From Side Hustle to 11 Stores - How Stacey Fraser Bootstrapped Pink Chicken

Summary

Superwomen with Rebecca Minkoff
Episode: From Side Hustle to 11 Stores — How Stacey Fraser Bootstrapped Pink Chicken
Air Date: April 30, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this candid and heartfelt conversation, Rebecca Minkoff welcomes Stacey Fraser, founder of Pink Chicken, to share the journey from a designer’s creative side hustle to running an 11-store retail brand. The episode dives deep into the joys and tribulations of being a female founder, the realities of bootstrapping a business, the emotional cost of leadership, and the power of community and resilience. Through practical advice and personal anecdotes, Stacey and Rebecca explore what it means to build an authentic brand while navigating the challenges of business and motherhood—with no filters.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Stacey’s Path from Corporate Design to Entrepreneurship

• Background:
  • Stacey spent her early career designing for major brands: Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Gap, and Baby Gap.
  • "Once I had... my nephew was born, there was this opportunity at Baby Gap to come be one of the first designers there." (03:42, Stacey Fraser)
  • Stepped out of the corporate world after her second daughter was born, seeking a creative outlet compatible with family life.
• Origin of Pink Chicken:
  • Started as a side hustle making dresses for her daughters from collected fabrics.
  • Discovered a market gap between character-driven kids’ clothes and formal preppy options.
  • "Somebody said, oh, you're like an accidental entrepreneur. I'm like, yeah, that's kind of the story." (15:07, Stacey Fraser)
  • First major retail order came spontaneously: "She put an order in on the spot. And I was like, oh my gosh, I think there's a business to be had here." (15:07, Stacey Fraser)

Building a Brand & World-Building

• Learning Brand Creation:
  • Stacey’s experiences in entrepreneurial divisions within big corporations taught her invaluable lessons about branding.
• Organic Brand Identity:
  • Pink Chicken’s joyful, beach-inspired “world” naturally evolved from Stacey’s personality and values.
  • Stores are intentionally designed to be welcoming and playful—kids are encouraged to touch, play, and feel at home.
  • "We want it to be a fun experience for, like, kids and moms." (06:26, Stacey Fraser)

Bootstrapping: The Truth Behind the Hustle

• Loneliness and Stress:
  • Bootstrapping meant full responsibility—no outside investors, cash flow chaos, and regular moments of emotional overwhelm.
  • "Every one of those meetings ended in tears. It’s difficult, but I think it’s given us discipline and authenticity." (07:43, Stacey Fraser)
  • Choice and sacrifice: “You need the people to get the revenue, but don’t have the revenue to pay the people—it’s like a game of chess.” (09:06, Stacey Fraser)
  • Creative solutions included hiring consultants for expertise gaps, only formalizing roles once the business could afford them.
  • Rebecca echoes the emotional toll: "It's, what's it called? Sophie's Choice... Who are we going to pay today?" (08:59, Rebecca Minkoff)

Crisis Navigation: Tariffs, COVID, and Cash Flow

• Resilience in Hard Times:
  • Survived tariffs, pandemic retail closures, and business uncertainty through quick adaptation and tenacity.
  • “I was like, in the store with a mask, like taking phone orders... FaceTiming people...[making] a few hundred dollars a day.” (11:08, Stacey Fraser)
  • PPP loans helped preserve jobs, but creativity and customer connection were the keys to weathering crises.

Opening & Running Stores: Lessons Learned

• Growth Approach:
  • Expansion was slow and intentional; "We waited... it took us a while to really learn how to run them efficiently." (12:22, Stacey Fraser)
  • Store personnel are hired for culture as much as skill.
  • “Holding out for the right people... they’re the face of the company in the real life experience.” (13:50, Stacey Fraser)
  • Integration of design, retail, and operations is seen as crucial for success: "We’re one big happy family these days." (14:53, Stacey Fraser)

The Emotional Realities of Leadership

• The Weight of Responsibility:
  • Solo founder stress: “It’s like the responsibility of taking care of the business and the people and, you know, missing out on a lot also with your friendships.” (18:05, Stacey Fraser)
  • Pride in building a resilient team, but the emotional burden is heavy and sometimes tearful.
• Motherhood Guilt & Work-Life Reflections:
  • Balancing work and family means inevitable sacrifice, but children notice and appreciate the example of resilience set by their mothers.
  • "My daughter Belle gave me a book... And she said something like watching my mom chase her dream and also like her resilience and hard work." (19:27, Stacey Fraser)
  • Rebecca shares her own moments of feeling guilty but also the hope that, with time, kids understand the lessons.

Friendship & Self-Care for Founders

• Sacrifices and Adjustments:
  • Stacey admits to cutting out much of her social life for the first 15 years; she now prioritizes workouts with friends.
  • Rebecca talks about finally learning to “show up” for friendships, despite the guilt that lingers.

