Giving a Voice to the Voiceless: How Kalilah Wright, CEO and Founder of Mess in a Bottle, has revolutionized the apparel industry

 You're listening to the Radcast.
 If it's radical, we'd cover it.
 Here's your host, Ryan Alfred.
 Hey guys, it's Ryan Alfred.
 Welcome to the latest edition of the Radcast.
 We are Needy, Ben, our e-commerce series.
 And we've got another radical guest.
 It also happens to be in the e-commerce business.
 I'm really excited to have Collie the right on.
 Hi, thank you so much for having me.
 This is so exciting.
 Cool. We're excited to have you on.
 So the founder, and I don't know if you call yourself a CEO,
 but you're definitely running as a CEO,
 a minister in the bottle.
 I'm in the CEO hat right now.
 Definitely founder and CEO for this ride.
 Yeah, founder and CEO of MESS in a bottle.
 Which we're going to talk more about momentarily.
 And you know, it made for the ones that watch our videos on YouTube.
 You'll see, I'm sporting a t-shirt from MESS in a bottle.
 We'll talk more about the messages and what they mean.
 But they go right down our path, especially being in the business market,
 being kind of entrepreneurial space.
 Really cool messages.
 But Collie, let's just start, you know, where we start most of these.
 You know, you kind of tell us about you, your background.
 And, you know, we'll kind of lead right into where we are now today with MESS in a bottle.
 Right.
 So MESS in a bottle.
 So we're a t-shirt company and we come packaged in a reusable bottle.
 So I had this idea in 2016 shortly after the Freddie Gray riots.
 Freddie Gray and African American male died while in police custody.
 And so I really wanted my community to have a way of having a voice.
 So we wanted to give a voice to the voice less.
 And we wanted to invoke change.
 So I started putting these messages on t-shirts.
 And then I had them packaged in the reusable bottles.
 So this comes from the 310 B.C. concept of receiving a message in the ocean.
 So you know, that's pretty much it.
 It's to me how MESS in a bottle will be discarded.
 Well, let's go back even a little further.
 I love that.
 And I love the notation.
 It makes me think of cast away almost the old time.
 It makes me feel like he had the volleyball.
 They wrote stuff on it.
 You would have killed to have gotten a message on the island.
 But let's talk more about your background though.
 I mean, where are you from Jamaica originally?
 I wanted to make a victim for Flynn.
 And Penn State graduate.
 And they got Penn State graduate.
 And then I went to Morgan State University for Brad.
 So I just had, you know, this background in architecture,
 like I was chasing this architecture career for a while now.
 And it really, you know, surprisingly enough,
 I was chasing architecture, but fashion was really always, you know, my first love.
 So even when I was chasing architecture, I would still work at different fashion
 and retail companies that night, you know,
 so I worked at places like Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Club Monaco.
 So, you know, fashion was just always a part of my life.
 But I think that I really wanted to take the architecture around.
 Just so, you know, I think that it was just different for women to be a hard hat.
 And for me to really learn about my construction and things like that.
 And I think that that design aesthetics really has now aided me
 in my fashion design and fashion company.
 Well, they're kind of, I mean, you know, it kind of as far apart as you think.
 It's like how do things get made?
 How are they built? How are they brought together?
 What are the component parts that make something more than the original?
 So I see the connection there.
 Church helps your brain, your brain, maybe the way you've, you know, built the company.
 I'm sure it's helped on some levels.
 And what I've told myself is, you know, I didn't box myself in to be a designer of buildings.
 You know, I am a designer now of a power of clothing.
 So I really do think that it's really about how you look at your work and how you're able to strategically, you know, position.
 You know, because now architecture has helped me to design my models and use those to really create, you know, for us to be able to provide teachers inside.
 So I really did use my architecture degree and career and, you know, the design experience to really build out myself about it.
 What's it been like building the company?
 I want to give kind of the nuts and bolts of the marketing and this website and all those things.
 But what's it been like building the company and becoming an entrepreneur and, you know, all of those things that they're always perfect, right?
 Yeah, right.
 What's what's it been like?
 I think that it's been quite interesting, especially right now, like I'm in a phase where I'm shifting from, as you said, founder and just this creator and, you know, grassroots and trying to figure out how to make a company work.
 Now we have the how.
 And so now it's just like, okay, what's the next step?
 And it's really, you know, keeping steady sales, scaling the business, really understanding the business.
 Like that's a whole different beast than animal and, you know, I think that now I'm at a different space in the business.
 Now I'm really trying to figure out how to sustain a company and become the CEO.
