This past month, with help from the Tuck Startup Incubator, I launched my business XONylons. XONylons is a tights subscription service founded out of the frustration that comes with shopping for tights. As a young stockbroker on Wall Street, I wore tights almost every day and hated going out of my way to buy them, only to inevitably go back a few days later because they would rip. On top of that, I always wasted so much time in the store trying to figure out the color, size, and quality. (Is more expensive always better—who knows?)
XONylons solves all of these problems by keeping things simple. We currently offer three sizes, four shades, and two different qualities (the only difference being the thickness) of tights. Everything is standardized across all products—making it easy for everyone to find their perfect pair. Our medium-quality box sells for $35 and our high-quality box for $45, and each comes with five pairs of tights.
Additionally, as a female entrepreneur with a company aimed at solving a problem professional women experience, I wanted to make sure the business continued to give back to the community in some way. We donate one dollar of every box sold to organizations that support women in business.
The Tuck Startup Incubator has been a great resource for XONylons and for me personally. Interacting with other students who are in similar positions has been invaluable, as we can share our experiences with each other. If I am working through a business problem, the group always has wonderful ideas and advice to share that help guide me. Daniella Reichstetter (faculty advisor for the Center for Entrepreneurship and clinical professor of business administration) and Eileen O’Toole (director for the Center for Entrepreneurship) do an excellent job of bringing in guests that help everyone in the Incubator achieve their next set of goals. For XONylons in particular, it has been useful to connect with many of the guests that join us in a one-on-one meeting later on. All the guests are always open to chatting more and providing specific insights for those that reach out to them individually.
From these conversations, I’ve been able to learn more about how other startup founders manage their supply chain, digital marketing, and hiring—all of which have influenced the business decisions I have made. I am looking forward to continuing to participate in the Incubator in the spring term and growing XONylons, as well as giving back to the community of professional women as we do it.
Ania Aliev graduated from Trinity College in 2018 with a B.S. in psychology and a double minor in Russian and Spanish. She then joined a sales and trading desk as an institutional sales associate, where she covered clients in Boston and Canada. After three years, she left to come to Tuck. Ania is very involved with entrepreneurship and the Women in Business Club at Tuck.
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