Emily Blumenthal, known as the “Handbag Fairy Godmother,” is the author of Handbag Designer 101, a comprehensive guide for aspiring designers. She also founded the Independent Handbag Designer Awards to spotlight emerging talent and hosts the Handbag Designer 101 podcast, which showcases the stories behind iconic handbag brands. Emily is a Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- [5:10] Emily Blumenthal’s journey from working in media to creating her handbag empire
- [11:34] The challenges women face building and scaling a business
- [16:20] Emily talks about the skill sets that propelled her business forward
- [19:31] The creation of Handbag Designer 101 and the Independent Handbag Designer Awards
- [22:25] A synopsis of Savvy Suzanna — Emily’s upcoming book on entrepreneurship for kids
- [26:26] What is the CASM (customer, agony, solution, monetization) framework?
In this episode...
Many women entrepreneurs struggle with scaling their businesses, often finding themselves stuck between growth and control. They are conditioned to take on too much, fearing delegation might dilute their brand or message. How can female founders shift from managing every detail to building sustainable, scalable businesses?
Handbag industry expert and entrepreneur Emily Blumenthal has developed the CASM framework — customer, agony, solution, and monetization — to validate business ideas before investing resources. This methodology, combined with persistence, allowed Emily to land her products on Sex and the City and QVC. She encourages female entrepreneurs to embrace delegation, reframe failure as a stepping stone to success, and develop clear strategies for long-term growth.
In today’s episode of the Lead Like a Woman Show, Andrea Heuston chats with Emily Blumenthal, the author of Handbag Designer 101, about her entrepreneurial insights. She talks about empowering young girls through early entrepreneurship, the skill sets she leveraged to launch her business, and the origins of the Independent Handbag Designer Awards.
Resources Mentioned in this episode:
- Andrea Heuston on LinkedIn
- Andrea Heuston’s email: andrea@leadlikeawoman.biz
- Artitudes Design
- Lead Like a Woman
- Stronger on the Other Side: The Power to Choose by Andrea Heuston
- Emily Blumenthal: Website | LinkedIn
- Handbag Designer 101: Everything You Need to Know About Designing, Making, and Marketing Handbags by Emily Blumenthal
- The Independent Handbag Designer Awards
Quotable Moments:
- “We are not built to scale; we are built to control.”
- “If you want to teach kids to have hopes, wishes, and dreams, teach them how to fail.”
- “You can’t fly if you don’t try. You don’t even realize you’re flying until you fall.”
- “Homework is free. Do as much market research as you can before spending money.”
- “Has it led to sales? What’s the conversion rate? Feet on the ground, and it makes sense.”
Action Steps:
- Understand your customer before launching a product: Identifying your target audience’s needs ensures your product solves a real problem in the market. Without this clarity, entrepreneurs risk wasting time and resources on ideas that lack demand.
- Embrace failure as a learning opportunity: Viewing setbacks as stepping stones to success helps entrepreneurs refine their strategies and improve resilience. Every failure provides insights that can be used to pivot, adapt, and grow a stronger business.
- Develop persistence and follow-up skills: Reaching out repeatedly, as long as it’s done strategically, can open doors that seem closed. Building relationships through persistence and humor can turn a rejection into an opportunity.
- Secure your brand name and trademarks early: Owning social media handles and trademarks prevents legal disputes and strengthens brand recognition. This proactive step ensures long-term control and protection of your business identity.
- Start small and test before investing heavily: Conducting market research and creating a minimum viable product minimizes risks and maximizes learning. Entrepreneurs who validate their ideas before scaling are more likely to build sustainable businesses.
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