Building a Licensed, Collegiate Apparel Brand That's Scaling into Wholesale | Megan Smalley

Episode: Episode 637
Published: October 20, 2025
Length: 42 min
Guest:: Megan Smalley

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Show notes

Ever wonder how a side hustle born in a guest bedroom can grow into a nationwide licensed apparel brand? In this episode, host Kirsten Tyrrel sits down with entrepreneur Megan Smalley, founder of Scarlet & Gold, to explore her 13-year journey building a thriving apparel company that creates products people actually want to wear. Megan shares how she evolved from running a small side hustle out of her guest bedroom to managing a licensed apparel brand serving universities nationwide. She opens up about the twists and turns of entrepreneurship — from shutting down her business during motherhood, to relaunching with a print-on-demand model, to scaling into wholesale and overseas manufacturing. Megan also offers valuable insight into leadership, building team culture, managing growth, and breaking into the wholesale market. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner, this episode is packed with real-world lessons on pivoting, perseverance, and creating meaningful products!

What we discuss with Megan:

+ From guest bedroom to national brand

+ Building licensed collegiate apparel

+ Transitioning from retail to print-on-demand

+ Overcoming challenges during motherhood

+ Scaling through wholesale and manufacturing

+ Breaking into the NCAA licensing space

+ Managing a growing in-person team

+ Creating strong company culture and values

+ Wholesale tips for boutique partnerships

+ Lessons on leadership and business pivots

Thank you, Megan!