Dentist Dr. Tiffany Sudre, the founder of Silver Lining Scrubs, has long been used to wearing scrubs — it’s her go-to, required office wear as a healthcare provider. But hospitals and medical buildings are notoriously known for being cold. For Dr. Sudre, the answer has long been bulky, somewhat cumbersome layering. As a result of her own discomfort, Dr. Sudre decided to start her own company and create the product that she wanted: warm, tailored scrubs for professionals that were comfortable to wear and helped her stay warm in the office.
Dr. Sudre was a health professional first before she became an entrepreneur. As a first-time small business owner, she discovered some keys to success for starting a business, especially one for healthcare. Asking if there is a need for the product or service, doing research on competitors, and testing the exact needs and desires of the target audience are all important. Beyond this, Dr. Sudre says that having a plan and utilizing social media has led to organization and organic growth for the business.
Identify a Need
A successful dentist, why did Dr. Sudre decide to become an entrepreneur as well? She says “I started this business because I was interested in a product like this and it didn’t exist.” Being a healthcare professional herself, she personally knew that the product was needed. She was constantly cold, so she had to do what nearly every health worker does — layer up. She did some research, expecting to find alternatives to layering, but found there were no warm scrub options on the market. Once she saw the need, she quickly started Silver Lining to “help other healthcare professionals find cute, stylish medical scrubs that actually keep them warm and comfortable all day long. I wanted to create something they don’t want to take off at the end of a long shift.”
Do Your Research
Dr. Sudre assumed that there were other people who felt the same way, but before investing her time or resources, because she is the sole investor in Silver Lining Scrubs, she decided to do some research. She also crowdsourced the idea to several dental groups. She found that there was a need and a lot of interest and enthusiasm with the idea. She conducted additional research to make sure there weren’t existing patents. She realized there was (surprisingly) little competition, and today, Silver Lining Scrubs is the only company making high-quality, tailored scrubs that are 100% lined for warmth. She worked with designers and manufacturers for over a year to come up with the perfect fabric combination to make a completely lined garment, without the risk of overheating during the long workday. Dr. Sudre strongly recommends knowing your target audience before you begin.
Create a Five-Year Plan
Going blindly into business is never a good idea. Dr. Sudre prepared by conducting research about the product and by crowdsourcing the idea. She also put together a five-year plan to help her “monitor success by hitting certain milestones and assess whether the company was a success.” She says, “That has definitely helped me organize how we grow and what decisions we make financially.”
Use Social Media to Help You Grow
Don’t underestimate the power of social media. It was through Facebook that Dr. Sudre got her first three customers. She simply created a professional Facebook page, shared it with friends in the healthcare field and let the customers come to her. She also says that a mixture of Instagram posting and paid Facebook ads has driven growth, but that she spends relatively little on advertising. Instead, much of her growth has come naturally. Because her product is high-quality and answers the need for a specific targeted audience, Dr. Sudre says that most of her growth has been organic, through word of mouth and referrals. Silver Lining Scrubs is continuing to grow and evolve, and Dr. Sudre is staying one step ahead, by adding more sizing options and men’s sizes. She continues to focus on the needs of her customer and deliver a high-quality product.
