The faces behind LN pt. 4: Lively Lien

Now that we have covered the ladies that are more visible at LN (because you can meet them in the store, haha), it’s time to introduce you to the woman who really stays under the radar but who is one of the most important people apart from Ellen to keep LN running: Lively Lien!

Lien started working at LN Knits almost 4 years ago. “I actually started here as a student. Through the organisation High Potential Students I applied for a job as a social media & content manager, without knowing for which company I was applying. Only after a second interview with Ellen I knew that I would start working for LN Knits.”

Same as yours truly, Lien started as a greenie. Her first working experience existed out of helping to run the first LN summer pop-up in Antwerp. “There wasn’t even an LN Office yet. We worked from Ellen’s loft or from the store.” Lien tells me. And then there was the moment Lien got a full-time contract! The first months she worked from the store, before moving to the then brand new LN Office in Berchem.

But what does a day look like for Lien? What are her daily tasks? “Let me just start by saying that there’s a lot more to running a brand than just be present in the store itself. People often don’t realise what happens behind the scenes. I don’t work in the flagshipstore for example, that’s where Eva and Hilde come in, but I manage the brand from the office in Berchem.”

And when Lien starts summing up everything that’s part of her daily job, you start appreciating her even more: arranging international transport, communicating with Peru, keeping track of international deliveries, following up the new collections, communicating with the suppliers and giving them feedback, making sure that all the timings are correct, preparing for international fairs, customer service, B2B sales and personnel management. “I sometimes don’t have enough hours in my day.” she laughs. Sometimes?! Every day seems more like it! Guess I should change her nickname to Super Lien.

“The best part about working here is that the company is small and you’re involved in every step of every process. When you work in a bigger company, you’re just a small part in a big chain. Here at LN I can take part in everything.” Lien explains. “Every day I learn something new about running a business. Another amazing thing about working here, is that you’re working for a good cause. I don’t only come to work to get a pay check at the end of the month, but also to make sure our ladies in Peru get the pay check they deserve.”

“Apart from all that, it’s also just super fun to work together with Ellen. She’s a young entrepreneur and I share her vision and sense of entrepreneurship. And I must add she’s the best people manager ever. She never goes out of her way to compliment you, because when you’ve done your job well you can be sure she’s noticed and appreciates it.”

After working at LN for more than 3 years, there are of course some beautiful LN pieces hanging in Lien’s closet. And it’s almost time to get them out again! “My all-time favourite is the Big Bertha in Dusty Orange. It’s the ideal cover-up in as well winter as summer. I bought it in the first summer pop-up I worked at during my time at LN as a student, so there are some nice memories attached to it.”

But what is Lien’s favourite piece from this collection? “That would be the Sassy Stevie in Moss Green. We as co-workers get to see the collection more than a year before it hangs in the store and ever since the beginning I just fell in love with this sweater. It’s just so pretty and simple.”

“If I could, I would add ALL the Sassy Stevies to my wardrobe. But for the moment my favourite colour is Sky Blue. A Big Bertha for example would be perfect, because I always dress very casual and the colour is just perfect with my basic clothing style.”

That Lien has learned a lot from working with Ellen shows, because two years ago she became a young entrepreneur herself! Via Finn Concepts, an online concept store, she sells the most beautiful Scandinavian inspired decoration for your home and much more. Hurry on over to www.finnconcepts.com to discover all the goodies she has to offer.