In this episode, Bora sits down with Taylor Johnson, founder of Hazel and Olive, who unknowingly pioneered social commerce in 2012 when Facebook was just a social network with no shopping features. Starting with six sweaters and a blurry phone photo, Taylor recognized patterns in social behavior that would later become the foundation of modern social shopping.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- How Taylor identified social shopping behaviors on Facebook before formal commerce features existed
- The story behind the viral "Thursday 7PM" drops that repeatedly crashed their servers
- Her evolution from posting products on Facebook to launching 10-20 new styles daily
- Building strategic wholesale relationships that enabled first access to trending styles
- Managing viral moments, including becoming the #1 trending search for Taylor Swift concert outfits
- How she maintained customer loyalty through the evolution of social platforms
- Practical insights into scaling operations from a one-woman show to a sophisticated daily launch machine
- The future of social commerce and lessons for modern brand builders
Whether you're building a brand or fascinated by the evolution of social commerce, Taylor's story offers rare insights into recognizing and capitalizing on emerging consumer behaviors before they become mainstream trends.