Sustainably Chic is the ultimate online destination for sustainable fashion, green beauty, and eco-lifestyle. It’s a place where fashion can exist responsibly, so we can enjoy the art and love behind the things we wear and use every day. We provide readers with information on the many issues within the fashion industry and how we can all help contribute to safer working conditions and a healthier planet.
📈 Monthly revenue: $17,000 per month
📈 ~% Churn: N/A
📈 ~% Net profit: Do not wish to disclose
📈 Funding: $0
📈 Initial cost/investment to start the company: $2,000
📈 Number of team members:1 full-time & approximately 10 freelancers
📈 Number of founders:1
📈 Started: 2014, July
How does the company make money?
💰 Affiliate Marketing: We use platforms like Skimlinks, ShareASale, or Impact to track clicks and sales from brands.
💰 MediaVine: an ad network that places ads throughout Sustainably Chic.
💰 Sponsorship: brands who align with our values and want to be showcased in posts without affiliate marketing
3 strategies that have worked to attract and retain customers?
✅ SEO: We build posts based on keywords and utilize the many tools SEO offers. Example: When someone searches for ‘What is a Capsule Wardrobe?’, we like to see our site sitting on the top page of google.
✅ Newsletters: Since we see over 4k visitors daily, we have several of them sign up for our weekly Newsletters. These update readers on new posts and have them return to the site to read more.
✅ Uploading New Posts Weekly: It’s important for Sustainably Chic to offer new content every couple of days and rework old posts daily.
3 things that you’ve learned about hiring and retaining great talent?
✅ Adding Strong Team Members Helps with Growth: Sustainably Chic was a one-person show for many years, but the site really grew when I finally decided to have someone work out all our communication and partnerships. I had trouble relinquishing my power and was terrible at advocating for fair pay for my work. Also, I didn’t make money the first year, and for the next 5, I barely hit 20k a year. It’s only been the last two years, after adding even more help in freelance work (writers, SEO experts, etc.), where I’ve made over 10k a month. I feel like I am making up for the many years I didn’t pay myself, reinvesting that into my savings, and making the site more successful.
✅ Pay People What They Ask: If you want to keep good writers (or employees in general), paying them fairly is essential, especially since I’ve made almost my entire career advocating for better working conditions and pay.
✅ Hire a Strong Communicator: We deal with hundreds of brands a year, and having someone on the team who is great with communication is key.