Meet Rachel Jones | Founder of Band of the Wild

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

Hi Rachel, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The truth is it all began with the idea that it wasn’t worth leaving my wonderful baby with a babysitter for a job I didn’t absolutely love. So it started slowly, I taught sewing a few nights a week rather than having a full time day job as a dietitian in a hospital. I assisted a costume design seamstress and improved my skills. I made things, I made art, clothes, halloween costumes for my kids and myself. I cut shadow puppets. After years of study in biology, which was fascinating but the resulting career options available to me were not inspiring me anymore, I found a new passion. To turn it into a career, I wasn’t sure if that was a real option but I just started with the idea and kept going forward and learning as I went. Making beautiful costumes is one thing but the way it is becoming a hit I think is the idea of the pajama costume combination. There are many parents looking for soft cotton eco-friendly costumes and many kids who love to dress up and don’t want to take off their costume to go to bed. I think I’ve created something really fun that I wish my own kids had had at that age.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Band of the Wild costumes are designed for the expanding imagination of a child, to bring a bit of wild freedom and story building to their day. Made to convert to a pajama, when it’s time for bed, they take off the wings and hood and hop into bed. All of the costume parts are interchangeable with multiple animal accessories to choose from. They are easy for a child’s small hands to manage with soft elastic and a simple design for independent play.

We have an environmental mission to join the band of truly sustainable companies. Every day we are working toward this goal and will always be transparent with our environmental impact and try to avoid “green-washing” our products.

How does your business help the community or the world?

On a basic level, I’m making something that sparks play and joy and has nothing to do with a screen and everything to do with what really brings mental expansion and happiness. On another level, our costumes are manufactured in a way that is environmentally conscious and respectful to the ones making them with a fair wage and a comfortable and safe working environment. Our fabrics are a combination of upcycled, organic and locally sourced. Our shipping mailers and all office supplies are either compostable or fully recyclable and made with recycled products.

How do you think about risks? What role has taking risks in your life/ career?

Well some would say that I’ve taken some pretty silly risks, but I think you really can make a decision in 5 minutes and skip the 5 days of carefully weighing the pros and cons if you listen to that first answer inside. I follow my intuition 90% of the time and so far I seem to land on my feet (or at least just into a minor tumble, roll and then to my feet!). When I was 24 years old, I had a car and 300 dollars and a vague idea that I needed to see some things so I moved to New York City. I worked in a hospital in Harlem for a while before taking another risk, leaving the medical profession for a job in marketing to make enough to survive NYC rent. I took another risk moving to LA with my boyfriend who is now my husband. Striking out on my own with a Band of the Wild was another risk, getting into debt to get started and working with more money than I was comfortable with was another risk. Production, purchasing huge orders of supplies in the hopes that I am making the right thing, relying on a factory to make a quality product with all of my capital, a product that must sell. Shelves to the ceiling with inventory! But it all feels like the kind of risk that’s one worth taking to see what happens next. To see what could happen for Band of the Wild.

What is the most important thing you have done as a parent in terms of the impact on your children?

This doesn’t have much to do with my business, but I do think that as a parent if you spend the time in real eye contact and close connection, even if only for a few minutes, and you really hear what they are saying and they feel your interest. That they are worth listening to and very loved, it heals and corrects many not so great parenting moments.

What is the most important factor behind your success/ the success of your brand?

Believing that this is worth investing in. Investing time, money, and years of hard work will be worth it. My passion for the brand and my focused attention to detail in terms of quality and design, improving patterns and materials each new run even if it costs. The drive to be sure customers will be surprised at the excellent quality and to come back for next years costume. To have discovered and continue to discover new spaces in the market and to fill them. To build an eco conscious reputation that can be trusted as the truth rather than green washing.

How to know whether to keep going or give up?

Tough question. I don’t know how to give up. I always think there’s a way forward and so far that has been the case.

Work life balance, how has your idea of balance changed over time?
How do you think about the balance?

I wish there were more hours in a day. I wish I had a staff of 5. I wish it wasn’t just me and my assistant and an occasional free lance marketing person. I don’t think I have balance right now, we are still new, still growing, still branding ourselves, still forever raising funds. I feel like I’ll find that balance when we get over the hump. Now when will I know that I’ve gotten over the hump? I don’t know!

One thing I will say that I have learned about balance in being an entrapraneur is there are times to push hard and work from 5am to 10pm or whatever it takes to get it done, but these times are balanced with times of a slow life, enjoying moments fully and connecting. For the push times, (which I happen to be in at the moment as it is right before halloween!) Its important for me to keep a strict routine and to manage my stress so that my health mentally and physically doesn’t fall apart. I take time in the early morning for coffee and spirituality, do a very short workout video or have a short walk, give up on having a clean house or being the one making meals, but do spend the time after school reconnection with the kids and remember to take breaks and breaths.

What makes you happy and why?

Flow makes me happy. When I feel the happiest is when I’m creating something wonderful, running my business like a boss and fully enjoying my family.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Los Angeles is a fun place if you know where to be. I would take them to visit my factory downtown and we would make our best effort to escape the heat and dirty city vibes for a lunch at Manuela and see some art or have a drink on the roof of the Ace. If a long weekend we would go to the beach, keep it easy with the drive and parking and just ride rental bikes from Santa Monica to Venice, have a bite of Mexican food at Lula cocina because its low key and fun. Would spend most of our time in my garden or in silverlake. I would take them to the Norton Simon museum in Pasadena and for a hike in the Angeles forest.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
To my husband Judd Bloch, who supports my efforts every day. Even while I turn the house and our lives completely upside down for months on end, even while he’s busy making his first movie, I know you have my back and we have our love to sustain us.

Website: www.bandofthewild.com

Instagram: @bandofthewild

Facebook: @bandofthewild

Youtube: @bandofthewild

Image Credits
Sarah Shaw – A mad image