Episode 89: From YouTube Star to Clothing Brand Founder | Lanie Edwards | Life of Lanie, Cozier
Lanie Edwards turned a passion for storytelling into a YouTube channel with more than 95,000 subscribers, sharing her life with humor, creativity, and authenticity. Inspired by her entrepreneurial family, she later launched Cozier, a custom loungewear brand she grew from her Los Angeles apartment into a thriving business. Lanie shares how she built her YouTube audience, why she left a corporate job to bet on herself, and the challenges of scaling a small brand from scratch. She talks about finding her creative lane, balancing personal and business content online, and how building a loyal community has been key to her success. Her journey is proof that you can turn your passions into a sustainable career when you combine creativity, persistence, and a clear vision.
“We’re all our own worst enemies. You have to get past yourself and just put yourself out there.”
-
-
Follow along using the Transcript
Chapters
00:00 Meet Lanie Edwards
03:10 Starting a YouTube Channel in High School
07:25 Building a Community of 95,000 Subscribers
11:40 Lessons from Life as a Content Creator
15:50 Leaving Corporate Life to Bet on Herself
20:05 Launching the Cozier Loungewear Brand
24:30 Growing a Small Business from an Apartment
28:45 Balancing Business and Personal Branding
33:10 Social Media Strategies That Build Loyalty
37:25 Lessons from an Entrepreneurial Family
41:00 Overcoming Self-Doubt and Taking Risks
45:20 Advice for Aspiring Creators and Founders
It can be hard to just be yourself and being afraid of judgment. Like I was so picky with every single thing that I did, and I still am, but I've let that part go a little bit because I've learned through my channel and through my subscribers and through my family you don't have to be perfect.
You don't have to be so picky. Like just put yourself out there.
That's Lanie Edwards and this is The Powerful Ladies Podcast.
Hey guys, I'm your host, Kara Duffy, and this is The Powerful Ladies Podcast where I invite my favorite humans, the awesome, the up to something, and the extraordinary to come and share their story. I hope that you'll be left, entertained, inspired, and moved. To take action towards living your most powerful life.
Lanie Edwards is the creator of life with Lanie, a YouTube channel and blog. As well as her clothing brand cozier. On this episode, we talk about her journey from high school, YouTube star today, multidimensional creator she is today, how her brand life with Lanie has grown up with her and why it's important to keep trying new things that allow you to express your creativity.
As you never know what might be your next business opportunity, all that, and so much more coming up. But first, if you're interested in discovering what possibilities and businesses are available for you to create and to live your most fulfilling life. Please visit the powerful ladies.com/coaching and sign up for a free coaching consultation with me.
There is no reason to wait another day to not be living your best life when you instead could be running at full speed towards your wildest dreams today.
Welcome to the Powerful Ladies Podcast. Thank you. Excited to be here. I'm excited to have you. Let's begin by introducing yourself and telling everyone what you do. Sure. So I'm Laney Edwards. I go by life of Laney as like my branding. And I do a lot of different things actually. I just call myself a creative because it's hard to pinpoint exactly what it is.
But yeah, I do YouTube. I have my own clothing Loungewear brand. Pretty much anything creative of do graphics. I do makeup on set, like it's a whole bunch of just different things. Anything I can use my hands or use any kind of technology is what I love to do.
And where are you based out of right now?
Los Angeles right now. Nice. Yeah. 'Cause you I think grew up with a member of the powerful Ladies team, Shay, and that's in Pittsburgh. Yeah. Yeah.
We grew, we went to school together. We've known each other for I think it's been like 20 something years now, which is crazy. But yeah, we've known each other for a long time, so she told me about this and I was so excited about it.
Very cool. So how did your journey as the creator begin?
So I actually started in high school is when I started my YouTube channel and I didn't tell anybody about it 'cause I was embarrassed about it, even though I was posting videos on the internet for the world to see. But I just could not tell my classmates.
So I didn't even tell my family until a year into it. Like they thought I was just like. I don't know what they thought I was doing in my room, but I didn't tell anyone. And then one of my classmates actually found out and exposed me, not really exposed me, but she just told everybody, which honestly was for the best 'cause I needed to get, tell people and get support from my actual friends.
So everyone found out, and it was like a little embarrassing for me, but it started to blossom into something that I actually really loved to do. So I went to college. I went to school for journalism. 'Cause I, my goal was to always be on TV and be like a talk show host. That was always my thing.
But as after I graduated, I moved to LA 'cause my family lived here and I turned more towards like creative stuff. I ended up getting a job at a makeup beauty subscription company. So I was the content manager, which was really fun 'cause I got to manage all of the content and actually create and do everything that I loved with makeup.
So it was fun 'cause I love makeup and I also love to create things. So it was actually a really cool job and I did that for two years and then I recently just quit that job. And just bet on myself and started to do my own thing and do my own branding and, which was really scary for me 'cause I'm, changes like, can be very scary and especially with everything that's going on in the world right now, it can get, you don't know what's gonna happen.
So it was a big step for me, but it really paid off. I launched my Loungewear brand and since then it's been endless opportunities and a lot of support, so very thankful for that.
How large is your YouTube channel for people who haven't followed you yet?
Yeah, so I have 95,000 subscribers and it's just life of Laney, so I just show my life and blog.
Whenever I can. Sometimes I don't get videos up, but for the most part, that was my channel. And what inspired you to create a lounge or a brand?
