In this new series, the Women in Retail Leadership Circle interviews leaders that inspire us. This week features Michelle Crawford and Jessica Kane, co-founders of Society+, a plus-size women’s apparel company. 

Melissa Campanelli: Please tell us about Society+. What does the company sell, and how is it different from what’s out there?
Michelle Crawford: We’re a venture-funded e-commerce brand selling exclusive fashion designs in sizes 14-32 directly to end customers and to select wholesale partners. Society+ is led by plus-size fashion pioneer Jessica Kane, who is a co-founder and the creative director. We disrupt the status quo of what the industry says plus-size women should wear. No dark, baggy clothes. Our goal is to inspire and empower the 64 percent of women in the U.S. who are plus size. Imagine how that could impact our nation and the world!
Jessica Kane: I feel like a major difference with Society+ is our unique relationship with the bloggers of the industry and the fact that we use relatable women to sell and showcase our product. Our average model size is a 20, and with 400 percent growth last year, the customer has spoken. She wants more of what we’re doing.

MC: When did the company launch?
Michelle: Society+ launched May 1, 2015.

MC: How did you fund it?
Michelle: I started off with a $2,000 grant from the Jim Moran Institute of Entrepreneurship at Florida State University. Then I won second place at the university business pitch competition, and got a little more money. I took that, plus the small profits from website sales, and made it through a proof of concept period. That went incredibly well, so we then landed seed funding from angel investors. It was financially harrowing, but incredibly exciting at the same time. We have to regularly show results. No sitting back and relaxing for a few months!

MC: Does Society+ rely on social influencers? How do you acquire customers and keep them when you get them?
Jessica: Our influencer partnerships are the cornerstone of what sets Society+ apart. We don’t do the one-off ask for a post and a tag. Instead, we partner on another level to support the blogger and, in turn, they support us. It’s about a relationship, and I bring my background of being a self-employed blogger for over 10 years to the table to ensure we’re taking care of them.
Michelle: The way I look at it, we keep our customers by giving them great clothes (our return rate is less than 10 percent), and just by treating them decently. We certainly get it wrong sometimes, but we work hard to be transparent about our mistakes, apologize, and then fix it. We’ve even turned our critics into evangelists!

MC: How did you take a plus-size fashion startup and build a business with a cult following in such a short amount of time?
Michelle: We did it by throwing away the fashion playbook and doing what we knew needed to be done. What do plus-size women want that everyone is ignoring because the fashion world thinks they know better? That’s why our business is led by a plus-size blogger (Jessica Kane) and why we work with bloggers on collections and feature actual plus-size women in our photos. Plus-size fashion bloggers have armies of followers for a reason. They represent the future of fashion.
Jessica: Exactly! After 10 years working in the plus-size industry as a blogger, I can promise you that women are ready, and they’re ready now. By the tens of millions they’re saying, “no more.” If a large retailer will accept my money so I can shop for my kitchen, my business, my children, my travel, my home, but won’t put effort in a basic need such as clothing for me, I’m no longer going to accept that. My money is power, and I’ll support businesses that support me — all of me. This is why I cast models that are visibly plus-sized, from sizes 18 to 32, and we do not edit images. At Society+, we don’t aspire to an unrealistic body size/type, but instead aspire to true confidence.

MC: What’s next for Society+? What are your goals for 2017 and beyond?
Jessica: Just world domination! *laughter*
Michelle: We’re excited to be a part of the transformation of the retail landscape. The way people buy clothes is fundamentally changing. Jessica and I have big plans for Society+. If the last two years are any indicator, we know we’re on to something huge! We’re just getting started and we invite everyone to join our army on social media at www.instagram.com/societyplus and www.facebook.com/SocietyPlusDotCom.

MC: What advice would you give to women out there who would like to start their own companies?
Michelle: First, you need to research, research, research. That means reading everything about your industry, finance and entrepreneurship that you can get your hands on. I found Quora and Medium to be surprisingly useful for quick, succinct learning. Introduce yourself to industry leaders, follow them on Twitter and engage, go to events, send cold emails — everything.
Then find the best team you can — co-founders, investors, advisors. There are going to be tough times, and you’ll need their support, advice and sense of humor. Then: JUST DO THE DAMN THING. Buckle your seat belt and jump. It’s a crazy ride — joyful, harrowing and incredibly gratifying — and you’ll love it.