The document summarizes lessons learned from the failed fashion startup of a man who created pants for tall, skinny men. Some key lessons included having too niche of a target market by only targeting tall, skinny people, difficulties with quality control and sizing consistency, prioritizing business objectives over personal preferences, needing 100% commitment to succeed in the fashion industry, and the risk of being left with unsold inventory. Overall, the entrepreneur did not achieve financial viability but saw the experience as a valuable learning opportunity.

1. 11 lessons
from failed
fashion start up

2. 2.5 years ago
I had an idea

3. make trousers for
tall skinny guys

4. 2 years ago
I quit my job

5. Moved back from
Sydney to Riga

6. Started work in
industry I know
nothing about

7. 18 months ago
I launched
my brand

8. Skinny Latvian

9. I started selling
some pants

10. People liked idea
and social media
was buzzing

11. Today I
called it quits

12. I’ve failed

13. I’ve lost faith
in my own brand

14. And once you
stop believing

15. The party is over

16. Here are 11
lessons
I learned along
the way

17. 1

18. Niche too niche

19. Everyone tells
you to focus,
be different,
don’t go mass

20. Well, I took it to
the next level

21. I only targeted 5%
of population

22. Guys had to be
above 190cm

23. Girls had to be
above 175cm

24. And you had
to be skinny

25. Plus, you must
like color

26. And premium
products, made in
Latvia

27. You see what
I’m getting to

28. Audience
of 1

29. I was making
pants for
myself

30. 2

31. Quality Control

32. Consistent
sizing
matters

33. I made 3
collections

34. And still could
not get labels
and sizing right

35. People want
consistency

36. 3

37. Your opinion
does not count

38. You are not
objective

39. You do not know
what people want

40. Making stuff that
you like is not
a business

41. It’s a hobby

42. 4

43. Name lame

44. Skinny Latvian

45. I liked it

46. It’s quirky

47. Danes did
not like it

48. Guess what
they wanted?

49. Skinny Dane

50. 5

51. Emotional
vs. physical
discrimination

52. 95% of surf
shop customers
never surf

53. They just want to
look like surfers
to pick up chicks

54. That’s emotional
discrimination

55. It’s fine,
brands do it
all the time

56. Now, telling that
you have to be
tall & skinny

57. That’s physical
discrimination

58. People don’t
like it so much

59. 6

60. ROI or go home

61. You’re not Twitter

62. Investment has
to deliver return

63. Or have clear plan
of doing so in
6-12 months

64. I’ve got 0.5 ROI
on my investment

65. I invested
20,000 USD
and got
10,000 USD back

66. That’s like going on
a 10,000 USD per
year course of
entrepreneurship

67. Cheaper than
INSEAD

68. But still not
a viable business

69. 7

70. Buzz and success
is not the same

71. Magazines wrote
about me

72. Radio would
interview me

73. Mum was
proud of me

74. But perception is
not reality

75. Your Instagram
post is perception

76. Your Google search
history is reality

77. You know the
difference

78. 8

79. 100% commitment

80. 80% is not enough

81. 90% is not enough

82. Are you willing to
sacrifice everything
else for this?

83. Your dinners
with friends?

84. Your PlayStation?

85. Your holidays?

86. I thought I was

87. Until I actually
had to do it

88. Fashion industry
is a bitch

89. Like Acting

90. Music

91. Or photography

92. You have to be
100% in it

93. For the long haul

94. 9

95. Actions not words

96. “It’s cool”
does not sell

97. I heard
“cool pants man”

98. An mistook it for
“where can
I buy them”

99. Everyone loves
my Iron Man cords

100. But nobody
buys them

101. They say
“It’s not for me”

102. 10

103. A lone wolf
goes hungry

104. You need to
flank your pray

105. And know when
the deer is too big

106. I was hunting alone

107. If I had a
business partner

108. She would provide
another perspective

109. She would question
my choices

110. And help me
avoid investment
traps I got into

111. Get a
business partner

112. 11

113. Stock is death

114. I made 600
pairs of pants

115. I’ve sold 300
pairs of pants

116. I’ve got
300 pairs of
unsold pants

117. This is what
kills me

118. Death by
300 pants

119. Ironic, right?

120. Do I regret doing
any of this?

121. Hell, no

122. I learned
so much

123. Of what not to do

124. Just kidding…