So, a few years ago I was in Thailand was passing through a shopping area where there is some sort of shoe festival, calendars, all kinds of festivals. This is a shoe festival and simultaneously was a shoe festival, slash clearance, sale where a number of vendors rout sewing shoes. I was in Southeast Asia for a couple weeks, and I like several the styles that I saw at this shoe festival, Slash, cleared sale and they were very affordable. So I thought, while pick up appeared to take home, but then a funny thing happened. The first vendor I checked with didn't have my size and neither did the second or the third, By the time I work the length of the street, I discovered that they didn't have any in my size at any. In that light, that's when I realise that, even though my shoe sizes average in the- U S, just a ten and a half pretty common, which is, I believe, forty four in european size in thailand- that's a pretty big size.

Now. For me, that was just a minor inconvenience. I didn't need those shoes. A week later, I was back in the states where I could go into any shoe store. There be plenty of options or of course I could go online to an abundance of retailers and operate countless styles and free shipping. So why am I telling you this long story? And I know it's fascinating you're like now. I know Chris issue size, that's great information, but listen. It's also relevant today story. This is Sicel school everyday, I'm telling you different story and it for me.

I said that experience in Thailand was just an inconvenience. I wasn't living there and I had access to another market. So there's plenty of options for me, but for lots of other people wearing a larger shoe size can turn a shoe shopping into a much more frustrating experience. That brings us to the story of a community engagement, specialist in New Zealand on a quest to bring high quality and fashionable shoes to women with larger sizes. Really interesting story. I like working on it, going to call it New Zealand Shoe hustle sizes, up profits. That story is coming right up This obviously, as face the problem of wearing a larger shoe size most of her life, but she did manage to find a parachute. She like should be disappointed with its quality or construction. And on top of that, you wasn't putting a lot of options- internet of New Zealand to fit her feet in the first place. So she did what many of

Do we have a problem? She began to research, alternatives that are still not having much luck. Gustave it aside to fix this problem, fine, fashionable shoes for women who wear sizes ten to thirteen. She thought it would be an easy task to find different styles from various brands and import them again. She had a hard time finding what she was looking for, so she decided to attend to footwear, sourcing trade show in LAS Vegas during the eventual discover that plus sign you weren't just a problem defining New Zealand, they were hard to find everywhere. She went to a seminar led by Tony Shea. The ceo of Zappos was able to talk with it when she explained what she was looking for. He told her. She was better, are starting her own brand. That's exactly what she did upon her return but how to someone start a shoe Brandon. They know nothing about shoe manufacturing, Gustavo started by registering for, of course, in addition to a base, level of knowledge gave her the reassurance that if she was going to do

I don't wanna shears, she might as well go in and ensure they were up most quality. Next, she hired a freelance fashion designer who helped her cup with several different designs. You then took those designs and sent them off to issue factory which she got her first sample back. It was surreal. Her concept has been brought to life with her name on it. The only problem was a big The quality was not up to part she put her foot down on that company.

Finding another manufacturer who is able to produce and outsource or designs. Her dream for high quality, fashionable shoes for larger sizes had taken another important step, and this was not a quick uneasy side awesome. The process took this David, nearly five years to complete, researching the manufacturing to understanding global shipping and marketing. It's a lot of work. She also had a full time job and a new baby, while many would have broken a heel during this time Gustave. It was committed to seeing things through. She officially launched study issues in January. Twenty. Sixteen with the goal of becoming a fashion lifesaver for olive Cinderella stepsister around the world.

Who are dreaming of better quality glass slippers that actually fit, and since launching the shoes have really taken off, studious averaged around three thousand dollars a month, but no advertising men about ten thousand dollars a month once she started running acts. A few months into launch study has had a feature in New Zealand largest new publication. The data feature ran. She made fifteen thousand dollars and sales. Since then, the branches been featured on tv, radio and blue. Which have helped immensely and what's stopping us apart from other larger size, shoes is the unique craftsmanship and high quality services now replaced its initial investment of fifteen thousand dollars nearly five times. It didn't happen overnight and it wasn't always smooth runway. You took patients, dedication, trial and error. She says money was the biggest struggle she encountered during the process, at one point. She invested thousands of dollars a month and a social media agency. Looking back, she rises. She would have been better off wanting to do it. Herself.

The quick side, don't I've heard that for many people, so don't invest thousands of dollars and a social media agency? My apologies to other people running social media agencies were listening to this. You're studies advice for anyone wanting to launch a similar hustle is to not take advice from people who have ever been or you're wanting to go. They often respond from a place of what they would do, rather than a place of experience and knowledge, Thanks to her, many women are able to wear fashionable shoes that accommodate larger sizes in your future could planes to put her best put forward an excuse. And sales to the United States. Awesome project very quota work on a story. If you are a woman,

New Zealand, Australia in need of a larger shoe size, maybe check out studies said she is beginning to expand in particular in the United States, but also in Europe as well, and I just want to draw attention to something she said here. This advice about. If you weren't you thing similar to this story is any other story that you here don't take. Advice from people I've never been where you're going to go. They often respond from a place of what they would do, rather than a place of experience and knowledge and does not make so much sense. You're gonna start You brand you wanna, be advised by the Sea Zappos twenty Shea for somebody else like that. Somebody else have that stature Or at least somebody who has a track record of experience, as opposed to somebody who. Is also aspirational or somebody who has made it. You know a little bit far, but they haven't really. You know what she gave the ultimate destination That's ok like we're on a journey, but the police don't take advice from someone who, never been where you're wanting to go. You also

Finally go along. You don't need that much advice like a lot of stuff. You can figure out as you go just like she was able to do in this story as well. Vitamin leave your hat today. Inspiration is God, but inspiration with action is so much better. Thank you so much for listening. This show now it's all right side, axle, school dot, com, one thousand and eleven as one zero one, why we back again to Morrow be sure you subscribe. It's completely free. My name is critical about, and this is side vessels. From the onward projects.