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Koching Up Joy SMU grad Nicole Musselman offers a unique perspective on business and life. By Lizzie Loftus Not many company founders and CEOs take conference calls while getting their cardio in on a mini trampoline. But SMU grad Nicole Musselman, owner of the Dallas-based women’s clothing brand KOCH (pronounced “cook”), never set out to run her company the traditional way. “Thankfully, I had parents who were real independent thinkers and encouraged me not to take a traditional path,” Musselman said. Fou nded i n 2 01 3 a nd n a med a f ter Musselman’s mother’s maiden name, KOCH is known for its casual and chic style. Among the brand’s bestsellers is the Erica Skirt (spoiler alert: it’s a skort) that flatters coeds and moms alike. “The Erica skirt represents the idea that I wanted to make clothing that people could go out and do the same thing in,” said Musselman. “I want to make casual clothing and things that make girls feel good and sexy and flirty but also like they’re on an intellectual pursuit in a way.” Musselman not only runs the company but also designs all of its pieces, almost all of which are manufactured in Dallas. The 1992 SMU graduate, who studied advertising and went on to earn a master’s degree in literature, hasn’t forgotten her roots: She frequently hires SMU students as interns and models. “I was always more interested in building something with people so it felt like a collaborative effort to build a team of people who were like minded who could build something and put it out into the world that felt purposeful and had a mission behind it,” she said. The KOCH House, a converted 1920’s bungalow on Fairmount Street in Uptown, doubles as KOCH’s retail store and design headquarters. The space is filled with hues of blue and the brand’s signature neon sign. The storefront is designed for customers to leave happier than when they arrived. In addition to the beautiful clothes, there is an endless variety of candy,
a fully stocked tequila bar, ping pong tables, cornhole games and even a basketball hoop. Musselman said the company’s philosophy is based on a principle of joy-making and risktaking. She encourages her clients, employees, friends and family to embark on a quest to fail. Taking risks and failing is the only way to reach true success. “Behind every success is a million failures and for whatever reason this is not what we show,” Musselman said. “Luck is nothing more than a million risks that you’ve taken that didn’t work out and then amounted to
something wonderful.” Musselman, who faced hardships in her twenties after the death of her father, NBA coach Bill Musselman, gave this advice: Embrace life with a sense of humor and take everything in stride. Life will be tough at times, and come with all sorts of unexpected twists. But if you can, laugh it off. “If you don’t have a sense of humor when things don’t go the way you want then life can be tricky,” she said. “If you do, I think that you learn from it and become stronger and that the ride is a whole lot more fun and enjoyable.“
On Left: Nicole Musselman, CEO of Koch On Right: Madison McKinley Isner Photography: Chase Hall
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