How The Founder Of Machines For Freedom Launched The Women's Brand While Working A Full-Time Job

After one ride in a pair of ill-fitting shorts, most cyclists would've either reached for the chafing cream or thrown in the towel and quit. Not Jennifer Kriske -- a restaurant and hospitality interior designer at the time -- she took a vastly different approach and created Machines for Freedom (MFF), a high-performing women's cycling apparel brand.

For a full year, Kriske worked on building and launching MFF while simultaneously working her full-time gig, and juggling both jobs was no easy task. Her full-time work was extremely demanding of her time and energy, often making it difficult to switch her mind from one job to another. She ultimately left interior design when she realized she was executing someone else’s vision and could put that energy into her own dream.

What started as a side project in Kriske's living room in Malibu has become an apparel brand grounded in the amazing community of women cyclists all over the world. Recently, MFF received national recognition after Specialized, one of the largest cycling brands in the world, announced they're financially backing the brand -- a big move for the sport of women's cycling.

Kriske shared her tips on working full-time with a side hustle, and why connecting with her community and promoting inclusivity in an often male-dominated sport is top of mind for her brand.

Find a side hustle that doesn’t creatively compete with your full-time gig.

"If your primary job is highly creative, find a side hustle that works the analytical side of your brain. In my case, I specifically asked the design firm I was working for to exclude me from all conceptual work. Conceptualization was reserved for MFF. Once a client signed off on the concept, I could develop a construction set and still have the mental bandwidth for MFF when I got home."

Protect your mental energy and set boundaries with both gigs.

"Mental energy is just like physical energy – it’s not infinite. You need to know what you can realistically handle and it’s imperative that you communicate that to those you work with. It’s so easy to get sucked into the momentum of both jobs; I needed to constantly check in with myself before I found myself in over my head."

Dedicate specific time to each job.

"I am a habitual daydreamer and I need ideas to percolate in my brain for a while before a creative solution surfaces. That made it difficult to conceptualize a new MFF product release, while simultaneously trying to figure out an elegant solution to fitting a clunky mini-bar unit into a custom piece of cabinetry. I had to carve out very intentional chunks of time to work on each project. The beauty of this process was that I didn't have time to over-think things. Rumination can be my downfall and this forced me to make a decision and move on."

Know your business end game.

"The best advice I received was to know your end game. If your goal is to be a $1M, $10M, or $100M business, you are going to make very different decisions along the way. That being said, I’m glad I didn’t have a crystal ball when I started. If I did, I would’ve been scared to take the leap."

Get clear on how you tell your brand’s story.

"Our storytelling ethos has always been about showcasing the sport through a varied lens. I wanted to disrupt the testosterone-fueled story of grit and suffering so prevalent in cycling to get at an experience that felt more authentic. Ginger Boyd, who curates our social media and web content, really focused on putting diversity into daily practice in an effective and natural way. She actively sought out different types of riders to include in our feed and welcome them into our community. Our followers have embraced this so warmly that it’s become our regular course of business."

Listen to your customer.

"Your consumers make the best litmus test to tell if you’re on the right track. If you launch a new product or idea, only to hear crickets, it’s time to re-evaluate. If you launch a new product to a growing, enthusiastic audience – keep going."

Authentic connection is key to growth.

"We get the most positive feedback when we feature women who have historically felt marginalized by the sport including women of color, non-binary women, women with curves, or women over 40. Women get excited when they see someone they identify with on the other end of their computer screen. They’ve been along for the ride since the beginning."

If an acquisition is your end-goal, be patient with the process.

"Time is an entrepreneur's worst enemy. Big companies move slowly and they want to see a string of consistent successes to negate risk. Half your job is making sure you don't run out of capital before you have had a chance to prove yourself. Find ways to lengthen your runway, keep putting your ideas into the world, explore opportunities that come your way with an open mind, and your business will succeed."