Catherine Langman:
Well, hello there. It’s Catherine Langman here, back with another episode of the Productpreneur Success Podcast. One of the things that I absolutely love the most about presenting this show is to share the stories of other productpreneurs, other brand owners, inventors, business owners is really is the most enjoyable part of what I do. I think that’s because everyone has a story to tell and everyone’s journey is a little bit different. I just love learning from other people’s experience and hearing about that experience. So, today on the show, I welcome Louise M of Louise M Shoes. Honestly, in the past I didn’t know too much about the shoe business. But it’s not that long ago, I actually read the book Shoe Dog about the Nike shoe business and really started to get quite interested in it. Of course, Louise M Shoes is a very different kind of shoe brand. It’s a more dressy, premium, corporate leather shoe as opposed to a sports sneaker type shoe. I guess lots of crossovers there.
But it’s been really fascinating to hear about Louise’s journey from being a flight attendant to starting her shoe brand and really hearing about what her brand values are and what she stands for in her business and how she’s really trying to share that with her audience who are all women, seeing as it is a women’s shoe brand. Let’s have a listen to Louise’s story. She’s been really descriptive about the difficulties of getting started and all of the things that she’s had to learn along the way and how she’s been able to overcome some of those difficulties along the way. I think any of you who have been in the business of inventing your own products and trying to manufacture your own designs would know some of those difficulties from personal experience, I’m sure. So without further ado, I’m really excited to welcome Louise onto the show.
Catherine Langman:
So welcome to the show Louise.
Louise:
Thanks Catherine. It’s really lovely to be here with you.
Catherine Langman:
It’s really fantastic to have you here. I’m really excited to share your story and hear all about it. So would you like to start by introducing your business to our listeners?
Louise:
I’d love to. My business is Louise M Shoes actually named after me, Louise Matson. So I started in 2013 and my background is I was a flight attendant for 17 years and I always had to find shoes to wear. So I have –
Catherine Langman:
Comfortable shoes.
Louise:
… [inaudible 00:00:39] this business. Absolutely. And with a professional look. So my business is very niche business for airline cabin crew and professional and executive women, corporate women. And it’s about having a shoe that looks professionally stylish, that you can wear for a long hours day after day. So I get mad at my mission to go searching for these shoes because it became increasingly difficult to find throughout my 17 years. And I was always grateful because the airline industry has very specific needs and requirements for uniforms. And the Australian market, the Australian airlines allowed us to go and find our own shoes.
And I always thought that the best quality I could find and love that, but it became increasingly difficult to find those shoes because retail stores stocked the latest fashion trends and you might find a shoe you do love to wear, but the next season or the next year you needed a new pair of shoes you couldn’t find them. Oh, no, we don’t do those this year. We’ve got [inaudible 00:01:42], patent stilettos and wedges and they’re just not suitable. And the retailers didn’t truly understand what we were looking for when we walked into a store and said, look, we just need a plain court shoe for our position as a flight attendant. And they would, they would show us [inaudible 00:02:01], patent stilettos, wedges, platforms.
Catherine Langman:
Everything but.
Louise:
Yes so they really didn’t understand. So yeah, my business is very niche business for airline cabin crew and corporate women, professional and stylish, but comfortable all day wear.
Catherine Langman:
Isn’t it fascinating because I mean, obviously you started your business and the inspiration for it was a personal need and that’s a scenario that, I mean, I’ve been through that myself and it’s pretty common, I think for a lot of people.
Louise:
Well, absolutely. You find the gap don’t you in the market? There’s plenty of shoes. The shoe industry is a massive industry, but there’s still a shoe missing in that market.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Was there a particular situation or like a day where you just had had enough. And that was like, that’s it I’ve got to do something about this?
Louise:
It’s funny you should mention that, but yes there was. I can actually picture myself and you might like to picture yourself on the aircraft with me. And I was-
Catherine Langman:
I’ll do my best.
