Monica + Andy CEO Monica Royer on expanding the children's apparel brand

At first glance, children's apparel brand Monica + Andy looks like many other digitally-native businesses. It launched during the DTC heyday, in 2014, most of its sales are online and it's been growing and expanding sales channels every year.

But the company has had an interesting trajectory that bucks many of the trends. For one, while it is a digital brand, one of the first things it did was open a store. And for the first few years, its Chicago store was the brunt of its business.

"We didn't pay for a single online acquisition maybe until almost 2018," said Monica Royer, co-founder and CEO of Monica + Andy. It was there that Royer learned how to connect directly with shoppers and build a community.

Another difference is that while other brands focused on growth at all costs, Monica + Andy has spent years focusing on its bottom line. "The moment that Covid started… our board was like, profitability -- that is going to be the most important thing in the future."

These two things have helped the company grow. Today, Monica + Andy has expanded its presence into stores like Walmart and Target, and has continued to grow its online sales. It's also fostered a community of parents via in-store and virtual events, which remain core to its growth strategy. Royer joined this week's Modern Retail Podcast and spoke about her brand's trajectory.

One of the early trends that Monica + Andy tapped into -- without even really knowing it -- was that people are looking for ways to connect with brands beyond buying things. The company has held events for years and has taken great pains to make sure it was speaking directly with its shoppers, but Royer said it wasn't considered a way to achieve growth. "We didn't realize we were onto something -- we didn't realize that was an acquisition tool at the time," she said.

Similarly, Monica + Andy has been honing how it uses events for the past few years. While it held many virtual events during the early days of the pandemic, it's now been focusing on a more hybrid model.

It all points to a strategy of testing and learning, which Monica + Andy has taken to heart. Every year, Royer said, "you have to kind of put your ear to the ground and say: 'All right, how have things shifted, and what's the right mix?'"