Life: The Podcast. with Host Ashley Calhoun Episode 002 Guest: Emily Schwartz, Founder of The Resale Stylist SUMMARY: Thrifting. Consignment. Vintage. Call it what you like, but Host Ashley Calhoun’s guest on Life: The Podcast urges all of us to explore! Emily Schwartz, founder of The Resale Stylist, is sharing with listeners her journey from journalism to full-time evangelist for the second-hand clothing market. If you haven’t been looking at the explosion of apps and resources out there, you’re missing out on a great way to bring variety and quality into your wardrobe at an affordable price while also showing your kids how to take care of the environment by reducing waste. It’s a fashion trifecta! But it can feel overwhelming. Where to get started? Emily is here to cut down on the noise and help us navigate. Her platform offers all kinds of resources, tips, tricks, community – and fun! Because, more than anything else, that’s what clothes really are about, right? When we feel authentic and good, we project that confidence into whatever room we enter. Our clothes are also very personal, whether we’re buying or letting them go. There are all kinds of associations with change, transitions, good times and bad. That’s where The Resale Stylist comes in, not only helping you sort out the best consignment apps for your needs but also providing a supportive community as you get oriented to the process. If you haven’t ever dipped into the consignment universe, here’s your invitation. Save money, save the planet and find items that will express your unique flair. And remember: Dressing for success is real. “When we feel good and feel authentic and confident,” says Emily, “We’re going to bring our best selves to work, to our relationships and to our relationship with ourselves.” So true! Curious to learn more about your resale clothing profile? Check out Emily’s free quiz and figure out which apps are right for you! And if you’d like to jumpstart your business or figure out your real estate roadmap, check out Ashley’s coaching website here or schedule a discovery call with her at this Calendly link. KEY TOPICS: About the community Emily has created for people who want to embrace fashion resale – whether you’re new to the space or you’ve already had a lifetime of yard sale finds! The Resale Stylist offers fashion treasure hunters a platform to: Trade tips. Meet others. Share resources. Learn about what it looks like to buy from or start a resale business of your own! Common reasons people develop an interest in buying and selling resale clothes: Uniqueness. Sustainability (good for the planet!) Affordable/economical. A fun community. Emily helps us navigate the resale space, which has blossomed over the past decade, thanks to digital apps for both buyers and sellers. The challenges for people who are new to resale apps and digital buying/selling: It can feel overwhelming! What’s the difference between a consignment and peer-to-peer app? How do auction apps work? How The Resale Matrix helps you sort out all the options on the market today: Different authentication policies. Different return policies. Different types of fees. Different types of featured items. The Resale Stylist platform also includes: A quiz to determine apps that are a good fit for you. A free community. Constantly refreshed content and resources. A space for enthusiasts to connect. That Perfect Chanel Bag: The Resale Stylist is there to give you guidance about how to find the luxury item of your dreams – without getting scammed! The Where, When & How of Emily’s Process: Based in Denver, The Resale Stylist works with clients all over the U.S. They focus on helping people identify their core goals. It’s a resource to help people declutter and work through often emotional life transitions/changes. Is the motivation getting rid of things as quickly as possible or making the most money possible? Figuring out where items go (are they donated or otherwise recycled) if they don’t sell consignment. About The Resale Stylist’s Birth: Emily graduated college in 2009 in the middle of the recession and was working at her first “big girl” job – with National Public Radio in Washington, DC. Doing the “working woman” wardrobe started quickly to feel bland and dehumanizing. Stumbling onto local consignment stores in Washington was a major “aha” moment for Emily, who for the first time had access to higher quality pieces at a much more affordable price point. Not only did Emily find fashion more economical, she also found that what she was wearing started to feel special and unique to her. A passion for – and expertise in – the consignment space evolved over time. She thought about her own subject matter expertise and realized that there was in fact a business model to be built around it – and The Resale Stylist was born! Here’s a Fun (and