxes or Mercy Store, people are surprised that they are receiving an email from us. We have one full-time staff member, but the rest of the work, planning, and business are just us working our asses off.
With success comes opportunity, but that also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?
We are all inspired and motivated that we took a major risk, and created a table that *WE* get to sit at and find success. We don't have to wait for someone else in Hollywood to decide we are "it," we get to control our destiny. It becomes so empowering.
What is the #1 book you always recommend? Why?
Work Party by Jaclyn Johnson because we love to support the ladies who support us!
Photographer: Jenna Peffley
Hair: Styled by OGXpert & Celebrity Hairstylist Jillian Halouska
VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 CONTENT CREATOR LIST HERE.
