The Trailblazers Experience Podcast

EP75 Gillian CEO Founder Peachaus From Fast Fashion to Ethical Entrepreneurship:

• Ntola • Season 5 • Episode 75

Share episode

Send us a text

My next guest on EP75 is Gillian Ridley Whittle  CEO & Founder of Peachaus shares her journey from corporate fashion director to ethical entrepreneur , creating a brand that serves as an antidote to the destructive fast fashion system.
• Founded Peachaus in March 2022 as an ethical underwear and lifestyle brand 
• Currently focused on revolutionizing the underwear industry by putting women first
• Uses bra fitting experiences as opportunities for connection and education
• Built a brand that celebrates design and craftsmanship while maintaining ethical standards
• Creating a company culture that allows individuals to flourish and heal

Chapters

00:00 Intro
01:24 Gillian's Journey in Fashion
03:30 The Vision Behind Peach House
08:45 Three Years of Growth and Learning
11:47 Understanding Peach House's Proposition
14:22 Connecting with Consumers
19:35 The Decision to Seek Investment
21:38 Building a Values-Driven Team
24:21 The Importance of Networking
26:49 Future Vision for Peach House
34:19 Takeaway Tips
37:49 Outro

Follow Gillian 

Linkedin  Peachaus: Overview | LinkedIn   Gillian Ridley Whittle | LinkedIn 

Peachhaus at www.peachaus.com 

Instagram @peachaus_life 

Watch Video of Podcast here : https://youtu.be/ZEUH8sJDp3Y


Listen : to the audio version Apple Spotify .Amazon Music Google Podcasts
Watch and subscribe to my YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@Thetrailblazersexperience
Follow Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/thetrailblazersexperience/

The Trailbazers Experience:

Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of the Trailblazers Experience podcast, the podcast where we have candid conversations with women sharing their career journeys. I'm thrilled, as always, to welcome my next guest, Gillian, founder and CEO of Peachaus, and I've got here a lovely introduction about Gillian, who has over 30 years experience in commercial retailing. She's worked for brands such as S Target, maya in Australia, she was fashion director at Topshop and now is the founder of Peachaus, which is a lifestyle brand with an ethical essence, conceived as an antidote to the current fashion system and launched in March 2022. So a true changemaker, and welcome to the podcast. How are you?

The Trailbazers Experience:

I'm very well and I'm thrilled to be asked to speak out Of course, I mean, you know, knowledge is power and we can only learn as a community of amazing women when we share our stories. So the ups, the downs, so this is really going to be an interesting conversation. I'm always excited because I learn so much, so really looking forward to this chat. Thank you, me too. So let's talk about your early career and journey to Peachaus. So you looking forward to this chat? Thank you, me too. So let's talk about your early career and journey to Peachaus. So you have, I mean your career. Your CV is amazing. It's one of those where we say how did she do this? How did she get in there? Let's talk about going all the way back. First of all, with so much experience, having worked for so many brands, key department stores, what inspired you to say, right, enough's enough. I'm going to do this for myself.

Gillian:

Well, it's a long story, so those 30 years of experience hold probably the secret to where I've got to now. I mean, I always wanted to be in the fashion industry. I think I had my first sewing machine when I was seven Snow White and Seven Dwarfs and I believe this was the industry that's kind of put its arms around me because of what I am doing and the impact that I want to have now, and so I did a fashion degree. I worked my way through as a buyer, and I will come onto it in more detail in a bit but actually what I got to was a point where I realized that the industry was not the industry that I fell in love with when I was that little girl, and I was struggling to align who I am with the industry, which is cruel and destructive not just to the planet but to people's lives. I always wanted to be a part of something which is truly creative and was kind and caring, and that wasn't what I was experiencing.

Gillian:

It was in 2016,. I realized that I could no longer be complicit in something that actually, as I said, it didn't align with who I am as a human being and, rather than walk away with all that experience, I decided that I actually would take responsibility. I'd been part of the damage. I now needed to be part of creating a solution, and do it using the experience that I had have, and that was through building a responsible clothing brand that actually is here to set a new precedent for being a fashion brand and to show that fashion can be a force for good. It doesn't have to be a cruel and destructive industry.

