This fashion founder wants you to get “addicted to failing”

Summary

Style-ish Podcast: "This Fashion Founder Wants You to Get Addicted to Failing"

Host: Madison Sullivan Thorpe
Guest: Priya McPherson (Founder and Director of Sage Avenue)
Release Date: March 5, 2026
Series: Face to Face (by Shameless Media)

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Episode Overview

This episode features a candid, insightful interview with Priya McPherson, founder of the Melbourne-based fashion label Sage Avenue. Madison deep-dives into Priya’s business journey, her multicultural upbringing, the lessons she’s learned, the challenges and triumphs of building a modern brand, and her firm belief in embracing failure as a tool for growth. Priya shares practical advice, personal anecdotes, and thoughts on creativity, community, and what’s next for her label.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Power of Outfits and Rituals

• Priya’s “Swap” Recommendation: Prep one anchor piece for your outfit the night before to eliminate decision fatigue in the morning but leave room for self-expression based on mood or weather.
  “Sometimes I think in the power of a good outfit, when you're frazzled and getting ready, that just like ruins your mood completely. So I try and pick one, remove the first decision making process of it all…” (03:10)

• Checks weather multiple times a day, reflecting on how unpredictable Melbourne weather is.

Starting a Fashion Brand from Scratch

• Priya did not have prior business ownership or formal design experience, only a background in business, law, and economics.

• Her biggest early challenge: overcoming inner doubts and building self-belief.
  “You have to really show up for yourself. And it can be really hard to show up for yourself when you don't believe in yourself.” (05:04)

• The first year was shaped by internal struggles and fear of failure:
  “My face is the brand... And if it doesn't work, people know that I'm the one that failed.” (04:54)

Learning To Get Addicted to Failing

• Priya reframed her mindset from fearing failure to actively seeking feedback and growth from things that don’t work out. Now, she views failure as an essential tool. “I have learned to get addicted to failure… let me get addicted to the fact that it doesn't work and why not and what can I take from that to take somewhere else?” (07:00)

Personal and Professional Balance

• Priya juggles Sage Avenue, content creation, and the completion of her law degree.
• Recommends playing law lectures as podcasts while driving—highlighting how efficiency and multitasking are crucial in her daily life.

The Inspirations Behind Sage Avenue

• High value on personal “human capital”—understanding strengths, weaknesses, and values.
• The business idea blossomed from her own love for vintage bags and how a striking accessory empowers her daily.
• Her mother’s vintage handbag collection and advice about fashion as personal “armor” played foundational roles.
• Community and family were essential throughout—her grandmother helped source manufacturers in Thailand by literally walking leather markets together (15:00).

The Influence of Culture and Family

• Priya’s multicultural background (Thai, Indian, Australian) directly informs her approach to business and design.
• Her matriarchal family, particularly her mother’s example as a multi-business entrepreneur, has deeply inspired her independence and ambition.
  “My mom is the biggest role model in my whole entire life. She owns six businesses, speaks five languages, she is incredible.” (16:14)

Advice for Other Entrepreneurs

• Don’t Wait for Perfect: Take action at 60% readiness, not 100%.
  “Sometimes going for it and not waiting for the perfect moment outweighs waiting for the perfect moment… you learn through the process. You fail hard, you learn quick.” (18:38, 20:23)

• The "60% Rule": Do things when you feel 60% okay with it—perfection shouldn’t be a barrier.

• Failure and learning on the go trump waiting for readiness—that’s when the most growth occurs.

Building Brand Community & Human Capital

• Defines “human capital” as the sum of your values, personality, strengths, and passions.
• Uses her personable nature to host “Sage Familia” community events and create customer connections (networking, job opportunities).

Creativity: Analytical & Artistic

• Initially struggled to see herself as a creative, due to her analytical background.
• Realized creativity spans many forms: strategy, community-building, drawing inspiration, and storytelling—creativity isn’t just traditional artistry. “Creativity is using your own experiences, your own values, your own preferences in life to make a piece that really reflects what you're trying to project.” (31:21)

The Drop Model & Brand Strategy

• Why Drops?
  • Inspired by the one-of-a-kind thrill of vintage shopping.
  • Reduces waste and overproduction.
  • Fosters exclusivity, community, and conversation; owning a Sage bag is like a club jersey.
  • Builds hype, which Priya sees as a key marketing tool.
    “I wanted Sage to be like, you were wearing a jersey for a club.” (34:30)

Manufacturing & Quality

• Biggest operational challenge: finding ethical, reliable, high-quality manufacturers.
• Pro Tip: Attend the Global Sourcing Expo in Sydney or Melbourne for networking and hands-on selection (36:16).

Social Media & Personal Branding

• Being open and authentic on social has deepened customer trust and built genuine community.
• Shares both successes and vulnerable moments, bridging the digital/physical connection gap.
• Emphasizes the benefit (despite risk) of being a female founder personally fronting the brand.

Rapid-Fire Recommendations

• Fashion Inspiration: TikTok and Pinterest; top creator is Manana Marie (23:03).
• Styling Tip: Dress for your mood—don’t force performative “fashion” (24:12).
• Local Labels: Mode Mischief, In Your 20s, With Consideration, Tilt (24:29).
• Vintage Stores: Salvos Morabbin (“do it some justice for me!”), Stupid Vintage (25:13).
• International Brands: Ruby (New Zealand), Peachy Den (UK), Paloma Wool (Spain) (26:14).

Pinch Me & Brand Building Moments

• Most memorable: Everyday customers wearing a Sage handbag and telling her it makes them feel empowered.
  “That's my most powerful pinch me moment.” (38:20)
• Early sell-out drops and a debut at Fashion Festival were also milestones.

Most Valuable Lesson: Confidence Through Action

• “Confidence is a product of action. It's not a prerequisite of action.” (42:19)
• Encourages taking action to gain confidence, rather than waiting to feel confident.

What’s Next for 2026 and Beyond

• Completing her law degree.
• More Sage Avenue drops, community events, and collaborations.
• Goal: International expansion into Europe.