I love being comfortable. I, and that's like my main thing is I like to always look cute, but also comfortable at the same time. So I started customizing my own lounge wear at first because I wanted to do something different.
'cause usually lounge wear is kinda like basic items, which I love. But I wanted to jazz it up a little bit. I, so I started like bleaching and painting on my own, like sweatpants and stuff like that. And I've just posted it just to show everybody and they were like, oh, you need to sell these. And I was like, oh, maybe I'll start a brand.
And so I, because I knew how to do branding from my nine to five job. So I was doing both of those things at the same time. 'cause I launched my brand, it's called Cozier, and I like got an LLC and everything. And then I was trying to do that and my job at the same time and it was like double time, double branding.
And I was like, eventually I'm just gonna have to choose one or the other. So I left my job, but it took about I would say four months before I left my job and then took off with the, with my clothing brand.
And was clothing something that you had experience in before or just what you were the DIYing at home.
Yeah, it's interesting 'cause I've never, I love fashion, but I never saw myself in fashion ever. Both my mom and my sister are heavily into fashion. They also have their own like designs and clothing lines. And I always just watched from the sidelines. Like I was more of like the content and the graphics person.
And I love just like helping them with an editing eye. And I really never thought I would be into the apparel world. And it just happened by accident. So I've always loved fashion and like on my YouTube channel I would do fashion halls and look books and stuff like that, but never saw myself actually creating clothes myself.
So the fact that kind of just happened out of nowhere was a change for me. But it's been really fun 'cause it's a combination of a lot of different things. So still getting to do what I love, but it's a new. Area for me.
Have you been leaning on your sister and your mom to get that brand off the ground?
I would say my si
my mom is more of the business lady that helps me. With anything business related. But in terms of like the branding and kind of footsteps to follow, I do lean a lot on my sister because she had launched her brand before me, so she knows like the ins and outs and she's been living in LA longer, so she showed me all of the fashion district in LA where I get all my supplies.
Like she knows every single store. It's like a jungle down there, but that's where I get all of my supplies. I would not have been able to do that without her. Everything, seeing what she's done, I've been able to take that mold and do it myself. So it's definitely like a, we both help each other with our brands.
What's her brand? So we can give her a shout out. Yeah. Hers is called UpStreet Kid, and it's like a, she actually like cuts and sews everything herself. Like she, I'm more of like a customizer, lounger type of person, but she actually creates the stuff herself and sells them it's a different vibe.
It's really dope. What's it like coming from an entrepreneurial family? It's, I feel like I've been an entrepreneur my whole life because of that. Because my mom, she did work like a job, but she also always had an entrepreneur mind and she always was interested in fashion. So it was always normal to me.
And I knew when I was working my nine to five that I wasn't gonna be able to last that long because I was like always just I can't sit in an office for too long. Like nothing against it. Like I learned a ton of things from it. But I just can't sit in an office for eight hours a day. Like I just go crazy not being able to do different things.
So I knew that I needed to start my own business if I ever wanted to like work for myself. So that's really what made me take that leap. But I've always had little entrepreneurial. Like things here and there that I would sell random things growing up or we had programs at school.
So things like that. I always it was always in my mind, but taking the leap to actually do it is what is like the biggest thing for me.
To how has it changed having your YouTube channel from high school through now, and how has it changed you as a person?
Yeah. So I would say at the beginning, my content, it's hard to, when you're like in high school, it's intimidating to be yourself on the internet.
So like you're, you try to put on this mask for people and be like this perfect little, makeup guru or whatever. So I would say like pretty much all throughout high school, that's what I was, and then. Once I got to college, I started to find myself more and like figure out who I wanted to be and actually show my college life.
'cause really what I want to be to everybody is just relatable. Like to, to people to know like we're all normal. Like we all grew through similar things and no one's better than another person. So I just wanted to be more of a relatable channel. Channel and not just like a mask of me trying to, take something.
So I think over the years it's really. Just become me and like a portfolio of my life, basically. Yeah. On my channel. And I found that the audience response is a lot better. Just when you're yourself and you're relatable and you just show your life. So instead of all the fashion halls and makeup videos, it turned more into like just my lifestyle.
I would say I've gotten less consistent over the years because I've been so focused on all these different things, whereas in high school, I was able to really focus on it. But now going through college and then now being in my adulthood, it's hard to really just hone in on YouTube. So I still, to this day, I am trying to figure out, like my scheduling and how I wanna do it, and where I wanna take my channel.
It's like constantly evolving. But for now, my goal is to always still just to, be relatable and show people my life and interact with people. That's my favorite thing.
What made you fall in love with makeup at the beginning?
I remember the first, I watched a makeup video on YouTube.
And I, before that I went to an all girls school. Like we really didn't wear makeup at all. So I didn't even learn from my mom or anything like that. Like we weren't really a big makeup family. I just remember being on YouTube one day and watching a random review on something and this girl was like reviewing a product and I was like, oh, I wanna do this.
This looks fun and easy. And I would just take all my allowance money and just go to Sephora and buy a whole bunch of makeup. I had no idea what I was doing or why I was doing it, like I didn't even use it. 'cause as I said I went to an all girls school, so I didn't even wear the makeup at all.
It was just for my channel. So I forced myself to start liking it. But then once I started liking it, I actually fell in love with it. So then I started doing like freelance makeup. So like I'll work on music video sets and do the makeup for them. So it's crazy how like I.