Important) Fact: Research confirms that the outfits you choose to wear actually do impact performance. Dressing for success is real! What we wear can actually impact outcomes of business negotiations, emotional well-being, financial status. It’s an important way in which we communicate who we are. Tip for Realtors: How you dress communicates a lot about who you are when you step into a room. And consignment is way to do it without breaking the bank! Bonus Points: In addition to being fun and economical, when we put even one or two fashion items a year back into circulation, we are supporting sustainability and a healthier environmental ecosystem overall. The No New Things Challenge: Just because it’s not new doesn’t mean it can’t be new to you – and just as much fun at half the price! Insider Tip: Remember that a lot of the resale apps support negotiation, so if you’re looking to save money then get out those bargaining skills and go! Being Your Own Magic: Remember that what we wear impacts our earning potential, happiness and even our hormones and heartrate. So dress in a way that makes you feel good because when we feel authentic and confident – the sky is the limit! Parting Thought: There are so many amazing and credible apps out there today that there’s really no excuse not to explore the world of clothing resale. You won’t believe the unlimited inventory you’ll find at great prices while being kind to the planet. QUOTABLE: “The Resale Stylist is for people who really want to embrace fashion resale and it doesn’t matter if you’re new to the space or you’ve been thrifting for 25 years … It’s a really inviting, warm, welcoming, fun space!” (Emily) “We collect all the information in one centralized place so that our community can get a sense of the apps and services out there that are going to be a really good fit for their goals and lifestyle.” (Emily) “I’m going to take the recommendation from the (Resale Stylist) quiz and put that into action. It was really helpful!” (Ashley) “A lot of our clients are downsizing. They may have had a home in the suburbs and are buying a condo in the city. They’re empty nesters and have closets full of stuff … We help them navigate that.” (Emily) “I started going into the office every day and feeling like I didn’t look different or unique. I looked like every other girl in that office. And over time as I grew my career and worked in other offices, I kind of found the same thing.” (Emily) “The reason so much stuff ends up in landfills and trash is because it takes effort … so I work with clients to understand how much effort they want to put into it. Is it something they’re willing to do or do they just want to get rid of stuff?” (Emily) “You name a resale app and I’ll tell you all about it!” (Emily) “We all want to feel authentic and good about who we are and what we can bring to this world and how we express ourselves. And what we wear is a really important element of that.” (Emily) “I have an 11-year-old and I tell her, ‘How you dress will help your confidence.’ And then you play that little theme song in your head and you take over control of the room!” (Ashley) “Real estate agents need to have a lot of wardrobe to perform, so (consignment) is a way for them not to go broke looking good!” (Ashley) “Thinking about how we can be more conscious consumers is a really important element and reason I love championing (consignment).” (Emily) “When we feel good and feel authentic and confident, we’re going to bring our best selves to work, to our relationships and to our relationship with ourselves.” (Emily) ADDITIONAL RESOURCES/LINKS MENTIONED: The Resale Matrix defines all the different types of digital platforms available. The Resale Stylist’s free quiz helps you figure out which apps are right for you! About thredUP, “an online consignment & thrift store for your closet, your wallet & the planet.” More about National Public Radio -- aka NPR. When it came to the world of thrifting, Poshmark was Emily’s “gateway drug.” Scientific American on dressing for success. About the fashion industry’s dirtiest little secret: dumping 101 million tons of discarded clothing into landfill every year. More about Ginger Zee taking on the "No New Things Challenge." Apps that are open to bargaining: Poshmark, depop and Vestiaire Collective. CONTACT/FOLLOW EMILY: WEBSITE | LINKEDIN | EMAIL | TIKTOK | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK ABOUT ASHLEY: A Certified Professional Coach, Ashley is certified by iPEC and has also received an Associate Certified Coaching credential from the International Coach Federation. She is a Certified Core Energy Coach who specializes in helping people access their inner resources so they can move forward with their lives, careers and businesses. Based in Suwanee, GA, Ashley is also a real estate professional whose credentia
