Woman Crush Wednesday: Meet Joss from Seek Minimal

 Photos by Olivia Lopez

Tell us about yourself

Hi, I'm Joss and I am the founder of Seek Minimal. Seek Minimal is a digital publication that people can use to find sustainable brands. I started in Toronto as a Television Producer, but I have now moved out to Sunny Los Angeles where I currently work full time in addition to managing Seek Minimal.

When did sustainability and minimalism become something of importance to you?

About a year ago. I’ve always been a fan of the minimalist aesthetic but I had never really educated myself on what sustainable fashion is. I frankly used to think it was very overpriced. I actually moved to a new apartment and was looking for linen bed sheets, from there I was bookmarking a bunch of different brands on Instagram and fell down the rabbit hole. I became obsessed with sustainable brands and the idea of people making their own clothing.

I realized there wasn't a hub or one place where all these sustainable brands lived that people could reference and learn about them. With such a strong community that’s growing, and so many people that care about sustainable clothing I couldn’t believe a space like that didn't exist. I saw that as my opportunity to combine my passion for sustainability and my experience with digital content creation and create Seek Minimal.

Where do you find your inspiration?

A lot of the inspiration comes from the brand itself.  I have my own idea of what I want Seek Minimal to look like, I have the aesthetic down, I know the type of brands I want to feature. Its a matter of if the brand's ethos aligns with mine, then I reach out and the brand speaks for itself.

What were some early signs at the beginning that made you feel confident that you were onto something?

Seeing how supportive the community is. Once I started posting on Instagram, following other brands and using the hashtags I realized how supportive this community is and I knew I was onto something.

Tell us about your studio. What does your typical day look like?

My studio is here in my apartment. I’m a full-time television producer. My day-to-day is going into work, I work 8-6, I come home and I work on Seek Minimal. I send e-mails, reach out to brands and take photos for Instagram.

Tell us about your work process from start to finish

It starts on Instagram, that's where I find a lot of the brands I want to work with. I send out a pitch, explaining that Seek Minimal is a digital publication where users can find sustainable brands and that we’d love to feature them. The whole point of Seek Minimal is for people to learn more about sustainable and ethical brands, the people who created them, and where their clothes or their make-up comes from.

I'll e-mail the founder or the PR team to say that I’d like to feature them on Seek Minimal, I send interview questions, put together the article and post it!

What is one of the biggest obstacles you had to overcome in your business?

Simply gaining a following. It's hard to start a business or a platform from scratch and have people believe in what you say. Luckily I have a small but powerful community and I am very appreciative of that.

What advice would you give to another woman looking to do what you do?

I would say just go for it! I don't think there is any reason why anyone shouldn't be able to do anything. We have all the resources in front of us. If you're lucky enough to have a laptop, a phone, a camera, you have nothing stopping you. That doesn't just go for starting a digital publication. If you want to start your own clothing line, jewelry line, or your own Seek Minimal. There's no excuse as to why you can't as long as you have the confidence and you're okay working your ass off.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

A few years ago I had an old coworker who is now one of my mentors tell me during a very stressful time in my life, “ where you are now will not be where you are three years from now”. She’s right. If you think things are hard now, and you don't know how to overcome it just remember It's going to get better. You’re not going to be in this exact place that you are now forever.  It’s up to you to make those changes, trust the world and trust yourself.

Did you have any important female figures in your life, or is there anyone in particular who inspires you?

I think all the women that I feature on Seek Minimal inspire me every day. The female business owners, my friends, and family. That sounds cliche, but I’m inspired by all women everyday. Especially women who have the courage to start their own brands and business’.

How would you define female empowerment?

Female empowerment is something that is so amazing. I think that women now are so supportive of each other, and I think that is amazing. Women who want other women to do better is so empowering. I‘ve experienced that in starting Seek Minimal.

I was nervous because I felt like a lot of the women in the community could be a little cutthroat. I thought if they were trying to succeed they wouldn’t want to help me because they're so focused on themselves. But it turned out to be the opposite. Through this venture, I have realized women want to support women. That's amazing and that should be celebrated. There's nothing more empowering than other women wanting you to do well.

Describe what you wear to feel most confident and comfortable when you are working.

I love overalls. I truly love anything that is baggy or loose. I don't like wearing tight clothing. I like to be able to do any sort of activity in what I am wearing. I usually wear baggy jeans and a loose top. 

Style is not universal, everyone has their own style. For me, I love minimal clothing. Nothing too crazy, I love a plain t-shirt with an earring. As long as you feel comfortable and stylish, that's all that matters.