I not, I didn't go to school for it, but it ended up being a big part of my life and I really didn't think it would, so YouTube was the reason. Yeah.
YouTube was the inspiration and the path. Yep. Exactly. Are you sharing what you're doing with your clothing line also through your channel on YouTube?
So not yet. They know about it. Like I've talked about it and shown them my designs, but I haven't actually shown them my process. A lot of people have been asking to see the whole process. I obviously won't show them like the exact way I designed it, but going through, going to get the stuff and going through LA and showing myself working. So I have been working on vlogs doing that, but I haven't posted them yet. 'cause I'm so picky. Like every time I'm just like, oh, I need to add more. But so they do wanna see it. A lot of people have been asking for that content, so I'm just working on actually doing it. But this YouTuber recently, she has 3 million subscribers and she recently shouted out my brand 'cause she featured it in a clothing hall.
Which was unexpected. So I have this huge influx of orders and I do it all myself. So they've been very patient and very amazing about it. It's been great. But that kind of threw me off 'cause now I'm like working on the orders instead of the content. So it's one or the other kind of, but hopefully one day I'll be able to get a team to help me out with all that kind of stuff.
So I can do both, but eventually I will be showing the whole process. Long story short,
yeah. For people who are, who want to be on YouTube, but they're intimidated about it. How would you recommend they start?
I would say now with like our generation and the generation below us, like I feel like it's a lot.
People are a lot more accepting. It's not as intimidating. It's, there's of course, there's cancel culture. There's a lot of, stuff that goes on. But I think that more people are not as afraid to be themselves. And now that we have like TikTok and Instagram and all these things, there's just so many platforms that like, I feel like no one's really afraid to just post anymore.
Whereas back in the day it was like, oh, let me just post a little video and see what happens. But. I would just do it like if you have, even if you don't, live in LA or think that your life is like super crazy. People just wanna see what you're doing. Like they just wanna be able to watch something and if you have a great personality, if you're really funny, like people just love to, everyone has their little niche that they like to watch.
'Cause there's asmr, there's makeup, there's fashion there's a whole bunch of different niches on YouTube, but I'm sure like you can find yours. So once you find like your niche. Just start posting. You have to be consistent. In the beginning at least, you should always be consistent. But I can't say that 'cause I'm not anymore.
But in the beginning you should be really consistent and just promote as much as you can. Try to get your friends to promote for you. And you get, you can't be scared to brand yourself and to put yourself out there and try to get on as many platforms as you can because those platforms can all lead back to YouTube.
Like on TikTok you can link. Your YouTube channel. And it's a lot easier to get big off of TikTok. So if you do it that way, it's, it all connects together. So if you just brand yourself in this big web of social platforms it can all come together and you can, make a living off of it.
So that would be my advice.
And I see in your background, you've got. Looks like a stand for your phone. You've got your makeup area. Yeah. How how much do you feel like you're in a set sometimes or is it just natural now?
Yeah, so I, I knew I wanted my room to be a certain way. 'cause I want to, it's a little bit messy right now, but I wanted to be, I wanna be in.
Inspired and I feel like my room is like my haven. So when I come in here, like I do have a very specific like vanity and makeup lights and stuff like that. I just, I really want my equipment and everything to be correct. And then in my living room, I have a little, backdrop and stuff like that if I want to use it.
I don't really use backdrops anymore 'cause I feel like it's more natural just to, use your normal backdrop. But back in the day I used to. But yeah, I definitely have a certain vibe that I like in my room and like equipment that I like just to actually make myself want to film content and want to do things.
So yeah, definitely like a very specific way that I like my room to be in order to inspire myself, basically to create more.
How have your followers and subscribers motivated you to keep going?
So there, I always, I was just tweeting about this the other day, but I have like super supportive followers.
Like they are so nice to me even when I've fallen off the face of the earth for months, they welcome me back every time. And I just feel very thankful because I know YouTubers get a lot of hate a lot of the time. For various reasons. But since I've started it since high school, like I've luckily built a following that's very supportive.
I don't really know how, but I guess my energy has drawn in positive energy as well, i'm very happy for that because they are so supportive. Like they buy my stuff, they are like, they don't care if I've been gone for too long. Like they always support me. If I'm ever feeling down or anything like that.
Like they always in the comments. It's just such a positive area. Which I really love. That's what makes me wanna keep posting for them and interacting with them. And I love talking with them. I always ask them to DM me or if any questions or stuff like that. So just the fact that it's such a positive.
Like subscriber base is what's really motivating for me. I'm really happy that I was able to build such an area of positivity on my channel. 'Cause even other people can come to my channel and look in the comments and find out some information or find out some advice. 'cause we're all like always giving advice and tips to each other in the comments.
So I just want my channel to be a place for everyone to be able to come and, have positive vibes and get some cool information and watch my journey and stuff like that.
It's really unique that you've been able to do that because there's so many stories about how mean people can be Yes.
On especially YouTube and bullying and everything else. Have you had to deal with that yourself through your journey? I would say like not
that much. Because, but the another thing is I don't think that I put myself out there as much as other YouTubers do, so I feel like if I did. I probably would get more hate because I'm, I would say I'm more of a filtered person, just in general, like I don't really share that much with the world.