Evolving Leadership & Structural Change

• Bringing in a CEO:
  • Five years ago, Stacey hired Dana as CEO, helping her manage the split between creativity and business execution.
• Flexible, Family-Friendly Work Culture:
  • Introduced 9–5 or 10–6 hours; three days a week in-office—a more humane post-COVID work setup.
  • “...knowing like how much I cherish those small moments...we have at our company where you can either work 9 to 5 or 10 to 6...” (24:58, Stacey Fraser)

Forward Vision and Brand Expansion

• Store Growth & Community Hubs:
  • Intends to expand retail footprint, focusing on community-driven, high-touch, main street locations.
  • “...People really want in-real-life experiences...there’s nothing, nothing beats personal connection and staying close to the people you're serving.” (25:29, Stacey Fraser)
• Product Line & Collaborations:
  • Major collaboration with West Elm for children’s home products—ongoing and expanding.
  • Hints at exciting future projects but doesn’t reveal details.

Milestones and Gratitude

• 20th Anniversary Reflection:
  • Pink Chicken celebrates 20 years in business this month.
  • “...just looking back on—sorry. I've been really reflective...how can we celebrate and how do we include our community? Because we're here because of them. And I just feel... so much gratitude to the team and the community.” (27:36, Stacey Fraser)

Building Sticky Customer Experiences

• Distinct In-Store Experience:
  • Stores are “community hubs” where kids can interact with products, and events create connections.
  • “Kids... go through the racks, picking their outfits out…and... just leave with it on.” (29:04, Stacey Fraser)
• Omnichannel Approach:
  • Believes in meeting the customer wherever they are, both online and in stores but insists the website isn’t going anywhere.

Emotional Support and Female Community

• Mentorship:
  • Monthly meetings with mentor Andrea provide industry-specific emotional support.
  • Active member in the Female Founder Collective—“I felt seen, I felt heard. I had somebody to talk to... It's been really incredible.” (30:27, Stacey Fraser)
• Perceptions vs. Reality:
  • Dismisses glamorous misconceptions; most of the work is behind the scenes and demanding.
  • "Girl, no, I'm grinding in the city. I am creating, designing clothes, manufacturing them, dealing with tariffs..." (31:19, Stacey Fraser)

Final Advice from Stacey Fraser

• “You need to hire for the skills that you don’t have or you’ll never succeed. Like, I could never run this company without the incredible team that we have. I would say stay true to who you are, stay connected to the people you are serving...prioritize family, prioritize the small moments, the small joyful moments.” (32:41, Stacey Fraser)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "I made a couple dresses, and somebody knew Stephanie Greenfield from Scoop...she put an order in on the spot. And I was like, oh my gosh, I think there's a business to be had here." (15:07, Stacey Fraser)
• “Every one of those meetings ended in tears. It’s difficult, but I think it's given us discipline and authenticity because we can be who we are.” (07:43, Stacey Fraser)
• “It's like the responsibility of taking care of the business and the people and, you know, missing out on a lot also with your friendships.” (18:05, Stacey Fraser)
• “You don't want to put it on anybody else, and it's hard for people to understand.” (30:51, Stacey Fraser)
• “If you can, early on, like, give yourself this time and the space and the grace to make mistakes, learn from them, prioritize family, prioritize the small moments, the small joyful moments.” (32:41, Stacey Fraser)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Stacey’s Background & Pink Chicken Origins: 03:42 – 05:10
• Brand World-Building & In-Store Philosophy: 05:10 – 06:59
• Bootstrapping Hardships Deep Dive: 07:17 – 09:45
• Surviving Tariffs and COVID: 10:11 – 11:55
• Growth to 11 Stores & Team-Building: 12:16 – 14:53
• Emotional Costs & Family Reflections: 17:34 – 20:03
• Work/Life Balance & Flexible Company Culture: 22:23 – 24:58
• Store Experience and Community: 25:29 – 29:49
• Mentorship & Founder Support: 29:49 – 30:51
• Advice to Female Founders: 32:33 – 33:10

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Takeaways

This episode is a must-listen for:

• Entrepreneurs considering bootstrapping
• Women balancing family and business ambitions
• Anyone wanting a behind-the-scenes look at building a joyful, resilient brand
• Listeners seeking honest founder advice and uplifting stories of perseverance

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Where to Find Pink Chicken:
Website: pinkchicken.com
Instagram: @pinkchickenny
11 retail stores nationwide (locations on website)

“Stay true to who you are, stay connected to the people you are serving, and prioritize the small joyful moments.” – Stacey Fraser (32:41)

Transcript

[LinkedIn Hiring Pro Narrator]

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[Rebecca Minkoff]

[e-mail] superw that's LinkedIn.com super super w terms and conditions apply.

[Stacy Fraser]

I was like, oh my gosh, I think there's a business to be had here. So it started from just wanting to do something as a side hustle and then the joy that I got from it and seeing customers wearing your clothes and seeing kids skip down the street, like feeling confident in what you created. Also building a team of women who are like strong and share the same passion. Like, it gets kind of addictive.

