In today's episode, Missy Oei, winner of the BGV winter break college essay contest and senior at the University of Dayton studying entrepreneurship & marketing, shares her journey from realizing the significant impact of fast fashion on her generation to aspiring to break into venture capital with a focus on impact investing. Missy’s winning essay dives into the environmental ramifications of fast fashion, a topic borne out of her personal transition from a lover of shopping to an advocate for sustainability. Her narrative not only reflects a personal commitment to change but also signals a wider generational shift towards sustainability and ethical business practices, underscoring her ambition to leverage venture capital for positive global impact.
Seed to Harvest is a podcast focused on stories & tactics from a diverse array of investors, founders, and creators, hosted by Paige Finn Doherty, a founding partner at Behind Genius Ventures and author of Seed to Harvest, an illustrated children's book for adults.
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Behind Genius Ventures blog | https://www.behindgeniusventures.com/
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00:00 Welcome to Seed To Harvest: Melissa Oei
01:01 writing “Fighting Fast Fasion”
02:42 the environmental impact of fast fashion
03:17 companies investing in multimodal AI
04:13 COVID’s effects on the fashion industry
07:07 how social media impacts fast fashion
07:55 Missy’s peer-to-peer clothing rental app
11:28 the role of technology shaping consumer behavior
12:53 Missy’s dream rental scenario
15:15 the gap between intention and buying behavior
19:07 prioritizing sustainability in the fashion industry
20:37 nano trends in the fashion industry
22:50 Missy’s big dreams for impact investing
24:21 my perspective on fast fashion
Show notes:
Melissa (Missy) Oei | https://www.linkedin.com/in/oeimelissa/
Gen Z VCs | https://www.genzvcs.com/
Shein | https://us.shein.com/
Pickle | https://shoponpickle.com/
Good on You | https://goodonyou.eco/
Reformation | https://www.thereformation.com/clothing
For Days | https://fordays.com/
H&M | https://www2.hm.com/en_us/index.html