Hot Take: Sending Voice Notes to Customers

• Priya sends personalized voice messages to customers for sizing and style questions—creating a best-friend vibe and stronger relationships.
  “I'm going above and beyond for you and I'm making sure that you feel like this experience is like you're going through it with a best friend. So my hot take is voice notes.” (44:47)

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Notable Quotes

• On self-doubt and entrepreneurship:
  “You have to really show up for yourself. And it can be really hard to show up for yourself when you don't believe in yourself.” — Priya (05:04)

• On failure:
  “Now I'm sitting here in year three being like, show me why it doesn't work. Let me get addicted to the fact that it doesn't work and why not?” — Priya (07:00)

• On building confidence:
  “Confidence is a product of action. It's not a prerequisite of action.” — Priya (42:19)

• On human capital:
  “When you have nothing, you have your human capital. And that is essentially who you are as a human being.” — Priya quoting Jens Grede (27:12)

• On social media and vulnerability:
  “Having social media in my back pocket has been an incredible way for me to bridge the gap between digital and physical connection.” — Priya (39:15)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:38] Priya’s “Swap” and outfit ritual advice
• [04:42] Biggest surprise of being a first-time brand founder
• [07:00] Addicted to failing—Priya’s evolving mindset
• [09:40] The long story of starting Sage Avenue
• [13:21] Influence of Priya’s mum on her fashion journey
• [14:20] Cultural roots & manufacturing in Thailand
• [18:38] Advice for new entrepreneurs: Action over perfection
• [20:23] The “60% Rule” for launching new ideas
• [26:52] Defining and leveraging human capital
• [29:36] Embracing creativity outside the traditional definitions
• [32:47] Why Sage Avenue runs on the drop model
• [36:16] Manufacturing challenges & Global Sourcing Expo tip
• [38:20] Priya’s biggest pinch-me moment: customer confidence
• [42:19] The most important lesson in brand building: confidence follows action
• [44:47] Hot take: Sending voice notes and creating a best-friend customer journey

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Final Thoughts

This episode is brimming with actionable wisdom, heartfelt stories, and truly “sage” advice for aspiring founders or anyone seeking more confidence in creative pursuits. Priya McPherson stands out as a grounded, relatable voice—encouraging listeners to embrace imperfection, leverage their unique strengths, and seek real human connection at every step.

Don’t miss Priya’s recommendations for brands, her “60%” rule for taking action, and her refreshingly honest take on using vulnerability as a founder’s superpower.

Transcript

[Priya McPherson]

Foreign.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

We're back with another installment of our mini series Face to Face. Proudly brought to you by Dan Murphy's. In this three episode series, we're inviting you to sit down with three tastemakers making a mark in their industry. They're the kind of people we'd love to sit down for a drink or two with. Within each episode, we'll deep dive into their business and career journeys, lessons they've learned along the way and what's next for them. It's all in the name of great drinks and even better conversations. This series is made possible by Dan Murphy's the ultimate taste maker, bringing us the next generation of delicious low alcohol and non alcoholic drinks. Head in store or to the app to be inspired and find your new favorite. And remember to choose to drink wise. Hello, I'm Madison Sullivan Thorpe, Stylish's Wednesday and Friday co host. Welcome back to Face to Face. Today I am joined by Priya McPherson. Priya, welcome.

[Priya McPherson]

Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

We're so excited to have you. You are our lucky last Face to Face.

[Priya McPherson]

We're leaving the best till last, dare I say exactly.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Look, we don't have favorites. We're not allowed.

[Priya McPherson]

Yeah, I know.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Priya, you have a very impressive bio. I was saying to our previous guest, Gladys, that every bio I read feels more and more impressive. This is a phenomenal one. I'm going to read it as if you're not in the room with us, but I don't want to get any of this wrong. Priya, you are the founder and director of Melbourne based fashion labels Sage Avenue. After studying business, economics and law, you realized you wanted to explore your lifelong love of fashion by creating your own handbag label, which we love. You had one as you walked in. Born from a love of vintage handbags and clothing, you. You launched Sage Avenue in 2023. You've now expanded into clothing, collaborated with brands like Abram Jeans and accrued a very loyal following. And pretty much every one of your drops sells out.

[Priya McPherson]

It's insane. I can't believe it. Thank you for that, by the way. That's a great way to start my morning.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah, I know. It's like you're like, great, my work here is done. Now I'm like, I've got my bio. Literally.

[Priya McPherson]

But yeah, an incredible journey. Good synopsis.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

We're so excited. We feel like you'll have so many insights for us and we know that our audience really love tangible advice and obviously you would be someone they look up so this is so exciting. We love a recommendation at Stylish. And for anyone who listens to our Wednesday episodes, they will be no stranger to our segment called the Swap. I think that I've probably been influenced the most by Jo and Annika's swaps, but we wanted to kick off today by asking you what your swap was.

[Priya McPherson]

I love the swaps. Just FYI, they're my favorite things at the start of an episode. I'm always clocking them and writing them down. So if this helps anybody, I will be so happy.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Great.

[Priya McPherson]

It's an outfit ritual.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Okay, perfect.

[Priya McPherson]

It is. And I really have thought about it a lot recently because I've just come back from holiday and really getting back into the start of the year, getting into my flow. So basically, I think you'll agree with me in this. I truly, from the bottom of my heart, believe in the power of a good outfit. There is something about putting on an outfit and it like naturally your shoulders move back, you're walking out of your house and you're like, oh, this is my world. You're all living in it.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Priya McPherson]

So what can I do in my day, the day before to make sure that I have a powerful outfit the next day? So what I do is, is I pick one piece from my wardrobe the night before. Only one, let's say it's like a patterned midi skirt. And then I wake up in the morning and it allows me still to have freedom in terms of how I'm feeling, my mood. Do I want to wear a looser top? Do I want to wear a tighter top? How do I want to style it? But at least that first decision is made because sometimes I think in the power of a good outfit, when you're frazzled and getting ready, that just like ruins your mood completely. So I try and pick one, remove the first decision making process of it all and then I still have freedom to choose. So if you can pick one piece before your next day and see how you feel the next morning and plan

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

around such a great tip. It's almost like the anchor piece of the outfit.

[Priya McPherson]

Exactly.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Do you go off vibes or is it like I know it's going to be warm. Are you checking the weather or it's just like vibes?

[Priya McPherson]

Oh, I am a check the weather three times a day. I am like, even though the weather app, FYI Apple, is never really correct. Never, Never. But I like to check the weather and just how I'm feeling. If anything, you can also change the. Hey, if you don't wear the Skirt. Don't wear the skirt. Yeah, you're like, not a big deal. It's just an idea and it just helps make the one less decision in the morning. Absolutely.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I think that's like a Melburnian thing as well to check the weather that often. Sorry to our interstate listeners, but I think that's like we have four seasons in one.

[Priya McPherson]

Okay.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Priya, you have Sage Avenue. As we mentioned, we all commented on your handbag when you walked in, but prior to starting it, you'd never owned a business. What surprised you most about being a brand founder and having your own business?

