Today we’d like to introduce you to MaryRalph Bradley.
Hi MaryRalph, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Born and raised in Austin, TX, my love for the ocean brought me to Southern California, where I studied at Pepperdine University. Although initially drawn in by the beach, the exciting nature and fashion side of Los Angeles encouraged me to expand my horizons! I am a natural-born leader and have always looked for business opportunities. It wasn’t rare for me to be beading necklaces and designing shirts to sell on the playground at school! My entrepreneurial energy allowed me to organically grow a social media presence with incredibly engaged followers that I’ve loved being able to interact with and inspired me to start my social media agency. In the summer of 2020, my best friend, Kennedy Crichlow, approached me with the idea of launching a clothing brand together, and I was an easy Yes! Daily Drills was born in my apartment – we had boxes of inventory taking over the entire space, all the way out onto the balcony. Today, Daily Drills is a seven-figure apparel line with an assortment of transitional lifestyle pieces ranging from lounge to sport to resort. As Co-Founder and Creative Director of Daily Drills, I’ve been so lucky to have merged my entrepreneurial passions, social expertise, AND love of fashion. When I’m not dreaming up the next Daily Drills Drop, you’ll find me watching the sunset or dipping in the ocean with my husband and best friends.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
I am forever grateful that the road has been smooth and enjoyable for the most part! Of course, there have been some bumps along the way – both ones that I can now look back and laugh at and ones that I hope no one else has to endure. Launching Daily Drills in my apartment was a bumpy moment that I can laugh at now. The mountains of boxes completely overtook my personal space to the point that I was living and breathing Daily Drills at all hours of the day, and that wasn’t easy. The risk we took to start this company was scary! My business partner and I knew we wanted to be self-funded, so we invested $10,000 without any outside financial help. At only 23 years old, this was terrifying! However, we’ve been beyond blessed to have never had to reinvest additional personal capital since our additional investment.
We’ve been impressed with Daily Drills, but for folks who might need to be more familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart?
Daily Drills is an LA-based lifestyle brand designed to make getting dressed fun. In 2020, best friends and entrepreneurial spirits Kennedy Crichlow (Kenn) and Mary Ralph Lawson (Ralph) spotted a niche in the ever-growing leisure industry and set out to create clothes that do the work for you. From cozy loungewear to stylish workout gear and vacation-ready resort wear, Daily Drills has something for every occasion.
Soon after selling out their first collection, Kenn and Ralph quit their social media and marketing jobs to give their constantly growing social media audience what they wanted. Through a dedicated following who create group texts and set alarms for upcoming drops, it’s clear that Kenn and Ralph’s vision of finding the fun in getting dressed on the daily have struck a chord with shoppers everywhere.
What started as cardboard boxes of inventory stacked on Ralph’s apartment balcony has grown into the easy-to-love, exciting-to-style, 7-figure apparel destination Daily Drills. Not to mention the most supportive community of go-getters dedicated to looking for the good in life – just like Kenn and Ralph.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those just starting.
One of my favorite mottos is to say yes often but say no enough to make your yes’s count. My mom always told my sister and me this is growing up, but I’m not sure where it originally came from, so she can’t take all the credit 🙂 While I practice this in all areas of my life, it especially applies to starting a business. The hardest part is that initial “yes” to getting started. Most people never say yes, so when you do, you already leap ahead. Say yes to people willing to help you, yes to coffee conversations and random connections, and yes to all of the little things that seem scary but that you know will make a difference. Use your yes wisely, and then mean it 100%. You never know where your “yes” could lead!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryralph/
- Other: www.tiktok.com/@mralphlawson
Image Credits
@lyliepop