Louise:
Can you imagine because we are actually not on the plane. But I actually look super fly. But anyway, that’s another story, but so I was in my flight attendant seat at the front of the aircraft near the flight deck and looking back down the aircraft towards all the passengers. And we were gathering space along the runway to take off. And as we took off, I caught a glimpse of my shoes. I was actually in shoes that were ugly. They felt terrible. And I actually lost my confidence and empowerment right then and there, because I thought, how did I come to this? That I’m not in my beautiful, italian leather shoes that I would normally have. But it was because I couldn’t find anything else. I’ve been searching and searching and it got to the stage where I just had to buy new shoes and these were the shoes I was in. And I just [inaudible 00:04:01]
Catherine Langman:
Comfort over style at that point.
Louise:
Oh, not even comfort it was just a necessity to cover my foot in something that met the airline requirements.
Catherine Langman:
Oh, dear.
Louise:
So yeah, it was that moment that I sort of went, what’s happened, what’s happened to me? Why haven’t we got a choice? And I thought, if I don’t have a choice others don’t have a choice either. And I knew if I went and found a shoe that cabin crew would love to wear that corporate women would also benefit immensely from them as well.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Oh, absolutely. So I guess that was the moment of inspiration, but I want to ask a couple of questions off that. Number one, what did you do next to move that idea forward? And number two, did you know anything about the shoe business before you started?
Louise:
I knew nothing about the shoe business and knew nothing about business really. I had been flying in a metal tube for 17 years. But my husband run a business, so I knew it was hard work, but it had rewards and but my dad had a business growing up, so yeah hard work and rewards. So I knew those aspects of business. But the first thing I did do is go to university, actually, I hadn’t finished my degree when I left school. And that was actually in medical records. It was completely different. But I knew I wanted a business, and I knew I wanted to do something with shoes. And I wanted to complete a degree just for my own confidence and to finish something I hadn’t completed prior. So I went to do a bachelor of commerce, but majoring in entrepreneurship and marketing.
And it was the entrepreneurship degree that I just loved. I loved that. And through that whole process as I said, I knew I wanted to do something about shoes and it had to involve travel. So a light bulb moment went off where I went off course, airline crew shoes. But then I went, no corporate women would benefit as well. So that’s where I started. And then yeah, there’s a few things here because I had to find those shoes, which became a challenge in itself. Yeah. So I started in Perth where I live looking, I met with manufacturers and wholesalers and maybe a way there’s not many manufacturers left in Australia. And a lot of our products are from Asia. And I was looking for a European shoe because I’d always worn italian leather shoes to work apart from that one I ended up in that was ugly.
So I started here, I went to Sydney to a fashion fair and was kind of way disappointed from there because I couldn’t find styles and quality that I wanted there. But then I also realized, well, actually I can’t find this shoe. So there’s actually a gap, this actually needs to be found.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah, you need to make it.
Louise:
And then I… Yeah. No I’ve got to look further afield and I asked a European wholesaler here in Australia. So I went to them and that’s where it started getting a little bit exciting. I could see that, okay. I can’t find the quality, but it’s in Europe. So the next step was to go to Europe, so-
Catherine Langman:
I’m ashamed about that.
Louise:
I know. I did say I need to travel in my business. So off I went. So I went to Germany, I went to the best footwear fairs in Europe and one was in Germany and the other’s in Milan. So over the next several years, that’s where I went. And I initially bought stocked European brands. Well known, well established European brands until I developed my own brand down the track. And along with all that, I thought, Gosh, I’ve got to start mixing with people in business because I had no idea of business. So that’s where business networking really helped. I joined a group here, it’s now Business Women Australia for local business. So that’s great. You know it’s one thing to go to coffee with your friends, really they don’t understand unless they’re in business themselves. So yeah, we talk more about the children or the grandchildren with them. And I’m not even sure to this day, they really understand what I do every day.
