Founder Series: Jessica Phan, Founder of Hathorway
Icebreakers:
Coffee/Tea Order: Matcha latte from Boba Guys
Currently Listening to on Spotify: Sia
Currently watching on Netflix: Mad Men
Favorite City: Hanoi
Team Pizza or Team Tacos: Tacos
Interview:
In a few words can you describe what your business does?
Hathorway is a sustainable jewelry and accessories brand that gives back.
What inspired to you start Hathorway?
I’ve always wanted to be in fashion and once I discovered up-cycled buffalo horns from my parent’s homeland in Vietnam, I knew I wanted to design with it.
When you first started your business what was the scariest part? And, how did you overcome it?
The scariest part of starting a business was taking the leap to quit my day job to commit to it. It took me a long time to commit to it; and I finally convinced myself that it’s now or never. And so, I did it in February 2018.
Do you believe in work/life balance? Or do you think it is a myth or overrated?
If you are truly passionate in what you do; there is no such thing as work/life balance. For me, my life and work are married together. And it’s pretty visible on my dining table; half of it is my work station and the other half is where I eat.
How do you keep yourself motivated?
I have a physical calendar that I use everyday; the night before, I’ll write 3 things that I want to accomplish the next day. That feeling of crossing those 3 tasks off keeps me motivated.
But if I am completely out of focused; my mind is telling me to take a break; so I do. I’ll get some fresh air and treat myself to boba (preferably a matcha latte from Boba Guys). :)
What role do you think social media has in starting a company/ building a brand?
Social media has played a HUGE part in building my brand. Today, your brand is not only your logo, your images, your colors and your products; but also about how you interact with people. Social media such as Facebook and Instagram are tools that helps us interact with customers, collaborators, partnerships who can and will become your champion, cheerleader, and friend.
In fact, a few of them has made my journey as a one-woman business a lot less lonely. Tammy from BeemaBroker is one of them; she’ll shoot me a message on Instagram which cheers me on and gives me encouragement for the day — even if it’s one simple “How are you doing today?”
What is the best lesson you have learned in business thus far?
The most important lesson I’ve learned thus far is humility by asking for help. I have asked friends and family members to share Hathorway with their friends and family. I have asked people to write a product and business review. I have asked people to collaborate with me. I’ve asked customers to take photos and tag Hathorway. I’ve asked my husband for so many help! Asking for help is really a new and uncomfortable skill for me; but the fact is…I cannot do this alone. We cannot do anything in this world alone.
What advice would you give someone who is on the fence of quitting their job and starting their own business?
Before starting Hathorway, I always champion people who are on the fence of quitting their job to take the leap and start their business. After starting Hathorway, I know it’s not for everyone; it takes a lot of persistence, humility, and hustle to start a business. So my one advice is: “The grass is not always greener on the other side, but if you really feel a calling and you’re willing to water it daily, do it.”
What has been your favorite part of starting your own business?
My favorite part has been meeting and connecting with new people, especially with other talented female founders, who I can relate with, vent with, provide support and share lessons with.
How can we encourage more women to start their own business?
I really think the best way to encourage more women to start their own business is to inspire them by doing what we’re passionate in and sharing our process, our journey, and our love in what we do. I know I’m inspired when I see this and am surrounded by this.
Let’s take a second to drool over Hathorway’s STUNNING jewelry!
Learn more about Jessica:
Born in San Francisco, California, Jessica Phan always loved making things. With pencil and paper being her favorite toy; she would always draw women in beautiful gowns and stylish outfits. Her dream was to be in fashion, but as she grew up, she forgot about this dream and became a visual and experience designer. Over the years, she had the opportunity to design various solutions for many brands and companies like Samsung, SAP, JCPenney, and BDBiosciences. Once she turned 30, Jessica found herself to be unsatisfied with her career in tech and she remembered her childhood dream again and founded Hathorway.com, a sustainable fashion brand with a mission to empower women. As a one women business, she does everything from product development, marketing, front-end, and e-commerce experiences. On the side, Jessica is an independent design consultant and design advisor, helping various startups and companies solve meaningful problems. With any free time left, she enjoys thrift-shopping, sipping on boba milk tea, and traveling around the world with her husband.
Keep up with Hathorway:
Thank you for reading! If you would like to nominate an inspiring founder to be featured on our Founder Series please email hello@beemabroker.com.
To learn more about BeemaBroker visit www.beemabroker.com
