A good entrepreneur, says Gary Vaynerchuk, “can’t hear the crowd.”

That was one of many business-building bon mots the serial entrepreneur dropped during the keynote Q&A at The BELLA + CANVAS Digital Experience, a virtual event from the Commerce, CA-based apparel supplier. During the daylong conference, BELLA + CANVAS (asi/39590) also showed off a range of hot, new apparel styles, discussed its commitment to sustainable manufacturing practices and the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion, and held roundtable panel discussions with prominent apparel decorators.

Gary Vaynerchuk

The highlight of the event was the Q&A between Danny Harris, co-founder of BELLA+CANVAS, and Vaynerchuk, chairman of VaynerX and CEO of VaynerMedia. Vaynerchuk (GaryVee), a best-selling author with more than 30 million social media followers across all platforms and a top podcast, is also known for early investments in companies like Facebook, Twitter, Venmo, Snapchat and Uber.

“This guy continues to succeed, stay ahead of the market and pivot and navigate better than others,” Harris said in his introduction.

Vaynerchuk’s message to attendees was simple: Don’t follow the crowd, don’t worry about what others think and don’t be afraid to fail. “I love being an entrepreneur,” he said. “I loved it when I was shoveling snow when everyone else was sledding. If you’re a good entrepreneur, you can’t hear the crowd.”

He advised other entrepreneurs not to get caught up in the “cheering, accolades and trophies” because otherwise you’ll also “become incredibly vulnerable to the booing.” Instead, focus on the things you love without seeking external validation or worrying about the possibility of failure.

Failing means you’re trying something, and you can learn a lot from the experience. “We have to stop demonizing losing,” he said. “Losing is epic, I swear. Losing is like being alive.”

Vaynerchuk also challenged listeners to question the value of stereotypical “alpha” traits like being tough and aggressive. “I think people have it twisted,” he said, adding that attributes like compassion and empathy are the real “alpha skills.”

Decorator Roundtable

Clockwise from top left, Brett Bowden, owner of Printed Threads; Tom Davenport, decoration specialist; Amy Baker, owner of Threadbare Print House; and Jacob Edwards, owner of Jakprints.

In a panel discussion on decorating, Tom Davenport, decoration specialist, spoke with Brett Bowden, owner of Printed Threads; Amy Baker, owner of Threadbare Print House; and Jacob Edwards, owner of Jakprints, about a range of concerns in the apparel decorating world.

Among the topics discussed was the expansion of print-on-demand during the pandemic. “The explosion really came from marketing on demand,” Edwards said, pointing out how easy it’s become to put a “Shop Now” button on Instagram and Facebook or to create a Shopify store. “People are buying T-shirts and embellished garments more frequently than ever in the history of my life.”

Edwards also noted that the next innovations in the decorating world won’t be about presses that can print faster, but innovations that help cut back setup time. “The reality is the information systems need to get better so we waste less,” he said.

When it comes to sustainability, the group agreed that it’s important to create high-quality garments that recipients will want to wear multiple times, rather than throw away or stuff in the back of a pajama drawer. Baker, who runs a water-based-only print shop, said appointing one employee to be the sustainability director really helped Threadbare refocus its priorities on eco-friendly choices. And Bowden noted the importance of aligning with companies “that fit your values.”

“You feel in tune with that brand, you respect that brand,” he said. “That’s always been really important to us.”

New Styles

Among the new styles BELLA + CANVAS featured were the women’s pullover raglan fleece (7505) and the men’s T-shirt with curved hem (3003).

BELLA + CANVAS also shared a slew of new styles for 2021 during the virtual event. Among the garments is a women’s pullover raglan fleece (7505) made of 52% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton and 48% polyester fleece. The garment features a raglan sleeve, thick neck binding and mid-length that’s ideal for all demographics.

A men’s jersey T-shirt with a curved hem (3003) made of 100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton is ideal for music merch, alcohol companies or retail brands.

Also featured were new colors including yellow, poppy and autumn for the brand’s street fleece and dusty blue and orchid for its Airlume jersey.

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