Lessons from DVF

Aside from the comedy series 2 Broke Girls, one can get important business lessons from the reality TV show House of DVF. It was where designer Diane von Furstenberg, the woman behind the wrap dress, found a brand ambassador for her line of clothing. I like DVF's style sensibilities and this was a way to learn more about her. I got the chance to see only four episodes and I got these lessons so far:

Dolls in wrap dresses

Connect with the young buyers

The brand ambassador is supposed to promote the brand to the younger generation. They usually are still figuring their selves out. They have little brand loyalty, so it is best to introduce a brand at their age. Older people already know what they want and rarely experiment on new things especially when the old ways still work. If you can capture the taste on the younger generation, you could be on to the next big thing.

Know yourself

Know what you want, what you can do and what makes you different. This is how you set yourself apart from everyone else. This is creating a brand. If other people are already doing what you want to do, why do you have to do it?

Be confident

After figuring what you believe you have to do, you have to believe in yourself that you can do it. You have to learn how to take the things that you want even if others are also trying to take it for themselves. You have to stand your ground. If you failed, then maybe you have set too high of an expectation on yourself. In short, you didn't know yourself. Normal people fail. Normal people try again.

Be honest but don't be a bitch

Learn to find a way to soften the blows of any hard truth you have to deliver. I can't really explain it as this is one of the lessons I'm still figuring out.

Know what people want

That means interacting with them. This is so important in all dealings with another person, not just in business. Things don't sell if nobody wants it. You can't negotiate for what you want unless you know what the other party wants in return. Generally, people want to get more and pay less. More than that, some people may want a general warm good feeling of love and respect even after the cash register closes.

Simplify. Simplify.

If you're selling a dress, focus on the dress. Don't take away the attention from the dress by adding flashy accessories and/or over-the-top makeup and hairstyle. The accessories and the styling should promote the item you are selling.

Back in 2013, I considered selling doll dresses. I wanted to initially offer the purple wrap dress above. After some calculations, I realized that there are easier ways to earn more money. I decided to just retain all the wrap dresses I made.