There’s no doubt about it, social media is changing the way small businesses are built. With a community of potential customers at your fingertips, entrepreneurs are able to test out their business ideas on social media before they take the plunge and start raising capital. Which is something today’s WorkParty guest, Karen Perez, knows a thing or two about. When the fashion stylist of 15 years was tasked with finding chic masks for her clients and couldn’t find any, she decided to make her own. But before launching her business, Second Wind, she announced a pre-sale on Instagram, anticipating 100 orders. She received 10,000 (!). And it’s safe to say her social media-first approach has paid off. Fast-forward a year since that first IG post and her designs are available to shop at Saks Fifth Avenue and have been spotted on high-profile women by the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (no big deal). Needless to say, I can’t wait to talk to Karen all about how she leveraged Instagram to build a successful business, raised capital through crowdfunding, and landed her products at a major retailer. So, let’s get into it—Welcome to WorkParty, Karen! • Join the party on social @workparty and stay in the know at workparty.com.

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