How I built a Global Fashion Brand with Dr. Yetunde of Ray Darten

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Hi, docs. Welcome to the Entre MD podcast where it's all about helping amazing physicians just like you. Embrace entrepreneurship so you can have the freedom to live life and practice medicine on your terms. I'm your host, Dr. Imna. Well, hello everybody. Welcome back to another episode of the Entre MV podcast. And this is gonna be a really great episode. Cause I have Dr. Yatesunde who is the founder of Ray Darton. And you know, you know that I love seeing physicians thrive as entrepreneurs. So this is gonna be a really good story. So whether you are in private practice or you're building out your brand as an entrepreneur, or you are a coach or, you know, whatever, these principles apply. So lean in. This is a really good episode. So welcome to the show, Dr. Yetande.

Doctor. Hi. Thank you so much. I'm so happy to be here.

Awesome. So I am going to have you. I don't think I can do your introduction the justice it deserves. I'm gonna have you introduce. Introduce yourself to the listeners.

Okay. So I'm Yetinde Olukoya. I'm the founder and designer at Redoubtin. It's an artstan print line we design for men, women and kids. And I founded Redoubtin in 2016. I'm a medical doctor turned designer. I practiced for a few years and this has always been my dream to be a designer. And I just went for it. It Was a very, very difficult design decision, but I just had to eat. It was a case of what you love versus what you know. I know medicine, but I love being a designer. I love fashion.

You love fashion. Okay.

So much. Yeah.

Okay, now, so let's go all the way to back in the beginning, if you will.

Yeah.

So. So how did all of this start? Right, so you're. You're a physician, you're done with med school, you're done with your training, all of that stuff.

Yeah.

Then what happened?

Actually, even while I was in medical school, I was taking lessons. I was for my friends. So it's. It even started while I was even way before medical school, actually, since I was like seven, eight, I was so making little things for my dolls, and I was so fascinated by designing. And while I was in medical school, I took lessons as well. I would. During breaks, I would go to the tailor that made my clothes, and he will show me how to make things the proper way. Because I was. So I learned by myself. Like, I just do stuff, so I wanted to learn the proper way. So I'll go for lessons. So I was like the apprentice over there. They sent me to do different things. Okay, I'll be the one buying food and buying stuff. But I really loved it.

So.

And I kept. Actually tried to start this business one while back in Nigeria a few times, but it was just difficult. I never really got to start it because I was looking for tailors I could not do myself because I was still practicing. So when I got here, I had my twin girls because I was still in the middle. I was like, okay, I need to go back now. I need to go back. And I just had my twin girls. And even after that, I was still thinking I was going to do both. The perfect world would be doing both, being practicing. But I only practiced in Nigeria and did some. I did some things here. And I was just like, okay, maybe this is the time to do what I really love. Because I couldn't just imagine not doing it. I could not live with the fact that I could live with the fact that I was not going to practice medicine. I could not live with the fact that I could not do because it kept on coming up. I would forget about it and it would come again. And I was just like, okay, maybe this is the time. And my husband kept pushing me as well.

Oh, wow. To embrace your dreams.

I like, it was very supportive. I'm like, why are you not scared? I was actually really scared. Like this thing, I don't know. It Was just. It was really scary. But when I got to that point that, okay, this is what I want to do and it's time. I can't keep waiting forever. Let's go. And I never look back. It's been the best decision ever.

Oh, my goodness. So, yeah, so what? You know, so you've been playing around with this, right?

I've been playing around with it like forever, right?

Since you were seven.

Yeah, exactly.

So at what point did you go like, okay, fine, done, done, done, done. I'm not going between two decisions. I'm just gonna go all in. Because Ray Darton didn't start when you were in medical school or any of that. At some point, you decided to take this and do it like you mean it. So what happened? What was the trigger for that?

The trigger, like I said, was I wanted to spend time with my twins. Because after I had my twins, they were really, really. They were so clingy. They wanted to be with me all the time. I'm like, there's no way I'm going to be on call all night. I leave these girls, it's going to be craz. The nanny or they were so attached to me. And I was like, okay, this is the time to pick the easier option. I thought was going to be the easier option, but I was so wrong that, okay, this is time to just go for it and not look back. I think that was the turning point. After having my twin girls, I wanted to do something that would make me have more time for them. Like, I could. I could plan my time, basically.

