Launched apparel brand, investor pulled funding, 40k inventory and no marketing budget - what would you do?

Hey everyone,

I’m looking for advice from people who’ve actually built apparel/e-commerce brands or dealt with inventory issues.

I recently launched a premium performance/streetwear brand for men. We invested heavily into product quality, branding, website, and content. The website looks professional, photography is solid, and we’ve gotten some combat sport athletes wearing the brand.

The issue: my investor ran into financial problems and couldn’t provide the capital we had originally planned for growth.

Current situation:
- ~€40k inventory (around 1,400 units)
- Very limited cash for paid ads/content
- Website traffic is almost zero
- Very few sales
- Working a 9–5, so time is limited
- Small but professional-looking social presence

I know now I underestimated distribution and customer acquisition.

Right now I’m considering:
- getting products into gyms
- wholesale to stores
- partnerships with athletes/trainers
- affiliate/influencer deals
- fitness/combat events
- trying to raise capital again

What I’m struggling to figure out is:

If your goal was to move inventory and create cash flow quickly without destroying the brand positioning, what would you prioritize first?

Would you focus on wholesale? Gym partnerships? Influencer affiliates? Something else entirely?

I’m not looking for motivational advice - I’m trying to understand what an experienced operator would realistically do in this situation.

Appreciate any insight.