Meet Felicia Ruiz of Assembly Line in West Midtown

Today we’d like to introduce you to Felicia Ruiz.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Felicia. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Upon graduating with a BS in Fashion Merchandising from Georgia Southern University, I began my career in NYC’s Fashion District in a Multi-Line Showroom. In the summer of 2006, I moved to Atlanta to pursue a Fashion Career in the South.

In 2008, I landed the role as the National Merchandising Manager for Mellow Mushroom, overseeing the merchandise program for 100+ locations nationwide. After 3 years at Mellow Mushroom, I accepted a role at Americas Mart as Showroom Manager for a wholesale sales agency representing 20+ US and European fashion brands.

In 2011, I shifted my career to become an independent brand consultant, utilizing my fashion industry sales and marketing acumen to support new designers and fashion startups in the South and Midwest. Among other successful collaborations, I joined forces with Savannah-based apparel brand Mamie Ruth, expanding the company’s retail presence from 5 stores to 55.

In 2015, I become a Managing Partner of Factory Girls, a curated fashion incubator fostering local designers. Applying my in-depth knowledge of the wholesale industry, I began offering branding and business consulting. With the end of Factory Girls, and a dedication to the success to my clients, I launched my Consulting Agency, Assembly Line, in the Spring of 2018. Offering expertise to designers at every stage of their career, my value-added forte is igniting brand growth from conception to retail and e-Commerce through a team of local vendors right here in Atlanta.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The entrepreneurship journey is definitely not a smooth road! I took many leaps of faith by leaving my high paying corporate jobs to fulfill my passion for working with emerging designers in the south. While other girls in my industry left for NYC or LA, I stayed here in Atlanta to build my brand. When my friends were excelling and getting promoted, I was working on multiple side jobs to support the launch of my business. It is absolutely a challenge to build a brand for yourself and not get distracted by others around you. As an entrepreneur, you are constantly comparing your success with others. The biggest struggle would have to be making the decision to be humble enough to take a pay cut or take that waitress/bartending job at night, to do what you love during the day. Sacrifices pay off in the end but it is a long journey.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Assembly Line – what should we know?
Assembly Line is very unique because we service fashion brands at every level of their development. From fashion brands with just a sketch to brands that have been online for ten years and want to shift their business to a Wholesale model, we provide the necessary resources to support them.

At Assembly Line, I refer to myself as the “General Contractor” I find the perfect vendors to service my clients’ needs. From Graphic Designers and Web Developers to Photographers and Seamstresses, we are assisting clients in building brands in an “Assembly Line” fashion similar to building a car. There are several steps in the process of building a successful fashion business and our team of experts help clients achieve their goal of launching a brand.

I am proud of the fact that I get to help others bring their brands to life! Most importantly, I am proud that I do that right here in the city that I love. We have such an amazing community of creatives and professionals right here in Atlanta, so we don’t have to rely solely on cities like NYC or LA for our resources. Fashion brands can be built right here in the South!

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
From my parents and siblings, to my fiancé and closest friends, I have a great group of people that have supported me along the way. They have been my biggest fans and cheerleaders.

Besides my family and friends, I have to give a shout out to my team that supports me daily. We all have our unique strengths and work efficiently to bring our clients’ vision to life. I am nothing without my team!

Contact Info:

• Phone: 678-787-4408
• Email: [email protected]

Image Credit:
Ali Agan, The Indie Element, Jamie Hopper, Jamie Hopper Photography

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