The Trailbazers Experience:

It's interesting that you've said that as well, because I remember even growing up even if you talk about whether it's high street fashion or high-end fashion there weren't as many collections. We all wore a certain amount of clothing, but I don't vaguely remember having to always want to go shopping and having to replace and having to think about and it's just become just so to your point, destructive, which is probably why we see now companies such as Vinted and Resell, because there's just too much clothing out there and there's still landfills in third world countries where all these clothes are landing. So, having obviously worked in high profile roles with you know amazing brands, how did these experiences shape your vision for what your brand and what fashion is and how you're achieving that through Peachaus?

Gillian:

Yeah, the first thing I want to say is just listening to what you've said there, your observations, it's out of control. Working in those environments, particularly at kind of the mass end of the market, and the amount of creation and buying and production and the pace at which the teams are having to work just to keep that generation of newness up, was just untenable and healthy. The culture of being in those businesses is it's just ridiculous pace. There is no time to think, no time to really put the time and the effort and the creativity into creating these beautiful garments and actually the toll it takes on you personally as well. So it didn't make sense anymore, it hasn't. We've created a monster and in a part of that monster. You're right, andola.

Gillian:

When I was little, something new was really special. I got a lot of hand-me-downs from my sisters, which probably is why I got so obsessed with having a career in fashion, but it was something to be cherished. And then things have changed and it's become this out-of-control monster which is fueled by social media and having to look a certain way. And what the representation of beauty is that actually people have to buy and you know, must I don't buy, buy stuff to make them feel better. It's almost like putting an elastoplast on a cut, but the cut is actually the fact that I'm not a lot. You know, I'm not connected to myself as a human being it was really about what thought.

The Trailbazers Experience:

You're just making a really valid point, not just the fact that it's out of control from. You know all the fashion itself, but even the work practices. And you know you're working on the collection now, but also the one for next season, but you're planning the one for the season after and all the SKUs. And how can you liquidate the stock? There's a lot going on.

Gillian:

There is a lot going on Exactly.

Gillian:

It's out of control. And so what inspired me to do this was actually that I wanted to put creativity back into creating products. I wanted to put the value back into that whole value chain, right from the consumer, right the way through to the creation of the product and then how you bring it to the customer and give her an experience. So, rather than at the moment it's just a transaction, it's almost, as I said, it's like fulfilling a need, an urge, an itch. Actually, for me, it's actually creating things which are works of art. They celebrate design, they celebrate craftsm.

Gillian:

Fashion was always a beautiful, creative, desirable industry, and wearing lovely clothes was something that actually they're special, there's a value to them. So that's what I wanted to do but, at the same time, build a supply chain and a value system which is actually kind to the planet, which was highly accredited, because so many of the factories were just mass, churning out mass, they didn't have the standards, they certainly didn't put people in their welfare at the heart of everything they were doing. And but then, as well as like for doing the right factories, doing the right fabrics and, you think, which are kind to planet and creating things in a beautiful way, throwing out the fashion rule book no seasons, no trends, nothing that perpetuates, throw away and then building into this education for the customers. There's no education, there's so much greenwashing, there's so much deception. So actually helping people make more informed and better choices for themselves.

Gillian:

And then, actually for me, one of the biggest things which I have been I'm on a personal level. You know, we live in a very uncomfortable world at the moment and whether it's politically, environmentally, socially, where do you turn? Where's who's telling the truth? Actually, as human beings, we've just lost connection to ourselves and each other. So for me, it's around building out a community and human connection and actually through clothes, through beautiful clothes and building out beautiful experiences bra fitting being one of them we can actually find a way to demonstrate that we are humans and care and love and respect are really important in this whole value chain.

Gillian:

So, yeah, this is what I'm here. I'm here on a mission to light the car of you, raise the vibration and help make us, help drive the change in our world.

The Trailbazers Experience:

Three years in March, isn't it, since you launched the brand. What have been some of the learnings? So obviously you're coming in with that whole skill set that you amassed in the 30 years. What do you think have been the highlights of the three years, from a leadership and just growing the brand, but also from building your community and storytelling on your team?

