Get to Know Our Founder
10 Questions With Modern Match Founder, Shauna Allan
Q: Starting a business isn't easy...what's the experience been like for you?
Shauna:
Like you’re on this wild ride and as the cart is slowing and reaches the top of the roller coaster track you have this moment of “Can I really do this? Am I good enough?” and as the cart peaks the top you have this breathless moment of “Oh shit, go for it”.
I believe as women, culturally, we have tendencies to play small.
We don’t talk about money enough, we experience guilt, and we take a back seat to those around us.
That’s why I created Modern Match Lingerie, to support women in moving out of their unworthiness and into their superpower through their new lingerie.
Q: There's always a reason why someone jumps from their career to pursue a passion...what was your motivation behind pursuing Modern Match?
Shauna: I was getting ready for work one morning; it was a day when I was going to be presenting the financial statements to a board of directors.
I always get a little nervous standing up in front of people so a tool I utilize a lot is putting my best lingerie on.
It is my superpower to tackle the things that scare me the most that no one knows about but me… and now you!
As I slipped on my favorite bra and felt that empowering moment I looked over at my husband and said, “I can recreate this feeling for women, I’ve got this!”
I dedicated this line in honor of my mom. A woman, like most moms, gave all her love away.
She made sure her kids were happy and healthy, was the caregiver to my Dad battling cancer for years, and she was a great friend to many.
She gave it all away that it eventually cost her her life.
After losing my mom suddenly to heart disease a few years ago, I now dedicate my life to supporting women in stepping into their confidence, showing them the value of feeling empowered and that selfcare is a tool to better show up for those around us.
Q: Do you have business partners or investors and do you have any plans to raise future capital from outside investors?
Shauna: I am the sole owner of Modern Match and have used my years of experience in finance to raise my own capital to start the company.
As the company continues to grow my plans are to continue to challenge and extend the size range to serve more women
Q: Who would you say are your BIGGEST competitors and what makes you different from them?
Shauna: Competitors? Mentors! I live in a world of “we’re stronger together!”
I look up to companies like ThirdLove and CUUP who are both powerful women challenging how we view the lingerie world!
I’m honored to position myself among these successful companies by designing a lingerie brand that makes you feel empowered when you slip on it yet you don’t have to think about for the rest of the day.
Q: Designing your own line must be so fun! Where does your inspiration for the designs come from and are you the only designer or is there a team of designers?
Shauna: I always felt the pendulum swung too far in the world of lingerie.
We went from feeling unworthy of lingerie if we weren’t skinny enough or sexy enough, to pieces that are ultra comfortable that lost the sensuality and excitement that lingerie can bring a woman.
I was on a mission to design a brand that made women feel feminine, empowered, AND comfortable.
With my three pillars in mind I chose to limit the number of styles in our line so we could focus on sensuality and comfort in each and every size.
Normally, styles are sampled in the smallest size and graded from there, however, I chose to sample them in my size first. I wanted to fully dive into the process.
I then ordered samples in the entire size range to have models try them to ensure we achieved our goals in every size.
I refused to rely on the algorithm to size the rest because I wanted to understand the needs of all women. The bigger the boobs the more complicated it gets, and bras are complex to make.
Q: Where can people purchase Modern Match Lingerie? Do you have plans to expand distribution in the future? What is your distribution method?
Shauna: It was important to us that we remove as many barriers as possible, create a simplistic shopping experience and offer a level of comfort to our community.
This is a Sisterhood, after all. We ship globally from our online store.
We’ll also continue to partner with Boutiques around the globe that share the same morals and values as we do.
Q: With the pandemic and recession is it the best time to be starting up a business?
Shauna: Yes! What better time to enter the world of serving women in an online space! It has allowed me to expand my community further than I ever thought possible!
I would be crazy not to be concerned about our recent pandemic, however, now more than ever, we get to lean into what selfcare means so we can better show up for those around us.
I often reflect on my first year as an entrepreneur and the high expectations I had on myself and when I wasn’t meeting those unrealistic expectations I was so deflated.
Then COVID hit and I had a moment of feeling blessed.
I was grateful that it allowed me to slow down and focus on deepening the connection within our community and how we can continue to evolve to serve more women.
Q: Who else is involved or employed with Modern Match Lingerie? Tell us about your team.
Shauna: Someone once told me entrepreneurship is lonely. I couldn’t disagree more! Surrounding myself with like minded individuals has been one of my greatest assets!
Between a business coach, amazing female empowered entrepreneurs to support with social media, campaigns, and right down to the women within the Bra Bra Sisterhood.
I could not have done it alone and honestly; I wouldn’t have wanted to!
Q: What is the customer experience you hope to provide to your customers?
Shauna: There is a big difference when you go bra shopping out of necessity vs a shopping day with your girlfriends.
We’ve created a culture that you’re not in this alone and that your pain points are ours!
No two boobs are exactly the same so we get it, bra shopping can be complicated! We strive to make the shopping experience simplistic and fun.
Q: What does the future of empowering women look like for Modern Match Lingerie?
Shauna: It has always been in our vision to extend our size range to serve more women.
We’re also continually growing within our Bra Bra Sisterhood community!
Starting with a blog, to interviewing women who made bold moves to inspire others, a Facebook community and then opening the doors to guest blog posts to provoke thought.
A large part of my recipe in this business has been self-discovery.
The feeling we get when we put our favorite lingerie on, the emotion that’s created when we show up vulnerably and connected among a group, and the empowering moment when we see new possibilities.
This has and always will be the magic within our community.
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