The $100K Mistakes Apparel Founders Make — And How to Avoid Them
- Rachel Erickson
- Oct 28
- 1 min read
Every founder makes mistakes. But in apparel, some mistakes cost not hundreds—but hundreds of thousands.
Here are 4 of the most expensive mistakes I see founders make—and how you can avoid them:
1. Overproduction
Inventory sitting in a warehouse is cash you can’t use.
👉 Fix it: Produce in tighter, smarter runs.
2. Ignoring Profit Margins by SKU
Not all “bestsellers” are profitable. Some eat your margins.
👉 Fix it: Track SKU-level profitability.
3. Weak Factory Partnerships
Poor communication or bad negotiation adds hidden costs.
👉 Fix it: Treat factories like partners, not just vendors.
4. Growing Without Systems
Scaling sales without scaling systems = chaos.
👉 Fix it: Build systems before you hit the breaking point.
The Next Step
Mistakes don’t have to drain your bank account.
Inside The Board at The Business of Apparel, you’ll learn how to:
✅ Avoid costly production missteps
✅ Master profitability tracking
✅ Build systems that scale without chaos
👉 Stop learning mistakes the hard way. Join The Board at The Business of Apparel.
