After a setback, roll up your sleeves and keep going—reinvent yourself. Entrepreneur Nicole Hoefsmit knows all about that. For thirteen years, she ran the fashion label Anna Scott. The brand was successful, sold in 1,500 stores across more than fifteen countries, but still went under in 2014. Nicole decided to start over and founded PLEIN PUBLIQUE six months later. The brand, best known for its timeless classics—such as merino wool items and Breton stripes—is available exclusively online.

“I’ve learned that not everything has to be perfect.”

Qey: Why did you choose Breton stripes in the beginning?

“I wanted to start a brand that I could sell directly to consumers, rather than relying solely on retailers and agents. That’s why I chose to go online. And when you start online, it’s very important to choose a niche. You just have to be very clear about what you’re doing, otherwise no one will find you online. That’s crucial for your visibility on Google. Because I chose to focus exclusively on Breton stripes, the brand was immediately picked up by the press. That was a great start.”

Qey: You now also sell other clothing items under the PLEIN PUBLIQUE brand. Why did you decide to expand the collection?

“Of course, people don’t just wear stripes. At one point, we added a dark blue sweater with a single white stripe at the bottom to the collection. It sold so well that I gradually started making other items too, especially with merino wool. Now we mainly focus on classics, but with a fresh twist. A nice white blouse, a good T-shirt—those kinds of items. And the striped shirts are still selling very well. Some items have been in the collection for four years now. If it’s good, it’s good. That’s why we almost never have sales.”

Qey: After Anna Scott, you stayed in the fashion industry. It’s the same sector, but you’re now running a completely different kind of business. At Anna Scott, you mainly worked with retailers; now you sell online and directly to consumers. How did you find your way in the online world?

“I knew absolutely nothing about online! Yeah, how did I handle that? Just dove right in. I emailed and called people—other entrepreneurs I didn’t necessarily know—and asked if we could talk. I found that pretty nerve-wracking, but I decided not to make a bigger deal out of it in my head than it actually was. Some people don’t respond, and others are incredibly nice and tell you everything.”

Qey: What is the most important career lesson you’ve learned throughout your career?

“I used to think I wasn’t an entrepreneur. I was always looking at others, seeing how they did things. I’d really look up to people, thinking, ‘Oh, that person is doing well, and that one is doing fantastically.’ That would sometimes make me feel insecure, because I thought I’d never be able to do it that way. But there are many roads that lead to Rome, and there are many different kinds of entrepreneurs. Ultimately, entrepreneurship is ‘just doing it.’ And everyone does it in their own way. Of course, I’ve made mistakes too, but I’ve managed to succeed.

Another lesson is that it doesn’t all have to be perfect. A lot of women think—and this is really a “woman thing”—that we have to do everything perfectly. But it doesn’t have to be perfect. Men are much more like, “Let’s just go for it and see what happens.” And women want everything to be just right first. The logo, the website, the clothing, the buttons—everything, everything has to be just right. And eventually, as you go along, you realize it doesn’t all have to be that perfect.

When I started the brand, it was called Breizh. I thought about it for a long time and had a website built. It all had to be perfect. I finally launched it. It went incredibly well, but after a year and a half, I changed the name because it just didn’t “stick.” Even though I was so absolutely convinced of that name at the beginning. And so you see, you can think everything through as carefully as you want, but you’re also allowed—and able—to change things as you go along.”

Qey: How do you operate at PLEIN PUBLIQUE now?

“There are six of us—all freelancers I hire. I truly believe in the power of hiring freelancers. Plus, it’s easy to work in a hybrid model with freelancers. We don’t spend much time together in the office. When I wrote the business plan 5.5 years ago, I already made it clear that I wanted to be able to work anywhere and anytime. I do notice that I’m very productive in the morning and get through my pending tasks. Then in the afternoon, I do other things. But I also work in the evenings and on weekends quite often. I actually enjoy it, so it’s not like it’s a chore. I’ve noticed that the team also finds this a pleasant way to work. The younger generation can’t even imagine having to be in the office all the time.”

Qey: What are your ambitions?

“With PLEIN PUBLIQUE, we want to grow even further—first in the Netherlands and Belgium, and then in Germany. I especially love seeing how happy customers are with the clothing and the service.”

This original interview is available on be-qey.com.