So, did you quit Google as soon as you thought of the idea?
“I spent six months thinking before I quit—a research period I would recommend to anyone. And once I realized there was no way I could launch a business on the side of such an already demanding job, I simply asked, ‘If I don’t start this company, will I regret it?’ The answer was yes.”

That must have been terrifying!
“Of course, but I could always go back to Google. Safe jobs will always exist. And when you’re young and without children, it’s now or never. A lot of people don’t know my husband, David, quit his job to found ThirdLove with me. We were nuts!”

What, other than marketing, did you want to change about lingerie?
“I had no previous experience in the industry. But as a consumer, I saw two issues: one, the need for higher quality materials considering how often these garments are worn; and two, the need for additional sizing. That we were the first company to offer half cups is kind of insane.”

Four years into ThirdLove, what do you consider your biggest differentiator?
“That cost comes last… We’re not thinking of ways to shave $0.50 off a garment; we think about quality and fit. That’s inherently different than most apparel companies, lingerie or not.”

And was it difficult sharing that message?
“The most difficult message to communicate was that most women don’t understand traditional bra sizing… don’t know a 34B and 32C are actually the same cup size. It makes no sense. That’s why we didn’t initially tell customers their size—because it’s about fit, not size, right?”

Final thought: What’s the largest piece of advice you can offer?
“[Laughs] Don’t try on demand manufacturing. There are a few companies who make it work—Piol, who produces dresses on a demand—but it’s a difficult model. At launch, we thought it would be great to manufacture only what we need. There is, however, a reason for continuous assembly lines: higher quality. When on demand production of a bra with over 30 components proved impossible, we abandoned that model and lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in the process.”

Interested in another husband/wife duo? Check out Anomalie, who, funnily enough, produces wedding dresses on demand.