I'm more of like a closed off person, but. I think the more that you share with the world, the more hate you get. So I think that's probably why I've been more lucky. But at the same time, I do feel like I do need to share more with people so that they can get to know me better. But yeah, I would say I haven't really had faced that much hate, and if I did, I don't even know how I would handle it.
So that's an interesting part. Of my life that I'm probably gonna have to face at some point. Luckily I haven't had to face it yet, but I'm sure at some point, everyone has to deal with some type of thing like that, so we'll see. But so far, I think if I put myself out there more, we might run into that, but we'll see.
So far so good.
Good. Yeah. How has this crazy multifaceted year that is 2020, how has it impacted you personally and how has it impacted you professionally?
Yeah, so personally I love the outdoors. I love being around people. I'm a tourist, like I just love the earth. I love, being in nature and stuff like that.
So at the beginning when we were on lockdown, it was really tough. Luckily, I live with my sister and we get along, so it was easy to at least have another person, and we ended up getting a kitten and just like trying to make it work and cooking more and stuff like that. At the beginning when the pandemic hit and it was like a huge lockdown, just trying to find ways to keep myself sane and the brand actually really helped 'cause I was able to focus on just creating clothes and she was also creating clothes.
So it was just a big creative hub in our apartment. So personally, now that things have died down a little bit, whenever I go see one of my people, I get tested and everything, but it's gotten a little bit better 'cause I've been able to be around people and see my friends and family.
So personally it's been definitely a rollercoaster of emotions for everyone. I think. Like we have no idea what's going on, but just trying to make the best of it. Always. 'cause you only have one life. So just trying to make, adapt and make the best of whatever we can. And then professionally, it actually has helped me because I've been able to focus so much on this.
I've been able to, brand myself more, get myself out there more, and in return, have gotten more orders, was able to quit my job so that I can support myself with just my brand. So that in that professional way, it's been really great for me because I've been able to focus. So I think everything's moving in a very positive direction despite the world not really moving in positive direction, but. Just have to keep going and, do what you can,
at least
I'm thankful for that.
In addition to the positivity and like the gr the safe space that you're creating, what else do you put into your brands to be the change that you wanna see in the world?
Yeah, I really just want
people to like, feel themselves and be just like happy and comfortable with themselves. 'cause I know that's something that I struggled with a lot growing up, is just it's kind, it can be hard to just be yourself. And, being afraid of judgment like I was. So picky with every single thing that I did, and I still am, but I've let that part go a little bit 'cause I've learned through my channel and through my subscribers and through my family you don't have to be perfect.
You don't have to be so picky. Just put yourself out there. 'cause I'm just very oh, what if they don't like it? What if they're gonna judge me? Type of thing. I think. I remember somebody messaged me and they're like, thank you for including your bloopers and your videos because it's taught me like my videos don't have to be so perfect.
Like people wanna see the silly side of me, like they wanna see me just being a human. And I didn't even realize like that's an impact that I had on someone. Like I just include my bloopers 'cause they're funny. But actually like things that we're doing as creators and as like social media influencers actually have an impact on people and I know that's what the term influences.
Or means like influencing people, but you don't really realize it until you get those kind of messages and you're like, oh, that was such a small thing for me, but it was such a big thing for you. So just continuing to just, do what I can and be myself and not, let judgment and all that and fear.
Takeover is a message that I really wanna get out there because, it's always all in your head. We're all are worse enemies. So just if I hadn't put myself out there, if I hadn't, shown the creations that I made, I would've never started a brand or started a YouTube channel. So you just really have to just get past yourself, basically get over yourself and put yourself out there.
If you look back to 8-year-old, you would she have imagined that you're doing what you're doing now?
No, she definitely would've imagined that I would be a talk show host. That was my thing forever. I was like, I am going to be a talk show host, and I still could, I'm not knocking it.
But that was like my path for, from childhood until college. I was like, this is, I'm doing everything, even the YouTube channel to get to that path. And it's funny, when I moved to la, which is like a part of the path, in my mind, it turned into a completely different thing. So I don't try to force anything.
Like I don't, I'm not like, oh, I need to be doing this. It's just wherever I feel it's, I'm being drawn to. But no, I definitely don't think 8-year-old me would've seen me like doing clothes or anything like that, or even living in LA I feel like she just saw me being a talk show host.
Like I just wanted to introduce celebrities. That's all I wanted to do is be on E-news and be on the red carpet. That was my dream. And then it's crazy how things just like turn and you just adapt and go with it.
You still could be, as you said, who knows. Yeah. You never know. You never know.
Not against it. When you think of the words powerful and the word ladies separately, what do they mean to you and do they mean anything different when they're combined?
Powerful. I feel like just means like being so comfortable with yourself and knowing who you are and like your morals. And just standing with yourself, always defending yourself and not letting you know things knock you down.
I feel like that's powerful, but it's funny 'cause when I think of powerful, I think of women. So I think it does go hand in hand because we are so powerful. I had. 15 years of, or years of that being embedded into my brain because of the All girls school, which I'm so thankful for. 'cause people always like make fun of you if you're like, oh, I went to an all girls school my whole life.
They're just like, oh, that must have sucked. But it's no. Like the things that I learned and the women that I was surrounded with. I wouldn't change for the world because I'm still friends with all of them to this day. So our class is really small, but I'm like, I still, we go on trips once a year.