[Podcast Host]

Hey everyone. Welcome back to Superwomen. Today's guest is Stacy Fraser, the founder of Pink Chicken. If you've not heard of Pink Chicken, they make the most divine and delicious kids. Close, but also amazing. You name it. DOB kits, women's dresses, clothing, tops. I'm a huge fan. We talk about what it's like to be lonely as a founder, how it can be hard and awesome at the same time. And some innovative things she's doing to keep her stores humming and successful. Take a listen.

[Stacy Fraser]

It's like the responsibility of taking care of the business and the people and, you know, missing out on a lot. Also with your friendships at the same time, it's one of my proudest moments is we have this, like, incredible, really incredible team, and I just want to do right by them.

[Podcast Host]

The hardship of what you just talked about, but that there's two things can be true at the same time. Like you said, the joy of it and the fulfillment of it. But, like, this is a lot.

[Stacy Fraser]

Have a passion and love what you're doing and love your community and your team. Otherwise, it's not worth it.

[Rebecca Minkoff]

I'm Rebecca Minkoff, and this is Superwomen. Each week, inspiring women are interviewed to uncover the unexpected journeys, the challenges, and the unwavering spirit that makes them powerful. Get ready to be motivated by stories of resilience and discover the keys to unlocking your own potential.

[Podcast Host]

Stacey, welcome to the podcast.

[Stacy Fraser]

Thank you so much for having me. It's such an honor. I've been listening for a long time.

[Podcast Host]

Yay. Well, sorry, everyone. You have to listen to my karaoke voice. I had a little too much fun on Sunday, but I'm here for it. So let's start at the beginning of Pink Chicken. I've been a fan since I became a mom, but you make more than children's clothes. You have amazing apparel for women, which I also now own. So what gave you the idea and what were you doing before?

[Stacy Fraser]

What was I doing before? So I spent my career in design, first with adults, so Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Gap, all the kind of big brands, corporate brands, I should say. Once I had. My nephew was born, there was this opportunity at Baby Gap to come be one of the first designers there. So I did that Baby Gap, and then I left there and I went to Tommy Hilfiger, where I actually started their infant and toddler collection, and then back leading the design team at Old Navy before I left the corporate world to start Pink Chicken. So it was right after my second daughter was born and realizing that I couldn't work like that anymore and wanted to kind of find something to have a creative outlet, but, you know, be more present with my family. And so kind of.

[Podcast Host]

So you started to start a business and spend so much time with your family, right?

[Stacy Fraser]

Yes. Which is like probably the oppos opposite. Like, if you. It's like if you knew that I

[Podcast Host]

was like, that's weird. That doesn't sound right.

[Stacy Fraser]

Well, I didn't. I didn't really set out to start a.

[Podcast Host]

Like a.

[Stacy Fraser]

A large company. I just wanted kind of a creative outlet on the side and to do something I was passionate about, which was I started making dresses for my Girls with fabrics I had collected. And. And then people started saying like, oh, that's so cute. Where did you get that? I then recognizing there was like this white space between these like character driven clothing, like, or basics or like really pristine preppy things and wanting to fill that, fill that need. And so that's how it started.

[Podcast Host]

And did you feel like the world building experience you got from the Ralph Lauren that helped you build the world of pig chicken? And let's.

[LinkedIn Hiring Pro Narrator]

I want to go into world building

[Podcast Host]

because it's like a buzzword right now.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

And I think every brand is trying to be like, well, what's my world? Right, so tell me what shaped that? And then how you built the pink chicken world?

[Stacy Fraser]

Well, it was interesting because I was in these larger corporations, but I was in smaller entrepreneurial divisions within a bigger corporation. I really learned a lot about building a brand from, like, how to create the labels, how to create like a logo. So that gave me a lot of experience in just actually building the brand. But I think for Pink Chicken, it's just so much who I am and who the company is that it's the world of it just. Just became natural. It's just kind of like who I am and like, born at the beach. I love the beach. She will always find me on the beach in Amaganzet. Yeah. So I don't really think of it like that much. It's just became it kind of organically evolved, I guess.

[Podcast Host]

I think it's so intuitive because you walk into your stores and it is this world of happiness and joy and curation and then other stores, you're just like, okay, it's a store. And I think that's a unique aspect to why I feel like you've done so well.

[Stacy Fraser]

Thank you so much for saying that. And I just remember we were once in a children's store with my girls when they were little, and the shop owner said, oh, don't touch that. And I was like, wow, this is a toy store. What an awful experience. I'm never coming back. And so I think that, like, for us, we really try to, like, make it welcoming, hopefully. The clothes are very colorful and joyful. We have our own wallpaper in the stores and we have things down low so kids can touch them and play with them. And we want it to be a fun experience for, like, kids and moms.

[Podcast Host]

I'm happy you say that because when my kids come into your store, I'm like, oh, we're about to destroy this place. And everyone's so calm and I'm like, they're too calm. They're letting them do this. Yeah, it's pretty unique because most like the store in East Hampton that I will say will remain nameless is like, don't touch anything from the minute you walk into the store.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Okay, so we talked before the podcast about the hardships of bootstrapping and being a solo founder, so I'd love to go deep on that.

