How A Founder Built A Dress Rental Startup, Raised $1M+, And Pivoted From Burnout To Mentorship — With Emily McDonald The Unschool By Andi Alleman podcast

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How a Founder Built a Dress Rental Startup, Raised $1M+, and Pivoted From Burnout to Mentorship — with Emily McDonald

1d ago 1:02:54

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Andi chats with Emily McDonald, founder of The Stylist LA and mentor to female founders, for a real conversation on the highs, lows, and pivots that come with entrepreneurship.

Emily takes us back to her first company, a pre–Rent the Runway dress rental business she started out of her living room with a single rolling rack. From scaling to showrooms in LA and San Francisco, raising over a million in venture capital, and dressing Bachelor Nation, Emily shares the bts truth of what it actually takes to build, scale, and reinvent.

You’ll hear:

Emily’s founding story — how she turned a scrappy sorority strategy into a seven-figure business.

The burnout moment that forced her to realize her business had to serve her life (not the other way around).

The myths about six- and seven-figure businesses that need busting.

Why transparency around money matters, and how Emily uses her monthly revenue reports to lead by example.

The tactical foundations she teaches founders stuck at the 5K plateau.

Fundraising truths: 150 investor nos, the pep talks founders need, and when to know you’re actually ready to raise.

Why in-person connection is making a comeback and how Emily is leveraging retreats and live events to grow deeper community.

✨ Takeaways:

Entrepreneurship is the ultimate personal growth journey — and it’s not always easy.

Hitting big revenue months doesn’t mean you’ve “made it.” Sustainability is built, not guaranteed.

You can separate your worth from your company’s numbers — your business is an entity, not your identity.

Community and transparency are essential, especially for female founders navigating the unseen parts of business.

Investing in mentorship and getting into the right rooms accelerates your growth far faster than going it alone.

🎧 Listen now to hear Emily’s full story, including the hacks, heartbreaks, and hard-won wisdom she’s passing on to the next generation of founders.

Follow Emily on Instagram: @founderemily

202 episodes