Meet Chelsea Mooney

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

Hi Chelsea, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I used to strive for work life balance, but could honestly never find it, which would leave me burnt out and frustrated. I had been thinking about it too literally- trying to find equal time for work and personal life, and for me that would just never be reality. Once I shifted my mindset around this and began seeking work life alignment instead, I felt much more content with everything in my life because I found work that was purposeful and made my time away from the personal side worth it. Once I had my son, my priorities obviously changed, and I became even more driven in my entrepreneurial journey because my “why” had become so much stronger. It became about doing work that was fulfilling and made the time away from him not feel wasted.
So if you ask me, I don’t think work life balance exists, but I truly believe everyone can find work life alignment.

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?
I started my Product Development Firm, Building Better, earlier this year after nearly two decades in the fashion industry. After having my first child and craving more flexibility in my schedule, I started consulting on the side and ended up falling in love with the industry all over again. I was reminded why I got into fashion in the first place. Working with small, up-and-coming brands brought on this new level of excitement and after seeing how many small businesses were lacking the support they needed because they don’t have the budget or workload to hire someone full time, I saw an opportunity to solve that problem.

My mission is to provide small brands and start ups with the industry knowledge and institutional experience of a seasoned apparel pro with the flexibility of a freelancer. Think of Building Better as your go-to Fractional Product Development Team. We partner with brands to provide strategic apparel development with organizational alignment; building sustainable supply chains, sourcing materials and trims, developing new product through patterns, TPs, live model fittings, and more. We believe in working intentionally, enjoying our craft and providing up-and-coming brands with the experience and support they otherwise could not afford.

I’m so excited to grow this business and help connect small brands with dedicated, experienced talent to help support their growth goals. Launching this business, as well as my experience on the corporate side of fashion, has taught me that there are so many different ways to approach business in the apparel industry, so we’re excited to provide brands with solutions outside of a one-size-fits-all model.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of my favorite places to hang out is in Malibu; there is a wonderful meditation studio called The Mindry that I always go to when I’m in town. I’d also head over to Broad Street Coffee for some soft serve ice cream! If you’re looking for a more indulgent way to relax, I’d head over to Hermosa and get a treatment at the Ease Spa, they give the most amazing scalp treatments and blowouts! And as a Jersey girl who misses a traditional east coast bagel, Hanks in Calabasas is by far the best I’ve found out here! You can even find taylor ham at Bristol Farms 😉

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh, wow! So many come to mind! The first person is my mentor and close friend, Iryna Royik. She is the reason I forged a career in Technical Design, teaching me the skills and confidence I’d need to build my career. Another is my Aunt Jill, who opened the door for me in the industry when I was just a kid, and no matter how stubborn I was, she was always right by my side showing me how to show up professionally. My parents, too, raised me to always believe that I could do whatever I wanted, and it’s that mindset that has given me the strength to start my own business. And lastly, from a personal connection, my husband Alan has been the most supportive partner I could’ve ever asked for. He’s the one by my side day in and day out as I chase my dreams (all while raising a soon-to-be toddler!)
I also have a wonderful group of friends who are also founders and business owners that support me through it all! It’s so important to have a community of people who are going through entrepreneurship with you, because it is NOT easy.

There’s also a ton of people I view as mentors, even though I haven’t met most of them (yet!). Rachel Rodgers is one of the most inspiring entrepreneurs and gamechangers I know; I’m so proud to be part of her Mastermind and to be learning from her and her squad. If you haven’t heard of her, you should definitely check out her podcast, books, everything. I’ve learned so much from her even before joining her Mastermind; she teaches the mindset shifts (and action steps) one needs to be a successful entrepreneur and millionaire.
I’m also a huge fan of Emma Grede, Jay Shetty and Mel Robbins. Listening to and learning from them has been incredibly helpful on my journey.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelseamooney73/

Other: chelsea@building-better.co