But it’s a business networking that’s where you start hearing things. Oh gosh, am I meant to be doing that? How do I do that? So you get that. And then I went to a national networking group as well, and I will mention Business Chicks because I really value them. And so then, because I was traveling Australia with my shoes to visit the cabin crew bases, I would coincide that with a networking event that they were holding. So I’m just with women on the East Coast as well. And then I went to their conferences and things.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah. I remember going to loads of their events and fantastic.
Louise:
Yeah. So that was really great. I’ve done several of those as well. And then of course I had to do some more traveling and I went to footwear school and I went to the best footwear school in Europe and that’s based in Milan, but they did a course in New York. So I went to that.
So there was a lot more English speaking people on that course. And they did that in collaboration with Fashion Footwear Association of New York. So I had people from the fashion footwear of the US at the course and the professor of the footwear school from Milan running the course. So and at this stage I had the beginnings of my shoes, my own brand. And so I took those with me as well everyday whatever-
Catherine Langman:
So you had started with other people’s brands to get the ball rolling, is that right?
Louise:
Yes. Well, at the beginning, I didn’t even know I could have my own brand. I hadn’t even thought that at the beginning. And it was at one of these fairs and I was actually one of the brands I was using. Oh, it’s just this thing, always have your ears open. Yeah, that’s [inaudible 00:10:28]. Have a focus, but always have your ears open and I heard someone else talking about their own brand with this manufacturer that I was getting already their brand. And then I just said, can I have my own brand? And they said, Si. Yes. So that’s when I just went, Oh my gosh, this is amazing.
I just never thought this. So this is we’re now talking 2016, so three years after I started. And that’s when I got really exciting. So that’s when I went to their factory, which is in the Tuscany region. I know it’s sounding really hard stuff. So I based myself in Florence when I go, and then I go to the factory.
Catherine Langman:
I love Italy.
Louise:
So that I have a bit learning. Yeah. So I really learned a lot every time I go to the factory. And then I was able to talk about every component of the shoe. And so I’ve chosen every material for the outsole, the insole, the heel counter, the heels, everything yeah the leathers. Everything is around providing that shoe for stability, comfort, the quality and yeah, comfort ultimately it’s comfort for whole day wear. So, yeah. So that’s my journey.
Catherine Langman:
Oh, it’s amazing. I want to ask in a minute about some of the challenges you’ve had along the way, but just before we get to that I want to ask you about those experiences going and visiting the factory and working through that process of design and, I guess refining your product designs and production along the way. Because I do know that it can be quite common for productpreneurs to not do that and I guess many, I suppose here in Australia, a lot of the brands are manufacturing in China and other Asian countries or countries in this side of the globe. And yeah, it’s quite common not to actually go to the factory and then that definitely can open up problems with quality and miscommunication, I guess, and all that sort of thing. So for you, was it, you just, you always went and that was how you sort of started off, or was it something along the way that you built in?
Louise:
Well, I was using this manufacturer’s shoes anyway, so I knew the quality of them, but then I wanted to make them even better for my market. I mean, they were a luxury brand anyway. So yeah, that’s when I started going to the factory as well. So yeah, they picked me up from the train station and drove me to the factory and we have meetings, then we go to lunch and then we have more meetings. So but yeah, it’s really, that’s when you really learn. Of course there’s a language issue there because I don’t speak Italian. So we have an interpreter and even that is really interesting because they get to do the interpreting for me, I had the head of the top executive PA of product. Yeah. yeah, my shoes are made in the same factory as Prada, so people I’ve met along the way are fantastic as well, so yeah. But yeah, I definitely [inaudible 00:14:09] the factory.
Catherine Langman:
So it sounds like it was a good move then really building that relationship with them.
