Unless you are completely out of touch with pop culture, you may have heard of Sophia Amoruso, a former hitchhiking, dumpster-diving, community college dropout with a lot of time on her hands who went on to launch Nasty Gal.
Nasty Gal grew to sell over $100 million in clothing and accessories both new and vintage, occupying a 65,000-square-foot office space in LA, employing over 350 people, and having over 2.3 million followers on Instagram alone. Nasty Gal has faced its own hurdles in a constantly changing and volatile retail environment, with having to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Nov. 9 to secure financial relief while it restructures.
Next Up for #GIRLBOSS? A 13 episode series from Netflix chronicling Sophia’s start as a rebellious and dysfunctional 22-year-old who, after starting a vintage clothing eBay shop, strikes it big and builds a brand. Check out a sneak peek at what #GIRLBOSS has to offer viewers:
Despite Nasty Gal‘s recent trials and tribulations, one cannot help but wonder if the brand has retained its cache that created a millennial and entrepreneurial movement just a short time ago. People loved interacting and shopping with a brand that had created a raw, unique yet attainable formula for success (myself included). Now, being a troubled business venture, one can’t help but wonder if the same readers of the 2014 New York Times Best Seller will tune in on April 21, 2017 when the series premieres on Netflix.
Looking back on happier times for #GIRLBOSS and Sophia’s revolutionary success, here are some of my key learning’s from the manifesto:
- It’s cool to be weird.
- You get what you focus on.
- You don’t get what you don’t ask for.
- Have ambition, and always set (and re-evaluate) goals.
- Be confident in yourself and your abilities.
… and finally, my personal favourite:
- Focus on the future, not the past.
Amanda Laura Leone 