[Priya McPherson]

I think what surprised me the most was a lot of the mental internal thoughts that one has. I think when you come from a place of not having the experience or the background or the knowledge, you initially come back on the back foot a little bit, if that makes sense. So you feel a little bit more scared, you're a little bit more fearful. Man, I didn't even know how to design a tech pack when I first started, let alone like know what fabric was right and not. So I was really starting off fresh. And I think for a lot of people when they're starting a business, and especially for me at a young age and not having the experience, it was more just having to show myself that I can do it and believe in myself. You get the thoughts of, is this going to fail? Is this actually going to work? This is not going to work. My face is the brand of it. And if it doesn't work, people know that I'm the one that failed. But at the end of the day, I always have said to myself, and from now I can look back and say, you just have to do it and you have to go for it. But I think the one thing that surprised me the most was the internal thoughts like not having the self belief in yourself. Because at the end of the day, you have to be your own best friend. You are the one doing this business, you are the one behind it. And you have to really show up for yourself. And it can be really hard to show up for yourself when you don't believe in yourself. And that's really challenging. And that's something I really felt in the first year, especially being young, especially not coming from any sort of marketing experience or anybody who I've had as a close mentor. I mean, I have had my mom, my mom and my parents, both are entrepreneurs to give you a bit of background. I think a lot of people don't realize how overwhelming the internal thoughts can be, especially in the first Year, Yeah, it's just the first year.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

We had Nick Shelton on as our first guest for this Face to Face series and he spoke about the first two years. When you're young, you get a grace period. He's like, naivety is kind of an affectionate thing. And he was like, after that, it's kind of like, you've got to know your stuff. You started in 2023, we're now in year three. Like, do you feel that that resonates with you? That kind of sentiment and statement?

[Priya McPherson]

Do you mean in terms of does it resonate not believing in myself or

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

in the sense of like, you know, externally not knowing and asking all the questions and kind of asking people to back you and bet on you is more affectionate at that time. But by year three, you're like, okay, I've kind of got to know my stuff now. I've got to back this.

[Priya McPherson]

And me, totally. I couldn't agree more. The thing that I say in terms of this is I have learned to get addicted to failure.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Priya McPherson]

So in the first year, I was like, so fearful of a drop not doing well. Obviously, when you make a seller drop, which, FYI, we sell our handbags and our power pieces in a drop style model. So if a drop didn't do well, that is like, you need the money to keep the business going. You want it to do really well. You're in the first year, like, please, like, show me that this is actually going to work.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Priya McPherson]

Now I'm sitting here in year three being like, show me why it doesn't work. Let me get addicted to the fact that it doesn't work and why not? And what can I take from that to take somewhere else? And so I back myself more. I think that's a really strong indicator of me just being a bit more confident and backing myself and being like, okay, if it didn't work that one time, that's okay. I'll keep it moving. It will always work out and it will always be okay. But in the first year I lacked that mindset. And so now in year three, I can actually sit and be like, oh, it's actually going to be okay. I mean, obviously I've got this. I've got this. Like, I mean, it's. You do get really challenging times, but you do have a lot more inner confidence and you don't reach out as much as I did in the first year for that. You know, is this actually going to work? Is like asking something, do you like this design? Would you wear this? What about this and now I really know and I have a bit more confidence and so I think that's just a really reflection of me getting addicted to failure.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I love that. And that evolution of you as an extension of the brand as well. So obviously you've got Sage. You also. I feel so weird saying Sage because Annika has Sage Agency. I'm like, oh my goodness. I'm like Sage Avenue.

[Priya McPherson]

Yes.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

But your also a content creator as well. Talk us through what a traditional day might look like in both of those lives.

[Priya McPherson]

Yes, well, every day is different. Every day is different. Also. I am about to finish my law degree as well in terms of that. So every day typically includes a little bit of first starting off with my emails, doing Sage, then I do my bit of my law assignments or a little bit of law study in between there. If I'm driving somewhere, I listen to my law lectures as a podcast. It's like that's my little way of getting around it. That's my little recommendation. Put your lectures on as a podcast in the car. Really helps save time. And then I tap into my content creation. But I do think that my content creation is really a reflection of who I am and what I'm going through in a day to day situation. So that comes quite naturally and intertwines quite well into what I do. If I'm having a hard day doing Sage, I'll share it. If I am having a really exciting day and I'm really proud of something, I'll share it. And so it is a natural reflection of my day to day. So I think that the content creation really flows in between. But if I were to give you a whole day, it's a mixture of three different jobs. Sage Law, content creation.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah. Wearing lots of different hats.

[Priya McPherson]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

When you first, obviously you're studying at the time, you're creating content, but when you first thought of Sage like Sage Avenue, what was the inspiration behind it? What made you want to start the brand?

[Priya McPherson]

Do you want the long version or the short?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Always the long version, girl. I'm like, There was a TikTok recently that I reposted. I'm obsessed with it. And I was like, I'm going to make a long story short, girl. I don't want the short version. I'm like, I'm always going to give you the long and I always want the long in return.

[Priya McPherson]

Oh, I love that. Okay, here we go. So I was working at a social media agency and TikTok was really becoming a big thing then and I started to have all of these ideas. And as people know, in agency, it's approvals on approvals on approvals. You have to wait. You have to wait for the other business to approve it, then it comes back, then you do it, and you've missed the trend. And so I had all of these huge ideas at the same time. I was doing my law degree, and I remember being like, I want to do more in this agency. But I didn't have the days and the hours, so I was always wanting to reach for more. And both my parents are entrepreneurs. To give you a little bit of background, we did all the background. I know.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I'm like, we've got background docs on everyone. I love it. Everyone's like, in case you didn't know, I'm like, we read anything, any video we can watch, any piece of info

[Priya McPherson]

we can read 100%. Well, it was a really big. A really big element into why I started it. Both my parents being entrepreneurs. So essentially, I decided to leave the agency. And I was like, okay, I want to start a business. What is that business? I have no bloody clue. Like, I have no clue. I'm a girl that likes to chat. I like to wear cute outfits. Like, I'm starting a laundry and I don't even know if I want to do it. I had no idea what I wanted to do. And so I started to write down, okay, who makes me what I am? What's my human capital? What are my strengths? What are my weaknesses? What is the essence of Pre McPherson? I'm personable, I like coffee. Like, just the most random of things. And I wrote it all down on a piece of paper. And as I was doing this and as I was going through my head about being like, okay, what's the business that I want to start? One of my really close friends at the time called me and she was like, oh, I had such a hard night last night. And I was like, what happened? And she was like, oh, you know, my boyfriend, he asked me to come out and it was like 9pm I had to quickly get dressed and rush and I left the house. And because I didn't like my outfit so much went wrong that night, and it was just all in my head. And I just made it such a bigger deal than I needed to be. And it made me realize in that moment the power of a good outfit and something that has always been so close to my heart. In the morning, I really tried to make a conscious effort to put on an outfit that makes me feel powerful and reflects my mood for the day. Right? Something that I can put on. And I'm like, I'm walking out this door and this is my world. You're living in it. Shoulders back. It's this inner spark and inner confidence that only I can bring for myself. Then I asked myself, what about my outfits? Brought that inner spark out of me, brought that inner confidence, pushed my shoulders back a little bit, you know what I mean? And so I realized I'm a very classic. Everyday jeans, everyday white T shirt. And I would walk a few steps down the hall to my mom's vintage handbag collection. My mom is a vintage handbag lover. And I would grab a red, really pop of color, unique handbag. I'd pop it on my everyday outfit and I'd walk out of the door, shoulders back, ready to go for my day. And it was this aura, this energy and this inner spark that only I could bring for myself that was really important to me. And that's why I started doing handbags. It's because that was what made me feel good every morning.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah, it was like the one little thing that kick started it.