Louise:
Yeah. But you know, one of the challenges, another challenge of that is initially I just assumed the product would turn up the same every time. And I think that’s probably what you’re wishing as well. And so, it would turn up, one time they’re fantastic they’ve got all the materials I actually want. And then the next time they would have done it slightly different. And it was usually the rubber on the outsole or the color lining, or I’ve got a comfort layer right through the whole foot of the shoe, whereas they would put it in the top and on the heel, on the bullet portion on the heel, but I wanted it right through. So yeah, I did have tears when products would turn up and it’s not how I assumed it was going to turn up.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah. And not the same every single time.
Louise:
Yeah. So I paid for the shoes, I paid for shipping, I paid the duties and taxes when they arrived here. So yeah, I would go back and negotiate with them and of course lose money, but what came out of that was a specification sheet. So there is now Louise M specifications sheets for every style and it lists all the materials that I need to use down to the shoe box tissue paper, that sort of thing as well. The colors and things for that. So yeah, it turns out the same every time now. Fortunately I had all that sorted before COVID hit because now I can’t travel there. Yeah. So I know it was a real process. It was exciting. But also, yeah, there were challenges and tears along the way as well.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah. It’s actually, unfortunately it is a common experience, I think for people who are trying to design and manufacture their own inventions and their own brands to have that sort of situation. And I know I’ve been through it and I was talking to a client just last week, who’s been through, been dealing with that kind of a situation. And I think she’s coming through the other side of it now, but it’s really stressful that’s for sure, and-
Louise:
Yeah. I guess if you were starting, if I was starting another shoe business I would have that straight up. But also you learn along the way. You might want to change your material as well, so as I said, I’ve changed rubber on the outsole once or twice, because a better rubber has come along and it provides more absorption or more comfort. Yeah.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah. Better performance.
Louise:
So they have to be aware of that as well. But that’s where especially if there’s a language issue, it is good to go face to face and you can touch the materials and through the interpreter actually learn more about materials rather than just read it or yeah.
Catherine Langman:
Or assume their understanding of written English is exactly what you mean, I guess.
Louise:
Yeah. But also too, you’re talking about understanding, it’s understanding what your product is doing for the market. So-
Catherine Langman:
Because it’s not just a fashion shoe.
Louise:
Yeah, exactly. Like mine has to have that all day comfort. I don’t want women thinking I’ve got to take my shoes off. So do they really understand… They don’t understand what it’s like to work on an aircraft for hours, but I do because I’ve done it.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah, yeah.
Louise:
So as much as they try and understand, they might not necessarily, they don’t understand actually and that’s the point. You’re the only one that truly understands your product and what you want to do, what you want it to do for your market.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah. So I think that’s a really good point for listeners to take down, not making an assumption that your factory will understand things the same way you do. So you have to take that guesswork or opportunity for misunderstanding out of it with those very detailed spec sheets. And hopefully all of us will be able to go back to visiting our factories and working with them again in person.
Louise:
Yeah. And going to lunch in Tuscany.
Catherine Langman:
That’s right. Lunch in Tuscany will be Beautiful thank you very much. So thank you for sharing some of those challenges. And I think we probably do need to touch on the fact that you’ve also had some challenges with it this past year and COVID would have impacted your particular niche.
Louise:
Well, who would have thought the airline industry would stop globally? And that corporate women, professional women are working from home in yard boots.
Catherine Langman:
That’s right. Make-up, a nice blouse and yard boots.
Louise:
So I definitely went from a very good month to not so good month. But, look it wasn’t a great year sales-wise, but it was a great year in otherwise. And it gave me an opportunity to slow down and get off that wheel that just keeps going. So I got my mindset back on track from stress. I was just stressed all the time, financially and whatever else was going on in the business. So yeah, so now I got a business coach and I got a very dear friend who is amazing in NLP and rapid transformational therapy. So she worked for me constantly in my mindset. So I had that in a good place, I got my finances in good place. My stock, I don’t just keep pouring money into stock. So I’ve got lots of stock on the shelf. I’ve got a lot of repeat customers. They come back I get shoes ordered for them and made for them. So it’s really lovely for them to be handmade in Italy, just for them.