So you've alluded to the fact that it wasn't the easiest thing ever.

No, it wasn't.

So tell me about some of the challenges that you had to face. Because when I look at your website, when I look at, you know, you guys story, I'm like, this is fascinating. And I know a lot of people go like, she found her passion and then everything was easy. Right.

Initially was like, I didn't know what I was doing. Honestly, I knew fashion, but I didn't know anything about business.

Oh, oh, I have to stop you there. That is so good. Okay. Yeah, I knew fashion, which is great, but I knew nothing about business because this is what happens to us as physicians too. We know medicine, but we don't know anything about anything about business.

Okay, I know that. Right?

Totally love it. Go for it. Tell me all about it.

So I was like, because I first started like, oh, fashion, fashion, fashion. When I got deep into it, I realized that, wow, this is not about fashion anymore. You need to learn about the business part. Actually, if I knew the business business part was so hard, I'm sure that chickened out. So I'm glad I actually just went into it, like, head on.

So ignorance. Ignorance is blessed.

Ignorance helps me. I'm telling you. I'm telling you. Because the more I read more and more about, I was like, what did I get myself into? Like, this is not just the, oh, fashion. The fun part and everything, because left to me, that's what I wanted to do. I just wanted to follow my passion and everything. I got into it, I realized that, oh, my God, it's actually bigger than this and. But I just had to do it. The good thing about it is I've done hard stuff. I'm a doctor. We know how difficult.

Oh, my goodness. Okay, I'm gonna stop you again. You're just like. You are just in my z. Own. Okay, so this is hard. But I said, I've done hard things. I mean, I'm a doctor. I love it. Okay, so when it was hard, you're just like, yep, one other hard thing. Go for it.

I love it. Exactly. If I could be a doctor, I could do this. I could do anything I want to do because I know how difficult. Know how difficult it is for us. So I was like, okay. I just kept on hitting all the challenges that came. I were like, okay, you okay? I'm done with that. It's meeting all my goals as they came. And failure didn't actually deter me. Like, when I. Maybe when I fail at something, I just get up and move on. Of course I'm sad. I'm sad for like a day or two and just move on. I always pushed through failure because there was a point I was like, okay, it's finished. Redacting is finished. Like, there's nothing. But I never, ever just stopped there. And when you push forward, you realize that, oh, my gosh, you find something even better after you push through. So I'm so happy happened that way. And something I also learned is that they actually always say that. Look, in your family, look, there might be somebody that has the business spirit that you don't know. Like, it's inborn. Because after a while, I now became like, a pro. Like, okay, I think I know what I'm doing now. And I realized that my grandfather was a serial entrepreneur. He was into oil and gas even in the 50s. Like, so. In the 50s. Yeah.

Wow.

It was. It was. I. I read about his story and I was so inspired. Okay, maybe this is where I got it from. Because I, I, I don't know. My spirit is always so like my mindset. I don't give up. So that's what helped me. If not, I would have crumbled because initially I was just thinking, oh, it's not fashion, Fashion, fashion. I realized it was bigger than that.

Awesome. So we should have our passions, but we should figure out the business side of it so we can make it work.

Because the fashion is my love.

So now someone listening would just say, okay, fashion, you know what she does. But tell us what is unique about what you do. Right. Because it's not just fashion. Yeah, yeah. So tell us all about it.

So what makes us unique is the fit. I make sure that it fits perfectly. It's not just about putting two pieces of clothes together. There's math that goes into it. There's the eye. You have to have the eye for fashion. We have to make sure that everything lines up the way it was lined up. Let's make sure the quality is perfect. I'm so big on the quality of the product, which was something I had a problem with initially when I started making in Nigeria, because even though they are very good sellers, they didn't really, they were not really particular about how the things, how it looked on the inside and everything. I was so particular about that. So also the measurements, you have to make sure that it fits everybody, like, perfectly. Because what fits someone might not fit someone might not fit someone the right way. So you have to put some math into it. And I know that. So it's. Yeah, it's bigger than fashion. It's math, it's art, it's everything.

