eBook #9 "Zero to Billions: Anyone Can, 60 Fashion Self-made Billioniares: 24 Lessons on How to Build a Global Fashion Empire" had just bee ePublished on Amazon yesterday. I am very happy, happy, happy. Now I am working on my eBook #10 "Real Estate Self-made Billionaires."
To shop is human. To save money divine. I learned from Leslie Wexner (owner of Victoria Secret, The Limited, The Express etc) that most people have enough clothes to last them 100 years. Certainly in America this is true.
SHOP TILL YOU DROP :
"Shop-Till-You-Drop", like "All-You-Can-Ea"t, are some of American inventions, just like hot dog and baseball. My claim to knowing the Fashion industry comes from applying Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 hour rule, I have clocked more than 10,000 hour in shopping malls and outlet malls by following first my mother and my sisters, then girlfriend(s) and then my wife on their weekly shopping sprees. I always wonder who are behind the signs GAP, Old Navy, Columbia, Nike, Ralph Lauren, Forever 21, Zara, New Balance etc.
MY 4 SURPRISES
Like all my other SMB eBooks, when I finally collected all the information, I would stare at the data in total shock. The data do not make sense. Here are my 4 big surprises. First, it was a shock for me to discover that Fashion is the world’s second biggest sector in wealth creation after finance (rank #1). Fashion ranks ahead of #3 Real Estate and #4 Technology. I work in the technology fields. It was a shock to find Fashion is a bigger sector. Then I discovered about 100 entrepreneurs in the world have become self-made billionaires through Fashion. 100 is a big number, so I left out Jewelry, watches, eyewear and perfumes to keep the number down to a manageable 60 SMBs. Second, the fashion industry is very democratic. 68% of the Fashion SMB (Self-made Billionaires) in this book do not have a college degree. 10% are women, 3 are Muslims, 3 are Canadians, 2 are Brazilians. I immediately fall in love with Fashion because it supports my conviction that “Anyone Can be Billionaire”. My third surprise is most of the Fashion SMB started small. And I mean real small. Kevin Plank of Under Armor started with a single T-Shirt in his grandma’s basement, Ralph Lauren started with one product, the tie. The 4 Benetton Brothers and Sister started with just a few colorful sweaters they peddled around to sell on bicycles. Bensadoun Aldo starte ALDO with a single shoe stand in Montreal. Unable to afford rent, payroll, models, design etc. in their early days, these fashion entrepreneurs excelled at bootstrapping. What they built a global fashion empire from such humble beginning is very similar to what Apple Computer and Dell Computer, who also started in parent’s basement. These are indeed wonderful stories of passion and perseverance. My fourth surprise is how skewed the data is. Four major groups: (1) Americans (2) Chinese (3) Italians and (4) Jews contributed 80% of the world’s fashion self-made billionaires. I was most surprised to see the Germans and even the Canadians have greater representation than France. These data defy logic and common perception.
THE 6 W Approach (why, what, when, how, where, who)
My goal is to write an eBook that is fast-pace, educational and entertaining. So I follow the Six W Approach (a) why we study Fashion SMBs (b) who are they (c) where are they from (d) what are their educational background (e) where did they learn their trade (f) what are fashion type (g) how did they start and (h) how did they grow global. Also, I use an 80% 20% rule. 80% of this eBook consists of statistics, biographies and quotes of the Fashion SMB, 20% Is the author’s analysis and explanation. So, as readers, you should form your own opinions or make your own conclusions. Simply look at this eBook as 80% facts, 20% comments.
FASHION REVERSE LOOKUP TABLE
I anticipate my readers to belong to 2 major camps: (1) the shoppers and (2) the aspiring fashion entrepreneurs. For the shopper I have included a chapter of reverse-lookup table. So, you can look up the founders given only the brand name. E.g. under “Under Armor”, you can lookup the founder is Kevin Plank, under Columbia you can lookup the founder is Timothy Boyle.
24 LESSONS ON HOW TO BUILD A GLOBAL FASHION EMPIRE
As for the aspiring fashion entrepreneurs, I have outlined 24 lessons from the 60 Fashion SMBs in this eBook. I wish one day you will build the next global fashion house bearing your name. Just remember ANYONE CAN.
Always look ahead.
May the Fashion Be With You!
