How I became the CEO of Parachute
Kaye grows from simple linens to brand-building
Ariel Kaye sought to fill gap in home essentials.
Our series “How I became a …” digs into the stories of accomplished and influential people, finding out how they got to where they are in their careers.
From buttery linens in sun-soaked rooms to fuzzy robes fresh out of the shower and soft towels meant to wrap around you and last for years, Parachute’s founder and CEO Ariel Kaye sought to fill a gap in the market while pursuing her passion for home and interior design. Starting as a one-woman team after Kaye decided to take the leap and leave her full-time job in advertising, Parachute has now expanded from an online-only business to a brand with brick-and-mortar stores across the country.
USA TODAY caught up with Kaye to talk about everything from the benefits of joining an accelerator program to the importance of learning how to get out of your own way.
Question: How did you get your start in your career?
Ariel Kaye: I went to college in New York, went to grad school in New York, and lived in New York for many years. I worked in a number of different jobs until I ended up in advertising, which was great. I was on the strategic side of creative, but I’ve always been obsessed with home and interior design. I had an interior design blog way back when and was helping friends and family decorate for fun. Really, spending a lot of shopping in the home category and felt a lot of passion for the space. I just had a good eye, and so in 2012, I wanted to do something different. I was ready to move on to a new type of role, more entrepreneurial. I wanted to make a bigger impact ... I decided that this could be a time to merge my interests of home, design, brand building and connecting with people through cool campaigns. I originally thought I would join a company that was in the earlier stage of doing something in the home space ... I started to think more critically about where the opportunity was, and what was missing in the market, and that was what really brought me to Parachute. The idea initially was to start small, with sheets and basic essentials for the bed, but always the vision was to be this much larger home lifestyle brand, and that’s what we are today.
I’m not a textile designer by trade, but I’ve had quite the education by building this brand and being involved in factories, really seeing how it all comes together.
Q: What was the process like with building Parachute?
Kaye: I talked to a lot of people. I really leaned on a network of friends and friends of friends and people who had experience, whether it was direct or indirect, and applicable to what I was doing. Really, when I decided to truly take the plunge and leave my job, the first thing I did was go to Europe and visit factories to see how these products were made. I got home even more inspired and more determined to get this thing off the ground. I moved to L.A. and then spent the next year figuring out how to get a website up and running, how to import goods from Italy, and how to raise some capital so that I could buy inventory – I really had to learn just about everything. I joined an accelerator program, which was really helpful for me as a sole founder. I was able to learn a lot, get connected to the investor and mentor community in L.A., and really get support and get an office.
Q: What does a typical workday look like for you?
Kaye: There’s really nothing typical about my workday, but I start my mornings quite early, especially now that I have a baby. Pre-baby, I worked out every morning, now I try to work out at least two or three times a week. I try to get to the office by 9 or 10, and by the time I’ve arrived, I’ve already gone through emails, been sure to respond to anything pressing, assessed what my schedule looks like for the day so I can map out when I’m going to continue to look at emails or find time to chat with people I need to chat with. Then, a number of meetings, which can range from anything about whether it’s a product for the product team to review, new design samples, meeting with our executive team to talk about business objectives and our roadmap, reviewing UI for new design ... I mean, really no day is the same. That’s what makes it so fun.
Q: To what do you credit your success?
Kaye: Growing a business is hard, and I’ve consistently and continued to hear ‘no’ more often than I hear yes in so many ways, so really being able to show up every day and fight through challenging moments and let those challenges be things that fire me up and keep me engaged. Also, being really open to learning. So much of building a business is solving problems, and I view that more as embracing opportunities.
Q: How do you balance work, life and such a busy schedule?
Kaye: I’m fortunate to have the support of family and my husband’s family nearby. Learning how to really ask for help and make sure that I prioritize myself so that I can be the best mom and best friend and best leader and all of that is really important.
“So much of building a business is solving problems, and I view that more as embracing opportunities.” Ariel Kaye, Parachute CEO
Q: What advice would you give to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?
Kaye: Do it, or don’t. It’s not easy, and I learned early on that to build a brand or have a business, it has to be your priority. Don’t sweat the small stuff – don’t get in your way, get out of your way and focus on moving forward.