Meet Audrey Valenti | Designer & Brand Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Audrey Valenti and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Audrey, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I had a really difficult time finding tasteful, comfortable nightgowns and sets to wear to bed. Most were either too sexy and uncomfortable or too frumpy with not much personality. In college, I was given my Mom’s old designer lingerie that didn’t suit her anymore and that temporarily solved my dilemma. Two decades old but still in great condition, these were high-quality, elegant designs that were comfortable and packed with details. When it came time to replace these pieces I ran into the same problem.

Growing up I was always exercising my creative muscles by designing costumes, redecorating corners of our home, and outfits for my mom. My whole life has revolved around fashion, but I never considered making it a career until I withdrew from law school. Feeling drained and uninspired, I finally built up the courage to go after my dreams.

An entrepreneurial spirit runs in my family and is definitely something that I learned from my dad. I sought resources to learn how to draw technical sketches, make patterns, source materials, and sew prototypes. My dad gave me financial guidance and advice on scaling. The branding, graphic design, and marketing came naturally but I did hire a small marketing team to help with implementation.

Sleepwear is a niche I am really passionate about because it’s a way to connect with my customers through an experience. A garment that elevates your at home experience after a long day and makes you feel put together. Something that subconsciously reminds you to take care of yourself and not just your to-do list. Most people wear elevated clothes during the day but let their sleepwear fall flat; but what about “look good feel good”? I hope that wearing fashionable sleepwear promotes self-care, creativity, and truly makes you feel your best.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Starting a business is all about being comfortable with risk and uncertainty. I have always taken risks and like to learn from experiences. Fail. Fail fast and fail
forward. Understand the mistake, learn from it and pivot. You
must decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it. If you’re risk-averse but want to start your own business do it anyway but be mindful of your tendencies. The brain is trainable and I believe that we can always teach ourselves to be comfortable with risk if we push ourselves to grow in that way.

Start now! Launch fast and evolve overtime. To my recovering perfectionist friends – you’ll never be ready. Your product will never be “perfect”, and neither will the economy/outside circumstances. There isn’t work experience or an education that can prepare you for everything that owning a business entails. You must learn through trial and error.

Making the decision to focus on passion and purpose in my
career has also given me a great sense of fulfillment. Being creative lights up my world.

What’s monitored gets managed. I find that in creative workspaces heavy control
of others’ work is not conducive to innovative output. As a business owner you are always a student and it’s best to learn from the employees that you have entrusted with working on your brand. There’s a delicate balance
to be found between creative freedom and managing a business. My goal is
always to present an idea, allow others to give constructive feedback and new
ideas, come up with a game plan, and check in weekly on the progress. Set
reminders and consistently check in on your team, customers, analytics, and
finances but don’t be a helicopter boss!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take my friend out on the boat. A boat ride is good for the soul and something that is so special to South Florida. I’d also make a dinner reservation for Louis Bossi. The food, drinks, and vibes are always great!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Laura Gallagher, my aunt

Bruschenka Hernandez & Andrea Izique for help with marketing

Website: https://caralixa.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caralixa/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Caralixa/

Image Credits
Shaye Babb photography