Meet SHORTLISTED!
In addition to offering style solutions that save short women money on alterations and a broad range of options, SHORTLISTED is committed to ensuring fair wages for their workers. In a crowded fashion landscape, Shortlisted sets itself apart as a platform that empowers short women to be leaders in the fashion world while adhering to conscious choices.
As a way for Purpose CPA to show support for small local businesses, SHORTLISTED was selected as the winner of our Purpose Coaching Grant recently. With that, we wanted to interview Miranda!
Can you share the story of how you first got the idea to start your business?
After the pandemic hit, I decided to finally pursue my lifelong dream of staring a clothing brand — but selling what?! Since I just had a baby, I considered matching mom + baby sets. But my heart was never into baby clothes. So, I dug deep and reflected. A lot.
I thought about how even though I had worked in fashion, I felt ashamed for not looking the part. It was painful re-examining these buried feelings: that I’d never be tall enough (or good enough) to wear clothes off-the-rack, or be taken seriously. It took being completely honest with myself to realize I could change things: I could make clothes fit me instead of the other way around. You know, not having to hem pants or play visual tricks to look taller. Until then, to me being short and beautiful were mutually exclusive.Then I came across research that said 50% of American, Canadian, and UK women are petite (industry term for women 5’4” and under). I was so shocked that I wasn’t part of a small niche, but the majority! Yet petites are still overlooked – literally and figuratively.
So here I am on a journey to elevate short women everywhere with SHORTLISTED. We make foolproof coordinated outfits for short women, regardless of size.
I first felt the calling to start my own business from watching late-night TV (‘cause there was no social media back then). There was a show called Women at The Top, and that was the first time I saw women celebrated for taking a chance on their ideas.
Back then, entrepreneurship wasn’t widely considered a career, let alone being a female entrepreneur. But I knew in my heart there was nothing more in the world that I wanted for myself. So, after a group layoff, I decided to finally take a chance – on myself.
Where are you currently in your small business journey?
Last year, I learned technical fashion design, everything from industrial sewing and pattern drafting to grading and technical packages.
At the moment, I’m working on a business plan, getting samples from the factory, got some help from Chad at Purpose to review my cash flow, and in general getting all the pieces together to launch SHORTLISTED next spring!
Can you share some key milestones or accomplishments you’ve achieved since starting?
The first thing that comes to mind is meeting a lululemon VP where he complimented my outfit (the one I’m launching the brand with) – without prompting for feedback!
A couple other milestones are being asked to speak at BC Apparel Camp on niche markets and being accepted into Free Label’s Empowerful Incubator for POC entrepreneurs.
Oh, and I tend to forget this: I was afraid of the sewing machine before I learned technical design. Now I engineer and sew all the garments I design.
STAY TUNED FOR SHORTLISTED!!
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