Meet Emily Graham
Background
Hi, I'm Emily! I started Maven Way as an opportunity to combine two passions of mine - clothing and sustainability - along with providing women a better shopping experience.
A little about me: I am a proud midwesterner where I live through snowy winters and lake side summers with my husband and our precious shorkie. I earned my bachelors in mechanical engineering at Iowa State University and an MBA in marketing at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.
My career started in engineering designing products in the consumer goods industry. From user interfaces to delivering entire products, I have over seven years of experience developing products from concept to market. I had always been interested in the business side of running a company and after working a couple years decided it was time to get my MBA.
Clothing
Though Maven Way is my journey to finally follow my passion into the sustainable fashion world, I must admit to being a reformed shopaholic & fast fashion junkie. Shopping was one of my favorite activities for many years. It was how my mom and I spent time together while I was growing up and it was what I did with my friends throughout high school and college.
Clothing has always been a way for me to creatively express and portray the best version of myself. I truly believe you can change the world in the right outfit - or at least, you’ll feel like you can!
Sustainability
It was while I was exploring going back to school for an MBA that I started imagining a career in the fashion industry. Creating products that people love has always been a passion for me but I wanted a deeper meaning. How could I leave things better than how I found them? What impact could I make?
I started exploring the fashion industry which led me towards the need for more sustainable fashion. Elizabeth Cline’s book, Overdressed, really opened my eyes to the issues in the industry and inspired both my career direction along with the change in my own shopping habits. Maven Way’s purpose is to bring visibility to brands that are already creating clothing in a sustainable manner. You’re busy and shouldn’t have to spend your free time searching for clothing brands that align with your values!
I'm always looking to hear from customers, others in the sustainable fashion world, or entrepreneurs. Feel free to reach out at emily@mavenwaystyle.com - I always have 5 minutes.