Love it, love it, love it, love it. Okay, now, so when you started this company, I'm guessing you had a really big budget. The first thing you did was you got a very big store and you got a whole team. And she's. You guys can't see her, but she's shaking her head like, absolutely not, Right? Okay, so talk to me about the beginning. Like, so you've decided I'm going to do this. Like, I mean it. And now it's a company. So what did it look like in the beginning?

Okay, so in the beginning, just wait. Justify started. Even though I was really good at sewing and everything. But it's different when you're making for doing, like, mass production, you have to learn how to cut patterns and make sure it fits everyone. So I actually went for my lessons. I'm very big on learning your craft. You can't Just think, oh, I'm good. And that's it. I kept on. I went back. I learned about patterns, I learned about production. I learned about way more things. And I started sewing everything by myself. I could not afford to do anything.

All the clothes yourself? Yeah.

My first collection. Yes. I made them myself. It actually took me months. Like I'll be sewing every day. My husband will come and say, how many did you make today? I made three. Okay, how many did you make? How many are you gonna make tomorrow? Four. Okay. So I made everything by myself. And at that point, I knew what I wanted. I knew I wanted success, but I could not really. I didn't have all my goals set, but I just had a vision. I knew what I wanted. So that kept me. I just kept on going, making, even with my kids. My girls were there when I was sewing. They were always with me because they were home. Yeah. So I made every single thing by myself. That was one of the hardest things I had to do.

How did that collection do?

It did very well. I went. I made about maybe 120 pieces or so.

You made 120 pieces yourself?

Yes. And I went to a pop up shop. So we founded. I found it like in July 29th and the next month. Okay. I opened the website at first and I thought everyone was going to sell out the first day. Like I said, I didn't know anything about business. There's no marketing, nothing. I didn't do any marketing. Like, oh, I was so ignorant. People on social media were hyping me up. Oh, I'm gonna buy once it comes out, blah, blah, blah. But it's bigger than that. I didn't do anything. And of course I didn't get any sale.

None.

Well, maybe days later. The first day I was going to get like, oh, everything's going to sell out. But no sale on that day. Yes. It took a couple of days to start getting like maybe one sale a day. And I'm like dancing. We're so happy. Everybody's dancing. So we went to a pop up shop the next month and I sold out. Like, I sold out when I was like, okay, onto something. I need to figure this is not gonna work anymore.

Love it. Now, how long between when you launched the website and when you went to the pop up shop?

Maybe about, I'll say two months.

Okay, so two months. You went from zero sales to maybe one to two sales a day, but you kept pushing.

Yeah, okay, I sold out. And those pieces were so personal for me because I made every stitch. I always there were some things I sold and I didn't meet the person I sold them to. And I'm like, oh, my gosh, this person. I always felt like I had to introduce myself to them and tell them how much this meant to me and what. Like, it was very personal. So I got back home and I was just. There was nothing on my website, and my husband was just looking at me like, what are we going to do now? So confused. So that was a good problem to have. I was like, okay, this is an up. So at that point, I realized I had to start outsourcing. And I knew. I already knew that when I got to that point about sourcing. It had to be from Nigeria to be from where these species, the country that made this species popular. Not just the country, like the continent, really. So I knew I had the option to go to China, which was actually cheaper. Not like I have anything against China, but it's African print. So I would like the people that make that. Make these things to be African. So I went to Nigeria. I didn't actually go to Nigeria. I made some connections in some Nigerians and I started making. They started making pieces for me, like on contract. I just got a few people and it was amazing. Actually, not really. It wasn't amazing at first because the first pieces I got, I think I actually cried. I don't think I cried. My husband said I cried. They went, oh, my God. Horrible. They were horrible. So at that point, it was after dying, realized, okay, I think I now have to get a team because those people had their own businesses. I could not control every single thing they were doing. I tried. So I knew I had to get a team, like, in house, get my own tailors, my own manager and everything. So that's how we started. That's how we got. We got like a factory in Nigeria to make our own clothes. And that made a big difference because I could train them the way I wanted. I could see, send them samples, do videos, show them every single thing that other people took for granted. And that really helped. And we have. Luckily, my brother started managing the place and he saw we actually. We could not afford him, actually. But he believed the dream as well, and everything worked out well. It's been amazing since then. So that is. The more we mix up, the more our customers here, they just. They just love everything. Like, they just eat up everything we make. We love it.

