COO of Designer Wardrobe, Aidan Bartlett, on Funding Dreams
What’s your morning routine?
Predictable. An Allpress double-shot flat white, followed by followed by ticking off three of my more simple tasks to get my brain going!
What are the top three things on your bucket list?
Tour the Siberian Railway, direct a short film and open a whiskey bar.
What advice would you give your 20 year-old self?
Enjoy and savour the journey.
How do you stay motivated?
I get incredibly inspired by the latest in tech innovation. A quick visit to Product Hunt is often all I need to get back in the zone!
If you didn’t need money, what would you do?
To be honest, that’s difficult to say – I love what I’m doing, so it’s very difficult to imagine doing anything else!
What is the secret to success?
Break down whatever success looks like into a series of actionable and achievable steps.
What is your advice for people to fund their dream?
If you need access to capital and want to grow your idea into a business in the shortest amount of time, it’s likely that seeking outside investment will be the best pathway. I’ve always preferred to have a smaller piece of something bigger!
What is the best bit of advice, or quote, that resonates with you?
“Make it happen” is a constant rhetoric we use within the team; it’s a reminder to stay hungry and keep hustling!
How do you keep up to date with current affairs?
I am a big fan of the app “Feedly” – it’s a clever news aggregator layered on top of a beautiful user experience.
What is the secret of living a longer, more successful life?
I think everyone has an innate desire to always be building something. If you’re always building something, you’ll always have a reason to get up in the morning.
What makes you feel alive?
It’s been immensely exciting to see the growth of Designer Wardrobe over the last 4 years and how many people are now choosing to rent (instead of buying a dress that may only wear once) or purchase pre-loved. We’ve just reached 150,000 members and I feel like we’re just getting started!
