You started your own shoe company Very Lovely Soles over 10 years ago but have worked in the shoe industry for over two decades. Growing up, did you know that you wanted to work in fashion/footwear and did you have dreams of owning your own business?
Funny the answer to both those questions are no. I went to school for Television Broadcasting. I wanted to be a News Anchor so badly. But, after 3 horrible intern experiences at very reputable News stations I decided this wasn’t for me. From there I went to finance and worked at Smith Barney for a year. Right away I knew finance isn't the type of career you just do and get by, you have to love it and I didn’t love it. I went to a staffing agency and they put me in a temp/perm position at Nine West. I never had a dream to own my own business. I think life led me there.
Can you share a little about your decision to launch Very Lovely Soles? What led you from working for brands like Nine West and Joan and David to take the leap to start your own line of shoes?
It’s the classic corporate tale. I got laid off. I had never been laid off in my life. For so long I made my work decisions. You invest all your time and energy for a company, it was a hard reality that day. It's not a two way street. I felt horrible but also knew it wasn’t personal. I had been there long enough to know, it’s business, it happens and it was my turn. As I was interviewing at other major companies I started thinking really hard if I really had another 15 years to give a company. I will never forget the day. I was interviewing for a startup shoe company. A guy was going to launch his own shoe brand. As I sat there answering all their questions proving my worth to them, I realized how many things I actually knew and what an asset I would be to...... ME!
I walked out of the interview not caring if I would get a call back because that's when I decided if I'm going to succeed or fail it should be on my watch. This was the time to do it. It was right then that I decided I could do this and was going to put all my efforts into myself. I used all my industry contacts and went to work building my vision.
Very Lovely Soles was born and remains a very local business - you self funded the company and have held off from raising outside capital. You are also still running it on your own and are VLS’s only employee - can you share a little about how the company has grown and sustained itself over the years?
When I started the company I wasn’t married or had a child. Since then that has changed. I am married and have a 2 year old daughter. So, it's a little different now. It sustained itself because it was exactly where I needed it to be. I never wanted it to be this big major brand. I was just so focused on working for myself and never wanting to get laid off so I started what I knew. It just came easy, also I wasn’t reinventing something. I was just really coming up with a business idea and the idea I was selling really was me. I was creating a life for myself. I wanted to work on my own time and for myself.
Once family came into play I knew I needed this to be more. The stakes are higher now and I have people depending on me financially. It’s hard when you pay for your own inventory so now I just do smaller buys. I make the collection more meaningful and tighter. It has actually helped me a lot as I am not sitting on so much stock!
You’ve created a brand with VLS that is somehow elegant, functional and whimsical all at the same time - was that intentional or do you think more of a reflection of your personality?
It is both. Let’s face it there are a lot of shoe companies out there. Plenty of ballet flats and sandals so I’m not reinventing the wheel here. The collection is for sure a lot of me.. There isn’t a style in my collection that I haven’t worn. This brand is my personality. It always starts with what I would like to see on my feet/out there and hopefully others will agree and purchase.
I love that the names of each shoe represents a place or location or even street that means something to you. Can you speak to that decision on your own creative process in creating new products and designs?
Ha that’s my favorite part too! When I first started the business I hired a branding consultant. She wanted me to put so much of myself out there on the site and social media. I wasn’t comfortable with it at the time. I know a lot of people do it and I am actually trying to be better about it but I am also from the time period where knowing about people intimately is a privilege that is earned. So I thought it would be a fun way to get people to know me. Name the styles after something/someone that really meant something to me, and when someone purchases a style I let them know the meaning in my thank you card for the purchase. I pick the names after… the style/color/print has to remind me of who what etc.
What have been the greatest challenges for you personally and professionally in building your business over the past 10 years?
Oh this is so simple to answer… Professionally I am horrible. I mean horrible at Sales. I wish I was better. My husband is in sales. We share an office now (that's for a different conversation lol). He literally could sell anything. I hear him on calls. He’s so good. I will take no for an answer, he will not. For a while I took things personally. It took me a while to be okay with returns, to be okay with friends not purchasing a pair of shoes or simply sharing the brand. It really was a struggle. But that’s where ego comes into play. Today, I can really say it doesn’t faze me one bit. There were so many personal challenges but this was the hardest one for me to overcome so it’s great to be admitting this now with a smile on my face.
