Christine Lim

Christine Emilie Lim is the CEO/Founder of The Short Spine. She has used The Short Spine brand as a pilates instructor and is utilizing her technical pilates know-how in making people feel better about their bodies to what they actually wear. She has more than a decade of technology marketing experience in B2C and B2B2C and is a published author.

Where did the idea for The Short Spine come from?

I’ve been a pilates instructor for the past couple of years and also observe what my clients wear and have problems with because of their choice of apparel, such as socks accidentally slipping off. Mid-2020, I was also having new skin allergies pop up and was trying to research for skin-friendly material since I wear leggings every day. This was when I discovered bamboo and realized that there are not many sportswear brands that are made out of hypoallergenic bamboo.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

I make it productive by separating work time and me time. I am most productive in the morning, so I try to reply to as many emails as possible as I start my day. I have regular breaks in between, whether to have a nice meal or walk my dog, so that I have something to look forward to on a daily basis.

How do you bring ideas to life?

Doing my own due diligence on how to start building my product– that usually consists of bringing a small tiger team that has had already experience in making a product come to life. For creating activewear, that would be from designing, sourcing, testing, and marketing the products.

What’s one trend that excites you?

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated consumers to be more mindful of their health while being good to the environment. The sustainable, slow fashion movement is now talked about more often with up-and-coming eco-friendly materials, such as bamboo and hemp, used as activewear still unsaturated and in its infancy in the US mass market.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

Being self-motivated has helped me become a more productive entrepreneur because I set goals for myself. Ever since I was young, I have always been self-motivated. No one has really told me to do go study since I would just do it myself or do certain things, so I’ve always been accountable for my own actions and decisions.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I would advice my younger self that there are very few people in this world that have my best interest. Therefore, I should learn to trust myself first and foremost.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

Many truths hurt, which is why many people would rather believe an apparent lie or a sugar-coated version so that no one gets hurt and make themselves feel better.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Fail fast, and stir the boat in another direction quickly. And always have other options. If you’re feeling stuck or can see a huge roadblock ahead that you cannot unblock, don’t dwell on that path and quickly stir to option B or C.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

As a sustainable apparel brand, it is highly important that I am able to target and spend my marketing efforts understanding my target market and appeal to those who are already inclined to live a sustainable lifestyle.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

The Short Spine is not my first foray into entrepreneurship. I’ve had a previous startup that didn’t gain significant traction and spent many years trying to get it off the ground. Having a measurable quarterly goal, it was clear that I needed to wind down and learn from that experience of not failing fast enough.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

Since international travel has already drastically changed in 2020, I see an opportunity for a travel search platform that can state up-to-date information on a country’s COVID/vaccination rules, extra costs, and other government/local mandates.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

I bought a large shelf to organize my product inventory. It makes it easier for me to visually see what I have in stock and identify which item I need to put more marketing effort into.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

My iPhone’s calendar app has both my personal and work appointments. It not only keeps me highly organized but also ensures that I don’t overload myself on a given day or week and have regular ME times scheduled.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

I recommend “Impact with Wings: Stories to Inspire and Mobilize Women Angel Investors and Entrepreneurs.” I’m a co-author of this book, and I highly recommend it for entrepreneurs in their very early-stage to learn about what angel investors look for in a potential investment and how they can harness their own successful ventures to invest in other companies that they believe in as an angel investor.

What is your favorite quote?

“Success is a journey, not a destination. “ – Arthur Ashe

Key Learnings:

• Trust yourself and be accountable for your own decisions and actions.
• In any new endeavor you do, ensure that you do your own due diligence to fully understand the market and how to build products that consumers will love.
• As an entrepreneur, it is highly important to also have daily, non-work time periods just for yourself.