Trust Your Instincts: Building a Brand Without Losing the Magic with Laura Liles

<p>What happens when the data tells you one thing, but your instincts tell you another?</p><p><br></p><p>Laura Liles is the founder of Australian fashion brands Kinga Csilla and Ciao Ciao Vacation. </p><p><br></p><p>After 20 years in the fashion industry and a decade building brands of her own, she’s learned that some of her best business decisions haven’t come from following the formula. They’ve come from trusting her instincts.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode of Reset, Laura joins me to talk about creativity, entrepreneurship and what it really takes to build a fashion brand without losing the magic that made you want to create in the first place.</p><p><br></p><p>Laura shares what happened when her team leaned heavily into data and AI to design collections, only to find they fell flat with customers. We talk about balancing creativity with commercial reality, knowing when to take advice and when to trust yourself, and why the most unique thing you can bring to a business might simply be you.</p><p><br></p><p>We also talk about starting a business before you feel completely ready, finding community as a founder, building the right team, showing up online, and Laura’s vision for taking her brands beyond fashion and into jewellery, travel and immersive experiences.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode:</p><ul><li>​Building Kinga Csilla and Ciao Ciao Vacation</li><li>Creativity vs data when making business decisions</li><li>​Why following conventional business advice doesn’t always work</li><li>​Trusting your instincts as a founder</li><li>​How to start a fashion brand</li><li>​Turning an idea into a business and building momentum</li><li>​Why community matters when you’re running a business alone</li><li>​Finding inspiration outside your own industry</li><li>​ Building a team around your strengths</li><li>​Showing up on social media as a founder</li><li>​Why experience and industry relationships matter before launching</li><li>​Laura’s plans for jewellery, accessories and immersive brand experiences</li><li>​The future of retail, fashion and creating brands people want to experience</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Whether you’re building a business, dreaming about starting something of your own or trying to hold onto your creativity while turning it into a career, this conversation is a reminder that there isn’t one formula for doing it well.</p><p><br></p><p>CONNECT WITH LAURA</p><p>Laura Liles </p><p>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/laura_liles_/" targe