Catherine Langman:
So it’d kind of a made to measure or made to order type.
Louise:
Yeah, absolutely. So my base range in black or in beige, but then now I can have them made in a red or red patent to black patent. I’ve even got Navy patent and beige patent being made for one of my very good clients. So that’s been great out of that. Whereas I was spending so much money on my base range just to have it in stock that I couldn’t actually offer those other things to my clients.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah. So who would have thought you’d be able to pivot into a new, different kind of business model and way of operating that would end up better.
Louise:
Yeah. Look, it’s fun. Yeah, I’ve brought fun back into my business. We were getting a little bit too serious there for a while for my liking. Yeah, it is good out of all that. And of course, I always try and look for the positives. You know it’s easy to get bogged down with those negatives that keep hitting you, but you have to look for those things you’re grateful for. And yeah, as I said, get back to having some fun in your business and that’s what I did over COVID time and into this year and this year the big thing about connection as well, because last year was real disconnect from people. So this year, my word is connect. I’m really enjoying. I brought back my shoes and champagne event and here in Perth.
Catherine Langman:
That sounds fun.
Louise:
So it’s actually really it’s fun. It gives women here a chance to come and try on all the shoes and really talk, learn more about Louise M, but then I get to also meet them and learn what their needs are as well. So that’s been a lot of fun. So those things have come out of COVID.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah. I love it. Good on you.
Louise:
Yeah.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah. So I want to ask you next about, I actually want to jump ahead to focus… or just kind of ask you about how niched your business is? You know you really have niched down to a very specific market. It’s not just shoes for women. So yeah, women in general, it’s very specific. So I want to ask you about do you think that makes it easier for you to speak to your audience and market to that very specific niche? And maybe what are some of the challenges as well around that?
Louise:
Well, actually interesting question because the first several years I found it really difficult because I had cabin crew, but I had corporate and I thought really quite different market segments within that niche market. The commonality was they both wear neat shoes, comfortable, they put on and go about their day without thinking about their feet. And then, so I always kind of struggled. I always, because I thought I had to market separately to them and then it was pointed out to me, why don’t you do by psychographic? And it was just this light bulb moment and it just took all the angst out of it because yeah, of course my customers kind of have the same values and desires and goals, they’re leaders and their positive attitudes. They love to travel, some might be for work or corporate women who might have an overnight stay somewhere for their business, but flight attendants have overnight stay because they’re flying in and out of somewhere.
So, I love sharing my travel experiences with my clients, with my market as well. So, and socially, they love to speak to people, they love to be with people. So once I chose psychographic it was like, of course, they both like quality things. They like to order a better glass of wine and a cheap glass of wine perhaps, things like that. So they’re used to traveling alone as well. Even though you might be in a team of crew, not everyone wants to go out and explore. And if you’re traveling for business you’re left in a hotel room on your own as well, so it was all these commonalities, lifestyle choices and interests that I found common in the two markets. So initially it wasn’t easy, but now its easy.
Catherine Langman:
You found the crossover.
Louise:
The similarities.
Catherine Langman:
The similarities, that’s the word I was grasping for and yeah, I love that. So, and then I guess once you can speak to that niche that you found presumably you enjoyed a better connection and then better results at the end of the day. Yeah.
Louise:
Yeah. I’m more confident in speaking about my shoes to anybody now. And I also know what sort of things to write in blogs and things, and a lot of that is around travel experiences, but leadership and empowerment. Yeah. So, no. It’s great now. All my angst is gone. It’s just easy.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah. I love it. A really good idea there for anyone who’s kind of struggling, trying to marry a couple of similar, but maybe feeling like different audiences together.
