Meet Lisa Weaver | Chief Hustler, Hustle & Blush

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

Hi Lisa, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
Hustle & Blush is a line of handmade home goods products that are fair trade-compliant and sustainable. We partner with female artisans in developing markets to honor their storied crafts while making them more relatable to a modern consumer. We then reinvest a portion of our profits back into the local market to create an equitable loop. In addition to our local reinvestment initiatives, our team of 450 women in Nepal are provided a hot (and delicious!) meal each working day, free menstrual products, on-site free daycare (for little ones not yet in school) and complimentary medical check-ups.
Empowering these women with well-paid compensation has a dramatic effect on their individual households, local communities and the country at large. Women spend differently than men. Over 90% of what a woman earns in the developing world goes back into the local economy, with most of it being directed at ways to sustain or create opportunities for her family. Education is often one of those investments. Historically, Nepalese people often leave the country due to a lack of well-paying work and opportunities for their children. By creating economic infrastructure, providing fair, livable wages, an optimal working environment and support for their children, we hope to create a lasting impact that benefits the next generation.
As a brand, we are committed to creating value-laden, eco-friendly goods that have a playful edge and meaningful back-story.

What should our readers know about your business?
One of the key things that sets Hustle & Blush apart is our witty and playful product execution. Our Fluff Ewes dryer balls are as delight-inducing as they are effective. We believe that handmade creations can be as efficient as their machine-executed counterparts, while also providing fair paying jobs, sustainable supply chain practices and supporting development initiatives in the communities where they’re made. And while our practices are conscientious, guilting prospective buyers isn’t our jam. We’re cheeky, creative and offer originality in spades.

Prior to Hustle & Blush, my career had been highly focused in the beauty sector. While I had always possessed a passion for home décor, interior design and household time-saving hacks (my mom was an interior designer, so it’s in my blood!), I never thought that it would evolve into a business.

Like many Americans, my life shifted during the pandemic. I had been mainly consulting for beauty and device brands looking to expand internationally, with a heavy focus in Asian markets. My consulting practice faced a devastating blow when the world shut down in 2020. Simultaneously, the main waterline in my house burst. One of the items I purchased as I redecorated my home was a handwoven, wool blanket from the Carpathian Mountains of Ukraine. Upon receiving the beautiful piece, I sought to reach out to its weaver. Olesya and I began a friendship, through a translator, and then decided to partner on a collection together. We worked tirelessly on color combinations, patterns and styles that harnessed the traditional weaving elements from Ukraine, while also appealing to a more modern US-based consumer. We called that first collection “Hutsul & Blush” after the Ukrainian word for “Nomad.”
The entrepreneurial road is laced with landmines, new learnings and unforeseen pain points – and Covid had a knack for throwing curveballs at a painstaking pace. Due to operations issues, Covid outbreaks and shipping delays with our initial Ukrainian order, I sought to rapidly create a second line from an alternate market. I wanted to diversify our operations while producing a lighter weight item that was more e-commerce friendly. We created and launched our Fluff Ewes dryer balls in less than 3 months. We were able to capture a sliver of the 2020 holiday season while we waited for our Hutsul & Blush line to hit American soil.

After our Fluff Ewes gained some traction on Etsy and Amazon in 2021, I decided to send a few samples to former distribution colleagues in Korea. To my surprise, the distributor wanted to represent the brand. After months of presentations and negotiations, Fluff Ewes were launched on the largest TV home shopping show in Korea for home goods in the summer of 2022. We faced a number of operational issues and quality control hurdles that had to be addressed in order to pass the stringent guidelines necessary for this high-volume sales channel. It hasn’t been easy, yet it’s been incredibly rewarding. Fluff Ewes have aired on the Lotte TV Home Shopping Network 6 times in the past year.

Due to the consistent volume, we are able to provide 450 Nepalese women well-paying jobs. These jobs translate into incredible cultural change. Many of our women are the sole bread winners in their household. Those that are married, often make more than their husbands. The number one reason the women note desiring to work for us, is to provide education and opportunities for their children. In addition to fair trade-compliant wages, we provide a collaborative, safe and supportive working environment. The company culture, and benefits offered, are highly unusual in the market.

The entrepreneurial lessons have been plentiful and not always desirable, yet the growth has made them worthwhile. Being nimble and able to swiftly react has been one of the greatest upsides. It’s kept us one step ahead of competition and in possession of a creative edge. Today’s consumer isn’t as predictable, due to the fluctuation of the financial landscape so I’ve learned to simultaneously innovate and provide newness without carrying heavy product stock. This has been key to staying financially sound.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oof! The answer to this would highly depend on the time of year, who’s coming, from where, and what they personally enjoy… That said, I will outline a few of my favorite hosting locales to accommodate.