Like we still try to see each other. So just like the bond that we have as women, I think is so much power. Like we just hold so much power in every aspect of the world. Whether people see it or not like we do. And we literally give life. So there's nothing more powerful than that to me.
So I think that they really just go hand in hand. Like whenever I think of power, I think of women. So I love that this is actually called power for Ladies. 'cause I was like, oh yes, this is like my whole life. This is what I have been taught. And I'm so thankful that I was taught that as a young girl because that, that stayed with me throughout my entire life.
How do you think your perspective of going to an all girls school and seeing from an early age that there were, there was much power in women. How do you think that has influenced your perspective on things like the me Too movement and modern feminism? Like how do you relate to all of that with that background?
So I think my whole background has been very, like women empowerment the whole way through. My mom was actually like the main, like usually, back then like the families, it was always like, oh, the father is a breadwinner. The mom stays at home. But it was a complete opposite for me. So I had a completely different upbringing.
Like my mom was the main breadwinner and then my dad like, took care of us, was, making a center, that kind of stuff. I, from an early age, like I always just saw my mom like being so powerful and I was like, this is just how it's supposed to be. Like, there is no really gender roles, like we're just all, doing, what we wanted to do.
So translating that into the All Girls school and then, with all the Me Too movements happening and every movement happening with women. It's, it feels like it's an, not an endless battle, but it's just like a constant battle. But we definitely have made strides. Like obviously there's still the wage gap.
There's still so many things that to me, it's hard to wrap my mind around 'cause it's like we're all just humans. Like why is, what is what's making sense here? But, I think that. We can't just, it's a never ending kind of battle, but it's something that is empowering because we all come together.
So to see, women come together and even men supporting us with the movements, it's all. Great to see. And now with social media and with Twitter, like it's constantly in your face, so it actually can get a little exhausting sometimes. Just being a woman in general, it's I have to fight to be a woman today.
Like it's, it can be exhausting, but I think it's just a never ending movement between all women that we're constantly uplifting each other and being there for each other I think is so important.
Yeah. Are you hopeful with all of the social injustice is such a huge discussion in our media today and in our just community conversations and honestly, I think that's the benefit of what's been going on, is that we are bringing these things out into the light. Yeah. Are you hopeful that things are gonna change for women, for minorities, for anybody?
Yeah. I think I am hopeful because. Of our generation and of the generation like below us.
I do, I am very hopeful because I see a shift versus our parents' generation. I feel like the culture is just so different now. And I think that at least on my, in my realm of things, like just seeing the shift of like people's mindsets I think is very encouraging and optimistic.
So I do, I am very hopeful about it because I feel like people are just not taking it anymore and like they never really did. But it's more publicized now. Yeah. With like social injustice, with, cops killing people like it, it was never tolerated. But now that it's shown more, like you can just see all the protests, you can see everyone coming together.
So I think that with people being able to see that, they're also able to jump in and know what's happening. So that's like the benefit of social media and this big bubble that we're in. So I think that is all gonna help move it into a positive direction. There's still so much work to be done.
But I am hopeful with this new generation and with our generation that we'll be able to do things that. We're never gonna be able, that was never done before. Yeah. And things are already happening. Like things are already changing as we see. It's, I think moving in hopefully a positive direction.
Yeah. We still have to keep fighting no matter what.
Do you feel like it's different back in Pittsburgh versus la or do you feel like it's at the same pace?
Like in what context? Like the just lifestyle
culture? Yeah. For lysa, for moving forward for feminism moving forward. For social justice for all people.
Like all, just all the things like there's, yeah. I feel like there's definitely regional. Differences. Differences? Yeah.
For sure. Yeah. I think LA is way more like la I feel like everyone is all for the movement. Like I don't think I've met anyone here who isn't. I think it's way more of a positive, optimistic vibe over here.
Like people are just trying to get, be good people out here and actually fight for people. I've been to a lot of protests here and just the turnout is insane. Like it's just blocks and blocks of people of all races of all, of everything. So it's been really. Amazing to see that in Pittsburgh.
For me, growing up, it wasn't very diverse there, at least for me. Where I was. And I didn't even really realize that growing up because I didn't really know what that was until I moved to dc which is where I went to school. And that was like a culture shock for me because I was like, wow, it's so diverse here.
It's so different. There's so many different cultures. People fighting for things in Pittsburgh, I feel like it's a very small city, so it's not as diverse, but I haven't been back in a while. But I do know there have been protests, there have been, fighting. For that.
But it's definitely a huge difference in the culture. Even just East Coast and West Coast in general. Like the culture is so different, I think we're all kind of fighting for the same things, but it's, it seems California's a huge place, but the fight here is a bit stronger to me.
But just 'cause of the cultural differences, like that's how it is, but based on politics and stuff like that, but. From what I've seen, I haven't been back to Pittsburgh and I still love that city. Like I will never, bash it or anything. But it definitely, for me, it has definitely been a cultural difference.
And, people's priorities and stuff like that are definitely different in in both areas.
For you as a, young female entrepreneur, what do you think are the biggest challenges that you face in building and growing your business?
Yeah, so I think as a woman, it's hard to be taken seriously.
I think now it's a bit better, but I feel like even as women, we always kinda have to prove ourselves. And even as a black woman, like I feel like I have to prove myself even more. And it's harder to get your. Work out there because as minorities, like we're minorities, so it's harder to get it out to the masses.
