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From 9-to-5 To $100M: Her Secret Path To Fashion Success

Jane Lu didn’t just stumble into success—she clawed her way there.

Growing up as a child of immigrants in Sydney, Australia, she knew what it felt like to start from nothing.

Moving to a new country at eight years old, she struggled to fit in, learn the language, and find her place.

Fast-forward to today, and she’s the CEO of Showpo, a global online fashion brand pulling in over $100 million a year.

But her journey was far from smooth. Let’s examine why it’s a masterclass in resilience, risk-taking, and creativity.


Turning Frustration Into Opportunity

Jane’s journey into entrepreneurship started in a garage—but not the kind you see in glossy startup movies.

It was her parents’ garage, crammed with supplies for a small pop-up store business she had started with a friend.

The venture was doomed, ending in a pile of debt and self-doubt.

The frustration didn’t break her—it ignited her.

Jane realized that brick-and-mortar stores were expensive and limiting.

She decided to take her fashion dreams online, founding Showpo in 2010 with the last scraps of her savings.

Takeaway: When something doesn’t work, it’s not the end. Use the frustration as fuel to innovate and try something new.


Learning the Art of Stealth Risk

One of the most surprising parts of Jane’s story? She quit her corporate finance job but didn’t tell her parents.

Every morning, she put on her business suit, had breakfast with them, and pretended to commute to the office.

Instead, she was hustling full-time on her fledgling business.

This “stealth risk” bought her time.

Without the pressure of explaining her leap of faith, Jane could focus fully on building her new venture while navigating the emotional weight of her decisions.

Takeaway: Sometimes, you need to take risks quietly, without letting outside pressures cloud your focus.


Failing Forward

When her first venture, a pop-up store concept called Fat Boye Group, fell apart, Jane could have walked away.

Instead, she treated the failure as a brutal but valuable lesson.

She learned that scalability was essential, and traditional retail models weren’t the right fit for her vision.

This led her to reimagine her business entirely as an e-commerce fashion brand.

Her first few months with Showpo weren’t easy.

With no money for marketing, she relied entirely on social media—long before it became the marketing powerhouse it is today.

Jane created engaging content, experimented with giveaways, and built an online community that drove sales.

Takeaway: Failing isn’t the opposite of success—it’s part of the process. Each failure sharpens your strategy and sets you up for a better approach next time.


Making the Boldest Moves When You’re Down

In her first year, Jane’s business partner decided to leave. Sales were tanking, and the global financial crisis loomed over every decision.

It was a defining moment—Jane could have given up. Instead, she bought out her partner, doubled down on her belief in Showpo, and worked tirelessly to make it succeed.

Within one month of running the business alone, she doubled its sales. Two years later, Showpo hit its first $1 million run rate.

Takeaway: When things look bleak, that’s often the time to bet on yourself the most. Grit and persistence are the ultimate game-changers.


Celebrating Success With Purpose

Jane’s success wasn’t just about profits; it was about transformation. By 2012, she was no longer pretending to go to work—her business was thriving.

On Father’s Day that year, she revealed her success to her parents in the best way possible: over a fine dining dinner, she promised to pay off their mortgage and buy them a new car.

For Jane, success meant lifting her family up and honoring their sacrifices.

Takeaway: Success is more meaningful when it’s shared. Celebrate your wins with the people who supported you from the start.


Final Thoughts

Jane Lu’s journey is proof that the path to success is messy, unpredictable, and worth every stumble.

From the depths of debt and failure to running a $100 million global brand, she has shown that creativity, resilience, and bold risks can pay off in extraordinary ways.

Her story isn’t just about building a business—it’s about building a life you can be proud of.

For anyone dreaming of breaking free from the mold, her journey is a powerful reminder: the only way forward is through, and the only way up is to keep climbing.


See Original Article at MSN

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