 So, you know, I think that I went from being a founder to now the CEO and eventually submitted it later.
 I think I'll just become the owner where, you know, I'm more overseeing everything and I'm not worried about the things that they as much as I am now.
 Yeah, that makes sense.
 Talk about, like maybe the early stages, you know, you had the idea.
 And once you started that early scale, I mean, was it just, we started the e-commerce site, you started getting the word out there.
 Maybe talk about some of the early states of e-commerce building for you.
 Yeah, so, you know, we started initially on a platform called Big Cartel.
 And so, you know, at the time, I thought it was a really cool way of me being able to start a e-commerce site, putting up some products and kind of figuring it out.
 And so, then we transitioned from Big Cartel to eventually Shopify, which of course Shopify has a lot of analytics, a lot of background, a lot of, you know, for you to really figure out, you know, how your business is doing.
 So, we did these two, you know, different e-commerce sites.
 And, you know, it's been quite interesting because I think right now, even during a pandemic where a lot of retailers are closing,
 you know, the advantages that we've had is we've already built this really, you know, sustainable e-commerce business.
 And so, while a lot of people were scrambling, trying to get their business on e-commerce, we were already on here with a lot of data and a lot of information.
 You know, we've worked the last like four to five years with really honing in on our audience and really using the time to look at how to scale and what to do within an e-commerce business and how to still also capture your audience's attention.
 And, you know, there's just a lot of details that I think that we have the upper hand and advantage because we've been on e-commerce now for several years.
 So, in a lot of sense, what's, you know, we've had really some more discussions with other entrepreneurs that were well positioned with everything that's gone on.
 So, Kudos there is one of the marketing channels that have driven the most success for you guys, you know, over your three, four, last three, four years.
 I'm sure some of those have changed or you've added things on.
 It's, you know, how it goes when you have more budget, you can spend more money and you can do those things.
 But, let me talk about some of those marketing channels that have been successful for you guys.
 Definitely, I would say Facebook and Instagram, Instagram even more, you know, I think that just for my age group and where we are within the business.
 And so, I think that we really target people anywhere from 23 to like 36.
 And I think that that has really, you know, that's the core audience about what we people are Instagram.
 And, you know, Facebook here and there, but I think really using those channels as well as podcasts and having just a lot of visibility.
 I think that people don't even understand how much going on other podcasts and really being able to, you know, have that type of exposure has also been very integral as well.
 Yeah, it's had a ton of great PR.
 You know, I saw it and doing so the research of Riley, our producer was already a fan.
 You know, from the PR that's been out there is at what point did you shift and I'm assuming you have team help now.
 I mean, that's the hardest I think for entrepreneurs is like, you know, you're doing everything yourself.
 I'm sure it's all like, you know, skidding bones to get the thing going is the transit was the transition harder, easy for you to take on resources that were helping.
 It's hard. I'm going to say hard. It's hard because I think that, you know, it's almost like being a mechanic or, you know, or being a car driver, like, yeah, I'll say I'm a car driver.
 And you're used to rigging your car, you know, you're like, oh, I don't need the mechanic to do this.
 But, you know, so you start to jack it up and you don't think you're like, it works.
 Like why get, you know, a professional or somebody and then, you know, and that mechanic from then and they're like, you can buy like this.
 But I think that that's kind of what I've experienced with the business and giving up, you know, some of the power, the things that I'm so used to doing.
 And I think that for me, I'm like, it works. It rigs. You know, I can make it work. But I think that I have accepted that at this point in this stage, I'm no longer making it work.
 I want it to be, you know, flawless. I wanted to work, but I wanted to be easy and like not as stressful on me.
 So I think that, you know, I'm like the reason that I'm trusting these people are hiring professionals is because, you know, we we've got a successful Friday business.
 And so I think that as a founder, sometimes you have to let go of that control and know that these people are here.
 And there are other resources that can really help you.
 And if you want the business to grow, you cannot just continue to depend on just you, like, you know, I'm on now, you know, with my son.
 And it's one of those things where it's just like through this pandemic and through the shift of your business, you know, we may not have been able to survive and who's just me doing all of the marketing, the social media, the e-commerce site, you know, and then having production as well.
 So I think that if you want to grow and if you want to scale, you're going to have to make some of those hard choices and let it go.
 And I think one of the biggest things that happened at a staff meeting recently is they said, you know, what part do you want to know about?
 Like where do you want to be involved in? And like, whatever you don't want to be involved in, like, we, you know, we're not going to include you in.
 How big is the team now?
