From her time working retail on the floor of the famed Herald Square Macy’s, Edina Sultanik experienced a fashion industry introduction more challenging than any college course. “Everyone was insane, the hours were so long—it was the worst match,” explains Sultanik, the co-owner of cutting edge consulting agency BPMW and co-founder of the high-end trade show Capsule. Still, she powered through the prestigious training program and was promoted to the coveted position of buyer: a win that proved she had what it takes to succeed in the industry.
It’s an experience Sultanik has carried with her through her multifaceted career: she’s done everything from merchandising for designers to styling photo-shoots to leading the North American bureau of a top fashion industry publication. Though the challenge that most rivaled working the Macy’s floor was launching her own agency with a friend, an empty basement, and some serious elbow grease.
Out of that basement came BPMW, an agency known for its mission to help young designers interact with their target consumers. “We kept our day jobs but found a few clients,” Sultanik says. “We had to really give it our all, working 24 hours a day, physical labor, leveraging every contact we had.” After a year, they were able to devote themselves full time to building their business. “It was fun and exciting to start our own company, get our hands dirty. We really shaped our own destinies.”
Now, BPMW is a full-service branding firm specializing in progressive lifestyle and culture. It also produces Capsule, an influential trade show that showcases emerging collections in New York, Paris, Berlin, and Las Vegas, and serves as a catalyst for emerging designers, propelling them to success without the aid of major financial backing.
It was an untraditional path, but Sultanik wouldn’t change a thing. “I’m so glad I did it the way I did—it’s so great to know how the business works. You can make pretty pictures all you want, but if it doesn’t sell, it doesn’t sell.” Through her diverse pre-BPMW roles, she learned how to speak to customer needs, style a fashion shoot, and relate to designers, as well as the nuances of appealing to retailers and the public. This thorough industry understanding meant it was able to easily identify what it lacked: in this case, a strong and unified voice for burgeoning designers. “You need to become an expert in your industry,” Sultanik says, “instead of relying on others to know what you don’t.”
And where there are gaps in her knowledge or skills, she relies on BPMW’s cofounders. “I have two great partners, and they are both very talented. We all complement each other in different ways. You need to trust other people to do what they do and let them do it the best way they can.” In other words: know your own weaknesses, and surround yourself with people who succeed where you struggle. And when it comes to hiring, Sultanik says, “look for the hustler, someone who has built something out of the ordinary or established themselves in a creative way.”
Despite having reached these heights, Sultanik hasn’t slowed down. Her expertise is matched only by her willingness to be—as she puts it—unmistakably scrappy. “I’m able to find resources and do things on a small budget. I also make lists, calendar-ize certain things so I have a clear idea of what I’m going to do at what time of the day. If I hit a snag, I will probably take a break and work on something else for a little while.”
She’s also up before the rest of her world has stirred, kicking things off with a 5:15am yoga class or long walk on the Hudson River. “I find that starting the day off with a workout and some fresh air helps me stay focused and energized for the rest of the day.”
Her mastery has been hard won and, as she explains, self-motivated: “I definitely don’t do it to be recognized and appreciated by others. I am not looking for outside approval.” Instead, she’s driven by an unrelenting desire to realize her artistic vision, exercise her curiosity, and, ultimately, make something beautiful.
This article was produced on behalf of Hennessy by Quartz creative services and not by the Quartz editorial staff.