Fashion Tech Founder: Melissa Koerner
Everything is not what it seems. You might think the tech world is fun by men, but stylish women are part of the movement too. Melissa Koerner is the founder of decorative and fashion-forward, jewelry-inspired smart watch bands company, Goldenerre. With her background in fashion and direct marketing, she brings a unique perspective to wearable tech for women. So now you can ditch the rubber band and dress your smartwatch with feminine, high-quality bands and jewelry that reflect your style. Scroll ahead to read more about how Melissa started her career and why she says fashion tech is here to stay.
What inspired the idea behind having women wear fashionable and functional jewelry tech and starting Goldenerre? Has your vision changed over time since your first company?
When I had my son, I was obsessed with my silicone fitness tracker to lose the baby weight. I was already feeling “off” after having a baby, and I felt even worse wearing a rubber band that was inconsistent with my jewelry and personal style. I would hide the tracker when I dressed up…every step counted! Thus, Goldenerre was borne from the need to combine fashion and function for wearable tech.
Our earliest designs were inspired by accessory trends and luxury designers, but we have since evolved to designing jewelry completely unique to Goldenerre and are focused on building a brand that empowers women. Our styles are 100% inspired by our customers, who love daily glam and statement jewelry that bring on the compliments. Our vision is to create a distinct brand so someone might recognize you’re wearing Goldenerre and relate to our core brand value that we all have the power to make our time special. Dress for it!
Take us back to when you first launched your business, what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?
We started with a crowd-funded campaign on Indiegogo to help generate buzz and fund our first production run, thereby taking some financial risk off the table. We also focused on PR, which landed us in multiple publications when we initially launched.
What were your early success tactics?
We created a simple video ad for Facebook that was shared thousands of times! This helped us to achieve reach at a lower cost than expected and created brand buzz among passionate consumers.
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How did you build awareness/spread the word about your decorative bands? How were you able to attract your first 5,000 buyers?
Social media advertising on Facebook and Instagram has been really effective, since our product is so visual. Our current strategy of influencer outreach is also helping us achieve fashion credibility and reach our target fashion-loving customer.
The fashion-tech business trend is grabbing a lot of attention. From the likes of Nike and Google collaborating on self-lacing sneakers to more. Is now the perfect time for female founded fashion-tech startups? Any advice for women starting in the business?
Yes! Now is a great time for female founded fashion-tech startups. Many designs still feel very masculine, so approaching technology with the understanding of fashion for women is still unique. My advice for women starting in the business is to solve a problem or pain point that has been bothering you.
One word that best describes how you work?
Collaboratively
What’s your smartest work-related shortcut or productivity hack?
I calendar my to-do list. When I assign chunks of time each day to my to-do list, I often realize it’s unrealistic to get my entire wish list completed! So instead of being disappointed at the end of the day, I prioritize what needs to be done that day. Also, I love that when it’s time to do a task, I can focus on that one single task instead of thinking of my never ending list. This productivity hack also helps me make sure I’m not forgetting to pick up a kid somewhere!
Who are the leaders/CEOs that inspire you?
Howard Schultz from Starbucks. He created an incredible global brand by identifying what people really want when they buy a coffee…not just the product, but the experience of gathering in a space outside work and home and the experience of buying themselves a special treat.
Michael Kors - He really understands his customer. Prior to the pandemic, I heard him speak a lot about his female customers who go from “day to night”. She wants to dress with a little glam but still wants to be dressed appropriately for multiple events throughout her day.
How has your business or industry been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?
We are all living in sweats during our stay-at-home orders, so selling a “dressy” product has been challenging. But we are seeing women increasingly invest in a statement piece that’s easy to wear, like Goldenerre jewelry, so that when they do get dressed up, it’s noticed!