 We have about 12 to 60 people like we have.
 It's growing, it's growing, it's changing, we're hiring, we're getting new people.
 So yeah, we have a good amount of good amount of people.
 You know, I know the apparel business, the t-shirt business. I think there's a lot of people.
 It's a popular space. It's a perceived easy. I know different because we've helped enough companies, you know, especially on the fulfillment production side.
 And I know you do some masterclass stuff. We'll give some shout outs to that again. So we won't write down every secret maybe.
 But could talk about some maybe recommendations or anyone out there that might be starting a t-shirt company apparel.
 Any any quick tips that might salivate the listener to maybe come check out your master course.
 So I would just say that there are a couple different ways for you to start your own parallel t-shirt company.
 You don't have to have a lot of money. You don't have to have a lot of following.
 I've made a lot of mistakes through the years, you know, with dabbling into different parts of the business.
 And, you know, so like you mentioned, you know, I do the t-class to really share and I'm very transparent about a lot of our successors or things that I didn't do so well that I'm still working towards.
 So I think that for anyone who wants to start an apparel brand, I do think it's easier than maybe a lot of people think.
 But I do think and you can actually start it with almost little to no startup capital.
 But I do think that it then if you want to scale it and grow it, but you know, you'll then need, you know, need funding for that.
 How much are you, do you produce all your stuff? Are you at the point now or do you keep a production amount of certain things versus, you know, call it on demand with whatever it is?
 I mean, is it a little bit of both? We're a little bit of a mix.
 So again, having an operations manager, we have a lot of, we do a lot of forecasting.
 So we'll sort of like, you know, say like, okay, we think we're going to do this amount of number.
 Maybe we should, you know, increase the amount of products that we have or, you know, the amount that might be allocated to a certain product.
 So we really just really focus on the forecasting part of it, look at the number.
 Now, you know, we said our goals at the beginning of the month and then from there, we go on to, you know, to really think about what's going well and then we do weekly and monthly check-in as well.
 How do you come up with the messages? I mean, are they, are they, are you have a writing team now? I mean, are they no kind of your vision?
 They're helping. Are you? It seems like originated with, with your mind and it's, I still see the thumb print everywhere, but maybe talk about your process for creative.
 It still is me. It's still, it's still so I've recently hired a creative director and I think that it's been helpful to have somebody like help to flush out the ideas.
 But overall, the messages are still me and, you know, and it's just been, it's been able to work in that in that direction because I think our marketing and our, you know, our audience are really made up of people that look like me.
 And I think that it's been good because the voice and the message, you know, it comes from a black woman. And so I think that it's just been really nice that now, you know, other groups, other ethnicities, you know, they are also just appreciating the voice of a black woman.
 And so I think that for me, I'm not open yet to like a writing team and like, he gets the most of it because I'm just like, you know, it has to be very authentic to me and I don't divert from that.
 I love that. Let's talk a little bit about that since you went there. I mean, the empowerment, the, you know, a black entrepreneur female that is empowering others. That just seems like a message that's got to be hitting home now. I mean, what kind of feedback are you getting? Like you said, it's got to be great.
 Yeah, it is. I think that, you know, I really, I think that people are really excited that I started this thing from nothing. And you know, they watch me, you know, throw the brand, figure out what I want to do, make mistakes.
 You know, so I think that it's been really, you know, it's been gratifying to see like almost like your home team is winning.
 And they they've been really, you know, who and me are and really people buy it, you know, my mom is a super fan and support her for it. And she buys literally every month, like several months, she has more than I do.
 And so, you know, it's been really sweet where I think people who are English strangers, like that's the energy that I get. They just really want to support the brand. And it's been, you know, it's been helpful to spread the message.
 Have you been involved in, you know, maybe even like the youth movement, you know, it just seems like it would be a great message to be, you know, in the African American community.
 I think there's maybe maybe I would assume this perception that maybe it's something that's not attainable, you know, and you're sitting here living proof of that and living that daily.
 Yeah, we actually had several schools, like I do mentorship, you know, how we don't post about it as much as a ship, but we do mentorship as well as we have different, you know, groups of kids who come and they come to the shop, they see what we're doing.
 And I think that you're absolutely right. I think that people do want to see, especially a black woman sitting at the head of a table and the fact that you can have a dream and, you know, and allow it to become something real that it's attainable and it starts.
 And that's been my main goal. I mean, not even just for kids, I think just for even, you know, here in Baltimore, we have a lot of youth that are cleaning cars outside and, you know, and I want to try my best to teach them and say that I'm like, this is not your only means of being able to get money and start your own business.
