Walking Away From a Shady Factory & The Rollercoaster of Starting a Sustainable Brand | Valerie from Val Eves

In this episode, I’m joined by Valerie, the founder of Val Eves — a sustainable accessories brand redefining what it means to be both stylish and conscious. Valerie is not only one of my amazing clients, but also someone I deeply admire for her resilience, vision, and integrity as a founder.   Together, we pull back the curtain on what it really takes to build a sustainable brand from the ground up. Valerie shares her journey of discovering sustainable fashion, why she chose to start with artisan-made hand fans (trust me, you’ll want one after this), and how she’s making sustainability aspirational — not just granola.   We also get real about the behind-the-scenes moments most people don’t talk about — like walking away from a shady production partner days before signing, navigating non-traditional career paths, and building a conscious business while juggling a full-time job. Valerie opens up about the highs, the lows, and the powerful lessons she’s learned along the way.   If you’re a purpose-driven entrepreneur or simply someone who wants to create beautiful things without compromising your values, this one’s for you.   We discuss: How Valerie launched Val Eves from an idea to an artisan-crafted brand Why fans are more than a stylish accessory — and a symbol for change What really happened on our first sourcing trip to Spain (we spill ALL the tea) Tips for juggling a 9–5 and building a brand The role of intuition in sustainable entrepreneurship   TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction 00:32 Launching Your Own Sustainable Brand 02:33 Valerie's Inspiration Behind Val Eves 03:15 The Gap in the Market 04:05 Why Hand Fans? 05:10 Cultural Significance of Hand Fans 05:58 Redefining Sustainable Fashion 07:32 Craftsmanship Behind Val Eves Fans 07:54 The Artisanal Process in Spain 10:48 Sourcing and Production Challenges 13:37 Starting a Fashion Brand Without a Fashion Background 15:21 Finding the Right Partners 18:44 Spain Sourcing Trip 20:04 Decision to Pause and Reevaluate 20:25 Finding a New Atelier 20:43 Reflecting on the Right Decision 21:12 Production Partner Red Flags 23:41 Choosing to Walk Away 24:18 Overcoming Disappointment 26:42 Balancing a 9-to-5 and a Passion Project 27:30 Importance of Good Habits 28:39 Working Together and Building a Brand 31:36 Valuable Advice and Lessons Learned 33:59 Fashion Accessories and Future Plans 34:46 Hopes for the Fashion Industry   RESOURCES MENTIONED → Launch Your Brand Course: https://selinaho.com/lyb - use code “PODCAST” for $100 off → Sustainable Fashion Consulting: www.recloseted.com/consulting   CONNECT WITH VALERIE → Website: https://valeves.com → Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valevesfashion   SUPPORT TO SUCCEED → Confessions of a Conscious CEO newsletter: https://ceo-confessions.beehiiv.com → Start a business with the free Build a Sustaining Business program: https://selinaho.com/basb → Grow your business with the Sustain Your Success course suite — start with the free Your Success Roadmap: https://selinaho.com/roadmap → Secure me as your business advisor to sustainably scale your business: https://selinaho.com/btl   LET’S CONNECT → Newsletter: https://ceo-confessions.beehiiv.com  → Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selinajho    → LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/selinaho  → TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@selinajho_

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