Episode 36: Impact first, product second: the business model of the future with Amrita Thadani, Founder - NEOCOCO

The Social Impact Startup

Amrita Thadani is the Founder of NEOCOCO, a mission-driven apparel company that creates jobs for women refugees and displaced women.

Amrita was born in India but moved to the United States to study fashion at Parsons in NYC. Working in both NYC and LA in the fashion industry, Amrita always knew she wanted to create something herself and that she wanted to work directly with small groups and artisans. Her involvement with a non-profit allowed her to connect with women refugees but as the attendance of group meetings slowed down, the reality became clear: what the women truly needed were jobs.

Utilizing the women’s skillset of hand embroidery, they collaborated to create the designs you’ll see on NEOCOCO’s products today. What started as a community building event evolved into NEOCOCO, a company that has expanded to employ eight women and exists as one of the few slow fashion businesses that gives women economic opportunity and freedom while being profitable themselves.

You’ll learn:

• How to lead an impact-first business
• What constitutes a slow fashion company
• Why collaboration is one of the biggest ways to grow
• How economic empowerment can completely change a woman’s life and her confidence
• Why it’s important for small brands to build impact into their models at the start
• What it would take for big fashion brands to switch gears and expand their impact
• And why conversations of growth should be rooted in circulatory and sustainable practices

With impact and economic empowerment at the forefront, Amrita & NEOCOCO are taking the fashion industry by storm.

Connect with & support NEOCOCO

https://neococo.com/

https://www.instagram.com/neococo_tribe/?hl=en

Our intro theme song is “Pico & Westwood” by Esbie Fonte. Check her out here:

https://www.esbiefonte.com/