After making $50,000 a month selling T-shirts at a very young age at various spots in Los Angeles starting with the Venice Boardwalk, True Religion jeans co-founder Kym Gold recounts her hardships both personally and professionally, while sharing with us how to rock the world and build an empire. Her business acumen in her latest tell-all memoir The Gold Standard reveals her shocking business journey in the fashion world. Her frank and candid recounting of her childhood and relationship disappointments, show us early on setbacks didn’t hold her down.

At a young age Kym Gold was once married to TV producer Mark Burnett of Survivor, The Apprentice, The Voice, Shark Tank, and more. She grew up as a triplet in an extended family in Malibu after her mom’s new marriage brought her down from the valley to The Bu, where growing up reads like a page out of People Magazine. As Kym’s life enfolds we learn that her drive and persistence are unstoppable, which propels her to not lose her Manhatten Beach home while raising two young kids, right before the True Religion phenomenon blew up across America. Later, major devastating setbacks both in love and with her company ‘True Religion’ probably made her wonder if there was ever such a thing as a ‘True Religion.’

Her remarkable ambition to persist with one of the first ever high end denim jean lines with unique details and stitching after hearing “No” for over a year and people telling her they did not like her Buddha logo idea (representative now of the brand) shows us how one woman was determined to succeed. This was during a time that expensive high end unique jeans were just becoming vogue in the US, and eventually jeans became acceptable to wear out at night. The Gold Standard brings to light the American dream and makes you realize that anything is possible. You just need a yes!

Today Gold continues to work in the fashion business as a marketing and branding consultant in LA. She left the brand True Religion in 2007. Her other fashion lines include Bella Dahl, Hippie Jeans, and Babakul. She is the mother of three young men. Her home is currently on the market in Malibu for 26.5 million. We wanted to know how Gold is doing today. She kindly took the time to answer our burning LaLa questions.

A: Always involved. Fashion has always been a big part of my life. I see my future becoming broader in different mediums of design and business, and not necessarily only in clothing or retail.

A: I can’t speak for Mark. but he was always driven like I was, we had that in common. I do have a strong work ethic and that plays a part in anyone’s success.

A: I can only tell my side of the story, so I can’t be concerned with any drama that others want to play into.

A: I am always at that point in my life. Honesty is ultimately the best policy and I try to follow that wisdom.

 Q: I am curious about your siblings’ successes. What do they do?

Q: Why did you decide to write the book now?

A: I had always wanted to write a book. Not only to set the record straight regarding my involvement as Co- Founder of True Religion Brand Jeans, but also to use my vast experience of thirty years in the fashion industry to help others, either with a new startup, or just pass along advice to younger future designers on the business side of the fashion industry with insight and knowledge on the trials and errors I had encountered along the way, hopefully saving them time and money in their own pursuits.

A: Who… What… How… These are the three things I always ask myself before I start any business venture. WHO am I selling to? WHAT am I selling?  HOW do I sell it? If you start with these three basic principles, you will simplify and clarify your business venture from the start. If you do have an idea, it is important to do your research about that particular idea. Research is key to finding out information on a subject or an idea you have.  Have a strong mission statement and stick to it. Having a solid business plan is a key element at the start. Know your product well and keep that product narrow and deep. Less is more in the beginning.  Finally, determination and perseverance are crucial components in executing any ideas. My motto has always been “I’m looking for a YES, not looking for a NO.”

A: I am lucky to have found a great PR team with Claire McKinney and Larissa Ackerman.  I have found over many years of hiring PR firms that PR  is an incredibly elusive undertaking. I am of two minds on this. If you find the right PR team that have solid experience in the field your working in and they have the same mission you have to push to get results, it’s a win win. If you don’t find the right team or don’t have the same mission together moving forward, you really are wasting your money.

Order the Gold Standard: How To Rock the World and Run an Empire for inspiration and business savvy sense or see Kym Gold live at Book Soup where she will discuss and sign her new book September 12 at 4:00 PM in West Hollywood.