[Priya McPherson]

Yeah, exactly.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Right, so you've got your mum's love of handbags and vintage to thank.

[Priya McPherson]

Yes.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Literally 100% mum for not donating them or selling them back in the day.

[Priya McPherson]

I thank my lucky stars for that. Except the saddest thing about it, not the saddest, but we have different shoe sizes. That is, that really breaks my heart because my mom has some incredible shoes and I wish I could wear them. But do you feel that you were

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

inspired by your mum's love of fashion growing up? Like, you talk about, you know, this, I guess an outfit being an armor for you and being something that, you know, you use to kind of transcend you throughout the day. Has your mom always loved fashion as well?

[Priya McPherson]

She has, she's always loved fashion. I think I always was the one growing up before anyone left the house. I'd be like, priya, what do you think of my outfit? What should I change? Do you like it? Do you not like it? And I was always the one being like, no, I don't like that. Let's change that. Let's do this. Oh, I love this. This looks amazing. I'm actually going to borrow that one day. And so my mum, whilst she collected so many beautiful pieces, I was still so a part of that process for her and being her vice in that moment to be like, oh, I like that, or I don't like that, or what about this? And changing it up, going through that experience with my mom really grew my love for fashion and how it made her feel so then how it made me feel, and then so on and so forth.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Look at Law Roach. It sounds like you were doing it from a very early age. I feel like that audio of like Maddie knew who she was from an early age. Yes. Literally. You've spoken before as well about your multicultural background, being Thai and Indian and the way that that's influenced your life. I'd love to know how your multicultural background has influenced your sense of style, if at all.

[Priya McPherson]

100%. So I am Australian. I'm also a Thai citizen and I've got Indian blood. That is something I am insanely proud of and so grateful of. It has been immersed in my life ever since I was young. We travel to Thailand three times a year. We have. I've got a citizenship, so I can go and I've got a passport. I can speak a little bit of Thai. An amazing story I want to share about traveling and being a part of so many different cultures and how lucky it is is. When I started Sage, my grandma and I walked the level lanes in Thailand and my grandma was my translator. My grandma was the one who was bargaining for me, who was asking for this, doing this. And we would go into people's factories and see how they were doing it all. And I literally walked the local leather lane markets in Thailand with my grandma to find our handbag manufacturers. It is something that I hold so close to my heart and I say that the world is its own classroom. I love to travel. I love to see how people live, how they love how they talk, how they dress, how they represent themselves. Culture has been such a key foundation to who I am. It shapes me. It is helped me build my business. And equally, it has allowed me to see so many different aspects of the world and have different perspectives, which is incredible. Yeah. Something I'm so. And I know it's a very grateful thing to have. I'm very, very appreciative to have that second home.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

My goodness, how fortunate. And also what a beautiful story that your whole family has essentially been involved in either inspiring or creating Sage Avenue.

[Priya McPherson]

100%. It takes a village. I grew up with a family that is so large and is a village. And when we started Sage, everyone was involved, right from my sister to my grandma to my aunties to everybody.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

And kind of on that point, it feels like you have a very, like, matriarchal family. You know, sounds like very strong, influential females in your life. How has that shaped the person you are. You know, grandma's. It sounds like she's got a lot more to offer, rather. But I mean, she's great bargaining tool as well.

[Priya McPherson]

Yeah, no, she definitely is. Her grandma's incredible. My Nani. I did grow up in a matriarchal family and both my parents worked and as I said, they both worked really hard as entrepreneurs. My mom is the biggest role model in my whole entire life. She owns six businesses, she speaks five languages, she is incredible. My dad would drive me to school, take me to soccer, like take me out for lunches. And so the roles were really quite reversed. And seeing my mom get up at 6am, come back at 9pm, I'd go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. 3:00am, she was at work at a laptop. She lives and breathes working. She loves it. But I also saw how much independence and power it gave her.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Priya McPherson]

In turn then it showed me how important it was to have something of my own and to have something that gave me a sense of purpose and an identity. So to my mom and to my. Everybody in my family, I will be forever grateful for, because especially my mom, she's the one that really showed me how powerful it is to do something of your own.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

And of those six businesses, were any of them in fashion or are you the first foray into fashion for the family? You know, taking a passion and making it a business?

[Priya McPherson]

Yeah. So interesting. Actually, I think I did grow up my whole life, Mum, being like, what business do you want to take over? Which one do you want? I was like, I don't want any. I love you, but I don't want any. I want to do my own. And my mum did have a semi fashion forward focused business because we are part Thai. We own a factory in Thailand where we manufacture our sportswear. So you think sportswear for like Bob Stewart Dobson's. My mum also does scrubs, so workwear kind of stuff. So one would say manufacturing, yes. We're in that area. However, in this fashion centric world that I am in, it's slightly different.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Priya McPherson]

But, yeah, there's similarities there for sure.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah. I think these are a little more chic than. Although I must say, I do go to my local coffee shop and there is one nurse that I constantly say who has the shakes of scrubs I've ever seen. So I'm not even going to say that scrubs aren't as chic as handbags because I've seen it done.

[Priya McPherson]

Yes, no, 100%.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

If you could go back when you think of the infancy of Sage Avenue, and you think about, you know, building the brand and how you felt at that time and what advice you leaned on, whether it was from, you know, your family or, you know, looking inward. Now, what advice would you give someone who's maybe at the start of their own journey and looking to kind of do the same thing?