Gillian:

Yeah, well, I feel incredibly privileged that I actually am in this position, that I've set up this brand, and it has totally changed my life. It's changed me as a person. So I, four years ago, was stressed, burnt out, anxious, lacking in self-worth a fraction of the person I am now. So in the four years I have, it's a healing space Peachaus. I've been able to recover myself, find myself, step into the human being that I was born to be. But because of our society and the way that things are, I'd lost that. So actually it's a huge sense of self-discovery which I'm really proud to say. I really like who I am and I really like what I'm doing and I want to help other people get this space where I am now.

Gillian:

It's been three years of testing and learning. So we just said literally the fun starts as soon as you turn the website on and you see what's selling, and it's not instant. The hard work starts there. No one knows who you are, no one knows a Peachaus, so we've had to get the product into customers' hands and wherever we can we've had. You know, we ran out of money straight away so we've had to hustle so hard we I mean I have investors, which is great, and I've had more investment, but that cashflow is really really tough. And keeping things going, we've had some amazing events experiences. We've collaborated with other brands. We had a shop in Covent Garden for six months where we did amazing bra fits and events and cacao ceremonies and cocktail parties, and we've learned actually and we've been able to work out really why we're here and what our point of difference is and how we can win.

Gillian:

It isn't easy launching a brand, but actually determination, resilience, absolute focus. We have to do this because I have to impact people's lives. That's what's driven me and kept me going. So, yeah, I feel in my heart this year, right now, that we're going to take off. I can just feel that actually I wasn't meant to, I couldn't have got. I had to learn all these valuable lessons to get to the point where I can actually. One, I'm strong enough, but two, I'm really clear about what the channels are and where the brand's going to appear and how we're going to go to where women are and help them through bra fitting.

The Trailbazers Experience:

It feels like the past three years have been about you just laying the foundation, isn't it for Peachaus and who the brand is? And just for the audience who might not know who Peachaus is, do you want to just describe who you are and what you're selling, what the proposition is, are you there to consume it? Et cetera, et cetera. Peach, you know what you're selling what the proposition is?

Gillian:

are you there to consume it, et cetera, et cetera. Peachaus is an ethical underwear and clothing brand. So we say our products are like. They can be worn from bed to beach, to bar. They're made in beautiful, the underwear is really light and comfortable and super soft and it feels like you're wearing air all out of a recycled Italian laces. And then we ask sleepwear is gorgeous. As many people wear the shirts for kind of with their jeans as they do to kind of wear it as a nightshirt or even a beach cover up. So they're very fluid and flexible and it's about a free spirited lifestyle where no one's dictating to you how you should live or what you should wear or how you should wear it. It's actually you create your own individual feeling and look and it is based on how you feel.

Gillian:

The word Peachaus. So I originally came up with the very first concept when I lived in Australia, because I was knowing that I wanted to change my life. I started to plant seeds to change my life and that was, I thought. If I create where I see myself going, then I will shift the energy to start moving that direction. So we called it. We're going to call it Beach House. You know cool Australian vibe hanging out by the beach and surfboards and stuff. And I thought, well, that's not good to travel if we go to cities. So I decided the peach was lovely and tactile and soft and feminine, that we'd call it Peachaus. And then I thought, well, house H-A-U-S it's got Australia at the end, oz it's got house community peach. Peace Within peach is each, each of us, and then us at the end as individuals and as a collective. So I see Peachaus as their vehicle to spread peace and the energy of peace. And that's what I have found peace and calm in myself, and that's what I want to help others find as well.

The Trailbazers Experience:

I love that. Just, there was a lot of thought put into, isn't it A brand name? Is they say it's the first baby, isn't it that you're having to think about what that represents? How does that tie in with so connecting with consumers and your Peachaus tribe? Because we do know that today's consumers, thankfully, are more conscious about where their clothes are coming from and how they're made. But you've told the brand story about that feeling that it's evoking when you are wearing the underwear. How are you connecting with consumers and how's that been in that journey?

Gillian:

Well. So I think a really important part for us has been doing our bra fits. Um, I find, you know, I never wanted to just be a digital brand, because for me, that human connection is all about the, the discussion, the conversation, the storytelling, the sharing of that energy, of care. So having bra fit events with, whether it's been in yoga studios or at corporate offices or in our beautiful shop in Covent Garden, which we had for six months that for me, is the perfect time to be able to tell the story, find that moment of that real spark of where you connect with someone. And we do that through the bra fits.