[Stacy Fraser]

Oh, gosh. Okay. Yes.

[Podcast Host]

If the tears come, they come, but not enough women are talking about how difficult it is to bootstrap. Most people I talk to are either fundraising or drunk on the Kool Aid that fundraising gives them. So tell me what it's like starting with that.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah, it's really hard. And, you know, like, at first, it's exciting because you don't have anybody telling you what to do, and you're really, like, doing what you want and being true to who you are as a company. And then as you, like, begin to grow, you know, your production lines get bigger, and then there's a cash flow situation where you need the cash to produce the goods before you get paid by your customers. And I feel like that's, like, a really stressful, hard part. I remember when we were starting to grow maybe 10 years ago, we. I would sit down with my finance guy, and we would make a list of who do we owe this week? And we would like, okay, we can pay them, and we'd cross them off the list. And I think every one of those meetings ended in tears. It's difficult, but I think it's given us discipline and authenticity because we can be who we are.

[Podcast Host]

I'll never get rid of the feeling of, like, I don't want to owe anyone any money. You know, the minute I get a bill, I'm like, oh, let me pay it. Let me pay it for any part of my business. I mean, I don't own Rebecca Minkoff anymore, but on my other businesses, I'm like, pay the bill. Pay the bill. Because that is so ingrained about how terrible those moments are when. When you're bootstrapping and it's like, every dollar accounts, and it's. It's. What's it called? Sophie's Choice.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Who are we going to pay today?

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

And then who am I going to call and be like, sorry. Yeah, you know, it's. It's really a lot harder than anyone imagines.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah, it really is. And then, you know, you like what comes first because you need more people. You need, like, expertise that you don't have, but you don't have the revenue to support it. But you need those people to get the revenue. So like a game of chess where you're like trying to figure it out. And one of the things we did is we hired consultants to kind of bridge those gaps of skill set that we didn't have. And that gave us spend a little bit less money. And then ultimately those consultants would help us hire somebody in that role once we got the revenue to where we needed to be. But today it's, It's. You know, we're constantly looking at every penny that we spend.

[Rebecca Minkoff]

Hey everyone, sorry for the quick pause. I want to something really exciting. Superwoman has a brand new YouTube channel. It's still under construction, but big things are coming in 2026. You'll find past episodes, new episodes, and some bonus content I cannot wait for you to see. Just search SuperWoman Media on YouTube and hit subscribe so you don't miss a thing.

[LinkedIn Hiring Pro Narrator]

Okay, back to the pod.

[Podcast Host]

And you've weathered some storms. Like, I remember one of the last time I saw you, the tariffs hit.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

And you were like, well, I guess we have to bring it in because everything was made.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[LinkedIn Hiring Pro Narrator]

So how.

[Podcast Host]

What. What gets you through those moments? Because you seemed very calm, even though.

[Stacy Fraser]

Did I?

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Stacy Fraser]

Maybe internally I was dying inside probably. No, I mean, it's like first Covid. Right. And we all, everybody dealt with that, obviously. But at the time we had like five retail stores or four retail stores and then our office lease. And I was like, what am I going to do? You know? And I have a whole team of people and I take a. A real serious responsibility in taking care of the people on our team. And I was like calling our landlords. And one landlord said, okay, we'll abate the rent. One landlord said, no, you need to continue to pay rent. And it's like, what am I going to do? And I don't know how we got through it. The PPP loan helped in that instance, and we kept all of our employees. Wow. And then at full pay.

[Podcast Host]

No.

[Stacy Fraser]

Okay. For like two months, I think we had decreased compensation, but we kept our store employees paid. Wow. Yeah. And then, so then, you know, for a while, the web, there was nothing happening on the web because everyone was so freaked out. And then once people started shopping online, business started to take off again. But we got really creative about getting in touch with our customer, like in our stores. I was like in the store with a mask, like taking phone orders. Like, remember, it was Easter. We were trying to put Together, easter baskets and FaceTiming people. And like, like every sale, like, we would maybe make a few hundred dollars a day. But it was. I think what it taught us then, too, was, like, how to be present for your customer. And so even though it was awful and difficult, we, like, we were, like, there for each other.

[Podcast Host]

I love that you knew exactly, like, go to the store, make the packages, FaceTime, like, Old School, Main Street USA type of support and service, which in a way we did too. Not exactly, but I had, you know, we had our ways of connecting with our customer, and it just forges a relationship that they're just like, when you're reopening, I'm coming back.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

So then you decide after Covid to open a fifth store or how far after that. Yes.

[Stacy Fraser]

I think you know what we actually do. We have five stores. We waited. So, like, you know, retail is not an easy.

[Podcast Host]

It's not easy.

