Sh*t I should have launched by now !

They say summer bodies are made in the winter ... so are swimwear brands.

Despite the "Summer somewhere" attitude that consumers now have you still recognise that theres a window of opportunity every year to launch a swim brand✓ Fast forward to your launch date that you've now pushed back 3 times. Things are not going as planned and you've missed the season. Now you feel like you should have planned more, had things made faster; finalized your designs earlier? Yes you messed up by not making a solid plan and yes it's a little too late to panic launch; but no you shouldn't give up.

Every year I see this happen and it's not always the fault of factories or suppliers. It might be time to take a long hard look in the mirror. First thing's first, take a step back and find out why this happened.

Did you build a realistic timeline?

Did you even create a timeline?

Was your budget too small?

Have you ever asked your manufacturer what their lead times are ?

Were your technical packs clear and concise ?

If this is your first business there are so many reasons that things might not have gone as planned. Now consider this : The delay of your launch may be a blessing in disguise. Hear me out... It's easy at this point to assume it's all over BUT you might be missing an opportunity if you throw in the towel now. There are benefits to being at an almost launch stage .So what are they?

Being a one women/man band means that you're not only the production manager but the website developer, merchandiser and social media strategist. Maybe you failed to launch because your focus was on perfecting your product meaning everything else fell short. On the bright side you now have a great product and the time to focus on selling it. Is your social media schedule ready? Could you use this time to reach out to influencers and collaborators? Want your products in stores and boutiques? Now is the time to approach your dream retailers. Get ahead of next season and don't dwell on what could have been.

Maybe you didn't launch because your manufacturer didn't deliver on time. There are several reasons this could have happened. Not creating or sticking to a timeline will leave you in this position again and again if you don't get control of your timeline fast. Re-assess the manufacturer that you've chosen. If they can't stick to deadlines they might not be right for you. Don't just use this time to solve your manufacturing problem. While you wait for your product to land use this time to watch your competitors. Watch how their season unfolds. What are they selling out of ? Do you think theres a gap in the market that your product will fill? Start reaching out to people and building a hype around your brand. You don't have to wait 1 full season to spread the word. Use this time as a learning curve as well as campaign time. Take samples on the road and get feedback from potential customers. Learning and researching while you wait will have you better prepared for when you DO launch.

Of course these solutions might be looking through rose tinted glasses a little.I know the reality is you don't see this time as a bonus. You're right to think that there are some scenarios where you'll just have to take the hit. Welcome to being a business owner.

One example of this is jumping on the band wagon. Did you focus all of your designs on this years hottest trend? Unfortunately this may be your first big learning curve. For a fast fashion /low price point product you're really going to feel the hit. The likelihood of similar products being heavily discounted when you launch next season is high. For a higher price point / more complicated design the chances are they will still be beautiful next season but it might not fly off the "shelf" if you've missed peak. This summer for example neon colours are everywhere. I believe neon will always sell but will Neon green have the same focus next year as it has for SS19? Probably not. You can't control next seasons trends.

Lessons to take away from this scenario : Don't just follow the trends each year , create them. Even now it's not too late to put a different spin on things. Ok you missed the season but can you think of a way to re-boot that trend. Give it new life and do it your way rather than how everyone else did it. I always advise brands to have an element of timelessness in their range. Create one or two pieces that you will consider to be your classics and then inject trend with colour and additional fresh shapes.

What now?

Take action now to avoid this happening again. Be prepared for your time to shine next season. Here are some do's and don'ts to keep you going…

DO

-Create a step by step timeline. Pick a launch date then work backwards. You'll be surprised at how quickly next season will come around.

-Watch this season play out and make a note of do's and don'ts. You have the luxury here of learning from other peoples mistakes.

-If you haven't already done this you NEED to know your manufacturers lead times and then add more time onto that. Give yourself a buffer.

- Look for a more suitable manufacturer if yours can't deliver what you need.

DON'T

-Put everything on the back burner and drink yourself stupid.

-Dwell on the fact that it's happened. Pick yourself up and look forward.

-Second guess your designs. Even if the trend you invested in has faded. Re-invent it and re package it.

-Give up

Still freaking out after reading this? Let's talk.Everything can be figured out.