From Pop-Culture to Goddesses, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen pivoted from an empire built on their personal brand to a business in which they stepped out of the limelight and let their product speak for itself.

These entrepreneurial twins started when they were very young – they were babies when their careers started in the entertainment industry. They made the most of all the opportunities that were afforded to them and sold everything from clothes to books to movies. We saw them everywhere as children.

But something happened. There was a major shift. They turned their backs on acting. Some say it was a result of new found interests but essentially it was the result of understanding the ever-evolving world of business and entrepreneurship. Out walked teeny-bop actresses, in walked fashion royalty – the genesis and ascension of The Row, famously named after Savile Row.

We wanted to make things simple for the customer

Ashley Olsen

They’re not just celebrities (or nepo babies) selling things – they have never used their celebrity name and have worked hard to attain credibility in a highly competitive industry and are recognised as one of the top brands in the luxury fashion space. They are taken very seriously by the media and industry leaders (despite initial doubters), which clearly speaks volumes about their expertise in both business and fashion. They brilliantly identified a gap in the market and tailored their business to match it.

I think if you grow too quickly and feel pressure to push forward, you risk making more mistakes. It’s a family owned business and we need to do what we feel is right for us. And that’s what we protect.

Ashley Olsen

The Row is now successful and took just over a decade to build – estimated annual revenues being between $250m-$300m, consistently growing around 20-30 percent every single year. What was exceptionally clever and strategic about these two entrepreneurs is that they cultivated their loyal clients without marketing. The Row doesn’t really advertise and both avoid the spotlight and schmoozing clients. They hardly attend events or network. They’re most definitely not attention seeking on social media or in the media, so how did they rise to the top?

They let their work speak for itself and let consumers decide whether the product is worth the price – The Row.