From Bootstrapping to Scaling: Building a Brand From the Ground Up
Note: Thanks to our generous sponsors, this event is “no charge” but you must register to attend. By registering, you consent to Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global’s collection of information. The recording will be available to watch after the event has passed.
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. CST
Isabel De Sousa on:
From Bootstrapping to Scaling: Building a Brand From the Ground Up
- How to take a fashion or product idea from concept to a functioning, revenue-generating business
- How to build a diversified sales strategy across your own e-commerce store, retail, social commerce, and platforms
- How to work effectively with influencers and creators, including gifting, affiliate commissions, margins, and partnerships that can actually drive sales
- How to think about profitability when scaling
- How to stay adaptable as a founder
Isabel de Sousa is the founder of Akalia, a fashion and lifestyle brand founded in 2020. What began as a self-funded entrepreneurial venture has grown into an established e-commerce and retail business, giving Isabel firsthand experience across nearly every stage of building and operating a product-based brand.
Without a traditional roadmap into the fashion industry, Isabel built Akalia from the ground up, navigating product development, international manufacturing, e-commerce, direct-to-consumer growth, wholesale and retail partnerships, paid advertising, influencer marketing, and emerging sales channels such as TikTok Shop.
Her experience has given her a practical perspective on what happens behind the scenes of growing a fashion business—from understanding margins and customer acquisition costs to structuring creator commissions, testing new sales channels, managing inventory, and adapting as the digital commerce landscape changes.
Today, Isabel also shares the lessons from her entrepreneurial journey with other founders, with a focus on building brands that are creative, commercially sustainable, adaptable, and purpose-driven.
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