The burning problem with fast fashion, building The Plug, and creating her own style at the crossroads of business, journalism, and private life were the topics Anna Anisin discussed with her guest Sherrell Dorsey.
Sherrell Dorsey is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, data journalist, and ecosystem builder who focuses on climate tech, sustainability investments, and transforming business to make it better for the planet and its people. She is also a founder of The Plug, the first Black tech news platform to be featured on Bloomberg Terminal.
During her talk with Anna Anisin, she shared stories of her origins, the early days of The Plug, as well as her inspirations in both fashion and business.
Building The Plug
Sherrell started The Plug as a side project while working for companies like Google Fiber and Uber. The project was born out of a lack of representation of people of color in tech and business news.
โI would get up every morning at 5 oโclock, put this little $10 newsletter together, and cover the conferences I attended,โ she says. Considering how amazing the things built by the people she was writing about were, it was not a surprise that the project was successful. But it was not without challenges. โOne of the biggest challenges was finding the right revenue streamโknowing how to price effectively when you are very niche-based,โ she says.
Stylish Sustainability
The conversation was also an opportunity to exchange opinions about fashion and sustainability. It was a great point to start the conversation about building a fitting narrative. According to her experience, citing only numbers and statistics related to climate change is not an effective way to support a better world. In her opinion, the stories also need to include information about lowering bills or saving on transportation.
Sherrell criticized fast fashion for generating a lot of waste, lacking quality, and being unfair to employees.
โWhen I look at brand story and quality, I know that the pieces in our closet should feel like they were made with care and loveโฆ sustainability isnโt just about hugging trees,โ she says. Thatโs why she supports indie designers who practice fair trade.
Sherrell expressed her disappointment with the idea of burning unsold inventoryโa problem that not only wastes resources but also increases emissions. โSustainable brands are making investments in technology so that they produce only what is needed and protect their craftsmanship,โ she highlights.
The Style Itself
The conversation would be incomplete without discussing fashion and style. As a woman who considers fashion a powerful tool for self-expression, she found fitting into corporate style challenging.
โIโve always gone through an existential crisis with fashionโwanting to be taken seriously while still expressing who I am. Transitioning to a CEO role meant embracing tailored, powerful suiting,โ she says. Yet the challenges helped her forge her own personal style, refined by creating mood boards on Pinterest and following a curated list of influencers and designers.
Summary
โStyle isnโt just about what you wear; itโs about how you carry your passions and dreams into the work you do every day,โ she says, encouraging everyone to see style as a connection between personal and professional spheres.
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