Meet Eleanor Chen | Co-founder & CEO at Oddli

We had the good fortune of connecting with Eleanor Chen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Eleanor, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
Interesting question – I think as long as you still enjoy and believe in what I’m doing I would never give up. No matter how hard the rest of running a business gets, there is nothing like seeing someone wearing what we create or feeling the energy at our events.

The thought of giving up hasn’t really crossed my mind because of course challenges come up every day, but there’s nothing else I rather be doing. Gen Z needs a community centered around individuality with ethics they can believe in now more than ever, and we feel lucky to be able to build one through Oddli. And the challenges that keep me up at night (manufacturing, finances, direction of the community) are also what keeps me going the next day. There’s something rewarding and special about building something from the ground up and then seeing it come to life.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Most proud about the community we’ve built – people message us and send us photos of themselves in Oddli every day. I think our pieces make people feel themselves and feel proud of who they are. That’s a special feeling to be a part of.

Lessons I’ve learned –
1. Try and try again – put stories out into the world and see what people want to be a part of and what stories they want to hear. When we launch a new product we never have an idea of how it will go and what is inside of our heads might be opposite of how something actually goes. People will tell you what they want if you look closely.
2. How you treat anyone is how you treat everyone – whether its a manufacturer or an investor or a customer treat everyone with the same respect and kindness.
3. Believe in what you are doing the most. If you don’t, no one else will!
5. Product can be the strongest invitation to join community – what story does what you create tell about what a customer values?

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Would LOVE to take them to the beach in Malibu – drive along the pacific coast highway and pull off for a swim or a surf. On the east side go to Griffith park and go for a hike up to the observatory. Maybe go check out Maru coffee or Pine and Crane for coffee and or lunch 🙂
Dodgers game if it’s baseball season too.
The best part about LA is that there is no shortage of incredible things to do . . . absolutely wherever and whatever my friend wants to do!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have to shoutout my family who has supported me more than I can imagine and believes in Oddli every day. My parents allowed me to follow my dream of starting a company by allowing me to spend time on what I love from a young age. Growing up it was basketball, and then it turned into the outdoors and sustainability and consumer products. I always felt like I could work on what my heart wanted to which was a big gift. I wouldn’t be doing Oddli if it hadn’t been for their support both growing up and now! Find people who believe in you as much as you believe in them and thank them often!

Website: oddli.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oddliclothing/?hl=en

Image Credits
Sara Lemieux, Oddli