🍀 FOUNDER SCANDALS

I thought about sharing my favorite ads from December. I really did. Look – I was going to lead into it with this GIF…

But, then I remembered what’s actually on my mind this week. The expose of Matilda Djerf.

Over the last week, 11 of her employees (past and present) shared their stories of bullying and scandalous treatment while employed by Matilda Djerf at Djerf Avenue. I won’t share the exact details (Reddit can do that for you or Google Matilda Djerf Scandal) but the point is she is full-out not who she’s claiming to be online. That’s confirmed, IMO, by the response from Matilda and the brand’s representatives since the scandal broke. 

I bring this up today because the founder brand is fragile. 

I still remember reading about the founders of AWAY. 

I still remember reading about the founders of Reformation. 

Once you’re proven awful, even if in the shakedown you are replaced (like in the cases of AWAY and Reformation), I NEVER FORGET. 

This 1 hits a little close to home because I’ve been an outright, pretty-public, super-fan of the brand. I searched my inbox and since I started Go-to-Millions in 2022, I’ve mentioned Djerf Avenue 37 times. All with great esteem. 

This year alone, I’ve purchased 5 times. Most recently, on December 7th. The Saturday before the news broke.

That order on December 7th was BIG. Djerf was doing their 5th year anniversary sale and the entire site was 35% off. 

When I saw this news of the sale on December 7th (pre-scandal, please let me remind you), here’s what I did:

I DM’d the sale to my friends on Instagram. 

I texted the sale to my sister (along with my rec for her). 

I was at a coffee shop with my mom when I was doing all of this, mind you. So, I told her about it and she and I both started building carts.

35% off sitewide is a great offer. And, as I’ve said, this was BEFORE THE NEWS OF THE TREATMENT OF DJERF EMPLOYEES. 

My mom and I each checked out and ordered while sitting at the coffee shop. 

I show you this and tell you this to describe how hard I rode for this brand. 

I bought it. I made other people buy it. And, that’s over.

I know that’s over because today, while I was wearing my Djerf Avenue PJs (the Summer Berries ones), I accidentally cut my finger and got blood on them. I know that’s DISGUSTING TO TELL YOU. 

However, I have to. Because while this was happening, my husband Daniel was next to me panicking about my finger but also my PJs (he knows they are my favorite and he got me them for Valentine’s Day).

To calm me down, in the heat of the moment, he yells, “DON’T WORRY. I’LL GO BUY YOU ANOTHER DJERF PJ TOP RIGHT NOW. Don’t be upset that they’re ruined. It’s okay we’ll get another”.

Which, is so sweet and cute of him. ❤️

Except, this is post-scandal, remember? So, I, being loyal to employees I’ve never met, I yell back at him, “NO YOU CAN’T. WE ARE NOT SUPPORTING THE BRAND. DO NOT BUY IT I MEAN IT DANIEL”.

I am not the Djerf fan I was on December 7th. I don’t want to give the brand my money. Maybe 1 day that will change. 

But for now, I’m using my husband’s pity on a brand worth supporting. I’ve somehow found the strength (post-finger-slicing incident that really didn’t hurt just was a bit gory) to send him PJ options from the following brands:

🌸: BERNADETTE (pushing my luck $$$$) 

🤶: Eberjey (I know he’ll pick this and the other options were just me anchoring LOL)

🦓: Olivia von Halle (pushing my luck $$$$) 

As mentioned, the founder brand is fragile. And, as such, my marketing advice is obvious. Be nice to your employees and to everyone you come across. Good for the P&L.