[Stacy Fraser]

It's, like, super fun. And we love our stores, their community hubs. But we had five stores, and once we had five open, it took us a while to really learn how to run them efficiently. And, like, from management, from inventory planning, from hiring people, training people, standard operating procedures. So I feel like it took us, like, a long time to figure that out. At the same time, we're growing our wholesale business. So it wasn't until two years ago that we actually opened six more. I think we took the time to perfect kind of and understand what we were doing.

[Podcast Host]

And then did you bring in consultants for that? Because I know when we had our stores, personnel was a total nightmare. Like, you'd bring in a store manager, you think they had a good book, which for those listening, is the list of their customers. Then they'd leave in a year, and then the salespeople are always changing over. And it just was like, how do you. How does anyone get this right? And I'm scared to reopen, to be honest. So what would you say were your superpowers in that moment or now that you know what to do?

[Stacy Fraser]

Well, first of all, it's negotiating a good lease so that there's less pressure, you know, in the. In the daily. But I think, like, one of the things we do is we hire for culture at our company. Like, obviously, skill set. But I think that culture and attitude is where we. We pay as much. There's.

[Podcast Host]

We.

[Stacy Fraser]

We weigh it as much as we do. And I think holding out for the right people, because not only are they there to sell and make the store profitable, but they're there to connect with Your community, and they're the. They're the face of the company in the real life experience. So I think, like, really finding good talent is. Is really important and then giving them the autonomy and the freedom to really run their stores. And also they're connected. A lot of retail stores aren't connected to a brand and keeping them. The more we started, like, combining retail and the rest of the company, the more successful we were.

[Podcast Host]

Right. Because everything is one system.

[Stacy Fraser]

It's all connected, and we all support each other. And like. Like, it starts with the design team, and then it ends up at the end in the retail. And like, them having the story of where things came and came about and the reason behind some of the things and giving them tools to sell. And it also helps them feel connected. And we are who we are because of them as well. So we're one big happy family these days.

[Podcast Host]

I love that.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

So when you originally had this idea, I just want to make things for my daughter and spend more time with her. There's the dream, and then there's the reality. So when did the reality catch up with the dream and did it change at all?

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah, I think, like, initially it really, truly was like, I want to have a creative outlet. Maybe I was lucky enough in the. In the position where my husband had a stable job and where I didn't have to worry as much about making being profitable right away. Although we were pretty quickly. But I wanted just to do something on the side. And so someone said, oh, you're like an accidental entrepreneur. I'm like, yeah, that's kind of the story. But I. I made a couple dresses, and somebody knew Stephanie Greenfield from Scoop, and my friend Anna, I think, introduced us, and she said, just go take your dresses to her and see what she says. And so I did, and she put an order in on the spot. And I was like, oh, my gosh, I think there's a business to be had here. So it started from just wanting to do something as a side hustle, and then the joy that I got from it and seeing customers wearing your clothes and seeing kids skip down the street, like, feeling confident in what you created and. And then also building a team of women who are, like, strong and share the same passion. Like, it gets kind of addictive. And I remember people are like, oh, when your kids get older, like, you're going to be out of that phase and you're. Are you going to keep the company? And it was like, I truly love kids. I love the purity and the innocence and the joyfulness and, like, so it's kind of just evolved in that way, I guess.

[Podcast Host]

You have to love kids to do what you do.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I said to my friend the other day, I was like, I like my kids, but I don't know that I like a lot of other people's children.

[Stacy Fraser]

That's so funny. I do. You know, I connect with kids in a. In a way, and I see their, like, innocence and their, like, purity and, like. Yeah, like, we go to photo shoots, and some kids are nicer than others, and some are hiding under the table, and some are being. But, like, there's a reason behind all that, and they're just learning to be humans. And I think something I. I love and connect to about that and feel just, like, so grateful that we can be a part of people's lives, so.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, my daughter was a big fan.

[Stacy Fraser]

We loved having Bowie do her craft project in the Amaganzit store. Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Okay. So let's transition into how you spend your day, because I know you oversee creative and the business. Those are two very different worlds. How do you. How do you do that?

[Stacy Fraser]

About five years ago, I hired a CEO, Dana, who is incredible. And, like. Well, you know, it's like carrying the weight of the company by yourself and being a solo founder is. It's a lot.

[Podcast Host]

It's a lot.

[Stacy Fraser]

It's a lot. And start crying. But when I feel.

[Podcast Host]

What's the biggest part of. Would you say. It's a lot, like, tell me the. The biggest part of that that, like, brings you to tears because so many women are struggling with this. Like, everyone at Female Founder Collective.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah, it's the. Oh, my God. Sorry. It's like the responsibility of. Oh, my gosh. Of taking care of the business and the people and, you know, missing out on a lot also with your friendships. Oh, my gosh. Yeah. It's just the weight of, like, being so responsible. We have 11 leases. We have 25 employees in house. We have another 40. I feel a lot of responsibility for those people, for our team. And at the same time, it's one of my proudest moments is we have this, like, incredible, really incredible team, and I just want to do right by them.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Stacy Fraser]

And by the company. I feel like we've created this, like, brand that we love and that people love, and it's like, I want to just do right by Pink Chicken. Oh, my God. And, you know, one of the things, though, that I have focused on is. And, like, when you have your own company is being present for your family. And my daughter Belle gave me a book for Christmas that you like, kind of fill in the things. And it was like, what do you remember most about growing up? And she said something like watching my mom chase her dream and. And also like her. What'd you say? Resilience and hard work.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, my God.

