Episode Details

On today’s episode, we welcome Amy Smilovic, Founder & Creative Director of Tibi and author of the new book Almost Reckless. What started in 1997 with $15,000 and no formal fashion training has grown into one of the most respected independently owned luxury brands — built not on focus groups or algorithms, but on rigorously defined principles and instinct.
In this conversation, Amy shares how she rebuilt her $70M business by rejecting sameness, redefining traditional success metrics, and embracing what she calls the “Creative Pragmatist” mindset — balancing bold creativity with discipline and utility. We talk about navigating “the good ick” before growth, knowing when a risk aligns with your values, building community without chasing trends, and leading with conviction in an era dominated by data. A thoughtful episode for founders, creatives, and anyone committed to building something original with structure, clarity, and courage.

Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at karagoldin@gmail.com. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks.

To learn more about Amy Smilovic and TIBI:
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/773715/almost-reckless-by-amy-smilovic/
https://tibi.com/
https://www.instagram.com/tibi/
https://www.instagram.com/amysmilovic/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-smilovic/

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Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/808