Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Kum.
Hi Megan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
The idea was seeded many years ago by two things. 1) A school uniform & love for a shortcut 2) Inspiration from my dad, who was an entrepreneur. My experience as a family caregiver in 2020 was the final inspiration to start Romparound.
It started with a school uniform. In high school, I had to wear a bland khaki and white uniform to school every day. I hated wearing it because it stifled my self-expression, creativity, and style. Its only redeeming quality served as a shortcut to my pre-morning routine because I didn’t need to think about what to wear and could get an extra ten minutes of sleep.
Once I became an adult, I had the freedom to wear whatever I wanted, but as the day in and day out of adulting began to sink in, I longed for the ease of my childhood uniform. Roll out of bed, slap a shirt and skirt on, and be out the door, versus rummaging through the closet, trying on ten outfits, and wasting an hour before finding the “right one.” But nothing in my closet was that easy.
Fast forward to when I abruptly moved home at the beginning of the pandemic to help care for my dad, who had been diagnosed with cancer. I had become a family caregiver overnight, a term I wouldn’t identify with until much later. I had to be ready for anything any time of the day, from springing into action in the middle of the night to running from work to doctor’s appointments, to working full-time, to catching up on lost sleep whenever I could, and everything in between.
To achieve balance, I wanted to wear a functional outfit that looked somewhat put together and made me look and feel good about myself. I found functional options, but they were boring and lacked color and fun. That’s when I had my aha moment. I realized that what I was grabbing for every day was a colorful printed jumpsuit that was easy to throw on, comfy enough to sleep in, easy to dress up and down, and allowed me to confidently venture out into the world for a variety of occasions. When I say I started living in this thing 24/7, I am NOT kidding. I knew then that I had to share this jumpsuit concept with the world. And I finally had found my new & improved life uniform.
Unfortunately, my dad passed away at the end of 202. Still, I was able to take my experience as a caregiver, sadness from grief, and my role model entrepreneurial dad as motivation & inspiration to create Romparound.
So far, I’ve 100% bootstrapped the business and done it all myself. I was leveraging a wholesaler, but once I had proof of concept, I knew I wanted to manufacture locally. While I have an MBA and marketing background, I have zero apparel industry experience and have had to learn (and am still learning) along the way.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road. First, starting the company was hard for me. I was used to a stable career and job where I rarely failed, and if I did, there was always a cushy safety net to catch me. I was scared to take that big of a risk. As a result, I have been a bit shy, which has set me back several times. Secondly, I had zero experience in the fashion/apparel industry. While I knew I lived in the fashion mecca – I didn’t have connections, didn’t know the process or how to find vendors or manufacturers. I’ve made many mistakes – some of which have been costly, and I’m on my second manufacturer now and still learning the process. Third, I’m a professional marketer, but marketing your own business with your money is a completely different experience. I’ve wasted a lot of money trying tactics that haven’t worked. It’s definitely been a trial and error and, I’m still learning. So to say I have stumbled is an understatement. At the same time, I’ve learned so much. About myself and about creating a business.
As you know, we’re big fans of Romparound. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
What you should know about the brand: We know life can be crazy. It can also be messy, unpredictable, and chaotic. That’s why at Romparound, we like a good shortcut. Life can come at you fas,t and every minute and every second counts. That’s why we wanted to bring pieces of clothing and accessories to the world that can cut out the thinking and the need for multiple outfits without sacrificing style and fun. Our signature jumpsuit can go from sleep (yes, sleep) to day, to night, to work to the beach and everywhere in between. Think of it as a life uniform with zero uniformity.
We believe in Versatility, Ease & Styz (style) and ensure our products deliver against these values:
Versatile: Our jumpsuits are great for all the things. Here are a few: sleeping, lounging, running errands, going out, beaching, breastfeeding, pregnanting, caregiving – the list goes on and on.
Ease: no thinking needed – just grab & go! No buttons, zippers, or ties to slow you down. And our jumpsuits are one size fits most. With adjustable straps and POCKETS!
Styz (style): Hugs & doesn’t hug in all the right places. Created in beautiful bold patterns & flattering solids. Dress it up or down with accessories & layers
What sets us apart?
We’re Caring AF
While Romparound is all about playful shortcuts, at the end of the day, we CARE a lot – especially about family caregivers. Did you know:
– 53MM family caregivers in the US
– 1 out of 4 millennials is a family caregiver
– More than 50% of caregivers don’t identify as such
– 61% of family caregivers are women
– 23% of family caregivers are “sandwich caregivers,” meaning they are a parent to someone under 18 and caring for someone over 18
The experience of being a family caregiver is integral to our origin and we know how hard of a role it is. It can be tireless, messy, stressful, and often thankless but at the end of the day always out of love. That’s why we are committed as a brand to connecting with, driving awareness to and direct impact on the family caregiving community. We currently donate 5% of sales to organizations that help family caregivers.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Take the leap – you’re never going to regret doing it. But you likely will regret not doing it. There’s also never the right time and never a good time. I started my business when I was at an all-time low, but it was the motivation I needed to make something great.
Take a note from Nike and Just Do It. Every day I still have to tell myself this. Things don’t have to be perfect.
ASK FOR HELP! Use whatever connections, acquaintances, etc. you have. Most people want to help.
Pricing:
- $75 Jumpsuits
- $6 Scrunchies
Contact Info:
- Website: https://goromparound.com/
- Instagram: @goromparound
- Facebook: @goromparound
- Other: TikTok: @romparound
Image Credits
Jade Sharp Photo
