Good morning to all new and old readers! Here is your Saturday edition of Faster Than Normal, exploring the stories, ideas, and frameworks of the world’s most prolific people and companies—and how you can apply them to build businesses, wealth, and the most important asset of all: yourself. 

Today, we’re covering Eileen Fisher and her journey to timeless, sustainable fashion empire.

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Eileen Fisher grew up in a large family in Des Plaines, Illinois. Money was tight. Fisher worked in restaurants to put herself through college. After graduating, she moved to New York City in the 1970s to pursue interior design.

"I didn't have a budget. I was a struggling designer. So I just roamed around looking for simple things," Fisher recalls of her early days in the city.

A trip to Japan in the early 1980s changed everything. Fisher was captivated by the elegant simplicity of kimonos. She saw an opportunity to create functional, timeless clothing for women.

In 1984, Fisher launched her brand with just $350 and four simple designs. But breaking into the fashion industry wasn't easy. At her first trade show, Fisher was so nervous she could barely speak to buyers.

"I had to overcome being tongue-tied in the face of buyers," she says.

Fisher persevered. Her minimalist designs resonated with women seeking comfortable, versatile clothing. The brand grew steadily through the 1980s and 90s.

But Fisher wasn't content with just financial success. She wanted to build a different kind of company. In 1997, she hired a head of social consciousness - decades before corporate activism became trendy.

"We talk about 'business as a movement,'" Fisher explains. "This means we take responsibility for what we're doing, and we look for all the possible ways we can change ourselves—and change this industry."

This commitment to sustainability and ethical practices set Eileen Fisher apart. The company introduced organic cotton in 2004. In 2009, they launched a take-back program to recycle old garments.

Fisher's leadership style was as unconventional as her business practices. She resisted traditional hierarchies, preferring collaborative decision-making.

"I didn't like that power-over feeling. I liked working together," Fisher says.

In 2006, rather than going public or selling, Fisher transferred ownership to her employees through an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan).

Today, Eileen Fisher is a $400 million company with over 1,000 employees. But its success goes beyond financials. The brand has helped push the entire fashion industry towards more sustainable practices.

Fisher's journey wasn't without challenges. The 2008 financial crisis hit the company hard. More recently, connecting with younger consumers has been a struggle.

But through it all, Fisher has stayed true to her original vision of simple, timeless design. At 72, she's now stepping back from day-to-day operations. Her focus is on ensuring the company's ethos outlives her direct involvement.

"I think business in general is a huge opportunity to change business," Fisher reflects. "We have a lot of issues in that the top 1 percent have way too much money and it's not spread across. I think, through business, we have a huge opportunity to share profits and not just give the money to the people at the top."

Lesson 1: Don't sell. Facilitate. Fisher had an unusual approach to retail. She believed salespeople shouldn't sell, but rather "facilitate the consumer's shopping experience and provide guidance and support." This customer-first approach built deep loyalty. Customers didn't feel pressured. They felt helped.

Lesson 2: Be comfortable with discomfort. Fisher embraces uncertainty as part of the creative process. "When we're in a murky place, that's when I know the possibilities are percolating," she says. "We've learned to be more comfortable with that discomfort, because good things always come of it." This willingness to sit with ambiguity has led to some of the company's most innovative ideas.

Lesson 3: Embrace your introversion as a strength. Eileen Fisher is a self-described introvert who built a $400 million fashion empire. She didn't try to change her personality to fit the mold of a typical CEO. Instead, she leveraged her quiet nature to listen deeply to her customers and employees. "Being a chief executive has never really been part of my identity — it's never been something I'm comfortable with," Fisher says. Use your introversion to observe, reflect, and make thoughtful decisions.

Lesson 4: Trust your instincts, even when you're clueless. When Fisher started her company, she had no formal training in fashion or business. "I didn't know what I was doing," she admits. "I was just following my instincts." Don't let a lack of expertise stop you from pursuing your ideas. Your intuition can be a powerful guide.

On simplicity: "I wanted to solve a problem for women. To make it easy to get dressed and feel good."

On collective wisdom: "I'm so curious about ways to engage the collective members of the company."

On embracing uncertainty: "When we're in a murky place, that's when I know the possibilities are percolating."

On sustainable growth: "We want growth to come from making responsible decisions—to be the byproduct of those decisions, rather than their driving force."

On customer service: "We educated people at a certain point and some of it is we just drew in like-minded people, who intuitively understood what we were doing."

On business evolution: "I keep saying that we have to re-create the stores, and re-create the experience online, so that she sees it in the way those early customers came in and were hooked."

On company culture: "We want to create a new model for business. One that values people and the planet as much as profit."

On humility: "I know the idea for the company came through me in some way, but it's beyond me. I planted the first seed and now I look around and there's this amazing garden. I'm just an ordinary person."

That’s all for today, folks. As always, please give me your feedback. Which section is your favourite? What do you want to see more or less of? Other suggestions? Please let me know.

Have a wonderful rest of week, all.

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