We all know the old adage "Closed mouths don't get fed" and I am the queen of asking questions so here are 7 questions I want to know from Operations perfessionals who work in or partner with the fashion industry:

1. What made you want to get into operations? 
2. What classes do you recommend a student who is interested in working in operations? 
3. What would you say is the difference between operations and logistics if any at all? 
4. What advice would you give to small business owners about operations in the fashion industry? 
5. Are there any distinct differences in operations for the fashion industry verses other industries?
6. Is there any software that business owners should be aware of/familiar with? 
7. If you could change one thing or make the operations industry more efficient what would it be? 

So far these are my questions and as I meet more professionals in fashion operations I will post my findings.  Until next time...

"That is only something for big businesses to worry about, my business doesn't need to be concerned with that now."

This is definitely a phrase I have heard multiple times from small business owners regarding their lack of knowledge of operations and logistics, but the fact of the matter is it is more important than they are willing to realize for multiple reasons. So here are 3 reasons why small business owners should get comfortable with operations and logistics:

1. It could save your company a lot of money - Efficiency in operations means that your business is getting the maximum outcome for a minimum output. Not to be mistaken with finding the cheapest way of doing things, investing more money in services that will streamline your business needs like payroll, invoicing, and PO processing can really make a difference in the long run. 
2. It leaves you room to grow - Not all small business plan to stay that way. Many owners would come into our office with big dreams of being sold in all doors of the major department stores, but had no real idea of exactly how to execute that after the first couple of shipments. Learning the importance of operations and logistics now while taking heed to #1 and streamlining your business for efficiency you will find that as you expand it is a lot easier to maintain. 
3. It can keep you out of a lot of unnecessary legal trouble - US Customs Services is one part of the government small business cannot afford to mess with. From holding shipments, to paperwork filing, on down to delivery to distribution centers, it can be a lot for one business owner to handle. It can be very expensive to have to fight the government who is holding your cardigans that look a lot more like a jacket than a sweater. 

I know that getting started is really difficult for many small business owners who are already swamped with loads to do and oversee, so I recommend getting on LinkedIn and see what groups and professionals you can "link" up with that will get you started looking in the right direction. First things first though, if you are a company of one, it might serve you well to get a part time assistant to help take the load off.