Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dre Wien. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Dre, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

Starting my business was the ultimate risk. Having never worked in fashion or retail, I had to learn everything on the fly – and quickly! It was only 9 weeks from the time I saw the space to when I opened the doors, which knowing what I know now, is completely crazy. Looking back, it’s wild to think I even had time to get enough vendors on board and get inventory onto the racks. The first time I went to buy in person in New York, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. It was the epitome of “fake it ’til you make it.”

At this point, you might be thinking: “What? Why would you start a business in an industry where you have no experience?” At the beginning, I had a partner who suggested we open the boutique we’d been searching for in Cleveland. She had a full-time job that she couldn’t leave, so a lot fell on my shoulders and 6 months into opening, she amicably left the business. Now I’m coming up on 4 years in business, and just resigned another 5 year lease.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

LADDER is a clothing boutique focused on independent and sustainable designers. Most of the fabrics in-store are natural fibers, and those that aren’t are recycled or renewable. Our mission is to educate our customers that looking great doesn’t have to come at the expense of the environment or their health – sustainable fashion can be luxury and chic, and also fit into your everyday.

We operate on five core values:

1. Trust & Transparency – No shady sales tactics. We keep it real with our clients and each other.
2. Team First – We’re like family here. We support each other and make work fun.
3. Own The Store – When we’re at work, we act like we own the store: autonomously making decisions about what’s right for the client and what’s right for the shop.
4. Love in Every Action – Every client and teammate should leave feeling better than when they walked in.
5. Sustainability with Purpose – Thoughtful choices, quality over quantity, and fashion that actually matters. It’s not *really* about clothes, it’s about a lifestyle of purpose.

LADDER is also a community space. I opened it as a way to make friends in a new city as a new mom – and it has delivered! I’ve met so many incredible people, including other business owners, just by opening our doors. Even if we’re not someone’s style or out of their budget, that doesn’t mean they can’t come in and hang out. We have community members stopping by all the time just to say hi and catch up, or attend one of our events (that sometimes have nothing to do with fashion or clothes).

To me, the most important thing is that we’re the highlight of someone’s day and a safe place to come get away from the grind of life.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

We sell high-quality products that we stand behind, and we prioritize excellent customer service. To us, this means relationships, both with our designers and our clients.

By having strong brand relationships, we’re able to speak directly to the designers and people in charge, which means if there’s an issue, we’re able to get it handled right the first time.

On the client side, we build strong relationships where our clients become our friends. We know their kids’ names, what travel they have coming up, the job they were interviewing for and what clothing fits their lifestyle.

These very 1-on-1, hands-on touchpoints are the reason people keep coming back.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Definitely word of mouth. Our clients share the experiences they’ve had with us and tell their friends. If we can get someone into the door, they’ll be back because we treat them with care and respect, don’t use shady sales tactics (like telling someone they look good in something that they don’t!), and genuinely want to build a relationship with them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://laddercle.com
• Instagram: @laddercle
• Facebook: @laddercle
• Linkedin: @laddercle

Image Credits

Meg Holiday