[Priya McPherson]

My one piece of advice that I would give somebody, if they were where I was three years ago, starting a business, I would say sometimes going for it and not waiting for the perfect moment outweighs waiting for the perfect moment. So when you go and you wait for the perfect moment, everybody's waiting for that light bulb. It's like, when's it going to come? Maybe you get the idea, but then you start to criticize it a little bit because you want it to be perfect. And here we are three months later, it hasn't been started. Now we're 80, and we're still criticizing the idea. What I'm trying to say is a lot of people try to perfect a specific idea, a strategy, a moment sometimes. And often, most of the times, doing it when you're not ready to do it outweighs. You learn through the process. You fail hard, you learn quick. You also do things so unconventionally. I feel when you don't have the experience or the previous knowledge about how to do it, I think you fail a lot, but you learn a lot. And at the end of the day, no matter what happens in this world, and I will say this to everybody, no matter what happens, you are going to be a better person and a better business person because of it. You will take something away from that experience that you can take to your next step. You can take something from that that can keep growing your business, and you can leave things behind. You learn a lot through that process. And not knowing sometimes I think is just way more preferable than waiting for the perfect moment to do it.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah, I think that's really great advice, because so often, and I think it's an inherent female thing, we are so used to trying to get everything perfect. And, you know, I. I had a male friend recently, we were talking about it, and he was like, I think that men kind of wait for it to be 70% and then give it a go. Women are like, oh, it's only 97% of the way there. So I love that advice to kind of just dive in and figure it out as you're swimming.

[Priya McPherson]

Have you heard about the 60%?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

No.

[Priya McPherson]

Okay, so I saw this on TikTok. TikTok love it. That's where I get all my pieces of information, my pockets of advice. TikTok's My Google Search bar nowadays. Okay, so basically what this lady said was do everything in the 60%. If you are 60% okay with it, go for it. Do it. Post the TikTok if it's 60% okay, because in the 60% is where you are not perfecting it, you are not criticizing it, but you are still happy with the piece of product that you're bringing out. So do it in the 60%. If you're 60% okay with the video that you've made, post it on TikTok. Obviously, within reason. Don't. Don't leave for legal reasons. Don't hold me accountable. But within reason, of course. But yeah, try and do things in the 60%. Remove the pressure of it being 90 or 100. Do it in the 60.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Absolutely. I love that. We'll need to find that creator and make sure we can credit them because that sounds like a very great video that we all need to go and watch. We'll get right back into the rest of the interview with Priya right after a word from today's sponsor. Guys, let's talk goals. I know you have them. Maybe they're work related and you have big plans for your career or business in 2026. Maybe they're to do with money, self care, travel or all of the above. Or maybe you want to zoom in on your wellness and become the best version of yourself. I think we can all relate to that one. A big part of this is our drinking habits. I've noticed in my friendship circles and online there's a lot of conversation around dialing back the drinking and exploring more low and non alcoholic options. Most of us know that Dan Murphy's is the place to go for beer, wine and spirits, but what you might not know is they have the most impressive selection of low alcoholic drinks too. For example, you don't have to go without your midweek wine, but you can make it lighter with something like the new Chapel Hill Enlightened Pinot Grigio or Y series lighter Shiraz. There are tons of light and mid strength beer options as well. Apparently the Cooper's Mild Alex and Cooper0 a fan favorite. If you haven't found your low alcohol go to yet, Dan Murphy's can help. Drop in store and chat to the team or browse the app to find out what's new and what's trending. Remember to choose to drink wise and a huge thank you to Dan Murphy's for making this episode of Stylish possible. Okay, so we love a rec. As I mentioned, we've obviously had the swap, but my favorite recommendations are the rapid fire ones on the fly. And our audience loves them too. So I'd love to ask you a couple, if you don't mind. You just mentioned that you live on TikTok. It's your Google search by now. So what social media accounts do you look to the most for fashion advice?

[Priya McPherson]

Pinterest or TikTok?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah. Okay. Is there a particular creator that you gravitate to or love?

[Priya McPherson]

I love. Do you know Manana Marie?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

No.

[Priya McPherson]

Oh, my God. I'm obsessed with her. Manana. She is amazing. I love her style, I love her energy. She's really authentic. She dances when she's showing her videos. She lives with her partner Juan, who's also insanely stylish. FYI buys her the most incredible pieces.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Okay, great.

[Priya McPherson]

And then they also match like goals. But really, she's incredible. I love her style. I think it is really easy to digest. It's really easy to replicate. And it's somebody I look to often. So Manana Marie, Great.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I love that. I love these recs as much as our audience do because I'm always like, good thing I get to listen back. So otherwise I'd be here with pen and paper. What's a styling tip you swear by? I know you mentioned getting the item out the night before, but do you have any other gold nuggets for us?

[Priya McPherson]

A styling tip I swear by is, I feel like again, I'm gonna go to a quick ritual, but I'll make it really quick.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

You don't have to make it quick. This is the story.

[Priya McPherson]

I know this is rapid fire. So my styling little piece of advice, my outfit trick is really go off your mood. Don't wear something if you are trying to embody something that you're not. If you feel like you want to wear trackies, wear goddamn trackies. Like, you're gonna feel so much more powerful and confident in a piece that reflects really how you're feeling for the day and your mood. So go off your mood. Base it off that. Don't feel like you have to just really wear extra out there outfits every single day.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

That's fantastic. I feel like sometimes performative dressing goes a little too far.

[Priya McPherson]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

What local label do you have your eye on at the moment?

[Priya McPherson]

I love Mode Mischief. Love Mode Mischief. My galma, she does an incredible job there. I'll give you a few as well. A few more. In your 20s, I love. In your 20s, I love. With consideration. And one of my close friends, Tilt, they're an incredible streetwear focused brand as well. So there are a few of my top five. Top four. Sorry, Incredible.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

We know that you're a vintage lover. Where is your favorite place to shop vintage in Australia?

[Priya McPherson]

I love the Salvos in Morabbin. It's huge.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Have you just totally like.

[Priya McPherson]

I love it.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Given away your, like, best kept secret?

[Priya McPherson]

I love it. It's. And maybe go. Honestly, go. I don't have time these days to go, so please do it some justice for me. Salvos, Moorabbin, it's huge. You're really getting down to the real core of vintage there.

[Rhea]

Yeah.

[Priya McPherson]

In terms of. You've got to really sort through everything but pop some headphones in, put some music on, play a podcast, make a day out of it.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Play Stylish.

[Priya McPherson]

Yes. Oh, Play this episode. Play this episode. Other than that, I love your classic stupid vintage that's based in Windsor. Your swap is great. And yeah, I think they'd be my top three.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I love that. What about international labels?

