When the drive to do things your way keeps you going in the long run 👗

“I made this company because I care and I want my customers to feel good in their own bodies. I want them to see the value in the product they're receiving for what they're paying, all that sort of stuff… I think it's important that what we're selling has value to it, because that's life–it's about human connection to me, it's not about money.”

When your experience with traditional, public education leaves you feeling like you’re not supported, it’s easy to brush off education altogether.

For some, the drive and determination to figure things out on their own is enough to lead them to success.

But for many, the sense of community, support, and genuine care from others is what gives them the boost of encouragement they need to take the next step.

When Annie Hoyt, founder of Deni, graduated high school, her mind was set. School wasn’t for her.

After a gap year during Covid however, and then a gentle nudge to try college for just a semester, she found her niche… And her path to truly make a difference.

A different way of doing things

“Growing up, I definitely had this passion of doing things my own way, and school was very hard for me. You're taught to do things in a certain way like, ‘This is the way that you do it and you follow these instructions.’ I was always very bad at that.”

For Annie, the idea of entrepreneurship wasn’t foreign. Both of her parents were very hard-working entrepreneurs, so she was used to seeing what it meant to run a business.

As she grew and started to feel more confined by traditional “rules,” the idea of following in their footsteps became more and more appealing.

Having a passion for sewing since she was 5 years old, she took her old hobby of creating custom clothing for her American Girl dolls and used it to express herself within school assignments.

For example, an AP Environmental Science project on “Reduce, reuse, recycle" led her to create a dress out of all her recycled homework papers.

To Annie, this alternate way of doing things provided comfort and control in a way that made sense to her.

But it wasn’t the “right” way by school standards and that hustle to learn and get good grades left her feeling exhausted.

After graduation, she was determined to figure out her future without the confines of traditional education.

The supportive environment she needed to thrive

“I was very hesitant, after feeling like high school was not nourishing my passions… But then my experience at Wilson College was different. They really have this way of nurturing their entrepreneurs. They want to figure out, ‘How can we help you?’ So I went through a bunch of accelerator programs and it really helped me build the confidence to believe that I can do this, and people believe in me.”

Starting Deni out of her bedroom, she created a website and hand-sewed adjustable skirts which were accepted and stocked by several stores in the Raleigh, NC area.

From there, sustainable growth would need structure and guidance.

She enrolled in college with the idea that she would give it a try for a semester and decide what to do from there.

Far beyond the classes, she found herself with access to opportunities she never would have had on her own.

After sharing her dreams with her advisor, she was given a job in the college’s new lab space.

There, she learned how to use industrial machines to create various garments and computer software to create patterns.

And while she was getting an eye-opening experience to the creation side of things, her entrepreneurial side was being nourished as well.

Being paired with a mentor, getting guidance while developing her concept, and being involved in various communities and accelerators allowed her to start thinking like a business owner.

“I'm in this cohort of young entrepreneurs, and it's kind of like a group effort to keep everything going. We make sure that we check in with each other because we know that entrepreneurship can be lonely. …It's easy to get lazy when you're just online… but when you're going in person and you're seeing those people in person, it makes it much more real.”

In just a few years, she was watching her idea come to life… But it didn’t come without challenges.

Even the struggles are part of the bigger plan

“A lot of the fear comes from my own personal thoughts. ‘Am I good enough?’ For me, that comes from what school teaches us, and what teachers can say about us, and it's like, ‘Am I good enough to make this happen?’ That's where a lot of the fear comes from. …I'm getting through it right now though… one day at a time, and instinctually asking myself, ‘Does this feel right?’”

Rooted in her faith, Annie believes God is walking her down the path he planned for her, so even the struggles are placed there for a reason.

When a new concern or worry pops up, she finds she can navigate it in a more productive and positive way because of her beliefs…

And the fact that every opportunity that she’s been given has prepared her in some way to face the issues that may come up.

This is what keeps her going when two current challenges are testing her discipline and grit.

Entrepreneurship comes with a lot of risk, and right now, one of the biggest ways she’s experiencing that is in choosing which manufacturers to work with.

After already starting the process of partnering with someone, what happens when she gets a bad feeling about it? Do their morals align? Are they doing things in a way that feels ethical?

“There's a lot of risk that comes with pulling out of a deal, but there's a lot of risk that comes with going into a deal too. There's a lot of risk with all the money that you're spending. It’s all a risk. But that's also kind of a fun part of it sometimes.”

While she works through these kinds of decisions, she also finds that burnout is a very real problem if there’s no balance.

For example, while taking steps to support sustainable growth, she still takes a scrappy approach when needed.

To prepare for a huge vendor market that supports creative entrepreneurs, she hand sewed around 50 pieces in just a couple weeks.

Come market time, the weather was perfect. Which is great! Except, no one came. People were enjoying a beautiful day outside at the beach or the park, not shopping.

