ABOUT US

Guided Makers is your premier fashion startup consultancy for apparel development, boasting decades of combined industry expertise.

As leaders in the field, we empower clothing companies with tailored apparel business strategies and exceptional product creation, guiding them to success in the competitive market.

Trust us for quality-driven solutions and informed decision-making to navigate your journey with precision and excellence. Whether you're launching a sustainable fashion startup or seeking expert fashion brand consulting, our fashion business consultancy services ensure your success

HOW WE STARTED

FOUNDER,

RACHEL BATTARBEE

Having worked in global corporate functions and settings with brands such as LL Bean, Marks & Spencer, and Timberland, Rachel took a leap into consulting when friends, and friends of friends were seeking her out for help in bringing their ideas to market. Rachel was quickly learning that for many new to the industry, it's a challenging space to navigate and connections and knowledge are key. In addition, Rachel realized she loved to teach and share her expertise with others to allow them to be successful.

Rachel's mission soon became one to guide and teach through the development cycle of product - from concept through to production while at the same time, bringing the product to market through collaboration with clients. In turn, preparing new entrepreneurs to be confident and empowered in product development as they launched their brands.

Fast forward a few years and Guided Makers has grown to become a more holistic approach for entrepreneurs and existing brands from Maine and beyond. Guided Makers can take your idea and work with you to drive success; beginning with leadership in business planning through to efficient and organized execution. At every step, driving empowerment to make thoughtful, strategic decisions. We make it possible for brands of all sizes to bring their visions to market successfully and responsibly.

With over 20 brands to date supported with a wide range of services such as defining brand identity, product design, product development and manufacturing, Rachel is excited to work with many more and share in their success.

Learn more about Rachel here.

Meet the Team

  • Carrie Hayward

    Carrie Hayward

    MERCHANDISING/ PRODUCT

    Leveraging a strategic and analytical approach to product management, Carrie has a consistent record of driving growth and profitability in the soft goods and hard goods categories. Carrie is an accomplished product leader with 15+ years of experience in merchandising, product management, product development, and operations spanning direct-to-consumer, wholesale, and retail channels.

    As an experienced Multi-Channel Merchandiser, Carrie is highly skilled in market trend analysis, building seasonal merchandising strategies, product assortment planning and optimization, sales analysis, life cycle management, product testing, and project management.

  • Sam Murphy

    PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT

    Sam graduated from Maine College of Art and Design in 2023 with a Bachelors in Fine Art with a focus in Textile and Fashion Design. Their work focuses on empowerment of the self with a focus in corsetry and intimate apparel. Her experience lies mostly within pattern drafting, construction, and textile design so she is excited to branch out into the world of production. She looks forward to getting hands on experience in product development and to see what goes into starting a brand, and making ideas come to life. Aside from work Sam also enjoys baking, painting, and spending time with her two cats.

  • Designed by Freepik

    Product Teams

    DESIGN/TECHICAL DESIGN/BRANDING

    At Guided Makers we leverage the best talent nationwide and across the globe. We create custom teams based on your product and business needs.

    This allows you to focus on your business and leave the management and talent to us!

Client Highlights

  • The best decision I ever made was to reach out to Guided Makers Thank you for the journey thus far; best team a quiet/hesitant entrepreneur could ask for. I've learned so much and look forward to learning more and continuing the journey.

    Joan Kaijala, Founder & CEO Running Peas

  • It was truly an honor to work with the team at Guided Makers on a very special project that I hold near and dear to my heart. They have exquisite attention to detail, are extremely thorough and are there to help through every step of the development process. Even with personal design experience they were extremely helpful an exceeded my expectations. I would not have been able to succeed without their vast knowledge and contacts in the industry. I am forever grateful for them!! I would highly recommend Guided Makers - they're the best!

    Katie Grim, Founder, Kovi & Kate

  • The support and expertise at Guided Makers has made the impossible seem possible! I am so thankful. Investing in the PLAN program took [me]…from idea to action and now a budding business. The information, support, and overall value I gained from each PLAN session was instrumental not only in developing the infrastructure of Running Peas, but also fueling my confidence as a founder and CEO.

    Joan Kaijala, Founder & CEO Running Pea

  • They often know what you need before you do! I went from magazine publishing to manufacturing a bed linen product, something I knew nothing about. Guided Makers has helped me navigate everything, something I could not have done nearly as well, if at all in some cases, on my own. They have been easy to work with, available and professional in a personal way. They often know what you need before you do!

    Nancy Gordon, Founder, Pillowinks

  • Highly Recommend! We had a great experience with Guided Makers. The team is extremely knowledgeable and great to work with. They helped us perfect our product and get us to the right manufacturer. Highly recommend!

    Joanne DiCamillo, Co-Founder, BeFree Company

  • Incredible Industry Coaches The team at Guided Makers are incredible industry coaches and people! They're very understanding and flexible. I started off knowing nothing about the clothing industry and they helped to teach me so much

    Zac Will, Founder, The Kona Brand

  • I have had a very positive experience working with Guided Makers. As a new business entrepreneur with limited experience, [the team] has led me through my product development process and helped me develop a very thorough business plan for my company. The team at Guided Makers is experienced, knowledgeable, and very easy to work with. I highly recommend Guided Makers services to anyone who would benefit from guidance with their new business venture.

    Sally Stebbins, Founder Enya & Vespera

  • Rachel consulted for my company and was an asset to our team. She managed sourcing, advised in product development, and supply chain management. Rachel is knowledgeable, extremely attentive to all details and production scheduling. My company was in need of finding a new factory that was up to our social and environmental standards. Rachel found the ideal factory and facilitated the transition for us. We could not have done it without her.

    Kristianna P, President

  • A knowledgeable and very dedicated team. I found the content, lessons and tools they provide to be very helpful while preparing to start my brand

    Maria Irfan, PLAN Particpant

  • I am an entrepreneur and business owner, but I had no experience in the apparel industry. I knew I needed expert guidance to achieve success with my brand. I took on the Guided Makers PLAN Program not knowing if I would decide to move forward with product development or not. On the other end of the process now, I can happily report that my business plan and brand feel true to my vision, and I feel ready to invest in the product development process!

    Melissa Roberts, Founder Cinder Lifestyle

  • I was very impressed at how each aspect of our business was thoroughly analyzed. Guided Makers helped us take a step back and figure out our priorities and look at our long term goals. This was essential to figuring out next steps as a company and where to spend our time.

    Sarah Piasecki, Izzy Lee’s

Business Achievements and Associations

  • Maine Domestic Trade Grant

    Recognized by the State of Maine as a leading contributor to Maine’s economy, Guided Makers was awarded a grant to develop new market opportunities across the United States. The Jobs Plan initiative is modeled on a key recommendation of Maine’s 10-Year Economic Development Strategy to promote economic growth and strengthen Maine’s business climate for startups.

  • SBA T.H.R.I.V.E Emerging Leaders

    Selected to participate in the SBA T.H.R.I.V.E. program offering entrepreneurship education and training for executives of high-performing small businesses

  • Maine Entrepreneurial Resource Corps (MERC)

    The MERC database is filled with vetted, Maine-based consultants who are committed to offering support and guidance to Maine businesses. Guided Makers is proud to be able to offer their services through the MERC program

  • Maine Outdoor Brands

    We're pleased to support Maine Outdoor Brands which is an alliance of outdoor product makers, experience providers, retailers and organizations invested in strengthening Maine’s $3 billion outdoor recreation economy.

Success Stories