 You know, I want to show you what entrepreneurship really looks like.
 Yeah, I love it. What's been, I mean, I think we've talked about a lot of it, but what are you most proud of?
 What I'm most proud of is probably, I would say maybe my son, I think my son really enjoys like, you know, he hates it on the most days, but coming to the shop, you know, I think being able to come to a space.
 So I would say my son and also being able to hire, especially black women, you know, I think that and I've created the space where we feel comfortable in the space.
 I think that even now having all these conversations about like black women's hair and going into work and, you know, and this is something that we've lived with for years.
 Like, you know, we're a show company and it's like, oh, tell me about your hair, tell me about your texture.
 And, you know, and so now is the space where we're all like, you know, hey, this is my foresee here.
 And you know, when I'm playing in it, this is what products like use and it's comfortable.
 It's not, you know, it's not rigid and it's not a place where you're afraid to be you.
 So I think that I'm very proud of allowing my son to be able to see the space that I created for black women.
 You know, I think that that's one of the most things that I'm proud of.
 What, um, any partnership.
 So anything, you know, going back to maybe the business and marketing side, anything that you can talk about.
 I mean, you've got direct to consumer side doing a lot of things on social media.
 Any visions or goals to be, it looks like there is.
 But I'll let you speak to it, you know, with partnerships or, you know, more mass selling or, you know, whether that's Amazon or a moral martyr or shoot, you know, Gucci or whatever.
 You know, I don't know.
 What are we, what are we thinking or do we have anything to work?
 We, um, next year we will be in a mass retailer so that is going to be exciting.
 Um, and I think that honestly, I'm just pretty open and allowing, you know, the universe to sort of leave me in whatever direction is going in.
 And so I think that I'm really open, you know, we had a partnership last year with one of brothers.
 And so I think that I'm continuing to be surprised that to what to come, you know, I don't even know some time as to, you know, who's, um, who's vision board I'm on.
 You know, I think that it's been really cool to sort of watch these things happen and just, um, and allow to.
 I love it. I love it.
 Uh, so we can't name the mass retailer yet.
 I can't.
 It's coming though.
 All right. We want the rat cast wanted to break the news, you know.
 It's gonna be announcing pretty soon, maybe about a month.
 Okay.
 But I'll say in January, we'll be in school.
 Nice, nice working rats on that.
 Thank you.
 We're, you know, as we kind of close out here, what's, we're, we thought we've, we've kind of danced around a little bit, but what's the.
 Not in game, but where did, where's all this going, you know, we're, where we headed.
 I don't know. I'm still trying to figure it out.
 You know, I don't know.
 I have dreams of possibly a mess and a bottle of beverage.
 A mess and a bottle of tell, you know, the message hotel.
 I have, you know, I think I had dreams of maybe selling a company for, you know, that will million dollars.
 I have no idea.
 You know, um, so I think that I'm just really open to whatever comes.
 I think the venue machine is something that we want to probably pay attention to and start to deploy some bending machines all over.
 So I'm just open. I think that this has been a fun ride.
 And, um, and I've been really excited and just open to whatever comes.
 I have an idea for your vending machine.
 You need to have a mystery soda and you don't know which search you're going to get.
 Exactly.
 Well, Khalila, it's been really great.
 I really appreciate your time. I know you're busy.
 I think there's been some lighting things.
 I love that, you know, just kind of that message of opportunity that is out there.
 I know there's a lot of negativity in the world and a lot of negative news.
 But that you're living proof that there is opportunity and you're showing others that opportunity building a hell of a business at the same time.
 Thank you so much. Thanks again for having me.
 My pleasure. We'll talk soon. Thank you, man.
 Thank you.
 I enjoyed this episode with Khalila Wright, amazing founder and CEO of mess and a bottle.
 We discussed everything from her background to getting mess and a bottle to a great place where they are booming in the e-commerce space with both merchandise and future partnerships.
 Really interesting talking to an African American woman in the times and everything that's going on hearing her perspective.
 Really inspiring both the youth and other African Americans to the dream of entrepreneurship and really everyone.
 Her message is really touch the gamut of anyone starting a business and was really fascinating to hear about her background.
 Appreciate everyone listening to this episode.
 You can always fall along with more at theradcast.com or on Instagram at the.rad.cast and we'll see you next time.
 To listen to full episodes or to contact us, visit us on the web at theradcast.com.
 Or follow our host, Ad Ryan offered on Instagram. Thanks for tuning in.