Mabel McLean
Welcome to With Grace. This week, we feature Mabel McLean, Owner & Founder of March Hare. Mabel leads digital innovation for a new experimental retail concept at CHANEL, and founded March Hare in 2021 out of a personal affinity for tiny, timeless watches. After losing a beloved vintage watch of her mother's, she couldn't find a replacement that was both beautiful and within reach, so she built the brand she was looking for: delicate, accessible timepieces designed to be worn daily, maybe even passed down. A borrowed perspective she lives by, via Emily Sundberg: "You can't compete with people having more fun than you." And her own: "My only goal in the beginning was to learn as much as my budget would allow."
What’s an unconventional approach that’s worked for you?
I launched March Hare with just two products, thinking that I would see what worked (and what didn’t) and go from there. I didn’t know much about the watch industry, so my only goal in the beginning was to learn as much as my budget would allow. You can feel this the most with our straps, where I have been able to do the most testing — and as a result, our approach looks a little different than what you usually see on the market, especially at our price point. A few examples: we're the only non-luxury brand I know of that sizes its strap lengths, we designed strap-changing to be as easy as possible (specifically with long nails!) even though this meant breaking an important "luxury" design convention, we're about to launch a strap that costs almost 40% of the watch it goes with, and I'm prioritizing rich colors over neutrals in our new product pipeline. Five years ago, I would have assumed that everything on this list was either a terrible business decision or not worth investing in. But these are strategies I've taken directly from what I've learned from a couple years of small-scale testing.
What’s a recent aha moment you’ve had?
Commenting on the secret sauce driving TBPN’s acquisition by OpenAI this year, Emily Sundberg (FeedMe) wrote: “You can’t compete with people having more fun than you.” This really stuck with me, and I can honestly say changed the way I approach running March Hare. It has been an important filter lately – in how I split my time, approach new projects, standards for what I want to design and create, who I work with.
What’s something new you’re trying?
I am so energized when working with talented, creative people. I have a photo album on my phone called “People I want to collaborate with” where I save screenshots of interesting work that I find online. It is a recent resolution to pick one a month and try to make it happen!
What motivates you to keep pushing forward in your work?
Making products that I love and am proud of. It’s so much fun to create something beautiful! Whenever I feel stuck or anxious about the business I can remind myself how excited I am for what is on the horizon.
How do you see AI evolving in your industry over the next 5 years?
I think that it will become easier to run a DTC business profitably. AI has already fundamentally changed the way that I work and gives me the kind of leverage that would otherwise require a larger team (and/or more hours in the day).
What’s the best advice you’ve received, personally and professionally?
Someone recently sent me a quote from Ina Garten— "Go as far as you can see. When you get there, you'll be able to see farther." I needed a reminder to take things one step at a time and that opportunities will inevitably open up along the way.
What’s a trend in consumer behavior that excites you right now?
Everyone's finally embracing small watches! I first started March Hare partly because I disliked the oversized, "boyfriend" watch styles that were so popular in my 20s. When we first launched our Kimsey watch, we had to modify part of the design because my manufacturer couldn't source one of the parts in the right size — small case sizes were so out of style at the time.