Louise:
Yes, exactly. Yeah. So although I was niched, I still had these two groups.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah, yeah, really good. So what would you describe as some of your best highlights of running Louise M Shoes so far? I think I can probably [inaudible 00:26:24].
Louise:
Well look establishing my own brand was a real highlight. I mean, being in the factory, that was a fist bump moment. When I went to inspect the shoes when they were actually at the final specification that I wanted. And so I went to the factory and inspected them before I put them on a ship this time. So that was like, that was amazing. And of course time spent in Florence. I just love being there, but it’s things like establishing the fact that I’ve got approval from Virgin Australia and Qantas for their crew to wear my shoes, and-
Catherine Langman:
What was that process like? Because I know, I mean, not that that’s a directly relevant example to a lot of other types of product, but that B2B relationship when you’re negotiating with a big entity, can’t be easy. I mean, I guess you, must’ve known a bit about how they work from having worked there but still.
Louise:
Well, yeah it was handy knowing all the uniform requirements already. I had those in my hand already. I had worked for SkyWest Airlines, Ansett Airlines and Virgin Regional already. And they’re all similar specifications, but for them to actually say yes, our cabin crew can wear them because Virgin need approval from their uniform department that their shoes are correct. And then, so if they say, look, I’ve got a pair of Louise M shoes, Virgin already knows that they’re approved. So that’s really good. And-
Catherine Langman:
What a coup. That must have really made a big difference for you.
Louise:
Well, it was great because I can now say on my website and it’s honest and because I’m such an honest person, but even the wording, they told me what wording I could use. So, it’s approved for use by Virgin Airline’s cabin crew. Qantas was meets requirements of Style onQ because Style onQ is their uniform guidelines. So it’s very specific what I can use on my website. So I didn’t want to be putting anything there that wasn’t approved. So it was a matter of going to the uniform departments and having them approve. I had to show them all the styles and make sure they did meet their requirements. And then I was able to go into the cabin crew bases on a regular basis.
And for instance Qantas has invited me to their, what they called now kind of their uniform days where they want to promote their teams to wear their uniform correctly. So I’ve gone to Melbourne a couple of times for that. So yeah. So to have to go into all the bases with my shoes and show the teams my shoes as they clock in and out for a flight it had to be approved footwear. Yeah, so that was really good. That was a real highlight. But just even just seeing women put my shoes on and their faces, I mean, some of them don’t even realize that you can get a shoe that you’re comfortable in.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah. How sad is that though, right?
Louise:
Yeah.
Catherine Langman:
To put up with that.
Louise:
To see reviews from crew that say the best cabin crew shoes ever. Corporate women saying these are the most comfortable corporate shoes on this planet. It really is highlight for me that I am changing the way women can go about their day and empowering them. I had one of my clients say she was stopped on the street into Georgia Terrace, which is the main business street in Perth by someone saying, you look amazing today. And then just said to me, it had to be the shoes [inaudible 00:30:27] because I was walking comfortably down the street. So things like that are real highlights. And of course, people I’ve met along my way, whether it’s business connections, or whether it’s my Italian shoe family people who was just so willing to help me in different things.
And that’s another thing to mention to your audience is, you might not know how to do something, but think about, Oh gosh, what is it that I need to do and how I’m going to do that. And somehow something pops up. Someone you meet knows how to do that, or guide you in that way. And of course, travel experiences. Because I travel on my own so much, its the people you made along the way, and I met this person who is a luxury jewelry salesperson based in Geneva and he flies the world and sells his jewelry that no one else sells. And he said to me, Oh, actually I see one of the female moneyed executives. He said I’ve been to Perth. I meet with one of the female moneyed executives and I knew exactly who it was. And then a United Nations negotiator that [inaudible 00:31:39] airport and getting the train into London. So, people’s stories, you don’t even know these jobs exist. And then you wind up meeting these amazing people.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah. That’s cool. What about meeting, well, maybe not so much meeting, but seeing people you don’t know wearing your products. I used to love that.