Building and running a business on your own I imagine can be a lonely venture at times, where do you find yourself turning to for advice and inspiration?
Yes, this is the part people actually don’t really talk about. When I first started, I think (no, I know) I was depressed. I wasn’t going into an office, had no co-workers. All my friends had office jobs so no one was on my schedule. I was extremely lonely. I didn’t have to really get dressed since my office was at home. I saw no good coming out of this part. I started planning my work days “out.” Started going to cafes, restaurants, bookstores in the evening heading down to Manhattan to get fashion inspo. I then rented a desk in a co-working space. Started to find groups of start-up people and we would meet weekly. Started looking for events to network. It didn’t matter what type of business it was just nice to be able to hear and get a different perspective on things. It helped me so much!
The VLS social media feed is full of hilarious, often raw posts and videos of your life as a “mompreneur” - how has becoming a mom impacted your life as a CEO and how have you managed (if at all) to find balance between the two?
Ha! Oh that makes me happy you find it hilarious. The balance for me is once I figured out not everything is going to get done that day! Once I let go of the desire/need to get it all done a huge weight was lifted and I feel like I am thriving. I am so much better at VLS and Mom life once I let that go. Some days I plop Olivia in the office while I do my orders. I never would have done that. I separated the two. I used to feel so guilty for not engaging with her. But, how much better is it for her to actually see mommy working on her own business. Now she will see my shoes in a magazine and say “mommy shoes' ' and that is cool!
You have primarily sold VLS direct to consumer through your website and through a handful of either popups or stocking in local shops - do you plan to remain mostly DTC or have you thought about changing that business model?
Yes, actually. I am going full force in going wholesale with the line now. I have reached out to a bunch of local (and beyond) stores. The response has been overwhelming. I am excited for 2023.
What excites you most about your business these days?
Everything. I have been doing this long enough to know tomorrow is a new day. I never know what's going to happen. Some days I wake up and have ZERO orders and other days there are 100. Some days no one responds to emails we send out in regards to press etc and other days my favorite magazine wants to feature the collection. I love that you never know what's going to happen. So I really try not to dwell on the bad days cause when a good day happens it’s worth it all and you forget about the so called “bad day.”
What piece of advice would you give to someone thinking about launching their own business that you may not have known 10 years ago when you launched VLS?
Pivot & Ask! When working for yourself and by yourself it's easy to think you're right. It’s yours and you will do it your way! Naturally you should but always try to find someone to bounce ideas with. Pivot: When I first started Social Media was not as big as it is today. Instagram makes up 85% of my business. I looked back on a questionnaire I had to fill out when first launching and I basically put Instagram on the back burner. If you are stuck on one idea and never willing to change with the times I believe that's a recipe for disaster. That was me for a while. Ask: I think sometimes our ego gets in the way and I would suggest finding people to bounce ideas off. I would say not family or close friends. People who wouldn’t be afraid to tell you what they don’t like. It’s really helpful and you would be so surprised how it can change the way you operate.
Lightning Round:
Favorite thing about living in Bedford?
I grew up here. I have always loved it. I am happy to be back. Bedford is home to me. My favorite thing is I get to pass by so many things and share so many stories with my daughter and husband. We drive by Rippowam Cisqua every morning and now my daughter says “mommy school.”
New Business you’d most like to see open in our area?
I would love to see more things to do for kids. I feel like I am always traveling to do something with Olivia and just can’t believe we don’t have anything within the area.
If you weren’t in Bedford right now where would you be?
Gosh….Maybe Savannah or Charleston
Most favorite pair of shoes (besides VLS)?
Anything sneaker!!! I love sneakers. Nike, New Balance, Saucony. You can dress them up and still look fresh and put together!
What would you do with an extra hour everyday?
I have always wanted to be a big sister and donate my time with kids. There is still time and still on my vision board! It will happen!
