We were lucky to catch up with Ally Lei recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ally, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How do you think about vacations as a business owner? Do you take them and if so, how? If you don’t, why not?

Yes! I think it’s important to take vacations, no matter which stage of running a business you’re at. My personal mission is finding balance, which means working hard to play hard, and playing hard to work hard. My brand, augustnoa, operates on the same principles. augustnoa’s philosophy, “where ambition meets relaxation,” is all about achieving that balance through daily routines, comforts and adventures.

It seems counter-intuitive, but taking time for yourself and going on a trip is one of the best things you can do for your business. You’re a completely different person when you feel good. You come back recharged, inspired, and eager to work harder. And of course, beyond business, taking a vacation will let you be your best self for your loved ones.. To be honest, I’m still trying to find the balance between hustle and rest, since augustnoa is still at its early stages. The hardest part is taking time truly to myself and being present, which means not thinking about the business. It’s getting easier, though, and it’s because of my team. It’s extremely important to have people that are just as passionate about the business as you are, who can take care of things when you step back for a moment. I’m so lucky and grateful to have such an amazing team.

Having my own brand has been the most exciting, rewarding, and challenging journey. Don’t forget to enjoy life and grow your business sustainably and strategically. Businesses aren’t built in a day or a year. Take that vacation and come back recharged and better than ever!

Ally, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hi there, I’m Ally Lei, founder of augustnoa. augustnoa is a sustainable lifestyle brand that represents balance. I like to think of it as the place where “ambition meets relaxation.” So far, we’ve made backpacks, fanny packs, dopp kits, socks and tote bags. But augustnoa started with my first launch, with our “classic noa” backpack. I never imagined myself entering the backpack business. This all started when I was looking to buy a backpack for work, commuting, and travel. Essentially, I wanted a stylish backpack that could hold up and support my everyday life. I thought my wants were pretty basic, but still, I couldn’t find anything on the market. Naively, I thought to myself, “how hard could it be to make it myself?” Turns out, it’s pretty difficult! Hundreds of prototypes, a few manufacturers, and 2.5 years later, augustnoa and my dream backpack was born.

Designing the classic noa was an incredibly grueling process, but also very freeing and satisfying. For the first time in my life, I had nearly limitless choices. It made me realize how often I settled for products that I bought, simply because it was “good enough,” or “got the job done.” With my backpack design, I wanted something that could do it all, hence the nickname, “the everything bag.” I didn’t want to sacrifice function for comfort (lightweight and cushioned enough for my scoliosis), and I didn’t want to limit style (which is very important to me!) over comfort. In a way, the design aspect was also a balancing act.

One of my features on the classic noa are the pockets. In my opinion, pockets make or break a good backpack. Our pockets give organization and ease, but aren’t gimmicky. Our shoulder strap pockets are an amazing way to access your essentials without having to swing your backpack all around. My second favorite feature is the large water bottle holder (a rarity among stylish backpacks)!

Somehow, as an extremely picky person, I’ve made a bag that I’m satisfied with. I’m beyond excited to keep designing and making things that bring ease and joy into people’s lives. The classic noa is a love letter to life. It’s my companion while I do what I love: working out, working hard, and going places. I’m super proud of the classic noa, my first product, that quite literally, always has your back.

Can you talk to us about manufacturing? How’d you figure it all out? We’d love to hear the story.

We manufacture all augustnoa products. I had zero manufacturing experience before launching the brand. Throughout college I interned for fashion stylists and publicists. After graduating college, I worked full time in digital advertising technology. Safe to say, I knew nothing about manufacturing.

I’d say that finding the right manufacturer is almost harder than dating. For augustnoa, finding “the one” took over a year. I went through multiple manufacturers. Some manufacturers told me that I was asking for too much in a backpack. I lost a five figure deposit from a manufacturer when they couldn’t match the quality I expected for my products. This mistake cost me both valuable time and money, and created a lot of stress since augustnoa is self-funded. Looking back now, it was a very meaningful lesson in vendor partnership: always be thorough when choosing your vendors, and be confident in your partnerships before investing in capital. After hundreds of emails, late night meetings (due to the large time difference) and sample iterations, we finally found our dream manufacturer that understood our vision and could support our small business as we continue to scale and grow. We wouldn’t be here without them!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

To be honest it’s really hard, and it’s still a work in progress for us. There are so many different ways you can build your reputation within a market. What works for one brand might not work for you. In my experience, what has worked for augustnoa include: good quality products, exceptional customer service, elevated designs, product differentiators, social responsibility, innovative features, consistent brand messaging, social media, and meaning partnerships. Remember that building reputation takes time and consistency. Brands, companies and products take years and decades of work. Enjoy the process, stay true to yourself and keep going. Your work will speak for itself!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://augustnoa.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theaugustnoa/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/augustnoa/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwEI8YXKC7gNv41IMTfZAIA
• Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/theaugustnoa/