[Stacy Fraser]

I know.

[Podcast Host]

Did that take some of the, like, weight off of it? A little bit.

[Stacy Fraser]

A little bit, yeah. And I see my kids, you know, they see you being like, purposeful and they see you working hard and being resilient in business and as a human being. And I think that's helped shape who they are. I'm really proud of both of them. Belle is a multi media producer for the Boston Bruins who just made the playoffs, which I never thought I would would be supporting the Bruins as a Rangers. Lifelong Rangers fan. And then my daughter Sadie is a dancer and she's getting her BFA in commercial dance right now.

[Podcast Host]

Wow.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Well, it's nice that they had better things to say about you than mine. For Mother's Day two years ago, there was like a. I love my mom because my mom's favorite thing to do is work. And I was gutted. I sat there going, that's what they think I love more than them, you know.

[Stacy Fraser]

But I will say, like, my kids are 20 and 24 now. And I think that, like, at that time, maybe they think that. But I think that what you probably don't realize that they don't realize is what you're teaching them a lot of amazing skills. And then as they get older, they can see it and appreciate it and see it in themselves. So give it some time. I hope so, because I saw that

[Podcast Host]

and I was like, next year I better get a better reporter.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

My mom's favorite things to do is love me or whatever or be with me.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I think what's hard as a woman. Cause I don't have any other use case. Is the hardship of what you just talked about. But that there's two things can be true at the same time. Like, it's like the joy of it and the fulfillment of it. But like, fuck, this is a lot. And then constantly being like, why does it have to be both?

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah, it's so true. I mean, the joy of it. Yes. Like, this was a really fun thing on Sunday. Rory's daughter from the Masters was wearing pink chicken. And all the photos. And we were like, oh my God, she's wearing pink chicken. Poppy's wearing pink chicken. And the best part of it was we had so many Customers and so many of our wholesale partners and friends and high school people DMing us and texting me, oh, my God, Poppy's wearing pink chicken. And like, that was amazing. Right? And you have the joy. And it's like two things are true at the same time. They just are.

[Podcast Host]

I know. And I think a lot of people aren't prepared for that slap of reality.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

It's two things. Always.

[Stacy Fraser]

Always. And some days, you know, it's more joyful and the highs are really high and the lows are really low. So, yeah, you gotta. You have to be. Have a passion and love what you're doing and love your community and your team. Otherwise it's not worth it.

[Podcast Host]

And you. You referenced sacrificing friendship, which I've also sacrificed friends and time with them because I just don't know where to fit it in. Like, we just took a trip. I went to LA for two days for work. I had 24 hours at home. And then I was like going to a friend's 50th and I was like, normally I would have said no. Right. Because now it's a week. And then I was, I'm here. But I was there.

[Stacy Fraser]

When did you start prioritizing? Like, I mean, it's hard to.

[Podcast Host]

This year was like, I have to make time for the friends.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

And it's still new for me and it still feels fully ridden with guilt.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

So have you felt found a way to navigate that?

[Stacy Fraser]

I think so. I feel like the first. This sounds crazy. 15 years. Like, I just had my head down and you have your close friends that you see, but you do feel like. And I would say no to everything because at the time I didn't have the team to support me and I was just doing everything. But a while ago I said, I'm just going to start saying yes to birthday lunches and I can't do all of them now. And I do still wish I was going out to lunch or learning how to play mahjong or doing some of the things that they all do. And I. You have to get comfortable in, like, being okay with that and not feeling sad about it all the time that you're missing these connections. But I do really try to make an effort. I have a group that I work out with in the mornings.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, I love that. Yeah.

[Stacy Fraser]

A group of girlfriends. So it's great because I used to say, oh, I can't go because it's. It starts at 9 o', clock, but it's like my. It's what I love And I get to socialize and also release stress and continue to try to stay fit.

[Podcast Host]

You know, it still blows my mind that all the way up to Covid, I felt like I had to be at the office at 9 and set the example and I can't work out and I can't do this. And two days a week I'll sneak in the office at 9:15. And I'm like, what the fuck? It's your fucking company. It's my goddamn name.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

And why do we feel this way?

[Stacy Fraser]

I know.

[Podcast Host]

It's so messed up.

[Stacy Fraser]

It is. And it's. I think it's the leading by example thing, but also like it's leading my

[Podcast Host]

example into a grave of. I know I would get home at 6:45. Yes. Okay. And that was early.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yes.

