HERStory: Samantha Guarnieri, fashion entrepreneur
Welcome to HERStory, highlighting the many inspiring clients from DevelopHER designs. Here, founder and lead developer, Jess Tatham, talks career, life and more with women you definitely want to know more about. This week, we’re chatting with fashion designer and founder of Finally Society, Samantha Guarnieri, who hired
Fun fact: before I sold most of what I owned to become a location-dependent entrepreneur, I was a bit of a beauty and fashion junkie. Being constantly on the go keeps me from shopping these days, yet I’m still a sucker for a great sale or a freebie. But working with this client opened my eyes to a whole different side of consumerism. With a degree in fashion, Samantha Guarnieri was immersed in the world of style, and found herself frustrated with the industry’s focus on profit. She wanted something to change and wanted to create a new layer of philanthropy, so she set out to create a passion project.
Enter: Finally Society, a fashion company that donates 100 percent of its proceeds to charity.
As she told me, it is her hope to give back to her community through this online store, and with the help of DevelopHER Designs, she’s up, running and contributing to many non-profits. This do-gooder powerhouse took a break from her full-time gig in marketing and running Finally Society to discuss how she hopes the industry she loves will shift its priorities:
JT: What was the greatest hurdle you faced getting started?
SG: Since I was only 22 years old when I founded Finally Society, my biggest struggle was getting people to take me seriously. I was sometimes laughed and treated unfairly when presenting my business plan to others. However, all of the naysayers acted as a driving force to see my idea through and eventually call myself a business owner.
JT: What did you learn through the process?
SG: The learning is constant, and I hope I only continue to learn. The biggest lesson so far has definitely been in trusting myself. I had—and still have—lots of doubts, as anyone who founded a company does. But it’s so important to push that doubtful thinking aside and remind yourself why you started your project in the first place. Also, to remind myself that I am capable of accomplishing whatever I set my mind to.
JT: Who inspires you?
SG: Anyone who is positively impacted by my work either past, present, or future inspires me to do what I do and to never give up. Also, it’s a little cliche but my mom inspires me, she’s easily one of the hardest working people I know. She serves as a great example of how women will face obstacles unique to their gender but instead of using the struggle as a means to give up, we must persevere.
JT: What advice would you give to aspiring designers/philanthropists/female entrepreneurs?
SG: Whatever you do, DO NOT fear failure. If you set out to accomplish something and do it with all your heart—you’ve already succeeded!
