Wednesday May 28, 2025

Walking Away From a Shady Factory & The Rollercoaster of Starting a Sustainable Brand | Valerie from Val Eves

In this episode, I’m joined by Valerie, the founder of Val Eves — a sustainable accessories brand redefining what it means to be both stylish and conscious. Valerie is not only one of my amazing clients, but also someone I deeply admire for her resilience, vision, and integrity as a founder.

Together, we pull back the curtain on what it really takes to build a sustainable brand from the ground up. Valerie shares her journey of discovering sustainable fashion, why she chose to start with artisan-made hand fans (trust me, you’ll want one after this), and how she’s making sustainability aspirational — not just granola.

We also get real about the behind-the-scenes moments most people don’t talk about — like walking away from a shady production partner days before signing, navigating non-traditional career paths, and building a conscious business while juggling a full-time job. Valerie opens up about the highs, the lows, and the powerful lessons she’s learned along the way.

If you’re a purpose-driven entrepreneur or simply someone who wants to create beautiful things without compromising your values, this one’s for you.

We discuss:

How Valerie launched Val Eves from an idea to an artisan-crafted brand
Why fans are more than a stylish accessory — and a symbol for change
What really happened on our first sourcing trip to Spain (we spill ALL the tea)
Tips for juggling a 9–5 and building a brand
The role of intuition in sustainable entrepreneurship

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction

00:32 Launching Your Own Sustainable Brand

02:33 Valerie's Inspiration Behind Val Eves

03:15 The Gap in the Market

04:05 Why Hand Fans?

05:10 Cultural Significance of Hand Fans

05:58 Redefining Sustainable Fashion

07:32 Craftsmanship Behind Val Eves Fans

07:54 The Artisanal Process in Spain

10:48 Sourcing and Production Challenges

13:37 Starting a Fashion Brand Without a Fashion Background

15:21 Finding the Right Partners

18:44 Spain Sourcing Trip

20:04 Decision to Pause and Reevaluate

20:25 Finding a New Atelier

20:43 Reflecting on the Right Decision

21:12 Production Partner Red Flags

23:41 Choosing to Walk Away

24:18 Overcoming Disappointment

26:42 Balancing a 9-to-5 and a Passion Project

27:30 Importance of Good Habits

28:39 Working Together and Building a Brand

31:36 Valuable Advice and Lessons Learned

33:59 Fashion Accessories and Future Plans

34:46 Hopes for the Fashion Industry

RESOURCES MENTIONED

→ Launch Your Brand Course: https://selinaho.com/lyb - use code “PODCAST” for $100 off

→ Sustainable Fashion Consulting: www.recloseted.com/consulting

CONNECT WITH VALERIE

→ Website: https://valeves.com

→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valevesfashion

SUPPORT TO SUCCEED

→ Confessions of a Conscious CEO newsletter: https://ceo-confessions.beehiiv.com

→ Start a business with the free Build a Sustaining Business program: https://selinaho.com/basb

→ Grow your business with the Sustain Your Success course suite — start with the free Your Success Roadmap: https://selinaho.com/roadmap

→ Secure me as your business advisor to sustainably scale your business: https://selinaho.com/btl