Who Is Ellen Bennett?

Ellen Bennett is the founder and creative director of Hedley & Bennett, the Los Angeles based apron company founded in 2012 at age 24. After culinary school and while working as a line cook at two Los Angeles’ restaurants, Ellen noticed the stale look and poor quality of the aprons she wore daily. Inspired to make a more functional apron, she created Hedley & Bennett.

Soon, attention came from press like the New York Times and celebrity chef fans such as Martha Stewart and Mario Batali, solidifying her as a real player in the restaurant game. Ellen grew her operation from a 400 square foot office space to the showroom, office space and 14,000 sq. ft factory she currently resides in in Downtown LA – all in under three years.

The company has quickly expanded and now her aprons can be found in more than 3000 restaurants worldwide. Upon realizing aprons weren’t only for chefs but for any maker who wanted a professional grade apron to protect them while they work, she developed aprons for gardeners and potters so they too could have a garment as beautiful as the clothes they wore underneath.

Since then, Ellen has collaborated with SpaceX, Google, Lexus, Delta, Four Seasons, Food & Wine and thousands of others to craft functional aprons for their specific needs.

In this episode, you hear the behind the scenes story of how Ellen started Hedley & Bennett, how to believe in yourself, and how to create a positive company culture.

“You can spend your life copying and pretending to be some one else, but you end up chasing their dream instead of your own.” – @ellenmariebennett

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• Business isn’t about just doing business anymore. People want to love the companies they are giving their money to.

• The consumer is now in the driver seat more than ever because there are more options and their opinions can be voiced on every social platform.

• Just begin. Don’t over think things, because when you do it diminished the chance you’ll ever begin.

• How close are you to your target customer? Have you ever asked them what they need and how you can make your products better?

• If you mess up, be the first person to admit it. It puts you in the position of power.

• If you were to create your perfect world, what would you being doing and how would you feel while you were doing it?

• There is no such thing as the “right way” to get your business off the ground.

• You need to solidify whatever you’re offering is something people need and want. Just because you think the world needs your products, doesn’t mean it really does.

• When you detach yourself from your target audience, you fail to seize the opportunity to listen and grow.

• You can spend your life copying and pretending to be some one else, but you end up chasing their dream instead of your own.

• There’s a fine line between inspiration and imitation.

• You need people to make your dreams come true. You cannot do it on your own.

• The Laptop Lifestyle is the idea that you are behind the wheel of the car, taking ownership of your life and that means you have to drive through the rainstorms too. Not just the fields of green grass.

W: hedleyandbennett.com  –  IG: @ellenmariebennett

FB: Hedley & Bennett