Louise:
Oh, yeah.
Catherine Langman:
I used to get such a kick out of that.
Louise:
Yeah. Well, even now I work for Qantas, but on the ground, my feet are firmly on the ground now, but it’s customer service. And I opened the door of an aircraft and I go, Oh my shoes. Crew got my shoes. So, they could be from the East Coast arriving or just from here in Perth. But Naomi Simson, you might know her from Shark Tank. She wears my shoes.
Catherine Langman:
That’s cool.
Louise:
Sorry. I just took a sip of water, but it’s always great to see her. And she was on the press club interview panel and they had her talking about leadership and she said, every woman should wear red shoes as a symbol of leadership. And the cameras went straight to her shoes and zoomed in on Louise M Shoes.
Catherine Langman:
Oh, what a thrill.
Louise:
Oh, yeah. So that was a real highlight for me as well. And she’s very supportive of my business which is fantastic. So yeah, few highlights. Yeah.
Catherine Langman:
From here what’s for the future that you hope for Louise M Shoes?
Louise:
Well, of course, ultimate goal is next five years growth and reaching more women and yeah, helping them. And I’ve got a big thing about empowerment and making people feel competent on their feet, so they can go about their day and achieve their goals and dreams. And leading from that is I’m going to be doing an empowerment series where I interview women. They’re going to be clients of mine and non-clients of mine. But talk about where did that empowerment come from and did they feel empowered from childhood or did it occur in adulthood?
Do they always feel empowered and really delve into empowerment in their life and how they feel about that. So I’m really excited about that. And of course, once I can start traveling internationally, again, I’d love to go and see my shoe family again. But this time, take my husband to Italy. He’s actually never been there with me and seeing where I go and what I do. And then do some traveling around Italy. So, and of course, introducing more colors and finding few more styles as well.
Catherine Langman:
Okay. And so growing the range, as well as… I love the idea of that empowerment series and I guess to make that a tangible strategy for other people to think about in your business, what are the brand values that you really do stand for and how could you potentially make a big song and dance of that and really share that out with a wider audience. So that sounds exactly like what you’re doing there, which that’s amazing.
Louise:
Yeah. Well, I’ve always felt and wanted to, desire to empower women. So I’m just taking it a step further. And yeah, there’s a little bit more to that as well. Going back to sort of Naomi’s comments on red shoes and leadership, so that’s sort of another thing that’s happening in the future as well. So yeah, I’m really excited. And as I said, I’ve got the fun back into business, so it’s not all about just shoes. I’m definitely not just about shoes, my shoes leaps something more. Yeah.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah, yeah. I love that. And I want to ask you two more questions and the first one is, what would your recommendations be for someone who was looking to start a shoe business? And I’m sure that this will be relative to other businesses as well, but what would you, thinking back on all of your experience?
Louise:
I think the bravest thing is just to take a step, sorry, the pun, take a step. Because you don’t know where to start, but you have to start somewhere. So and if you’re starting a shoe business, I would say try and know where you want to start. Do you want to be in women’s shoes, men’s shoes, children’s shoes. Do you want to be in luxury footwear, athletic wear, [inaudible 00:36:21]
Catherine Langman:
So thinking about that niche really right from the beginning.
Louise:
Yeah, absolutely. Because you get totally overwhelmed. I mean, you just have an idea of shoes, but don’t know where to start. You could go to one of these big international shoe fairs, but it’s overwhelming. Just the hole that you’re in the convention centers, they’re like seven times the size of anything we have here in Australia, and they’re just row, row up on shoes. So you’ll just get overwhelmed and not know what you’re doing, you’ll come away there exhausted and without achieving anything. So I would say niche it down, for sure. Even to what materials you might like to use, mine was always leather. But, you might have textiles, synthetic kind of materials as well, like crocs is a foam. So I would just say, take a step, be passionate about what you believe in, what you’re doing and because that’ll get you through the challenging times.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah. You do need to have something that is a little bit bigger than just making some money to hold you through those challenging times. And-
Louise:
Yeah. I guess that’s the thing you’re not going to make money for quite a while. If you’re just starting out-
Catherine Langman:
It does need to be a long game, yeah.
