Building Brands, Community, and Scaling Fashion Businesses with Adele Tetangco

In this episode, Glynis sits down with Adele Tetangco, entrepreneur, brand strategist, co-founder of Garmentory, and founder of Snack Size. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience in fashion, technology, e-commerce, and marketing, Adele shares her journey from breaking into the fashion industry to helping build one of the first online marketplaces for independent boutiques and emerging designers. Together, they discuss what it takes to scale a fashion business, the importance of brand strategy and positioning, common marketing mistakes founders make, the role of community and relationships in business growth, and how AI is reshaping the future of marketing. Whether you're launching a new brand or growing an established one, this conversation offers valuable insights for navigating today's evolving fashion landscape.

About Adele Tetangco

Adele Tetangco is an entrepreneur, brand strategist, and community builder with more than two decades of experience at the intersection of fashion, technology, and business.

She is best known as the co-founder of Garmentory, one of the first online marketplaces dedicated to connecting independent boutiques and emerging designers with customers around the world. Since then, Adele has co-founded multiple ventures, including et tigre and Snack Size, a creative collective that helps fashion and lifestyle brands grow through strategy, marketing, storytelling, and community building.

Today, Adele also works as a fractional CMO, helping brands develop scalable marketing systems, build stronger teams, and create sustainable growth strategies.

Website: Snack-Size

Instagram: @buddy_lembeck

Email: adele@snack-size.com

Takeaways

• Building strong relationships and community can be one of the most valuable growth assets for any entrepreneur.

• The ability to let go and delegate is essential for scaling a business.

• Many founders struggle because they lack a clear brand strategy and positioning.

• Not every marketing channel is necessary for every brand, focus on what is actually driving results.

• AI can accelerate analysis and efficiency, but human judgment, creativity, and context still matter.

• Continuous learning is essential in an industry that is constantly evolving.

• Successful founders understand that growth requires systems, processes, and the right people.