Janessa Leone started her business with $10,000. The brand now pulls in more than eight figures, she says (aka, more than $10 million). It’s still self-funded, and it’s more mission-driven than ever before.
The California native first discovered the beauty of handcrafted hats on a visit to Paris. She wanted to bring that quality craftsmanship to a category that had been ignored. In 2013, she launched primarily with hats, and a few leather accessories. But in the last 10 years, she’s been building a brand squarely focused on regeneration. “It’s not easy. This is not the typical way to do business. But I can’t imagine doing it any other way,” she says.