Louise:
It does need to be a long game unless you’ve got a lot of backing behind you. And I did mention I do work for Qantas and that is something I wasn’t doing initially in the business. I’d retired from flying and I was home for about five years, I think. And then I went back to that because I was working on my own at home, I had some financial stress and also to do business was always in my head. So that’s another thing don’t be in such a hurry to leave your current position. Maybe go part time or do it while you’re looking to your shoe business or your business while you’re still operating in your current business or organization.
Catherine Langman:
Yeah. Give yourself a bit of a runway before you go all in. Yeah, for sure. And then I guess a little bit more generally for any aspiring women entrepreneurs, what advice would you like to pass on there? Or maybe what would you like to have had shared with you?
Louise:
Yeah, I think the big thing, it starts out all very exciting. And then yeah, these challenges come at you. So be brave. I think that’s the biggest thing, be brave. No one else, as I said before, no one else truly understands your product or service, so you have to believe in it completely yourself and you’ll always be learning and in a little way.
Catherine Langman:
And that’s okay. I think that’s a good thing.
Louise:
Yeah. It’s great. It’s great. So don’t wait though until you know all the answers because you won’t know all the answers, then you’ll never start. And you’ll get out of one challenge and you think, Oh, great, that’s it, but another one will come up.
Catherine Langman:
That’s an interesting point to bring up at this moment, but you are spot on and you definitely, I mean, if you have any tips on how to kind of mentally and energetically cope with that feel free to share. But I know for me, that was definitely something that I had to come up with some practices and tactics that I incorporated into my days so that I didn’t let those, that constantness of stuff happening and not necessarily going wrong, but just things that need to be fixed or solved or whatever.
Louise:
Yeah and I did touch on that earlier that you can get so engrossed in your business and you’re 24/7 it’s in your head and it really occupies every moment of your day. And I’ve taken up swimming this year. I never knew how to swim laps in that free style. But I took some swimming lessons and now I do that. So I get in the pool and I just love being in the water. I mean, I’ve always loved walking down at the beach, but I have loved being in the water and you can still think about business, but in the water that you’re actually doing your body some good and your mind some good. So that’s really important as well. Your mindset is really important. So find something that you enjoy going off and doing that’s really happy and healthy for you as well.
Catherine Langman:
I love it. So important and a really lovely note to wrap up our interview on. So really appreciate you joining us today on the show and sharing your journey. It’s been, it’s really inspiring to hear what you’ve been able to create and the way that you’ve gone about doing it. And I think everyone should go well, the women anyway, go and check out Louise M Shoes. Do you want to share your website and social media handles? We’ll put them on the show notes page as well, but give yourself a share.
Louise:
Yeah. Yeah. It’s just louisemshoes.com is my website. And then my social handles are Louise M Shoes. And Catherine, that’s the other thing I’m here for people it’s an online store and people saying I can’t buy shoes online, but yeah, if you’re concerned about that at all, give me a call. I speak to so many of my clients. I want women to love wearing their shoes. I don’t want Louise M Shoes sitting in wardrobe, so yes, please call me or contact me if you have any concerns, otherwise, just order your favorite pair and that will be delivered to your doorstep two days later. And if they’re not perfect for you, give me a call and we’ll have a chat and I’ll exchange them. So super easy.
Catherine Langman:
Brilliant. Yeah, absolutely, brilliant. Love it. Thank you again for joining us on the show and sharing your story.
Louise:
Thanks Catherine, it’s been really lovely to speak with you, and I certainly hope I have inspired or educated or given some value to your audience.
Catherine Langman:
I’m sure you have. Thank you.