Interview with Zanda Purvišķe, Co-founder and Lead Designer at RainSisters

Zanda Purvišķe is now the Lead Designer of the successful and rising RainSisters brand, but this is a story of the underdog. Zanda studied to become an architect, only to realize that this path was not for her. Read her inspiring story on how she went from investing a couple of hundred euros in co-founding her business to running a booming e-commerce venture with 144k followers (by the time you read this, the number will surely have bumped up) on Instagram.

Explain what you do in one sentence.

I am one of the owners and designer of RainSisters, a brand that offers feminine yet functional waterproof coats.

You pursued an education in Architecture and now own a business that makes feminine waterproof coats. What tipped you over the edge to start this adventure in a completely new industry?

While studying architecture, I always believed I would eventually fall in love with the profession once I started working in an architectural studio. However, that moment never came. I realized that I lacked interest in the profession and didn't feel passionate about my work. Despite this, I continued to put in my best effort, and those around me appreciated my work. Yet, the feeling that I wasn't in the right place never left me.

One day, it became clear that I didn't want to become a lead designer in my own architectural practice. I began to question the point of doing something I didn't enjoy and didn't want to pursue as a career. This realization sparked an urge to change my path. I knew that if I didn't make a change at that point, I would never find the courage to pursue something else.

Fashion design had been my dream since childhood, so I left my job in architecture and started designing clothes for myself and my friends. Step by step, RainSisters was born.

What has been the biggest milestone Rainsisters have hit yet? 

For me, the biggest milestone is that we are becoming a brand recognized by people from other countries. Additionally, evolving into a fully functional business with an increasing number of employees is a significant achievement. We started as a home production brand, where my two sisters and I did everything ourselves—we sewed the coats, created the website, and managed the social networks. Seeing other people now handle almost all aspects of our company's processes is truly amazing.

What milestones would you like to reach in the future?

This is actually a really difficult question because I don't think about specific milestones for the future. For me, it's more about achieving a certain feeling, which is hard to describe. However, if I have to name future milestones, I would like to further develop our products to reach even higher quality. I want to create more new products and ensure that each collection is better than the last. Additionally, it is important to me to create a pleasant working environment for our employees. And last but not least - to reach even higher turnover from season to season. 

What do you think has been Rainsister's key to success and gaining over 140K followers on instagram?

I believe it is our unique products that set us apart—the colors, the cuts, and the prints. When you wear our coats, you will stand out, and people will stop you to give compliments. This also holds true on Instagram and other social platforms, where our coats catch people’s attention. Additionally, I think many are growing tired of fast fashion trends and oversized, straight cuts. More and more people are becoming brave enough to wear something fun and different.

What was the biggest challenge you faced starting your business journey and how did you overcome it? 

To be honest, there are significant challenges almost every day. While it's the same business, no two days are alike. When we started RainSisters, I think the biggest challenge was continuing despite almost everyone around us saying we wouldn't last long. They believed our product was too expensive and that no one would buy it. It was all about trusting our gut feeling.

What are your favourite ways to take care of your mental well-being when facing failure? Every entrepreneur faces challenges - how do you deal with uncertainty?

My meditation is cooking. Walking also helps me clear my mind. When I'm uncertain about something, I discuss it with my sisters and colleagues, and usually, I intuitively sense the right choice.

Share something new that you've learned about yourself or the world through your entrepreneurial process.

I'm quite good at dealing with problems and finding ways to solve them. I feel this ability comes largely from my background in architecture. Designing a building involves overcoming numerous obstacles. While it can be stressful, resolving these issues and making changes often improves the project in the end. So, I always approach problem-solving with the mindset that everything can be improved, and the outcome will ultimately be better.

What is one thing you’re focusing on right now? 

I am focusing on the visual representation of the brand, including our website, email marketing, and photoshoots. Previously, things were quite chaotic, so now we are working on creating a system for all our processes.

What’s your advice to people who have a dream similar to yours (to build a business or to take on a different creative journey than was expected of you)? 

Just do it :) Don't hesitate and don't overthink it. Because you can't predict all the obstacles, problems and complications you will have to deal with in the future. Also, these problems won't happen all at the same time so you will deal with them one by one and in this way you will grow and learn something new all the time.  

You are now the Lead Designer for RainSisters. Can you share an advice for yourself 10 years ago, who was on a whole different path? 

Don't be afraid to do what you actually want and are dreaming of. Even if you don't have the “right” education. Patience, passion and willingness to learn will take you much farther than the degree.

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