But with the whole movement that's been going on, I feel like there has been a lot more support. People are actually waking up and realizing, their privilege and a lot of things. So I think that has been a positive, like a step in the positive direction and has helped a lot of black-owned businesses.
But yeah, I think as a female entrepreneur, I don't really feel like. Because I'm a female that I am, I can't do certain things that a man can't or anything like that. Like 'cause of my upbringing. Like I just never, I don't feel that way, but I definitely do feel like I have to work harder, but I can still do it.
I think I just stay in my own little world, so I don't really focus on, oh, I'm a female trying to do this. It's more just like I am doing this. That's just me doing this. And I think that mindset has helped me just keep going. I think we all definitely do have our challenges and it can be harder to be taken seriously, especially in the corporate world.
Just making sure that you have a voice and not letting you know people. Minimize that is a big thing. 'Cause when I was working in corporate, I just remember I actually worked with mostly women, but sometimes it was like intimidating to talk to the CEO 'cause it was just like, oh, I'm just, like a little 23-year-old girl, like at the time.
I'm 25 now. But it can be intimidating. But I think that I've finally, as I've grown older, gotten past that working for myself has empowered me more. So I definitely feel as an entrepreneur, way more empowered than I did, like working for somebody else.
Who have been some of the powerful women in your life in addition to your sister and your mom that inspire you and have helped you along the way?
Yeah, so I had a mentor in college. Her name was Dr. Cheers. Shout out to you. But she put me like under her wing. I took one of her courses, it was like a digital media course, and she saw something in me. To this day, I don't really know what specifically, but she was just like, I believe in you.
And I was like, okay. And so she took me under her wing because I went to George Washington University, which was also not very diverse at all. She was like the only black teacher that I ever had in my life. Actually, I didn't have any growing up. And I didn't have any in college except for her.
So just seeing another black woman and her helping me along the way, like really helps me with everything. Like she was just so empowering. She was very like, just encouraging and she was hard on me, which I needed. Anytime I messed up, like she was just very hard on me, but it was a good thing.
'cause I just, I learned so much from her. So her, and then when I moved to la, just like all the women around me, I'm constantly inspired by them. There's so much to be inspired by in la. But even, people, I don't know, I'll see them on the tree and just see something they're doing.
I'm just inspired. I just, there's so much in this city to be inspired by and like the women that I've surrounded myself with they all work hard. They are, about their business. Don't let anybody take anyone's shit. I think that is what inspires me the most besides like my mom and my sister and my mentor is just like the kind of army of women that I've surrounded myself with and always will.
And even my friends from, from school, from back home, they're always inspiring me too. So it's cool to just build this network of women supporting and uplifting each other. That's always been, I think, subconsciously what I've done throughout my life. And then I'm like here and I'm like, oh yes, I have this big great support system and we all support each other, so
that when you look forward. What are you excited about? What are you looking forward to and what do you see as the next big steps for you to take in your career and as an entrepreneur?
Yeah, so I'm trying to figure out if I'm gonna stay in clothing forever, just because I feel like I hopped into this and I'm passionate about it, but I don't see this being the end for me.
Yeah. I'm, I really actually wanna produce, I really love, producing like. I would wanna produce a TV show one day. I would still love to like maybe dapple into the talk show host type of thing. But I really love like creating content as well and doing that. So it's, I think that with my business if I can, my goal right now is to move towards less manual.
Work since everything's custom made. It takes up a lot of my time and I, while I love doing it, 'cause it's a form of art for me, it does, it's a lot of manual labor. So trying to figure out how I can mass produce it instead is my main goal right now. And then eventually having a team that can take over, not fully, to help me with that.
Yeah. And then I can move on with other things. 'Cause I'm the kind of person that like, I just don't like to focus on just one thing. I love to do all as much as I can, like within this life. Me too. Yeah, so I don't wanna just focus on this right now, it's my main focus, but hopefully after this I do wanna go back to building up my own personal brand just as Laney.
And not just as cozier, but as myself. And I think with building yourself as a brand, then you're able to do anything you want. Basically. If you can, maintain a big following and like network a lot of people and just. Have your own brand, then you're like, okay, I can be a singer, I can do this, I can do that.
Like I have the support system already. So it's really just focusing on just building myself and then being able to dabble into anything I want at that point.
There's definitely a trend of like people becoming their own brands now, right? More people seeing that they can step into entrepreneurship and small business and like leaning in on being their own boss.
What advice would you have for people who are listening and they're like, should I do it? Can I do it? What would you tell them? I have these exact same
questions like three, four months ago. 'cause I was constantly, I think for a year I debated quitting my job. Like I just wasn't happy anymore. And I was like, I want to work for myself.
I remember just being like, how am I gonna pay my bills? How am I gonna do this and that. And it was just so much pressure that I was putting on myself, but I was like, I realized I was like, if I'm helping this brand so much and like they are growing so much because of like the work that I'm doing, if I just do that same work for myself and put in the same hours, like eventually something positive's gonna happen, like I can do that too.
I did save up some money. I would recommend saving up before you just quit your job because. Especially in this pandemic, like you definitely need to, have some type of plan. But I just tried to save up as much as I could. And then I remember talking to my mom and I thought she was gonna be like, no, don't quit your job.
But she immediately was like, yeah, quit your job. What are you doing? And I was like, oh, if my mom says I can quit my job, then I'm gonna quit my job. So she literally was like the tipping point for me. 'cause I was. Like thinking about it for so long and when your own mother is oh, you should just quit your job and just bet on yourself.
