Matilda Djerf (Djerf Avenue) on Creator-Led Brands, Secrets Behind 300% Growth and Tough Lessons in Entrepreneurship
Social Currency with Sammi CohenShow Notes
Matilda Djerf transformed a growing social media audience into Djerf Avenue: a global lifestyle brand and an aesthetic that has genuinely shaped internet culture from fashion to beauty to the now-iconic Matilda Djerf hair.
In this episode, Matilda joins Sammi to share the full story behind Djerf Avenue— from packing orders with friends and family in an empty warehouse to scaling through the pandemic when nobody knew whether consumers would buy blazers during lockdowns. She explains why she never raised venture capital, how she used DMs as market research, and realities of growing a creator-led company at rocketing speed.
Sammi and Matilda also talk about creator burnout, the pressure of tying your personal identity to your company, and the difficult public scrutiny she faced after allegations from former employees. Matilda opens up about leadership, accountability, and what it actually feels like to grow up publicly while running a scaling business. Plus, Matilda shares about getting into community building, influencer culture, and how creators today should think about what parts of their lives belong online and what should stay private.
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Here’s What Sammi Covers with Matilda:
00:00 Matilda Djerf’s Social Currency
02:03 Partner Message: Mercury for Personal
03:33 Growing Up in a Small Town and Building a Global Audience
04:44 What’s Changed for Creators Since the 2010s
05:32 Why Passion Still Matters More Than Growth Hacks
06:56 Where Matilda Finds Creative Inspiration
08:08 Protecting Your Image in the Age of Social Media
11:30 AI, Copyright, and the Future of Creator Rights
12:00 When Matilda’s Hair Became a Cultural Phenomenon
13:25 Launching Djerf Avenue From an Empty Warehouse
16:29 Why She Never Raised Outside Capital
18:48 Building a Brand Around Community, Not White Space
19:35 Partner Message: Mercury for Business
21:09 Turning Followers Into Customers
22:06 Trusting Her Gut Over a Business Plan
23:49 Launching a Fashion Brand Into a Pandemic
27:13 Why Authentic Community Can’t Be Faked
29:36 How Djerf Avenue Invests in Its Customers
30:46 The Challenges of Scaling 300% Growth
32:20 The Hidden Cost of Returns
34:04 Why Customer Service Remains Human
35:18 Partner Message: Bilt
36:19 Managing a Personal Brand and a Business Brand
38:04 Navigating Public Scrutiny and Leadership Challenges
39:09 The Leadership Lessons She Learned the Hard Way
41:11 Why She Never Considered Walking Away
42:11 The New Social Contract Between Founders and Employees
44:02 Expanding Djerf Avenue Into Beauty
46:27 Selling Beauty Products Without Retail Stores
47:46 What’s Next for Djerf Avenue
49:00 A Week in the Life of Djerf Avenue’s Chief Creative Officer
51:46 Brick and Mortar Dreams
57:10 On Gathered
58:24 Social Currency Corner
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