[Priya McPherson]

Oh, man, I've been thinking too much about my favorite vintage places. International label. Let's go with the business that I'm wearing at the moment. Ruby, New Zealand. I love them. So incredible. I love their styles. They're very size size inclusive and I love that they show that on their website. I love that.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I think they do a really good

[Priya McPherson]

job on their website, 100%. And it's incredible quality, incredible craftsmanship. It is a bit more on the expensive side, but to be honest, if you want to invest in a really good piece, I'd be sending you to Ruby. I love them.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

And also like New Zealand, I'm like, yeah, they're international, but they're kind of like our cousins. So I'm like, you know, they kind of sit somewhere in between 100.

[Priya McPherson]

Can I give you a few more, though? They've just come to my mind. Yeah. As well. So, Ruby, New Zealand, Peachy Den in the uk. Have you heard of them?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

No, I haven't. I'm gonna have to look them up.

[Priya McPherson]

Definitely have to have a look. They're incredible. Very similar to Sage's style.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Priya McPherson]

As in Sage my business, not Annika's Peachy Den. Gimmergua. Your Paloma walls, they're also really incredible.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Paloma Wall are doing some really cool stuff.

[Priya McPherson]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

You spoke just before about human capital and figuring out, you know, yours was really important to the type of business you wanted to launch and I guess kind of an unconventional way to come up with the business by the idea of going, I want to start a business, I need the idea. Most people kind of have the idea and go, wow, I can kind of make this a business.

[Priya McPherson]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

But how do you define human capital? How would you recommend our audience sort of starting to discover their own, right?

[Priya McPherson]

Yeah. Human capital is actually a term I didn't coin myself. I can't take that credit to Jens Greed, Emma Greed's partner husband. He and them both, they're incredible. So Jens said on his podcast with her, when you have nothing, you have your human capital.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Priya McPherson]

And that is essentially who you are as a human being. What is the essence of you, of who is standing back at that mirror today? What are your values? What are your morals? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What do you love to do day to day? When I really thought about who I was as a human being, one of the things that really stood out to me was being personable, was being able to talk to somebody, strike up a conversation, hear about their life, their story. And I was like, how? How the hell am I going to make that work in a handbag business? I got no idea. But I did make it work. And I really capitalized on that strength and that value and that asset of mine. And what I did is, is I started to host community events for Sage. I call them family events, our Sage familiar. And I started to bring people together and I would be the person walking around the room, connecting people, asking about people's story. I remember at one event, somebody was working in a marketing agency and another girl that I met down the end of the table was wanting an internship at a marketing agency. I put them together and the girl went and had an internship and actually got the job with this lady at where she worked.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

How incredible.

[Priya McPherson]

And I just. I heard one story and I heard another and I wanted to connect and I wanted to bring people together. And that's how I used that value of mine. So I think when you are writing down who you are on a piece of paper, it can be hard to really think about who you are. But write down the most simplest of things, of even just wanting to have a conversation with somebody, because it actually does intertwine at the end of the day. The most beautiful thing about understanding your human capital and writing it down is throughout the whole process, when you have a decision, you can reflect back to it. What is the core of me? What is the core of this business? Obviously, differentiate yourself from yourself and the business but then you also have a piece of paper or a bit of insight to go back to, to be like, okay, I've got a really hard decision here to make. Does it align with who this is? Does it align with the business? Does it align with me? And you can go from there. So it's great to start. But it's also a really incredible point to look back on in hard times. Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

And I think so. Lovely to always have that reflection point and I guess center yourself back to who you fundamentally are as a person. And I think great. If you're like trying to make a big decision or a hard decision, sometimes big decisions are good ones. Right.

[Priya McPherson]

They're not always right. 100.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

You've said that, you know, you've always kind of struggled. You obviously mentioned you're studying law. Like that you had struggled to identify yourself as a creative person. How have you found a way to now identify yourself as a creative person or tap into that creative side?

[Priya McPherson]

Yeah, this is. I love this topic. I love talking about creativity because when I started Sage, obviously, like you mentioned law background, very analytical, very logical. I didn't study any arts in school and what probably Drew when I was five, like, I genuinely had nothing in my. Yeah, I had nothing but the number to number color things. Oh my God, I love them. Anyway, I genuinely had no experience in my back pocket. Right. And so when I first started Sage, I believed I wasn't creative. I believed I didn't have what it took to be a creative person because in my mind I thought creativity was taking a canvas and drawing this really incredible piece of work that everybody loves or being able to sew a dress from literally the fabric to a whole piece. I couldn't do any of that. And so for so long I was like, but I can't do it because I'm not creative. And actually my mum said to me, creativity is not just one avenue, it's so many. It is so many. I can look at a painting and I can be like, oh, I don't love that. But someone else might really love that. It's all about your past, your experiences, what you like, what your preferences are and that's what makes it enjoyable for that one person. Do you know what I mean? So creativity isn't a narrow. You need to be able to paint, you need to be able to draw, sew a dress. Creativity is using your own experiences, your own values, your own preferences in life to make a piece that really reflects what you're trying to project in terms of, okay, if I'm making a skirt. I'm really trying to think about, okay, what do I need for that skirt? Right. What are my things that I can bring that change that skirt. And so it was really an understanding of, you can look at something and you might like it, but somebody else might not, and that's okay. And that's still being creative in itself. I also think I looked at creativity as a business point of view too. At the very beginning of Sage, I realized, okay, maybe I'm not as creative to be able to actually sew a whole dress and make it functional for somebody to wear, but I am creative in business. I can think of a strategy. I can think of a unique and unconventional way to bring something forward, to have a different take on this piece. And so I tapped into that creativity of the business. And slowly on the side then I started to grab a Pinterest photo. I started to draw. I started to pick up a color or touch fabrics when I was shopping and then started to really bring pieces to life. And still I can't sew, but I can. I can do a tech pack, and I can tell you what works and what doesn't. And so that's.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah, I think you're doing just fine without the sewing. So I think there's a lot that you're covering. And in the wise words of, you know, my co host on Friday episodes and my dear friend Rhiannon Joyce, two things can be true. You can be creative and analytical.

[Priya McPherson]

The amount of times I hear that from you guys on the podcast, and I think about it all the time, two things can be true. I think.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I think it's really catching on now because, like, I'll pass people and they'll be like, say, with the chairs, to, like, two things can be true. And Ray and I are like, wow, we clearly have a lot of isms. Yeah. You mentioned that Sage Avenue runs on drops and that you have that drop model and, you know, learning so much about it, and it's been a core part of your strategy from the get go. Talk to me about why you opted for that model. What drew you to it?