That. So how does that make you feel, right, that you're here and your outfits are all based on African prints and you have a team that you're supplying.

Work for back home.

Right. Like, how does that. Because that's beyond just sewing. That's beyond just making money. That's. That's societal change.

Yeah. So how many.

How many people do you have on your team working in your factory?

About a hundred.

Like 100. Like 1 00?

Yes.

So how does that make you feel? Because I feel it all kinds of ways on your behalf.

Oh, my gosh. You can imagine that makes me feel so proud, so emotional, because it now made me realize I had another passion that was bigger than passion. This is actually my new passion now. Like, I don't. Fashion is not my passion, but this made me realize that, wow. I had a bigger passion than fashion. So my passion now is to make. To empower African youth. Because when you give them the opportunity, they are so amazing. They are always so inspired, but they actually inspire me more than I inspire them. They always say, like, they inspire me to do so. That is my reason right now. My reason now is not because I love fashion anymore. My reason is because I. Whatever decision I make is going to impact people over there.

Yeah.

People that want to go back to school. We have a lot of people that stay for a while, they go back to school, some start their own businesses.

Isn't that wild?

I'm telling you, it's crazy. It's crazy. Initially, they just wanted a job because they had that mentality like that, I just want to have a job and go. After a while, when they saw we're treating them well, paying them well, and this business is actually bigger than just fashion, they actually. We made them understand what we're doing. And they became so particular about the bigger picture as well. They see the bigger picture. There's something we do on Instagram that says, who made your clothes? Wednesdays, where we interviewed the tailors. And when I read those things, sometimes I cry. Sometimes I cry. Like the things they write what they want to be in 10 years. They're all saying they want to own their own fashion houses, they want to be entrepreneurs, they want to own their fashion schools. They are seeing the bigger picture. They don't just thinking, well, I just want to make ends meet. They are able to dream as well as they want right now. And you can't imagine that's my. One of the proudest things that ever done.

So that means you've gone from being a business to being a mission for want of a better way to describe it. Right?

Yes, that is. It's not passion with purpose. That's our purpose now. That's exactly. Yeah.

Yeah. That is so good. Okay, so before this, I was gonna ask, what's your proudest moment in Ray Darton? And I think that's probably your proudest moment. So I'm gonna change the question and say, what is your second proudest moment? Like, so now in the business side of things.

Okay, let me see the business side of things. I think it's how much we've grown within a short time.

Okay, so tell us how you've grown. I want to hear all about it. I love this.

Okay, so we have. We have, like, 70% return rates. Like, our customers come back. That makes me so proud, because nice for your customers to come back. That means they are doing something right.

Yeah.

I love new customers, but I love retaining old customers as well. And our sales have always. They just keep increasing year by year. That shows that we're doing something amazing as well. And even despite Covid, we've done well. This has been very, very hard. I'm not going to lie. Very difficult. But we've also done well. So that's how we've grown, really. The sales and the way we also inspire. We also inspire people in the. In America. Like, I've met customers that were crying. We're crying together because it connects them to. To their roots.

Yeah.

So it's just amazing, both here and in Nigeria.

This is too good. Okay, now I'm gonna pull out some things you said. Right. Just in case people missed it, because this is good, because I was going to say, so what are your secrets? And you know, every entrepreneur knows that the secret is there is no secret. Right. But you have alluded to some things. Right? So you said your passion is not enough. You have to learn business. Right. And so this is for everybody. Right. And you don't have to be afraid of failure. Not even. You're not a failure. A project may fail. Right. But that's part of the journey. And so don't let it stop you. Right. Because you alluded to that. And you talked about learning your craft. Right. So becoming better and better at what you do. Then you talked about when you started. So I get this access a lot. People want to start with a big team. People want to start with guarantees of success. People. And I'm like, that's not how the. If you talk to entrepreneurs, that is not how it starts.

Except you have, like, maybe an inheritance. They have something somewhere.

Yeah.

But if it's you, which is how every. Almost everybody is. You start small.

Yeah. And so. And you were willing to do the hard work of making 120 pieces for your first collection by yourself, you know, and you talked about celebrating the little wins, right? So you sold the first order and you're excited.

Of course. I'm so excited, excited, excited about it now.

