Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Cochran.
Erica, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I created Auroractive during quarantine and launched in November 2020. My previous background was in marketing and I had spent the last ten years working on climbing the ladder in that field to get to CMO. I took a very unconventional path to go from marketing to launching an eco-friendly activewear brand. In 2019, my Husband and I found out we were pregnant with natural triplets. Yes, natural – yes, triplets. It was this insanely exciting and slightly terrifying time in our lives and we couldn’t help but share the news with any and everybody right away!
Unfortunately, at 15 weeks, we lost two of our three babies, and suddenly we found ourselves deeply grieving while also still celebrating our now double rainbow baby. We also, had told everyone in our lives because TRIPLETS!! And now we found ourselves in the uncomfortable space of public grieving and having to un-tell everyone in our lives. Grief is very complicated, especially in this realm, it’s rarely talked about, and a lot of times, we as women will internalize this as something that happened because of us or our bodies versus something that is unexplainable. I felt myself do this, and I started going to the gym, at first, it was because I thought I had something that I needed to fix, that what had happened had to be my fault. Through this, I was able to grieve and put myself in a better mental space that made me realize how strong I was. How strong my body is, and I realized I wasn’t broken, and as women, we don’t need to “fix” our bodies.
Flash forward to March 2020 – COVID hit, and we gave birth to our baby the first weekend of lockdown. Aurora Bellarose Cochran is named after her journey to get to us. When you’re pregnant with multiples, they name each baby on the ultrasound so you can tell them apart; in our case Baby A, B & C. It was important to gift Aurora the initials ABC so that she could carry them with her.
This is also how Auroractive gained it’s name. After going through the pregnancy that we went through, and then it ended in a global pandemic, I decided it was not the right time to go back to my past career, if ever. I wanted to create something that would hold meaning for me and to repaint something traumatic and to challenge into something that gave it a deeper meaning. Autoreactive was created on my living room floor in-between virtual school with my elementary schooler and nap times with a newborn. It’s a line of activewear made from ethically sourced, eco-friendly fabrics.
The mission is to have a non-intimidating activewear brand that does not focus on perfection or put pressure on your body to be a certain idealistic way. It’s meant to remind you that an active lifestyle means more than just hours at the gym, it’s also being active and present in your own life and actively giving back to your community. Through Auroractive, I am able to donate to local non-profits as well as spend more time volunteering through the flexibility it gives me in my schedule.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It has been a very fun journey but incredibly challenging. I am learning as I go, sometimes you guess wrong on what trend you think people will like or what style will look universally good across body types. There is no straight arrow to marketing; you really have to learn what your audience does and doesn’t respond well to, as well as keep up with social media trends and the ever-changing algorithm. Plus, there’s the juggle struggle – starting your own business also means you work for yourself, and likely you’re the only employee so if you miss a day, the work doesn’t get done. Learning how to juggle it with a baby has been and still is my biggest struggle.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Auroractive?
Autoreactive is an eco-friendly activewear line. Our basics are made from a discarded fishing net, recycled and turned into high-end nylon yarn. We focus on having high-quality, fashion-forward sets that you can match or mix and still match. At the heart of our business is the desire to give back to the community and make a lasting impact. We do this by donating from our profits, as well as I donate my time and creativity to small non-profits that need more help.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
If you are looking for a mentor, make sure you look for someone who has and lives a life similar to what you really want. It’s easy to say you want to be successful or to blindly follow advice from someone who is successful, however, what else do you want? For me, my main goal is to have balance, so I look for mentors that have a work/life balance. I don’t follow advice from anyone who only works non-stop and isn’t home by dinner. As far as networking advice, I know this sounds cliche but be authentic. It’s the only way to build real long-lasting relationships and connections. Lastly, don’t be shy. Introduce yourself, send the DM, email, contact people who inspire you or you would like to be connected with. You’d be surprised by how many people are willing to take the time to talk to you.
Contact Info:
- Email: erica@auroractive.com
- Website: auroractive.com
- Instagram: @auroractive_ @ericaonbrand
- Facebook: @auroractive
Image Credits
ShayWalkerPhotography