“To go through all of that and not sell as much as I was anticipating, or not get the traction that I was anticipating, felt very discouraging. And it was like, ‘Am I doing something wrong? Is this a bad product? Do I not have what it takes? Do I not have the sales gene?'"

Instead of throwing in the towel, she goes back to her faith and a more intentional mindset toward the business. Everything is happening for a reason.

Now, she might ask herself questions like, “What can I do moving forward that’s going to work?” That might look like taking a slower, more steady approach to make sure she doesn’t lose the passion behind what she’s creating.

The real reason that fuels her

“A mentor of mine basically asked me, ‘What do you do? What fuels your soul?' I started with, 'I do everything, I do the marketing, I do the sewing, I do the packaging, I do the customer discovery,' all that stuff... But ultimately, he was asking me what the purpose is behind it all… And the first thing that comes to my mind is, it’s the freedom that entrepreneurship provides. I do not work well within limitations.”

For Annie, the freedom she speaks of is broad and covers a few important aspects.

First, running her own business means she gets to test the limits of traditional business practices. She gets to choose what she’s going to work on during any given day. She gets to choose who to work with.

Second, it allows her to be more present in her everyday life. In her future, she sees herself having a family, and being able to balance work and personal life so she can be attentive to the needs of those in her family is something her business can provide.

“Our existence is based on human connection, it's not to work and make money. I want to be successful in my career, but it's also very important to me that when I have a family, I can have the option to be present with them.”

As she’s building Deni, she’s also able to explore other areas that are fulfilling to her.

Taking on the role of a caregiver is something she personally enjoys. To her, it’s something that helps her mental health too.

So while Deni doesn’t currently require a full week’s worth of work hours, she can make time for outside work that feels good to her.

This freedom also allows her to take on part-time roles that are adjacent to the work she does in building Deni.

Working as a sales specialist for a custom men’s suiting company, she’ll be able to grow in various skills that she can then take back to her own business.

Real-world feedback is the most rewarding

“More than just being a fashion designer, I wanted to have a brand… And that idea of adjustable clothing came from addressing a problem that we face. I know when I wake up in the morning and I put on the same jeans that I was wearing yesterday, but I woke up bloated and they don't fit, I feel terrible for the rest of the day. I thought, ‘How do I make something that can be accommodating of that?’”

The idea of Deni may have come from an issue Annie experienced herself, but she’s not alone.

And hearing from those who have benefited from her products have become the most rewarding part of founding this business.

It’s the woman she ran into the gym who, since becoming pregnant, doesn’t fit into any of her clothing… Except her Deni skirt.

It’s the woman who values high-quality, ethically-made clothing, and now has a staple piece to dress up or down and wear wherever life takes her.

And every time Annie makes something new, there’s a certain sense of joy she feels knowing that no one else in the world has this very piece.

Key takeaways from the beginning stages of entrepreneurship

Though she’s just starting out, Annie has already realized some important aspects of entrepreneurship that keep the journey sustainable, fruitful, and enjoyable:

🌱 Be open to learning about yourself

Since starting her business fresh out of high school, she’s become more aware of the ways in which she works best, where she finds limitations, how her mental state might affect her work, etc. Recognizing those things, but not judging them, can be very helpful when building.

🌱Rest is productive

“Rest is productive! I think a big thing with entrepreneurship is constantly asking, ‘What did I get done today that was productive? Did I have a productive day?’ And a lot of times, we see rest as laziness, or not using time wisely. No, recharging your brain and your body, fueling yourself as you should be, and going to the gym… It’s all so important.”

When’s the last time you audited your own wellness?

You get plenty of advice. What you rarely get is a pause. Each month, we’ll share a simple prompt to help you step out of execution mode and consider what “founding well” looks like in your world right now.

For many founders, urgency can become a default setting. There’s always another email, another decision, another thing that could be done a little faster. This week, try doing one ordinary thing deliberately slowly. Not to become more productive or mindful—just to notice what happens when you stop moving at the pace your work demands.

Choose one ordinary activity you normally rush through:

• Drinking your morning coffee
• Eating lunch
• Walking to your car
• Taking a shower
• Getting dressed
• Making dinner
• Sending an email
• Walking the dog
• Sitting down before your first meeting

Do it at half your normal speed. Don't try to make the moment meaningful. Just notice.

Then, feel free to pull out old fashioned pen and paper, or create a new doc just for journaling, and spend a few focused moments thinking about the following:

• What did I notice that I normally miss?
• How quickly did my mind start reaching for the next thing?
• What did I feel (calm, uncomfortable, bored, etc.) when I wasn't being productive?
• Where did I feel urgency in my body?
• What thoughts showed up when there was nothing I needed to solve?

There’s no right or wrong answer. If nothing comes up, that’s okay too! Use this as space to notice what is real for you today. A few messy lines are enough.

If you're comfortable sharing your insights with us, let us know at foundingwell@vallelegal.com.