I'm like, okay, if my mom said it, I'm just gonna do it. I did it and it was scary at first. 'cause I'm very afraid of change. Like just when things change, I'm like, what is happening? So it takes a lot for me to adapt sometimes, but every time I've had to have a big change, it's always worked out for the best.
So I'm learning that every single time. So by me leaving that job, it just, everything, like so many opportunities opened up like immediately almost. And I. You can't really predict what's gonna happen or really set yourself up fully, but try to set yourself up as much as you can. Save up as much as you can, and then invest in the right things.
Get, build like a support system that can help you and help you make the right decisions. 'cause it's not just you you don't have to be alone or try to make all these decisions by yourself. Talk to people who have already done it before. I had talked to a bunch of people that had already quit their job and they're just, they all had ended up, being way better.
And in LA it's it's. It's not easy to find opportunities, but there's just so many opportunities that it's, you can find something. So yeah, it's scary. It's very scary and you don't know what's happening sometimes, but for the most part, if you really just put in that same work. That you have been putting into somebody else's brand or somebody else's company in sometimes double time that work.
But it will work out. There's no way. It can't, if you're working that hard and making the right moves and just being smart with it you will be absolutely fine.
If
not even better.
Yeah. No, I couldn't agree more with the power of a community. It's why we created the powerful eighties one, because right.
There's, as an entrepreneur, it can be so intimidating and scary and there's such a rollercoaster ride. Yeah. So when you're able to surround yourself with other women in particular who are going through it with you, it changes things. Like you can trade ideas and you can like, I need this. Who has this?
Oh, I've got that. Yeah. And just being able to ask the questions that you might be afraid to ask anyway. 'cause. Sometimes being an entrepreneur there's a whole element of like shame and guilt about it. Yeah. Yeah. 'cause you're like, I don't know if I know what I'm doing. There's founders fraud, there's, we get nervous to ask the questions that we need to ask for our business to survive.
And there's something empowering of being around other people who are in it. We were like, okay, if they ask that question, I'm gonna ask mine now. Absolutely. It's just cool to see everyone rising together. 'cause it's, I don't know I'm a, I like building things with people. So being able to do it together is just a lot more fun.
Yeah. You saying '
cause back, like when I had my job, when people would ask me what I would do, I'm like, oh, I'm a content manager for live glam. That was my identity. That was what I was. And now when people ask me what I do, I'm just like, I am an entrepreneur. And I feel like the word entrepreneur to people now is just I don't think it has a negative connotation, but it's just okay, but what do you really do? It's hard to describe like having an identity versus oh, I just, I'm a creative I just have a laundry brand. I do this and that. So I think that part I really struggled with because I was so used to just being like, I'm a content manager.
Even like trying to find a new apartment. It's oh, what do you do? Like, where's your pay stubs? Stuff like that. It's a bit harder. As an entrepreneur, but it all works out. But it's just like you kinda have to go through a little, some different, whirlwinds to get where you're going versus having that nine to five being like, I do this, here are my pay stubs.
Yeah. So that part, I'm learning along the way, but for the most part I wouldn't trade it for the world. Like I get to make my own schedule. I get to enjoy the beach every now and then living in la. That's why I moved here, like to enjoy the weather and the beach. That part is what makes it all worth it for me.
Yeah. There's definitely a little bit of blowback in the sense that the word entrepreneur is treated a little bit like the word influencer is. Yeah. Where it's oh, cool, you're someone who does nothing awesome. And you're like, no, that is the opposite of what we're doing. Yeah. Yeah. I know there's, even when we look at like our marketing that we're doing and the content we're making on the powerful lady side or on the Kara Duffy brand side.
We are stepping back from using the word entrepreneur too much because a lot of people, yeah. Even if they are. Technically an entrepreneur, they would never call themselves that. So it's like small business owner. Yes. Your own boss. Like having to put all these other terms in so people are like, oh yeah, that's me.
Yes. But that scary big like E word, I can't spell. That's not me. It's the same thing. Yeah.
I think the word small business has been like the biggest like buzzer, keyword. The past, like pandemic, like it's i'm a small business owner. I'm this and that. That has really become in place of entrepreneur, I feel like.
Yeah. It's like a huge keyword now. So yeah, I definitely have been using that more to an entrepreneur. 'cause it's just I feel like it's not taken as seriously.
Yeah. And it's not it seems like it's almost respected more than entrepreneur, which is so silly because it's the same definition.
Yep. I know we ask everybody on the podcast where they rank themselves on the powerful Lady scale. With zero being average everyday human, and 10 being the most powerful lady possible. Where would you rank yourself today and where do you think you would rank yourself on average? Okay. Today
I'm feeling like a six, but on average, I feel like I've teeter between a four and a five, because today I'm feeling like a six because I just feel like my life is moving in such a positive direction and everything that I'm doing is a result of me being a powerful woman.
I have a lot of, I'm like staring at my orders that I have to do, so I'm like, oh, I have all these. Positive things happening and I'm, doing all these orders and people are excited to get them. And I just feel like that power that holds is very exciting. But normally it's like a four because I feel like I still have so much work to do.