[Podcast Host]

Wild.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yes. And like we'd be at work at 8 or 8:30. And I remember not being able to walk my daughter's. Well at that time, my oldest daughter to school until I started Pink Chicken. And now things have definitely shifted. Like we. And one of the other things she said in the. The book is if I could go back, I would go back to us holding hands, walking to school and singing songs. And I'm like, oh, thank God I was able to make that pivot. But for us, like, because of that and knowing like how much I cherish those small moments, like walking your child to school, we have at our company where you can either work 9 to 5 or 10 to 6. And then we're also three days a week in the office. So it's a much friendlier workplace than it was when we were starting out. And definitely when I was, you know. Yeah, we worked crazy hours. We 60, 70 hours a week, 10 o' clock at night, weekends.

[Podcast Host]

Like, I know, I wish I could look back and be like, you know what? No one else is doing it. But we could have survived on 10 to 5.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah. But okay, yeah, we learned a lot, right? Like, we learned a lot about probably hard work, grit, resilience, like all those things that maybe help us be stronger founders. This is true because of it. Like, that's what I'm telling myself.

[Podcast Host]

That is that I. That's what I'm going to tell myself. So where do you see Pink Chicken going? Do you want more stores? Do you want a bigger product line? Will you ever license any categories or like, you know.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah, I think the store definitely want to expand our fleet. Like we found a real formula to opening stores and the last six that we opened, we kind of looked at main Streets Outdoor shopping centers and kind of trying to prove our concept in different areas. And so we feel really excited about opening more stores. They really, truly are community hubs. Like being in the stores is in connecting with the customer and it's a way also like people really want in real life experiences and like, yes, you can connect and everything's like AI and data driven, but there's nothing, nothing beats personal connection and staying close to the people you're serving.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Stacy Fraser]

And so I think our stores give us the ability to do that as far as licensing. Well, we're really excited. We're expanding our collaboration with West Elm. So we launched in February. We did an amazing Easter and then spring collection. We did kind of a whole room, kids, bedding, rugs, curtains. We have a new one of the West Elm launching in another month.

[Podcast Host]

Oh my gosh.

[Stacy Fraser]

And then some exciting plans for next year.

[Podcast Host]

Oh my gosh. Yeah. That's so exciting.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I love the West Elm collabs. They're always and for kids. It's great.

[Stacy Fraser]

It's great. And they're one of the most incredible companies that we've worked with. Like such great company and great people.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Stacy Fraser]

And we, you know, high standards and you know, color, creativity, all the things that we care about. I love that family.

[Podcast Host]

And you can't talk about what's coming next year.

[Stacy Fraser]

No, no. But I'm excited.

[Podcast Host]

Okay. Yeah. Awesome. Is there anything that I didn't ask you that you wanted to talk about?

[Stacy Fraser]

This is our 20 year anniversary this month. Oh my gosh. Yes.

[Podcast Host]

Okay, let's. Wow. Okay.

[Stacy Fraser]

Isn't that crazy?

[Podcast Host]

That's crazy.

[Stacy Fraser]

I know. I remember when we moved our Madison Avenue store and we, we had to sign a 10 year lease and I thought, oh my God, 10 years. Like how is. Am I gonna be around for 10 years? Like it was such a scary thing. And here we are coming up on our 20 year anniversary and I felt, been, I'm. Oh my gosh. Get emotional again. But just looking back on. Sorry.

[Podcast Host]

Don't be sorry.

[Stacy Fraser]

I've been really reflective. You know, we're starting to look about like how can we celebrate and how do we include our community? Because we're here because of them. And I just feel, I just have so much gratitude to the team and the community.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. It's pretty wild. We celebrated our 20th last year.

[Stacy Fraser]

Oh, so you're the.

[Podcast Host]

Yes. Yeah.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

But it's. When you look back, it's like so many different lifetimes.

[Stacy Fraser]

Oh my gosh.

[Podcast Host]

You know?

[Stacy Fraser]

Yes.

[Podcast Host]

And you almost can't believe you're you're definitely not the same person. But also you can't believe that you could. Like, it's like Survivor.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yes, it is like Survivor. I know it's.

[Podcast Host]

Or Fear Factor. I don't know which one.

[Stacy Fraser]

Maybe both. I know I was, I was liking it to someone. Like, you remember when you think back to relationships, like a boyfriend or something, and it's like you just remember all the good and you forget of like all the crazy stuff that went on. And yeah, when I look back on the 20 years, I do see all of that. But what really shines through to me is like our community and the connections that we've created and being part of a family's lives, but definitely wasn't easy. And it's still not easy, but we love it.

[Podcast Host]

In the news cycle, there's like lots of talk, like, retail's hard, but E commerce is dying and a website is going to become unneeded soon because you'll just shop in app with Instagram or chat. So what would you say makes your stores so successful that people keep coming back? Like, is there a secret to that?

[Stacy Fraser]

I think it's, you know, having it be a welcoming community hub and people. Yes. I don't think the website is ever going to die. I mean, that scares me. But it's, I think meeting your customer where they are so they see something online and then want to come in store. But in store we really try to be welcoming and make it a really fun experience and we have lots of store events that bring the community together. So I think being like a little community hub is what, what people really like. And then they're able to pick out, you know, we have like 2, 3, 4, 5 year olds going through the racks, picking their outfits out and like in Amaganzit they'll put the bathing suit on and just leave with it on, you know. So I think making it a fun shopping experience for everyone. Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

And then at your lowliest moments, who do you turn to? What do you do in those moments? You're like, fuck the pressures a lot. What the fuck do I do now?

