1. What’s the quick origin story of your brand, and what makes your product or positioning genuinely different from other options in your niche?

Josh Ronisky: Surele Apparel Group was born from a combination of my professional experience and my personal story. I didn’t come from fashion school or follow the traditional route into the industry. My background is in manufacturing, operations, and entrepreneurship, and over the years, I have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Victoria’s Secret, Burberry, Alice & Olivia, and J.Crew, which have shown me how powerful design, branding, and storytelling can be.

Over time, I realized I wanted to build something of my own—something that wasn’t just another business, but a brand that reflected my family’s heritage, my creative vision, and the values that matter most to me. That’s where Surele began. The brand is named after my sister, and her name was inspired by our great-grandmother, reflecting a connection to our family’s heritage. At its core, it’s about individuality, confidence, and self-expression.

What sets us apart is our belief that clothing should mean something. We’re not focused on fast fashion or short-lived trends. Instead, we create thoughtfully designed pieces that allow people to express who they are while building a brand that’s rooted in authenticity, quality, and purpose.

2. Since launch, what have been the 1-2 real turning points for your brand-specific decisions, pivots, or experiments that noticeably changed your growth or profitability-and what did you learn from them?

Josh Ronisky: One of the biggest turning points for Surele was realizing that creating clothing and building a brand are two completely different things. Early on, I was focused heavily on the product itself, but I learned that people connect just as much with the story, purpose, and values behind a brand as they do with the clothing.

Another important shift was choosing not to rush. There were opportunities to move faster, but I wanted to take the time to refine the collection, build the right foundation, and stay true to the vision. It wasn’t always the easiest path, but it was the right one for us.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that lasting growth comes from being patient, staying consistent, and building something authentic rather than chasing short-term wins.

3. Which 2-3 channels drive most of your revenue right now (for example SEO, paid social, email, marketplaces, influencers), and what have you learned about making those channels work in your category?

Josh Ronisky: As a newer brand, we’re still focused more on building awareness and traffic than measuring success strictly by sales.

Right now, our biggest channels are social media, PR, and email marketing. Social media helps us tell our story and connect with our audience, PR has helped us gain visibility and credibility, and email allows us to stay connected with people who are already interested in the brand.

One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that people don’t usually discover a new brand and buy right away. It takes time, consistency, and multiple touchpoints to build trust. For us, focusing on authentic storytelling and genuine connections has been much more effective than chasing trends or quick wins.

4. How are you thinking about search in 2026 – Google, AI assistants like ChatGPT, and other discovery platforms? What, if anything, have you changed in your content or site to stay visible as AI search grows?

Josh Ronisky: Search is changing. People aren’t just finding brands through Google anymore—they’re discovering them through AI like ChatGPT, social media, online articles, and creator recommendations.

Because of that, I’ve focused less on chasing algorithms and more on making sure our story is clear. We’ve invested in PR, brand storytelling, and making our website easy to understand so people can quickly see who we are and what we stand for.

No matter where someone finds us, I think the goal is the same: be authentic, provide value, and give people a reason to remember your brand.

5. What do you do to turn first‑time buyers into repeat customers and advocates? Are there specific experiences, content, or community touches that work especially well for you?

Josh Ronisky: As a newer brand, our focus is on creating a great experience from the first interaction to the moment a customer receives their order.

We stay connected through email, social media, and behind-the-scenes content so people feel connected to the brand. I’ve found that authenticity goes a long way.
At the end of the day, the best way to turn first-time buyers into repeat customers is simple: deliver a quality product, provide a great experience, and give people a reason to come back.

6. If you had to write a short playbook for an ecommerce founder one stage behind you, what would you double down on over the next 12 months – and what would you stop doing entirely?

Josh Ronisky: I’d tell them to focus on building a strong brand and building real relationships. Products are important, but people connect with stories, trust, and authenticity.

What I’d stop doing is worrying about what everyone else is doing. It’s easy to get distracted by trends and what bigger brands are doing. I’d spend more time focusing on your own vision and consistently building something that people can genuinely connect with.