It’s Ok to Turn Down an Order: Interview with Jeff Abrams, Founder of Rails
Several years ago, I interviewed Jeff Abrams, founder of Rails, in an interview originally published in Thrive Global. Here is an excerpt from our conversation:
Adam: What is something about you that would surprise people?
Jeff: I started my career working in TV animation, focusing on marketing for children’s TV shows and merchandise. It was an interesting place to learn about customer relationships and brand messaging, but surprisingly many of the key principles have carried over into the fashion space.
Adam: How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?
Jeff: The early days of Rails were filled with trial and error, unexpected developments, and setbacks that could have impeded my drive to succeed. My first big order of 3000 units was stolen from a truck almost immediately after it was picked up. A critical early production run of my hero product was damaged and I had to fly to halfway across the world to hand repair every unit.
What I realized early on is that maintaining my composure under pressure has been the best approach to any circumstance. Those early setbacks taught me that it is better to get working on a resolution than to ruminate in a disappointment. Thoughtful problem-solving will always lead to better outcomes and a company culture that can handle adversity.
Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?
Jeff: There is no blueprint to creating a successful business. You need to trust your intuition, be thick-skinned and resilient, and continually find ways to innovate. You need to have emotional intelligence to appreciate your customer, your staff, and understand that building personal connections is as important as driving financial performance. And have a sense of humor! It helps to set a more approachable workplace.
Navigating from an upstart business to one with a more formal organizational structure requires a different mindset. It becomes less about the actual “doing”, than the communication and encouragement to keep your team motivated and driving forward. It is important to set company goals and individual goals and then set about a plan to achieve them. Let your team know how you are progressing toward these objectives and have open dialogue about how the company can improve.
Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs and executives?
Jeff: Make good decisions quickly. Don’t belabor the possible outcomes, or procrastinate out of fear. Evaluate the circumstances, trust your intuition, and go for it.
Be ready to pivot. It’s important to maintain your company’s momentum with sound decision-making, but in a rapidly changing marketplace, be prepared to change course if necessary. Admitting you were wrong is ok, but don’t ride a poor decision indefinitely.
Build a great team with lasting bonds. In the early days, every entrepreneur will need to be an intern, creative lead, chief financial officer, salesperson, and shipper. But it will be critical to build a talented team who deeply believes in the company's mission, culture, and vision.
Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading, and managing teams?
Jeff: I always seek to hire people who genuinely love the function of their role. It is so much easier to create a collaborative, dynamic, and engaged staff when work and life intersect, and when there is passion in the office. Building trust with new hires takes time, particularly in critical roles that may define the future success of a business. But cultivating an operational framework that gives guidelines for performance, but allows employees to create, ideate, and craft their own strategies, has allowed us to flourish.
Teach employees to be entrepreneurs of their space. Let them understand their impact to the business no matter where they work within the company. If they see ways we can improve, we don’t set up a lot of red tape to get things done. We are constantly improving, and it is based on the collective input of our employees.
Most importantly, lead by example, particularly in times of challenge. I have always tried to set an example of hard work and dedication by being present, engaged, enthusiastic, and connected to all of our teams. We are truly a family, and that will continue to be part of our DNA no matter how big our organization becomes.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
Jeff: “It’s ok to turn down an order.” Many entrepreneurs, particularly after they bring on investors, are driven by topline revenue, profit, and a demand to continue growing key metrics, sometimes at all costs. Often this can lead to making business decisions and placing your brand in locations that may not be the right fit. If you show that you don’t value your own brand, neither will the consumer.
Adam: How can anyone pay it forward?
Jeff: When I began in the business I had no mentor. Everything was trial and error, and learning through on the job experience. I think it is important to connect with young entrepreneurs who are just starting out, and need guidance or encouragement. There is something special about discovering your own path, but having a mentor to rely on can be helpful along the way.
Adam Mendler is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, educator, and nationally recognized authority on leadership. Adam is the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one-on-one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal-winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations. Adam has written extensively on leadership and related topics, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders. A Los Angeles native, Adam is a lifelong Angels fan and an avid backgammon player.
Follow Adam on Instagram and Twitter at @adammendler and on LinkedIn and listen and subscribe to Thirty Minute Mentors on your favorite podcasting app.