In your own words, what does your company do?
Tanya Heath created adjustable shoes with interchangeable, multiple-height heels. At its most basic level, this concept allows women to wear the same pair of shoes throughout the day, adapting to their changing needs by switching from high to low heels. But our concept goes beyond this. We sell our shoes on a pick-and-choose basis, so the client becomes the creator. She chooses the heel height, style, and color, and by selecting several different shoes, she can create the most versatile shoe in the world. Our shoes offer several options in one, so you can wear them more and buy less, which is the first step towards a more sustainable future. With our shoes, you can be comfortable and stylish while making a conscious effort to reduce waste.
📈 Monthly revenue: $12,865.00
📈 ~% Churn: N/A
📈 ~% Net profit: Do not wish to disclose
📈 Funding: Do not wish to disclose
📈 Initial cost/investment to start the company well over a million $ for 3 years of R&D
📈 Number of team members: 4
📈 Number of founders: 1
📈 Started January 2009
How does the company make money?
💰 By designing shoes and heels that we sell to clients via our Paris boutique which we just opened our website.
3 strategies that have worked to attract and retain customers?
✅ Our company’s R&D was so expensive that we’ve never had the luxury of a marketing budget. Instead, we rely heavily on positive word-of-mouth to attract new business.
✅ Luckily, our innovative offer has captured people’s attention, and once they try out our adjustable shoes for the first time, they become loyal customers. They appreciate the versatility and convenience of our concept so much that they often return to buy another pair of shoes and/or heels.
✅ Because of this, our primary focus is on delighting our clients and providing them with the best possible experience with our products.
3 things that you’ve learned about hiring and retaining great talent?
✅ Whenever a new team member joins, we ask ourselves, “Is someone (1)individually so productive that they raise the average productivity of your team? OR (2) acting as a multiplier to everyone else on the team?: This has helped us weed out many candidates, allowing us to focus our limited energy and resources on A-players hires. It is critical to determine what key impact the candidates have had in the past, to understand how impactful they will be for you.
✅ I’ve learned that for a small company, it’s more important to have a great team member than several people who aren’t on brand or who are less skilled at what they do. In a small company, less is really more. I also strongly believe in diversity – diversity in age, nationality, and world view, anything really – because it fills in the gaps in our own way of seeing things and leads to a much richer work environment and more interesting interactions. It’s also important to hire people who are not like you. I have just welcomed two women who are social media and marketing geniuses, and I feel so lucky to have great people who bring the skills I lack.
✅ In addition to diversity, I look for people who are bold and willing to speak their minds. In a small company, everyone needs to be willing to take charge and express themselves, as it can be overwhelming to do everything alone. I value team members who are not afraid to take initiative and bring new ideas to the table. Overall, my focus is on building a strong, cohesive team that shares our company’s values and vision and can work together to drive our success.