Why we’re crushing hard on Nasty Gal founder Sophia Amoruso
If you follow women’s fashion, business news, or you just generally keep an ear open for any buzz about inspiring and kick-butt female entrepreneurs, you may have heard of Sophia Amoruso. If not, here’s a crash course: Amoruso is a fashion and business goddess who built her empire starting with the 2006 founding of Nasty Gal, one of the internet’s most well-known havens for unapologetically sexy women’s clothing and accessories – much of it vintage-inspired, considering that’s where Amoruso started when she first began selling clothes on eBay under the name Nasty Gal Vintage. To date, Nasty Gal garners more than $100 million in annual revenue, employs over 350 people, and has two California-based brick-and-mortar stores on top of its highly successful website.
As of this past January, though she still serves as Executive Chairman, Amoruso has vacated the position of Nasty Gal CEO because, frankly, she has more fish to fry. One of those fish comes in the form of answering questions and fielding compliments about her 2014 memoir #GIRLBOSS, which spent 18 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list and has catapulted the already well-respected Amoruso into a position of even further inspiring would-be female business leaders.
In honor of the release of the #GIRLBOSS paperback version released yesterday, Amoruso is currently on a 10-city bus tour (the #GIRLBUSS tour, which is such a clever title we can’t even deal). For information about the dates and locations, you can click here. And in the meantime, keep reading to learn more about why Sophia Amoruso is our subject for this week’s #WCW!
She’s an extremely hard worker, and knows 100% where business priorities should lie
In #GIRLBOSS, Amoruso doesn’t sugarcoat how she became successful. She places emphasis on grueling hours, complete dedication, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done. She also makes sure to state that keeping good on your promises to deliver a solid end product is crucial.
“Customer service was my number one priority,” Amoruso states in #GIRLBOSS. “A lot of people run their businesses like their customers are dummies. This is a mistake. If you’re just out to take their money, they know it. But if you genuinely care about what you’re doing, they will respond.”
She is realistic in the advice she gives, and encourages experience over luck
In an interview with Forbes published just yesterday, Amoruso advises would-be business leaders to collect as much managerial experience as possible to avoid more difficult, potentially avoidable lessons along the way.
“No one knows what it takes to be CEO, even CEOs,” she said. “My advice would be to get some real management chops, work for some great companies, and know more than I did before you try to do what I’ve done. I have learned some hard lessons on the job, and some that I wish could have been a bit earlier in my career.”
In #GIRLBOSS, Amoruso also stresses the importance of forgetting anything you think you’re entitled to in favor of getting ahead, stating, “In an ideal world, you’d never have to do things that are below your position. But this isn’t an ideal world, and it’s never going to be. A lot of people in my generation don’t seem to get that you have to work your way up.”
She’s giving money to other female entrepreneurs
Amoruso is paying her success forward not only with words, but with cash. The GIRLBOSS Foundation has so far awarded over $70,000 in grants over the past year to up-and-coming female business leaders in fashion, music, arts, and design. According to its mission statement, the Foundation “aims to empower creative women to take over the world” by awarding $15,000 to lucky recipients biannually. Take over the world, you say? Sign us up!
She’s continuing to spread the #GIRLBOSS message through different media channels
Aside from touring to discuss her memoir and speaking out about female leadership, Amoruso just became a contributing editor at at Marie Claire, where she’ll beauthoring a monthly “#GIRLBOSS RULES” advice column.
She’ll also be hosting a #GIRLBOSS radio podcast beginning next month. How this woman finds time to do all this, we have no idea. But we are impressed and so thankful!
She is hilarious
Amoruso’s Twitter and Instagram accounts alone are worth looking into her more. We can’t get enough of her honestly, edgy, and silly sense of humor, and applaud her for always saying (or doing) what’s on her mind.
Her recent wedding was TO DIE FOR
Amoruso married her sweetie, musician Joel Jarek DeGraff, this past June at the stunning Paramour Estate in Los Angeles. Aside from the gorgeous custom Nasty Gal bridesmaids’ dresses, the event included Greek-inspired desserts as a nod to Amoruso’s heritage, a never-before-worn Alexander McQueen bridal gown, specialty cocktails themed after locales, dark-yet-not-goth décor, dark-chocolate-and-salted-caramel truffles as favors (drool), and synchronized swimmers – yes, you heard that right – to entertain the couple’s guests. Though it’s not surprising that Amoruso’s big day was so stunning and seamless while also offering up its own unique flavor, we’ve never been sadder not to be in attendance at a wedding.
Don’t forget to pick up a paperback copy of #GIRLBOSS – and thanks, Sophia Amoruso, for being an inspiration to would-be #GIRLBOSSes everywhere!
(Images via Instagram, Featured Image via Portfolio Publishing)