[Priya McPherson]

Yeah, 100%. The drop model was really where I tapped into my creativity as a business owner. So essentially, as I mentioned, Sage started with a love of vintage handbags. Right. So having that one piece that was unique, one off, and not a lot of people really had it, and it was like, I feel really cute in this. In this handbag. That was one of the reasons why I started to do the job model. Second reason was, is I hate mass consumption. I hate waste. I do not want to waste. And so I would bring out only the smallest amount that I could and what I thought would sell. And then sell it like that.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Priya McPherson]

Because I didn't want to waste and I didn't want to mass consume. So that was another reason. The third reason, and one I hold so close to my heart, is because in the Dropstar models, we sell pieces in low quantities. Right. So it sells out quite quickly. When somebody buys a handbag, it's very often that we'll get people being like, I'm so sad I missed out. Like, please let me know if you have another. And why I did that was because I wanted to encourage people to go up to others in the street who wore the handbag.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Priya McPherson]

If you have seen someone at the coffee shop wearing the handbag that you were on the laptop at 7pm trying to get and you missed out, you're like, girl, I'm so. Like, you look incredible in this handbag. I really wanted it. Like, I love the style and I wish I got it. It is encouraging a conversation. And that is why I did it, because I wanted people to go up to others and be like, I really wanted this. You look incredible in it. And start a conversation. I really wanted Sage to be like, you were wearing a jersey for a club. When you've got a Sage piece on, I want it to be as if you can just go up to the person and be like, oh, I love this. You look incredible. Let's say you're wearing a Collingwood jersey in your other coffee shop and Collingwood have just played the night before. Right. You're going up to that person being like, oh, how good did Pendlebury play? How good was this? Oh, he was shocking.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Like, you really are a Collingwood supporter. She's gone straight for the name, literally.

[Priya McPherson]

But I love them all. But you do naturally. You naturally connect to somebody because they're wearing a jersey. They're a part of something more than just that piece of clothing. And so that's what I wanted for Sage. So we designed. I actually say we because I call Sage a part of a team. So when I say we, I actually think of the business as its own. Just FYI, in case I keep saying wait, myself and Sage. So we designed it to be drop style, low quantities, so that if you saw somebody on the street, it was like wearing a jersey to a club. You would go up to them, you would say, hey, I love this. You look incredible. I'm so sad I missed out. I'm gonna get the next one.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah. I can't wait to see the next drop.

[Priya McPherson]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

And it also builds hype, which has to count for something when you're building a brand in its infancy and trying to build loyalty.

[Priya McPherson]

Totally, totally. Yeah. Hype is a form of marketing in itself. Right. A lot of people tap into that these days, because how do you cut through such a big saturated market at the moment? Hype is a great way to do it.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Absolutely. In terms of the business, what have been the biggest challenges you've faced as a small business owner?

[Priya McPherson]

For one biggest challenge would be, I'm going to go two ways. I'm going to give you a manufacturer kind of challenge and a solution, and I'm going to give you a mental one. So let's go manufacturers first. Right. Manufacturers I am. Biggest challenge was finding manufacturers that have great quality, great craftsmanship, have all the regulations and ethical obligations that I required as a business owner. Right. And somebody that you can trust and wants to build a journey with you. Right. That's hard. It's really hard because, like I said, we manufacture a little bit in Thailand and we also dabble in other places in the world, including China, which I think has a lot of stigma. But that's a story for another day. As long as you're doing it, ethically, it's okay. Anyway, I digress. Basically, finding a manufacturer can be really challenging when you're starting a business. But I have a solution for you and a recommendation.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Priya McPherson]

If you are in Australia, if you live in Australia and you want to manufacture overseas, go to the Global Sourcing Expo. It comes to Australia twice a year, comes once in July to Sydney and once in November to Melbourne. At the Exhibition Centre here in Melbourne. What it is, is people from all around the world, manufacturers from all around the world come. They bring their fabrics, they bring a spokesperson, they bring pieces that they've made before. So you can walk up and down these stalls and you can feel the fabrics, you can see what they've made. You can go to them with styles that you have made before and be like, can you make this? Let's discuss it now. By picking the fabric, you can do that in real time for international manufacturers, which I think is an incredible experience, incredible journey. One thing I will say is have a coffee before you go, because it's a long day.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

That's a really good tidbit for, I'm sure a lot of budding entrepreneurs that are listening to this podcast, thinking about, you know, they've got something that they want to make. Or maybe they've started their business and they're struggling with their manufacturer at the moment, wanting to find someone else 100%.

[Priya McPherson]

And it's not just clothes. They do swimwear, activewear, so much everything. Handbags, you name it, it's there. Go for it, girl. Go get it.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

What's been your biggest pinch me moment?

[Priya McPherson]

I actually think that my biggest pinch me moment would be genuinely seeing our everyday customers connect and wear our handbags because it makes them feel good.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Priya McPherson]

There are so many other pinch me moments. We were a part of Fashion Festival in our first year of Sage. We were in one of their showcases, which is incredible. They styled one of our handbags. That was an incredible moment for us. We've been able to sell out. Drops six times over, sell out in 10 minutes. These are all really big moments. But the thing that means the most to me is the people who wear it. Because that is why I started this. I started it to encourage you to have that inner spark, to have that inner confidence to put your shoulders back and go out and get your day. And so when I see people wearing it and doing it with a sense of confidence, but also speaking to others, that's my whole pinch me moment. That's what makes me feel good. That's what keeps me going at the end of the day. And I say that overrides any other monetary or bigger celebrities wearing it. That's my most powerful pinch me moment.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah. That's so beautiful. I love that so much. Obviously, you were at Media Agency before starting Sage Avenue. You, as you said, you bring the audience on the journey of whether you're having a good day or a bad day or a challenging day. How do you feel you've used social media as a vessel to grow and catapult your business.

[Priya McPherson]

It's been an incredible platform for me because I'm able to share the good days and the bad, the hard days and my really most vulnerable times. It really connects who I am to the people who are a part of my world. The people who are buying Sage, the people who are wanting to buy Sage, maybe they really connect the business with somebody, with somebody who experiences real life things, goes through hard days. I'm just a gal who never had experience trying to run a business. Okay. Having social media in my back pocket has been an incredible way for me to bridge the gap between digital and physical connection.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Priya McPherson]

How can I connect with people? How can I actually show people that I am just really trying? And I am learning this as I go and I want to Share my vulnerable bits and I want to connect with you. Sage is an E commerce business. We are digital. That is my way of connecting. That is my way of sharing. That is my way of being vulnerable. And it is a connection from digital to physical connection. It's really important. It's also another platform for me to share my thoughts and share myself. Because as I said before, Sage is its own business, its own identity, and social media as its own, allows me to also be me. It's very easy to get wrapped up in your business and you identify with that. This allows me to be me. It allows me to show you my family, my law, my law side of things. The fact that I went to court the other day, people love, like, you know, sharing the real life experiences that I have as a human being and giving my, my little Sage pieces of advice.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Right.