[Stacy Fraser]

I have a mentor, Andrea, who I go, we were talking the other day. It's been about seven years that we meet at like once a month, maybe more if things are crazy. But she's really been a great support for me because it's hard to talk to other people outside of the industry about it because it's, it's really hard to make people like, they don't really understand.

[Podcast Host]

They have no context.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah. And make them understand. And I will say, like, joining your female founders collective.

[Podcast Host]

And this is not sponsored by.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah, no. I mean, it was so interesting. I've been doing this by myself for so long, and I. I remember being really nervous going to the first dinner, and I was like, oh, my God, these are my people. We're all going through the same thing. And I felt seen, I felt heard. I had somebody to talk to. And that's been. This year has been really incredible. So thank you so much for that.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, so glad to hear that.

[Stacy Fraser]

It really has been. Yeah. Because you don't want to put it on anybody else. And it's hard for people to understand.

[Podcast Host]

It's so hard for people to understand because they see the glamour and the glitz and they're just like, oh, I feel so bad for you. You know? And you're like, no, this is really hard. And I can't also vomit everything. I gotta be careful about who I vomit to.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yes.

[Podcast Host]

Because if you do it to the wrong person, you could lose a customer or whatever, you know?

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah, you do. Yeah. Another thing I was telling you before we started was it was funny how people still today. So I remember somebody said to me, oh, how's that pink pig brand that you're doing? And I know. Or someone else was like, you know, people often are like, oh, I was at the store in the Hamptons. Are you out the Hamptons all summer? I'm like, girl, no, I'm grinding in the city. I am creating, designing clothes, manufacturing them, dealing with tariffs, which we didn't even touch too much on. But gosh, what a year last year was. Yeah. And the uncertainty of that and trying to run your business is really difficult. Yeah. So that's always really funny. I feel like I. I get, like, so frustrated by that. But you also can't say, well, you don't know what it takes to run a business. Like, that's not what people want to hear. So you're like, no, I'm not in. Not. I'm not in the Hamptons all summer. I'm in the city with my team. We're working hard, you know? Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Not the same. But when someone who I know asked me who my bag is.

[Stacy Fraser]

Well, I asked you who your shoes

[Podcast Host]

were, because they're so cute. That's less.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Less obvious. Yeah. You know, But I'm like, really? You idiot. My friend just did it. I was like, are you shocked? It's cute, right? Right? Yeah. I made it.

[Stacy Fraser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

It's like, I just want to strangle you.

[Stacy Fraser]

It's like the same. It's the same thing, right? Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

It's one thing if you're a complete stranger and you're like, who's your bag by? Is there a piece of advice that you've learned that you'd like to pass on to someone listening?

[Stacy Fraser]

Let's see. You need to hire for the skills that you don't have or you'll never succeed. Like, I could never run this company without the incredible team that we have. I would say stay true to who you are, stay connected to the people you are serving. And like, if you can, early on, like, give yourself this time and the space and the grace to. To make mistakes, learn from them, prioritize family, prioritize the small moments, the small joyful moments. You can.

[Podcast Host]

This has been so great. Where can everyone shop? You, find you, support you.

[Stacy Fraser]

This has been so great. Thank you so much. It's like a really fun experience. Our Instagram is pinkchickenny. People always say pink chicken Y But Pink Chicken NY website is just pinkchicken.com and then we have 11 retail stores. So if you go to our website and click stores, you can see all the locations. We have a a few in the city, North Carolina, South Carolina, Houston was our latest open one. We have one on the west coast, Hyde Park. Hyde Park, Yes. In Tampa. Yep.

[Podcast Host]

So as a mother and fan, go to these stores. They're exceptional. And it's dangerous. I just want to warn everyone, it's very dangerous because you'll spend a lot of money on the best stuff.

[Stacy Fraser]

Thank you. Thanks so much for having me.

[Rebecca Minkoff]

Thank you so much for watching today's episode. Before you head out, I wanted to invite you to our brand new YouTube channel for all things superwomen. It's a fresh space we're building out for 2026, packed with past episodes, future episodes, and some special new content we're cooking up. Just search SuperWoman Media on YouTube and subscribe so you're there for everything coming next. I will see you over there. Thanks for listening to today's episode. If you've enjoyed it, take a second to rate and review the show. Wherever you're tuning in, it really helps others find the podcast. You can follow me on Instagram, ebeccaminkoff and Rmsuperwomen. Or for a slice into my personal life, Ecky Minkoff.

[Podcast Host]

And don't forget to check out my

[Rebecca Minkoff]

book, Fearless the New Rules for Unlocking Creativity, Courage and Success.

[Podcast Host]

See you next week.