Gillian:

And what I've found and what I've learned in all the countless bra fits that I've done is one women aren't prioritizing themselves. They actually the industry's let women down. The industry hasn't explained to women that a really good fitting bra is vital for your own comfort and confidence, and so I find most women are in the wrong bra size when I fit them. And then there's a shame that I get which is really sad, even though it's not their fault that there's an apology about how I look. I put weight on, I'm in my menopause and I hate my underwear. I'm sorry about my underwear, and it's just then I realized that actually, as we've tried to find our female identity and part of that is we feel that we could be everything to everyone we haven't been kind to ourselves and we've given up of ourselves no-transcript.

Gillian:

I didn't want to fail. I wanted to be the perfect female, I wanted to be good at everything, and so who did I compromise when I needed to? It was always myself. And actually what I've learned over the last four years is actually I'm the most important person in my world, because if I'm not strong and I'm not topped up, then I can't give, and I was always giving on empty. And this is what I found Women a lot of women, I mean. I've seen and this is really I found women are a lot of women I mean I've seen and this is really quite a common thing I've seen running on empty and that leads to vulnerability, lack of confidence, lack of self-worth and and actually even resentment. So this is my mission. This is my mission through bra fitting.

The Trailbazers Experience:

I mean, do you know what you've reallyized? I think, because if you see statistically or what we see in the fashion and beauty industry, it's all external and we're now going back to actually internal. And when we say internal, your undergarments and your personality, all of it ties in. So if we can make sure we uplift that first, then what radiance externally will be even magnified. So it's going back, isn't it? Pulling back those layers of that onion, so to say, yeah, it is, and it's fascinating.

Gillian:

We launched a campaign last March called Naked Talks and it's a beautiful film created by a company called Dude, and it was acknowledging that our world is uncomfortable. It was about four women doing something which is an incredibly uncomfortable thing to do, which is public speaking, and we saw their journey from the behind the scenes. Am I going to be good enough? There's a comedian. Am I going to forget my line? Am I going to make a fool of myself?

Gillian:

You know that whole, that voice in your head that puts you down all the time. And then, coming out on stage one by one doing their performance, they say imagine your audience is naked. There wasn't, there was 40 women, all in Peachaus underwear and it was a really wonderful symbolization of female support and courage and finding your comfort zone. And we decided that in our testing we wanted to go to a festival this last summer. So we took Naked Talks to the Verve Festival in Wiltshire and what we did?

Gillian:

We held cacao ceremonies, which actually allows, it, opens up your heart center and it basically, you know, so you speak up. So strip down, speak up, up, and it was wonderful. We're doing kind of cow ceremonies, are fitting and all this beautiful female connection and we got some really amazing, amazing women, amazing footage. It was a very special time and I didn't think anyone would want to have a bra fit at a kick out, at a ceremony, at a festival, but actually we had women queuing up, absolutely queuing up. There was such a willing audience and they wanted to have that beautiful connection time.

The Trailbazers Experience:

So I'm going to build on that this year actually it's definitely a good idea to have those offline events where you're connecting with the customer, the consumer, that word of mouth, finding out what the customers think about your product, and so on. You, with your experience, I mean, obviously you've done this before in terms of working with other brands and businesses. Now, on one hand, you've also said that you've taken on investment. What was that decision point where you said actually, right, I'm bootstrapped, we're growing the brand, we have great product, we have great community, but actually we now need investment. What was that decision point? Because I know there are some entrepreneurs who are oohing and aahing whether that's the right thing for them.

Gillian:

Yeah, that's such a great question. I have a lot of conversations with people who are like, oh, I'm not sure, and I think a lot of the doubt is because of preconceived ideas. I always was going to get investment because I need to have major impact, so actually I need people on board to one, open doors for me and, two, help me scale fast. Now that we built the foundation. So I actually took investment in before I even launched the brand. So it got me from my top shop job into then the year of getting the brand ready, and then that investor actually reinvested because he was really happy with what we were doing.