See, and then you weather the storm because you have this two month period when quote, unquote, nothing is working right. And then you go from that to sell out. So what if you quit after a month? What if you quit, quit after seven weeks, right? And then you talked about now you've sold out and then now there's nothing on your website. And then you have to outsource because of course you're not going to make another 120 by hand. And you now had a new problem. So the reward for success is new problems.

Thank you.

So when it happens, you don't go like, oh my God, problem. The problem is if you're having the same problem, but if you're having new problems, then you're okay.

That's amazing. I agree something about the problem. I embrace problems now. I embrace them.

Oh, I love it. I love it.

I'm telling you, I love it.

And then you talked about when I asked about your proudest moment, you're like 70% retention and we've grown back. And that just shows that you measure these things. Right, because they do need to be measured. I mean, this is so good. Okay, we're going to talk about where people can find you in a second. But before we do that, my listeners are mostly physicians who are looking to start their first business or they're looking to scale a business, both of which you've done. Right. So what would you say to that entrepreneur? So they're scared of failure or, you know, they just haven't pulled the trigger yet. They're, you know. Yeah, but they're really thinking about and they know they should do it. What would you tell them?

I think it's about the mindset. Number one. They should try to work on their mindset. I think it's about reading books, getting content from wherever you want to get content from. But you should also make sure you don't dwell on that for too long. Don't just keep reading and reading. You have to act. You have to act on it.

Like, you guys can't see me, but I'm clapping.

Give yourself, like, have goals that okay by. So that's the one thing I had, like, I had one weird book. I'm, I'm so good at writing and all that. I don't do Computers and all that. By so dates. You have to do this, you have to do that. You have a timeline and just start small. Start small. Honestly, that's because you can be overwhelmed. You can be overwhelmed by all the things you have to do.

Yeah.

When I read about all the things I'm supposed to do and all that, it actually scares me. So I just. Okay. Just take one thing at a time.

Okay. You and I. You and I have to go do lunch because we're like cousins. No, I'm so serious. Like, all of this, I could eat it up. Right. Because I would love that we fix the mindset. Right. But don't spend three years mindset.

Right.

It's thoughts and action. Like it's a balance. It's both of them at the same time.

Yeah.

I love how you put it. So work on the mindset, but don't do it for too long. Not too long, not too long. And the other thing you said, which I think is one of my superpowers, because I think I'm allergic to complexity. Like, once things start getting complex, I'm like. Like I'm not here. You know, when you're thinking about a business and there's all the things you have to do, you can't focus on all the things. The question is, what is the next thing I should do? And that is usually within your reach. Do it. True.

Exactly.

And then once you do that, you can go back to that big overwhelming list and pick another thing.

Yes. You know, exactly.

I love. Okay, this is too much fun.

I was reading all the things I have to do, and you just get scared that, oh, no, I can't do this. There's no way I can do all this. But you realize you can do it if you just start small. Be ready to do the hard working so hard. I didn't talk about all the fulfillment of orders, my husband and I not sleeping, and all the sickness night. My husband was also very supportive. Very, very supportive.

I like your husband already.

He's amazing. He's amazing. He pushes me so well.

This is so good. Okay, so people are like, who is this woman and where can we find her? All right. Tell people where to find you.

Hey, raydran.com r a y j r t n dot com. And our Instagram is Ray Dashing as well. R A Y J R T N. We're on Facebook and Twitter. The same handle. Yeah.

I love it.

That's how you find us.

Love it, love it, love it. So listen, thank you so much for sharing your story.

This is so impactful.

So, so, so impactful. And then we're going to work.

We have to have lunch.

Yes, we're gonna work on it.

I have to find you.

Yeah. Okay. So, listeners, listen. This is an episode that you're gonna need to go back and listen to again and pull out all the nuggets. And like I said, no matter the kind of business, this is a lot of juice. Okay, you're gonna listen to this. And her websites and social media handles are going to be on the show. Notes, go check it out. Go follow her. Go shout her out. I mean, she came and gave us her time. She's a big boss entrepreneur. Her time is worth a lot. All right, so go shout her out, and I'll see you guys on the very next episode of the EntreMD podcast. Hey, if you love listening to the EntreMD podcast, I want to invite you to join OntreMD on demand. It is my signature subscription program that.

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