Six months ago, I stumbled upon Elle Luna’s blog The Crossroads of Should and Must on a morning when I really needed it.
Shocked to learn that others shared my insecurities about the future and how to fulfill our true potential, I vowed to choose must – “the intuition that explodes inside of me” – from that day on.
Each of the strategies that Elle includes to help us choose must share one common trait: Always choose the path forward, which is the advice her friend Courtney Klein shared with me on 33founders.
Courtney Klein is the Founder and CEO of Storq, a maternity line for beautiful basics.
When I first learned of the brand, I was most eager to see if I could wear the simple and perfectly designed dresses.
As always, our guests surprise me and I learned more about life in the hour that I spent with Courtney than I have since reading Elle’s blog.
I will make an important PSA, however, that you do not have to be pregnant to rock the dress! Basics lovers rejoice!
After leaving her position as Partner at New York design firm Hard Candy Shell to move to San Francisco with her husband, Courtney took a “moment of pause” to decide on her next move; To find her must, so to say.
As a fellow Type-A, the days waking up without a set plan were challenging.
“I had to convince myself that I didn’t need to see exactly where I was going to land,” Courtney shared, on taking the leap.
After spending time with friends who were starting families Courtney recognized the need for a simpler approach to maternity wear.
As 40% of babies are born to women who are over 30 Storq was manifested to ensure that expectant mothers can keep their identities while they’re pregnant.
“When you’re pregnant you don’t have all of these different wants and needs. You’re still the same person. You want the same things. You just want them adapted to your lifestyle,” Courtney explained.
It’s a new idea of motherhood where you don’t have to be a martyr.
The catalyst that brought Storq to life was Courtney’s decision to verbalize her vision. Once she told people that she was building Storq there was no turning back.
Since officially launching in 2013, Storq has designed a maternity basics line and The Carry-All (a non-baby bag). The team just launched their brand new intimates line today.
Great news for expectant mothers: The nursing bra doesn’t look like a death contraception!
The team also curates healthy body and beauty products for new moms. The items can be purchased a-la carte, as can all Storq products, or ordered in bundles.
When it comes to launching new products, Courtney silences the ‘What-if’s’ by hedging safe bets.
“Hedge your bet based on how big of a mistake it’s going to be. Start small and deliberately… It’s a lot easier to make decisions when you can control the scale,” she shared.
For the times experiments fail, which they inevitably will, Courtney embarks on the path forward.
“I try to figure out how to make it better rather than focusing on what happened or dwelling,” she said.
To empower her inner CEO Courtney is adamant about trusting her gut, regardless how hard it is.
“At the end of the day, I have to tell myself that there’s a reason I started this business. There’s a reason why it’s going in the direction that it’s going. I have to trust my gut and be confident instead of letting all that information erode my confidence.”
Empower yourself to trust yourself.
Courtney’s advice is the most profound I’ve received on navigating uncertainty.
Although she’s the first to admit that it’s easier said than done, she declares it as the shaping force in her life and career.
“Be humble and be kind to yourself. It’s okay to say ‘I’m not perfect and I’m figuring it out as I go.’”
Remember, you’re doing the best that you can.
To learn more about Courtney’s journey taking the leap and running Storq, tune into her episode of 33founders and follow her on Twitter here.
Here’s a glimpse of what we discuss.
- Courtney’s decision to create Storq
- How she navigated the uncertainty of the early days
- How Storq launches new products
- The importance of cohesive branding for e-commerce startups