Gillian:

I have now got a handful of investors and I'm now out on another round of investment For me. I'm not here to have a mansion who needs that. That's ego stuff. That's what I, my old self, my old world, would have wanted for me. Now I've got fantastic mentors teaching me, supporting me, helping me, opening doors, and actually they are some of the most valuable people in my life and I feel, because they're on board, I actually feel more solid and more confident. So I would say to anyone it's finding the right investor. It's really important. I've been really, really lucky. I'm now looking out for the next lot of investors and they're people who are ambassadors. They're in it because they want to have an impact and do something good. What I'm not going to do is sell my soul, sell out, go to a company that's all about the financial return. This is about real, lasting human change.

The Trailbazers Experience:

I love it, and you've really talked about how important it is to make an impact, not just from an ethical essence, but from that social responsibility element. How have you brought on those core ethics and values into building your team? So what have you looked for in these past three years in terms of this is what my team and my tribe is going to look like.

Gillian:

Your questions are so bang on, because that was one of the things I really wanted to make sure that we had a really beautiful culture. So I wanted to make sure that what was important to me when I was in my corporate career and I maybe didn't experience, I wanted to make sure we captured a culture. So I believe everybody is an individual. Everybody has their own diamond, and what I've experienced from that corporate culture is that we're all tried to be like cloned down, this way of acting, being performing, and actually I always felt like I felt like I was. I think I'm a free spirit and I never realized it. It's like my wings were clipped all along and I didn't know where I was meant to be and how I was meant to behave, and then you become awkward, then you question yourself. So I wanted to make sure that I wanted everybody's diamond to shine. I wanted them to feel they were allowed to flourish as themselves, and so we started off with a behaviors code actually as to how we've had to help facilitate a session on this about what was important and how we were going to be with each other, and that's really carried us through.

Gillian:

I think everybody who's come into Peachaus has had their own healing and healing from scars, from you know whether they're their own personal scars or whether they're things from work, bad experiences from their growing up, years in work and so we are undoing all of that and it's really my goodness, it's one of the most rewarding things for me to see people blossom and flourish and come out of themselves and heal. It's been amazing. And so, in terms of people, people find Peachaus, the right people, find the brand, and the brand then puts its arms around them. And because, if I have to walk the walk and talk the talk, so every day I say to myself are we setting a new precedent here with what we're doing?

The Trailbazers Experience:

And that's always the litmus test workspace and team to look like, which is. It's such a privilege, isn't it? But also they say, with great what is it Comes great responsibility. It's just, it's amazing, but you're able actually to see it and that whole thing of it coming back to you, which comes on to not just community but networking. How important has that been for you? Because they say your network is your net worth. But they say it, but how have you gone along building that to support yourself as an entrepreneur and a leader, but also your brand?

Gillian:

I literally got. I don't know why I've just got goose pimples have gone all the way down my back and arms. When you said that I have met so many incredible people, organisations, the last four years particularly I mean I'm on steroids now, the last year and a half even, and I've got access now to all of the people and the resources and the support really that I need. I've met people who are innovating in the sustainable space, people who are doing beautiful brands, which are all about the human side of things. It's given me so much hope.

Gillian:

So the network is absolutely vital One, because there's so many other great people doing great things that actually we can all connect together, we can amplify it and we can create the change on a bigger scale. By being, like, joined up, we can all win and which is a very feminine, energy way of operating. I've met amazing women through the by women built community and there's some amazing brands and the network as well in terms of supporting the brand. You know, for me, the, the whole collaboration, is very much how we're going to amplify and grow, sharing our communities with other people's communities. Yeah, it's all about the network.

The Trailbazers Experience:

It's a big one, isn't it? We're seeing, interestingly enough, larger businesses who are probably struggling with identity. I mean, I think about North Face that had to do a collaboration with Skims, or Nike now doing a collaboration with Skims. They're now actually implementing a lot of what smaller businesses are already doing and already know that actually, you have to build your community, have a point of difference and then align with brands or people that actually drive that so that you can amplify the voice of what you're trying to do Now, your business, and the whole thing about sustainability and the ethical blueprint and the legacy that you're leaving is so important because, like I said, overconsumption is a thing.

The Trailbazers Experience:

So the point I'm trying to make is because I'm always fascinated when people have an idea and start a brand on, build on it. You've sort of laid the foundation. Three years in got investment, building that community, having women with their confidence, what is sort of in your mind's eye sort of like the next vision. So what the next three years? Have you planned that out or is it just a work in progress?

