SkirtSports CEO and Founder Nicole DeBoom Shared Advise During Live Interview

Meet Nicole
Former professional tri-athlete, Nicole DeBoom, was finishing a training run in December of 2003, when she was struck by a muse. As she glanced at her reflection in a storefront window, it occurred to her that women were lacking choices in their athletic apparel. Her reflection, to her, left a lot to be desired, her clothing may have had function but lacked femininity and beauty. She said she felt she looked like a boy and just wanted to look pretty. And at that moment Skirtsports was conceived.

Now, eight years later, Nicole is a successful businesswoman with her athletic clothing being sold in 600 US stores, and is on the brink of her newest challenge, motherhood. In a recent interview with OIWC’s Sally Grimes, Nicole shared her success story and advice for would-be entrepreneurs.

The Evolution
When she first started SkirtSports, the textile, manufacturing, and marketing industries were new to her. She had to learn fast, so she did. She attended the OR Show in the winter of 2004 and talked to several fabric venders, eager for knowledge. To get her company off the ground she made her own prototypes and took crash-course business classes, while still working at her day job and keeping herself mentally and physically healthy by running. The very next year (2005) she sold her first pieces to a health club.

She now employs 13 people, 11 of which are women. She has put many programs in place that help her employees realize a "positive healthy lifestyle and balance,” including a full three month paid maternity leave, 10 day paternity leave, and flexible schedules. She works with her staff to set specific goals and checks in with them throughout the year to see if they are realizing their goals or have discovered reasons to modify them. As part of developing a workplace supporting a healthy lifestyle, SkirtSports also believes in the practice of having ‘active meetings,” which may include hiking or cycling. In addition, Nicole aims to keep the atmosphere at SkirtSports positive by eliminating certain works that evoke negative physical responses (for example, 'stressful' has been replaced with 'exciting.')

With a baby on the way, Nicole often thinks about balancing work and family, and has decided that  "having it all" is a myth. She shared that to her, the key to balance is defining priorities and letting the less important things in life go is the best solution; "reframing the question”; and getting down to the core of what really matters.

Nicole's Advice
When Nicole began down the SkirtSports path, she reached out to dozens of people seeking advise. According to Nicole, the best advise Nicole ever received has also proven to be true: "Everything takes longer and costs more than you think."

When asked what advise she would give somebody starting a new venture, Nicole recommended:

• Make sure your idea addresses a problem or a void in the market
• Once you have settled on an idea, do your research! Who is your target customer? What obstacles may you face? What is the actual cost for manufacturing?
• Bounce ideas off of everyone, but not just your friends and family. They will give the support you want, but may not give objective feedback.
• Always believe in yourself.