There's so much I still need to educate myself on. There's so much money, more people I need to network with and meet just to feel like I have, a big, powerful network of women that I can still get inspired by because I know people that look up to me, but I also look up to a ton of people, I feel like I still have a lot, I still need to find myself more. I'm 25 now and I've come a long way, but I still feel like I have days where I'm just like, I have no idea who I am or what I'm doing, and I think that. When I see, when I look at other people, a lot of people at least seem to know exactly who they are and exactly what they're, what they stand for.
And I feel like I'm still figuring that out. So I feel like when that comes, I will feel more of a powerful woman. So just, I think that comes with like experience and age. I feel a lot of the things I have experienced, there's so much I haven't experienced yet. So I feel like, yeah, once I do that, I just will feel like I've becoming more of myself and growing into myself more.
But since I feel like I live in such a bubble right now with everything going on. I feel like I've halted 'cause I'm just like, I feel like at a plateau basically. Yeah. 'cause I'm just like, I, it has very been like a lot of mental growth with, being by yourself most of the time.
But I still just feel like there's a lot more to, to learn and to experience. So once I do that, I do feel like I'll feel more powerful and become more of who I am. But yeah, I think that's gonna come with just time and experience.
Yeah. No it's like an ongoing scale, right? I'm so fascinated by the answers that people give to that question on this podcast, because I've had people say they're fifteens and other people will be like, I'm a one, and you're like, you're all powerful,
right? Yeah. It's easy for other people to look at someone else, like what you're, you're so this.
But as I said, like we're our biggest critic, so it's hard to like. Feel that way, but 'cause you see other people and you're like, oh she is so powerful. She's so confident she's this. And yeah, especially with Instagram, it's oh look at all these confident people all over the screen. Like it's, do you get lost into that?
'cause you're just like, you start comparing yourself and all those kinds of things that just happen. But that's like the downfall of having all these social media platforms is like the comparison and like thinking she's way more powerful than me. Like that kind of stuff.
But. I think you really just have to hone in on yourself and just stay, focused and whatever is powerful to you, you being a powerful woman is what it is. There's no actual definition of what that is, so however you feel about it is what you are thing.
I love that. Yeah. As we are wrapping up today, are there any last words of advice or wisdom you would love to give everyone listening?
Quit your job if you hate it, and I promise you it's gonna be okay. If you have any questions, you can always message me. I've been getting a lot of that, so I'm all for just living your life. Like I just, that's been my biggest thing that I've learned this year is like. I never just wanna be stuck in a situation that I don't wanna be in because we literally only have one life.
And I know it sounds so corny and all that kinda stuff, but like you literally just have to, yeah, you literally just have to live your life how you want to, because I know it's easier said than done, but any decision that you can make to make yourself happy and to better your life, you should do it. And just you'll figure it out either way. But I'm just really big on like you needing to be happy and live the life how you want to live, because there, if you don't like, it's just what have you been doing your whole life kind of thing. Really anything that you can do, even the smallest things that you can do to just to improve your life, improve your mindset.
I've been trying to read more and do things to stimulate my mind more, so I'm not like, becoming a little shell, but. Yeah, I'm just very big on like living your best life basically, because we only have one. So anything that you can do to do that, I highly encourage you to do it.
I love that.
I agree. Be intentional, right? Yes, exactly. It's way more fun, as you said.
Way more. I'm like, yes, I go to the beach today. I could do, it's still work hard, work hard, play hard type of thing. I'm big on.
Yeah, me too. It has been such a pleasure to meet you. Thank you so much for spending time with us today.
Yeah. And I can't wait to share you with the whole audience.
Yay. Thank you. This has been amazing. It's been great to meet you guys. I've heard about you, so I'm just like, yes. I feel I get to talk to them. So super excited about this, and thank you so much for having me
To connect, support and follow Laney. You can find her on Instagram at Wife of Laney, and at Shop Cozier. And of course, on YouTube at Life of Laney, for all the other ways you can connect with Lanie, follow her, buy from her, et cetera. You can find it@thepowerfulladies.com slash podcast. Thank you so much for listening.
I hope you've enjoyed this episode of The Powerful Ladies Podcast. There are so many ways you can get involved and get supported with fellow powerful ladies. First, subscribe to this podcast anywhere you listen to podcasts. Give us a five star rating and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Follow us on Instagram at Powerful Ladies.
Join the Powerful Ladies Thrive Collective. This is the place where powerful ladies connect, level up, and learn how to thrive in business and life. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube page, and of course, visit our website, the powerful ladies.com. I had to thank our producer, composer, and audio engineer Jordan Duffy.
Without her, this wouldn't be possible. You can follow her on Instagram at Jordan K. Duffy. We will be back next week with a brand new episode. Until then, I hope you're taking on being powerful in your life. Go be awesome and up to something you love.
Related Episodes
Episode 228: Burned Out in LA, She Rebuilt Her Life in Peru | Hannah Jenkinson | Founder, HJK Studio
Episode 221: The Jeans That Might Save The Planet | Beth Esponnette | Co-Founder of Unspun
Episode 139: How One Celebrity Stylist Launched Her Business & Survived the Pandemic with Britt Theodora
Instagram: @lifeoflanie + @shopcosier
Twitter: @lifeoflanie
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfroobv56w2KuFoIoapsUrA
Website: shopcosier.com lifeoflanie.com
Created and hosted by Kara Duffy
Audio Engineering & Editing by Jordan Duffy
Production by Amanda Kass
Graphic design by Anna Olinova
Music by Joakim Karud