Gillian:

I know we've been doing a lot of work on that the last six months because we got to the end of the summer and I was exhausted.

The Trailbazers Experience:

In a good way, though, right.

Gillian:

In a great way, but actually I realized that I can't run myself ragged. I read a great book actually called the E-Myth, which talks about one of the biggest failures of founders is they get, they work in the business, not on the business, and then they lose the vision. And so this book was incredible actually, and it also talked about imagine your business as a franchise. You innovate, you quantify and then you operationalize. Think about McDonald's it's a machine and it's consistent all the way around the world. So those were some real nuggets for me, and I was like so we spent the last few months really looking at every single innovation we've done. What have we learned from it? Is it worth us operationalizing it? So that's been incredibly insightful, down to everything, like what's been our best Instagram posts, what were we wearing in store when we had our best days in store? When I was there bra fitting, what was it about the magic that I was doing that drove the conversions? Okay, all of this, then, we need to operationalize. We've been testing lots of different channels. So, yes, we've got a great website. How do we make new bra fittings online? So this is where we're testing the Katie Weir. How can we use AI technologies to really improve that whole offline online experience so that they're seamless.

Gillian:

And then you, I use you said it. You know for big businesses there it's gonna be tough. You know, trying to shift a big legacy cumbersome business is hard whereas we're nimble. You know we can pivot like that and I'm pivoting literally. I've been doing my next investor deck and since I started it six weeks ago I've already pivoted.

Gillian:

I'm redoing my numbers today because it's changing so quickly. In my insights from all our testing it's all crystallizing. So I am mapping out the next three years. I do now know how we can grow, how we can meet more women, create great connection and, globally, what I'm trying to do yeah, I'm not going to say too much, because we are disruptive and we are. I want to revolutionize the underwear industry. It doesn't put women first, it doesn't put the breast first, it puts the bra first and the dialogue is a shaming dialogue. It's 80% of women in the wrong bra size. Well, whose fault's that? It's the brand's and the manufacturer's fault, because there's no education, there's no support. So, yeah, everything I'm going to do is to turn it upside down.

The Trailbazers Experience:

I love it, and the whole thing about being agile and constantly being on the pulse is really key, because you can also get consumed. Isn't it Just in your little box there and your little project that you're doing? But you have to then, because you are putting women first in everything that you do. From everything that you've said, I think that's such a great space to be in as well.

Gillian:

Yeah, it is. And it's funny actually, because I think I've seen how the dots from all the last four years are connecting. If you look at all the people you've met and you don't know why you've met them at that point and everything starts to connect. And I had a call yesterday. So this is just how quick things are moving with a wonderful woman called Barbara Burton, who I met probably two or three years ago.

Gillian:

Barbara has been really trying to support women, underserved women who have been unlucky enough to be convicted, mainly through circumstance and unlucky, and so she's building a social enterprise at the moment. But I was like part of one of my initiatives, I'm going to need to employ a lot of women quite quickly and I suddenly thought, barbara, this is it how I can help women who actually have had an unlucky start. And actually again, it's walking the walk and talking the talk. It's like now I'm probably going to be in the next year recruiting a hundred women and it's like, right, this is where I'm going to go. There's some communities of people who really need some support and a chance.

The Trailbazers Experience:

I mean Timpsons, that's the Timpson model, isn't it? It is support and a chance. I mean Timpsons, that's the Timpson model, isn't it? And it's been brilliant. I mean, how many times you walk into there and you're getting your car, your car battery changed or your shoes fixed, and you just have these conversations and everyone just wants to be seen and heard, isn't it? And respected as humans, no matter what your past was or everyone just wants to be seen, valued, respected.

Gillian:

and what a great way to to give back, as we're paying it forward it is and and you know that comes back to what we said we're human beings. You know some, we're all born into different things, but actually if we all, if we all accepted each other, saw each other as that individual, for who we are, and looked at from a lens, from your heart, with care and love, rather than the head and judgment and fear, and we have a very different vibration and world Insight is always an interesting thing.

The Trailbazers Experience:

So you've gone through various careers and now you are a founder of a business that's scaling and got big plans. What have you found are your strengths that you're harnessing, and then your weaknesses where you know. Actually I've accepted I'm not going to be really great at that and that's what I'm going to delegate, because a lot of the time is. I think as women, it's good to have that self-awareness, to accept the things that you're really good at and then find the people who can do the other things, as long as you have a broad understanding of that theme, et cetera, but finding great people to build that skillset.

