Aggie sits down with Ally Lei, founder of Augustnoa, a fashion-forward, function-first backpack brand that’s redefining what it means to carry with confidence.
From losing a five-figure deposit to going viral on TikTok, Ally gets real about launching a physical product during the pandemic with no plan—just grit, optimism, and a vision. Listeners will hear how she bootstrapped her way to multi-six-figure success, landed national press and retail deals, and built an obsessed customer base by staying true to her values of sustainability, intentional design, and quality. Packed with insights on manufacturing, content marketing, founder storytelling, and customer experience—this episode is an unmissable masterclass for product-based entrepreneurs.
Chapters:
- 00:00:00 – Why Waiting Kills Momentum
- 00:00:58 – Meet Ally Lei: The Bag Visionary
- 00:02:18 – “How Hard Can It Be?” (Very.)
- 00:04:08 – Betting on a Dream Mid-Pandemic
- 00:08:08 – When TikTok Changed Everything
- 00:15:31 – The Bag That Does It All
- 00:17:24 – Losing Thousands, Finding the One
- 00:24:43 – Funding It Herself—Every Step Counts
- 00:26:59 – Sustainability Isn’t Cheap (Or Easy)
- 00:29:30 – When Big Brands Start Copying You
- 00:30:48 – Emails from Customers that Hit Deep
- 00:32:24 – Redefining “Just Another Backpack”
- 00:37:02 – Content, Community, and Going Viral
- 00:40:03 – Landing Bloomingdale’s and What’s Next
- 00:45:40 – Celebs, Influencers, and Organic Wins
- 00:49:21 – Cry, Pivot, Repeat: The Founder Life
- 00:52:57 – Her No-BS Advice to Every Founder
Links and Resources:
- Ally on LinkedIn
- Augustnoa
- Aggie on LinkedIn
- AB Creative
- Aggie on Instagram
Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Beauty and the Brand? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!
