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Home Blog Founder of Ginger & Smart, Alexandra Smart: Unveiling Entrepreneurial Insights
20Nov

Ep #41 – Founder of Ginger & Smart, Alexandra Smart: Unveiling Entrepreneurial Insights
By Sonia Goss | Blog, Podcast, Real Talk With Outperformers, The Outperformer, Brad Eisenhuth, Alexandra Smart, Ginger & Smart, Investor, Entrepreneur, Business Success | 20 Nov 2023 |
🎧 LISTEN ON SPOTIFY 🎙️LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS

In the recent episode of Real Talk with Outperformers, Brad engages in a conversation with Alexandra Smart, an accomplished business leader with over three decades of experience. Alexandra, the founder of the renowned luxury design enterprise GINGER & SMART, reflects on her entrepreneurial journey, including the sale of her business to private equity investors in 2019. Now actively involved in board directorships, public speaking, advisory roles, and executive coaching with ECI Partners, Alexandra shares her wisdom on various aspects of entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurial Genesis and Innovative Ventures

Launching Ginger and Smart two decades ago marked the beginning of Alexandra's entrepreneurial journey. With a background in a.com start-up and magazine publishing, she ventured into entrepreneurship in 2002 after completing her MBA. The experience challenged conventional business school perspectives on entrepreneurship and paved the way for Ginger and Smart's unique position in the fashion industry.

Empowered Elegance in Fashion

Ginger and Smart, at its core, challenges fashion norms by seamlessly blending feminine and masculine styles. Initially focusing on lifestyle products, Alexandra strategically evolved the brand into a full-fledged fashion enterprise, offering a distinctive fusion of empowerment and elegance. Her visionary assumption and audacity propelled Ginger and Smart's journey, transforming it into a distinctive force in the fashion industry.

Navigating Growth and Strategic Team Building

Scaling the business became pivotal for Alexandra, leading to strategic moves in 2006. Renting a space on Oxford Street, Paddington, and hiring key personnel marked a turning point. These decisions fuelled momentum, establishing a presence in the European market and setting the business on a trajectory of rapid growth. Reflecting on team building, Alexandra emphasizes the importance of bringing in experts and strategic division of responsibilities.

Balancing Risk and Delegation

Alexandra shares invaluable lessons on navigating the delicate balance between risk-taking and risk aversion. Recognizing patterns in decision-making, she emphasizes the crucial timing of bringing the right individuals into the business and empowering a team to handle operational aspects. Alexandra advocates for timely delegation, enabling entrepreneurs to contribute strategically to their business's long-term success.

Self-Leadership

Alexandra sheds light on the often-overlooked aspect of self-leadership, emphasizing the significance of founders cultivating strong and effective self-leadership. Recognising the pivotal role of personal well-being in sustaining entrepreneurial success, she advises prioritising self-care to drive impact efficiently.

The Art of Pausing in Entrepreneurship

Reflecting on her journey, Alexandra highlights the importance of strategic pauses—moments where entrepreneurs should stop, celebrate achievements, and refine strategies for the future. She stresses the challenge entrepreneurs face in balancing the relentless pace of business with strategic reflection, introducing the mantra "let's see how we feel in the morning" as a compass for impactful choices.

Harmony of Creativity and Commerce

When talking about her passion for the harmonious coexistence of creativity and commerce, Alexandra rejects the notion that one must choose between being creative or commercially minded. She shares her conviction that creativity manifests in diverse forms. Drawing from her experience as the Managing Director of her fashion enterprise, she emphasizes her active involvement in both the creative and commercial realms, guiding businesses to discover their unique balance between innovation and commercial reality.

In a landscape where entrepreneurial success requires both intuition and data, celebration and reflection, Alexandra Smart's story serves as a compass for those navigating the unpredictable waters of business. As she advocates for finding the unique rhythm that defines each organization, her words resonate as a guide for entrepreneurs seeking not just success, but sustainable and impactful growth. Listen this episode with Alexandra and Brad on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

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