Gillian:

I am my happiest when I am at the front of the brand and when I was in the shop in Covent Garden and I was in my pajamas with my bra straps, showing my dress in a Peachaus in my beautiful, everyday, beautiful environment that I'd created and talking to women in bra fitting for me was in my element at the festival. I absolutely love it where I can talk about what we're doing and why we're doing it and get seeing people's faces when they have an amazing bra fit and they put one of our bras on. So you know I am. I love being the show, the show person, but I didn't realize it. I was always a bit shy before that. So I've really stepped into myself and I would say I am in.

Gillian:

I have great insight in terms of where things are going and drive and resilience and powerful. What I don't like? Detail For me. I'm a good all-rounder, but I suppose my boredom threshold kicks in if I've got to go down to too much detail and I like someone else to maybe take a bit more of that away from me, but I'm the power.

The Trailbazers Experience:

I guess Creatives is a strength in itself, because you are always looking to see, well, what's actually outside. Why can't we do it this way? You know you're always seeing having a different vision as to what's right in front of you, which means you can always move forward. You're always in pivoting if you need to as well.

Gillian:

Yeah, We've been very, very nimble and we're not afraid to change. In fact, you know we welcome that.

The Trailbazers Experience:

Well, you are a change maker, so I always love to end the podcast where we ask the change makers or the trailblazers, what are three tips that they would leave. Leave so you know you are all about impacting the fashion or any industry, but what advice would you give to support based on your journey and experiences?

Gillian:

yeah, I would say listen to your intuition. What in your quietest times is your body saying to you? And follow that. Follow your passion, follow your dreams. Live one life where you are living it as yourself. Second thing I would say if you want to set up a business, you have to be ready and prepared to work hard and stick at it. You have to go through the fear barrier.

Gillian:

I went through the fear barrier. I felt like in January you know there's no money in the company. You know you've got people like owed money and you're like what do I do? Do I keep going? Do I quit now? Whereas actually you know and I've gone. You go way beyond where you felt you were comfortable to do. But it's almost like if you don't go further, you don't know how far you can go.

Gillian:

And I just, I literally thought I was doing a land speed record and I didn't, and the car was going to go through the speed barrier. I didn't know whether it was going to break up and burn out and and I just had to keep going. I couldn't stop myself and I literally it was literally weird. I had all these things happen that week and I handled them all in a totally different, calm way, how I from how I would have done, and it was like a test. So everything was building up to this moment.

Gillian:

And then I was like, all right, I gotta just keep going, just keep going. And I felt like I passed the test and I felt like, yeah, it was a massive breakthrough. And since then I don't feel any fear. I just know I'm on the right path, even though there's still no money in the company. I'm still having to keep on that. And then the third thing I would say is advice is get to know yourself. Get to know yourself for who you really are, and do that by being kind to yourself and doing things which give you joy. I love that.

The Trailbazers Experience:

Gillian, it's been such a pleasure learning about your journey and the incredible work you're doing with Peachaus. You have passed on so many gems which I will then also have to embody and think well, this, there's something there, and for the audiences as well. But before we wrap up, can you tell the listeners how they can learn more about Peachaus and where they can find you?

Gillian:

Everyone is incredibly welcome. I would love for you to be part of our community and to be sharing this energy. You can find us on our Instagram at peachhouse underscore life and remember it's house H-A-U-S, and our website is wwwpeachhousecom. And on LinkedIn you can find me, if you're interested, or Peachaus on LinkedIn and I am Gillian Ridley Whittle on LinkedIn. So, yeah, I'd love any feedback from anyone. I'm always grateful.

The Trailbazers Experience:

Amazing, amazing. Well, Gillian, that's it. We've done it. This is the podcast. Thank you so much. A great way to start the new season as well. So, for our audience, this has been the Trailblazers Experience podcast. You know where to find us we are on Spotify, we are on YouTube, apple, and we encourage you to follow, subscribe, like comment. We only grow, we only learn, if we have your input into the community. So, with that said, thank you so much and see you next time. Thank you.