Want to Build a Shoe Empire? Call Susannah
Interview with Susannah Davda, Founder of the The Shoe Consultant
Tell us about The Shoe Consultant. What do you do?
I help people to start shoe brands which delight their customers.
What is your The Shoe Consultant’s origin story?
I wanted to start my own company for several years before I took the leap, but didn’t know how I could make money from my shoe knowledge beyond the corporate shoe world. The stress of my day job and its beastly commute affected my health, and I knew I had to make a change. I had been writing a consumer-facing blog under the name The Shoe Consultant, so it was natural to use that name for my business. In a way, the name also gave me the confidence to set up as a consultant for start-up shoe brands.
Had you been involved in the industry before this startup? What is your background?
I have loved shoes from the age of 16 when I started working in a shoe shop. Since then I have always worked in the footwear industry. When I considered starting my own business, I had retail, design, buying and product management experience; as well as my BA (Hons) in Footwear Design. With two decades of shoe knowledge, my business had to be about footwear!
Take us through a day in your life. What does the typical day look like?
My phone lives downstairs at night, so the first things I see are my husband and son. The first part of my day is always about my son. I help him get ready for school, we eat breakfast together, and I drop him off. Then it’s work time. I shower, make myself a cup of jasmine green tea, and head upstairs to my home office. Emails often grab my attention first, and then I can focus on projects like planning my marketing, or my next webinar or speaking engagement. My freelance assistant starts before lunch, so we’ll message about his work plan for the day. I’ll then grab some homemade soup and get back to my computer. I schedule client calls three afternoons per week. I love those intense afternoons of challenging and wonderful conversations, which help my shoe start-up clients move forward with their plans. There is usually some follow-up work from those calls, and a few more emails before I log off for the day. Then it’s family time.
What has been the most challenging part of growing your company?
Doing it alone for the most part. It’s hard to know whether you are making good decisions about strategy and work flow when you are the only person in the business. When I began working with business coaches, that improved. Then I started hiring interns and freelance assistants and I was able to bounce ideas off them.
What has been your best marketing channel? What are some channels you are looking to explore next?
When I revamped my website a few years ago, my SEO dramatically improved. Google search is important to my business. Clients also find me through an interview I did for a sourcing platform, which is on YouTube. Instagram and LinkedIn are important to my business too. Email marketing is our current focus, so we are looking at how we can improve our direct communications.
What apps do you use that you would recommend to others?
I really like Asana for project management, Capsule for CRM, and Evernote for creating searchable notes.
Do you have a book, podcast, or Youtube channel you would recommend to other Entrepreneurs?
I find the Creative Women International podcast hosted by Philiy Page incredibly helpful. The episodes are short, inspiring and incredibly practical.
What are your short-term and long-term goals for your company?
Short-term — I’m focusing on promoting my online course all about How to Start a Shoe Brand. I’ll also be hosting a series of masterclasses for shoe start-ups. They will provide my audience with the ability to quiz successful shoe entrepreneurs on specific aspects of the start-up journey. Long-term — I am looking to create an online community for shoe start-ups and brands in their early years.
If you could go back in time to the day you founded your company, what advice would you give yourself?
Focus on one thing. I tried to work with consumers as well as consulting for shoe brands at the start. It took me a little too long to realize that the opportunity lay in B2B.
What is the best way for people to find out more about your company?
You can find me at: www.shoeconsultant.com https://www.instagram.com/shoeconsultant/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/susannahdavda/
