6 Key Roles Every Apparel Brand Founder Needs to Scale

Most apparel founders wait too long to build the right team and it costs them growth, profitability, and burnout.

In this episode of The Business of Apparel Podcast, Rachel breaks down the 6 key roles every apparel brand should understand before scaling. From product managers and technical designers to production managers and project managers, Rachel explains exactly what each role does, when to hire them, and how to know what should come off your plate first.

If you're building a clothing brand, clothing line, activewear company, or product-based business, this episode gives you a real-life perspective for structuring your dream team and growing without losing your mind.

Sign up for the Secrets Behind Billion Dollar Apparel Brands Masterclass here: https://www.thebusinessofapparel.com/secrets

Join The Board here: https://www.thebusinessofapparel.com

Key Moments:

00:00 Hiring for 6 Key Roles

01:36 When to Delegate

02:50 Role #1

05:06 Join Our Free Masterclass!

06:18 Product Manager Deep Dive

09:23 Role #2

11:16 Role #3

13:18 Role #4

16:56 Role #5

17:33 Join The Board!

18:53 Production Manager Details

20:42 Role #6

23:16 Bonus Role

Watch more of The Business of Apparel Podcast episodes:

Wholesale 101: https://youtu.be/lpezH1YwCyE

Use AI in Your Apparel Brand: https://youtu.be/Dn9tjPNmfaw 

Grow A 7-Figure Apparel Business: https://youtu.be/rpQYDyo5Rao

We can't wait to hear what you think of this episode!

Purchase the Business of Apparel Online Course: https://www.thebusinessofapparel.com/course

ABOUT RACHEL:

Rachel Erickson—Fractional COO, Apparel Industry Consultant, and founder of Unmarked Street and The Business of Apparel. With 20+ years in technical design and product development leadership, I've sat at the executive table of a $25M apparel line and helped scale it to $60M in one year.

After decades working inside major fashion companies, I learned the truth behind billion-dollar brands, and it's not about chasing trends or pumping out endless products. It's about building clean processes, tightly edited assortments, and obsessively focused customer targeting.

I help founders and CEOs of performance apparel brands:

✅ Build lean, profitable product lines

✅ Streamline operations for growth

✅ Replace overwhelm with executive clarity

✅ Create garments that fit bodies in motion

Whether you're just hitting $1M in revenue or trying to break through the $10M ceiling, my team joins you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading.

To connect with Rachel, you can join her LinkedIn community here: LinkedIn.

To visit her website, go to: www.unmarkedstreet.com.