What We All Could Learn From Sophia Amoruso

Sophia Amoruso, who is now 30, is your true rags to riches success story. She was a college dropout and shoplifter.  At the time, she was working at an art school checking IDs.

Out of boredom, she decided to open her own eBay shop, reselling vintage items after reading a book called “Starting an EBay Business for Dummies”.

She stood out from her competitors, predominantly white men, by having pioneered the idea of styling outfits from head to toe. It was then that she launched NastyGalVintage.com.

By 2012, Nasty Gal was a fashion world success story; growing from just an eBay store to nearly $100 million in sales in just 6 years. As Nasty Gal expanded, so did Sophia’s fame. She was giving her attention to other projects: her books #Girlboss and Nasty Galaxy and the Girlboss Rally Events. Her literature then led to collaborating with Netflix and becoming executive producer for the adaptation of these books into film.  

In 2015, Nasty Gal filed for bankruptcy. The company will be acquired by the UK retailer boohoo.com. It was then that she decided to step down as CEO of her company.

People may look at Sophia’s story as a failure being that her company went bankrupt. However, I look at it as a milestone to her success. Nasty Gal was what she needed at the time to get to where she wants to be. Stepping down as CEO, I am sure, was a difficult decision for her to make since it is her first baby. However, it is admirable of her to make such decisions especially because she wants to gear her attention elsewhere. Knowing when to move on and pass the torch onto someone else, or in this case another company, is an act we can all learn from. She is now set out to inspire women to channel their own inner leader and girlboss. The GirlBoss brand emerged because of Nasty Gal.

Thanks to Nasty Gal, she is able to help other women who aspire to one day be where she is; to achieve the success she has endured. So, although her company went bankrupt, it gave her the experience, the skills and the growth she needed to truly step into her calling.

Nasty Gal gave Sophia the credibility she needed to continue on her path. It served as a platform to cultivate her wisdom and knowledge. Now she shares her newfound assets to coach women and encourage us to follow our curiosities. If you have an interest in something, explore it. Do not think about the money. Stop making excuses and just get to work! You have nothing to lose and much to gain. Instincts are the universe’s way of leading you to your true calling; so follow them! There is no such thing as failing if in the end, you learned something new.

So thank you Sophia Amoruso, for such a valuable lesson.

“Girlboss is a feeling, a philosophy; it is a way for women to reframe success for ourselves on our own terms, for the first time in history.” – Sophia Amoruso