[Priya McPherson]

So when I say Sage, I mean somebody who's wise, a prophet, someone who comes with a wealth of knowledge. And that's in essence why I named Sage what it is. But truly being able to share my experiences as a human, as an individual, and being able to give my solutions, which might not be 100% correct, it's not always wise, but it's what I'm doing and it's what I'm trying to do. And so having social media platform allows me to be an independent person and apart from the business, share my life. But equally it allows me to bridge the gap between digital and physical connection.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah. And so I guess kind of fronting the business and being the face of the business. Did you ever grapple with that decision? I know we've spoken a lot on the podcast about, I guess, the rise of female facing founders and the absolute wins and I guess momentum that can come with that, but also the volatility of that. Did you ever kind of grapple with that or you were always like, sage is me. I am Sage. I'm willing to put myself forward for that brand.

[Priya McPherson]

No, of course I struggled with it and I can appreciate how so many people do. It's hard being the face of your business and being so open and being so vulnerable. You're open to a lot more scrutiny if it doesn't work. You're the face of the brand and that plays with you, that plays in your mind. I understand. It is a really hard thing to do. Yeah, I struggled with it at the beginning, but at the end of the day, it has been to my absolute benefit. It has allowed me to connect so much further. It has allowed me to show myself that I can Push past sticky moments that even if I get a bad comment, I can react in my own way. I have control. As long as you're doing everything in alignment with who you are as an individual, it is such a powerful tool to be the base of your business. And so it was hard. It was hard. But if I can encourage anybody, I would say, try and do it.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah, try. Be brave. Move through the sticky.

[Priya McPherson]

Be brave. You can do it. At the end of the day, like I said, you're going to come off a better person because of it. You would have pushed past sticky moments. You would have shown yourself you can do something that you thought you couldn't do before.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Priya McPherson]

How incredible is that?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

That's such sage advice.

[Priya McPherson]

There you go.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

See what I did there? All right, last few questions. What do you think has been the most important thing you've learned about brand building?

[Priya McPherson]

Okay, I've got one. Most important thing I've learned about brand building is that confidence is a product of action. It's not a prerequisite of action. Brand building, as I said, I've come off the back foot of not knowing anything. I've had to build my confidence during it. And I often waited for the right moment and the confidence to come before I did something. Before I actioned a bulk to be placed, before I put an order through, before I replied to a customer, before I sent an email off, before I did anything, I was like, I need my confidence here. I need to, like, have a little boost right now. But what I've learned in brand building and being the face of the brand is the more you do something, the more confidence you get.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Priya McPherson]

You don't wait for the confidence. It's not a prerequisite to doing something, to doing your action. Does that make sense? And so when you're building the brand, the most important thing that I have really taken in my stride is when I don't feel like I can do it, I still do it anyway. Because if I do it, that builds confidence.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Absolutely.

[Priya McPherson]

Does that make sense?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Priya McPherson]

And so I think for me, brand building, I can't give you a piece of advice because I can't give you a specific, like, do this so that you get this.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Priya McPherson]

I did it in such a way, in such an unconventional way where strategy wasn't really a thing in my mind, and I had underlining ideas and strategies and thoughts, but I didn't have this, like, one strict strategy. And I need to do this. So I can't. I'm not going to sit here and tell you, you need to do this to get this. What I'm going to tell you as a piece of advice and something I've learned through brand building is confidence is a product of action. It's not a prerequisite for it. And that's my most important thing that I've learned through it.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

There's been so many great pieces of advice. I think our audience are going to absolutely love all of these little pearls of wisdom. Before we finish, I'd love to know what is next for 2026? What's next for you? What's next for Sage Avenue?

[Priya McPherson]

Okay. I am so excited for 2026. There is so much happening. I finish my law degree next week.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Fantastic.

[Priya McPherson]

Congratulations. So exciting. I'm very beyond excited. Sage. I have so many ideas. We have a really exciting collaboration coming up. We have more handbag drops, of course. Would be rude of me not to give that to the people. We have so many more activations, really focusing on our family, which is our Sage community, our Sage familia, doing more events. We've got a lot more apparel so growing. And then also my biggest, biggest goal is to take Sage International. I really want to hit the Europe, the Europe area. I'm coming for you. I'm excited.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Look out, Paris. She's coming.

[Priya McPherson]

Yes.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

To finish off, we love a hot take here at Stylish and we love ending all of our face to face interviews with one. So tell us, what's your most controversial hot take?

[Priya McPherson]

My most controversial hot take is sending voice notes to your customers. What I did when I first started Sage is in our DMs and our direct messages. When someone would be like, hey, like I need some help with some sizing. I'd be like, oh, hey, so what do you usually wear? Do you want oversized? Do you want a bit more slimmer? What's your vibe like? Give me some more feedback and I'll tell you. And then she'll reply with a voice message and connecting that way and sending the voice notes. So unconventional. I mean, what business is probably thinking, I'm gonna send a voice message back. But it was so incredible. It meant that I could share more with the individual but also connect and act as if I was their best friend in the journey. You know how you liked your best friend? What size do you think I should get in these pants? I was the best friend there and I loved it and I loved the journey. So if anything, my hot take would be do something different. For me, it was sending voice notes to my customers. It was helping boyfriends try to get their girlfriend a handbag that they missed out on because it sold out in five minutes. I'm going above and beyond for you and I'm making sure that you feel like this experience is like you're going through it with a best friend. So my hot take is voice notes. Become the best friend voice notes and

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

become your customer's best friend. What a great piece of advice for anyone building a brand.

[Priya McPherson]

There you go.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Priya, thank you so much. This has been such a great chat and I know our audience will absolutely love it. Thank you for joining us for Face to Face.

[Priya McPherson]

Thank you so much for having me. Thank you very, very much. So grateful to be here. This podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri land. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.

[Rhea]

Hello guys, it's Rhea here from Stylish Friday Episodes. On our latest Friday episode, Mads and I actually cover the rise of illegal peptides that are taking over our TikTok TikTok feeds. They are absolutely everywhere. I cannot escape this content. We cover the full story on what peptides actually are, why we think they're on the rise, and the pressure we're all feeling as this conversation circles around. It's on our Internet feeds, it's in the media, it's even bleeding into our catch ups with girlfriends on the weekends. So safe to say, it is everywhere. Look out for the episode it's titled Are Peptides all over your feed too? On the stylish feed.