I’m a huge fan of local dives and hole-in-the-wall eateries. One of my favorite places to take both locals, and guests, is Honey Bee’s House of Breakfast. It’s a Salvadoran spot that has phenomenal papusas, sopa del pescado and the best pancakes on the planet. They don’t have the fastest service, so plan on hanging out for a bit. Honey Bee’s is my go-to breakfast spot in the city. If friends want to try a more historically notable LA casual spot, I’ll offer up Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles. Brunch at Terranea is a favorite seaside locale if up for a higher end option and coastal drive.

Most visitors to Los Angeles want to see the ocean. A trek up PCH with stops in Santa Monica and Malibu are always a hit. A stop at the Getty Villa, dropping by Aviator Nation for a quintessential west coast hat or hoodie and then maybe Moonshadows for a drink could be enjoyable. Shopping at the Malibu Country Mart is a popular afternoon – and it gets us close to Taverna Tony’s… One of my all-time fave restaurants and the best Greek food in LA.

Main Street in Santa Monica is fun to explore. Papille Gustative has a great brunch and there are lots of small boutiques to check out. Venice is a short jaunt away and visitors often want to check out the canals along with the beachside scene.

For those that like the outdoors, a hike at Griffith Park followed by pizza at Masa of Echo Park is always a nice afternoon. There are tons of little shops to explore in that neighborhood, too.

Shopping and exploring DTLA is always an adventure – whether popping into a museum, such as the Broad, or just wandering through art galleries and boutiques. Grand Central Market is a great casual spot downtown. La Cha Cha Cha is a hot, rooftop Mexican spot that features great beats and good eats that could be a fun stop before a basketball game or concert. Perch in DTLA is a great post-game, evening hangout for a drink and some music.

Additional food stops to consider on their visit would include Alibi room (for their Korean-fusion dishes), Hatchet Hall, Little Tokyo for all things Japanese, a Sunday morning jaunt through the Brentwood Farmer’s Market followed by an afternoon at Smorgasboard in DTLA (with a little window shopping through the various stores on site too).

Comedy or live shows are always a hit with guests. The Hollywood Bowl is a typical list topper, if it seasonally makes sense. Going to a show at the Pantages or catching a comedy set at Largo at the Coronet are great ideas. You can often snag a well-known comedic act along with some fun new talent that’s on the rise.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There have been quite a few people and resources that have been instrumental in getting me to where I am today. One of the most influential mentors I’ve had was a former college professor, turned mentor and dear friend. Ed Westbrook was head of the business division at Vanguard University when I was a student there. When I entered the university, there wasn’t an official international business program yet. He entertained my wild notion of creating a tailored international business and cultural anthropology degree that would provide the foundation I’d leverage throughout the span of my career. I wanted to study global consumer behavior and get firsthand experience from key market sectors. Ed maneuvered things so that I could study in Europe and Asia, and still graduate in 4 years. He understood and believed in my vision and could look past the school’s rigid structure to allow a bigger picture to play out. I went on to become the first graduate of the university’s International Business program. Since college, I’ve continued to approach him for personal and business advice. His belief in the mission and value proposition of Hustle & Blush has meant the world to me – in addition to being a loyal customer.

Small businesses and start-ups initially thrive (and often survive) off of the support of their personal communities and relationships. Hustle & Blush is no different in this regard. My personal friends, former business colleagues and family have been instrumental in getting this brand off the ground. A few key players that provided instrumental support, whether through offering their personal skills or buying product, have been Mariella Scott, Traci Hafner, Jenny Altshule, Josh & Annie Coffman, Jessica Faust, Ailyn Carbajal Escobedo, Melinda Moore, Candice Macias, Richard Gilkerson & Marlina Fletcher. Each of them believed in what I was creating and went above and beyond to provide resources. They also made the journey of solo entrepreneurship far less lonely, and for that, I am exceedingly grateful.

Lastly, Tuesday Nights, a women’s networking organization here in Los Angeles, was a phenomenal source for obtaining copywriters, graphic designers and other support mechanisms that were necessary to get the brand going. Melinda Moore and Justine Lasoff curated a beautiful community of female founders that were open to sharing contacts and helping each other succeed. The camaraderie I experienced was astounding. Sadly, Tuesday Nights is no longer operating, yet I still value the tremendous contacts and relationships I have maintained out of participating in their network.

Website: hustleandblush.com

Instagram: @hustleandblush

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-r-weaver-72848926/

Facebook: @hustleandblush

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuZC6j7ekLuSwytvqaFPihQ