Well-Suited: Sali Christeson, Founder, Argent
In this episode of There Is No Alternative, Tina Bou-Saba, founder of CXT Investments, sits down with Sali Christeson, founder and CEO of Argent, to talk about building the workwear brand that is redefining what professional women wear, and what they deserve.
Sali spent a decade in banking, grad school, and tech before leaving her job cold turkey in 2015 to build the brand she could never find. Ten years later, Argent has grown from a pop-up at a women's conference to a multi-city retail presence with a devoted community of professional women. This episode is candid, tactical, and full of hard-won lessons on brand-building, fundraising, COVID survival, and what it actually means to be a mission-driven business.
In This Episode:
How Sali launched Argent by popping up at a women's conference and selling $30,000 in one day
Why female-founded, female-focused, and apparel are three strikes against you in fundraising, and how she overcame these major hurdles
Sali’s approach to fundraising her own way: family offices, values-aligned investors, and no check minimums
What it means to “not hear no,” and where that powerful conviction comes from
How Sali survived COVID at eight-and-a-half months pregnant by going lean overnight and pivoting a hot pink suit into a viral voting campaign
Howard Schultz’s crucial hiring advice that she ignored and then learned the hard way
Why brand-building cannot be shortcut with paid advertising — and why this is finally paying off for Argent
Argent's all-time bestselling product (hint: it is not a blazer!)
Sali’s advice for female founders: do not give up your power
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🎙️ There Is No Alternative: Lessons in Entrepreneurial Leadership with Tina Bou-Saba