5. My Shoe Design Journey Part 2 with AliveShoes
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Steel Cyclone Studios
at
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I did like how this platforms allowed you to create your own shoe box design by uploading your own artwork and logos.
3.) Simple & Fast
Cons of AliveShoes
2.) Profit Deductions
3.) No Say in the Dictation of the Launch Price
4.) Platform Limitations
8.) Can't Try Before You Buy
Finally, since AliveShoes is an online platform, customers cannot try on the shoes before they buy them, and they must rely on the sizing charts provided.
Tips That Helped Me Reach My Pre-Order Goal
1.) Live Below Your Means
Remove Your Excuses & Ego
Why are the shoes and products sold through AliveShoes so Expensive?
2.) Saves Money
This is a shocker! Contrary to the vast majority of people on the internet saying these shoes are overpriced, you are actually saving your customers money through AliveShoes. I researched some of AliveShoes' competitors in Italy. Majority of their competition from Italy are selling their handcrafted Italian leather shoes for $400 or more! With that being said, many of them are dress shoes. You really have to do your homework with AliveShoes and see their competition. To name a few, google search Giuseppe Zanotti, Salvatore Ferragamo, Bontoni, and Enzo Bonafe. Initally, I was shocked by their prices but I learned you have to understand their customer base. Who are their clientele? A popular company called Koio, created by two people, visited 34 factories in Italy and found one to help them sell their shoes at a similar prices as AliveShoes. Their shoes are crafted with the finest calfskin leathers, hand-finished with incredible attention to detail. Because calfskin comes from a calf it has a tighter grain and fiber, and is both thinner and lighter than cow hide. The problem is, people didn't do their research and compared AliveShoes to most US shoe brands.
Don't Lower Your Price! Change Your Clientele!
What is AliveShoes?
I first came across AliveShoes through a Facebook Ad back in July of 2019. My first thought was, “Is Facebook stalking me or something?” I was researching platforms to design shoes on Google and the next thing I see is this ad from AliveShoes. Was it just a coincidence? Was it algorithms that connected my searches to this ad? I don’t fully know, but I do know one thing. The first thing that struck me and caught my attention from the ad was the level of quality of their shoe products. AliveShoes essentially gives anyone, whether you are an artist, entrepreneur or someone just starting out a medium to bring their stories and ideas to life through shoes as your canvas. In the ad, AliveShoes claimed they can allow you to design your own custom shoe line from scratch and and launch it. When I was younger, I was not interested in fashion because I saw how it lead others to materialism. In school and sadly throughout my first couple years of college, if you weren’t wearing Gucci or weren’t following a certain trend, people would look down on you and belittle you. That is not was fashion is truly about. Fashion was never about bragging rights or to make others feel inferior. As I got older, I realized fashion is an amazing medium of expression, allowing artist like myself to bring our creativity to life in new and interesting ways. I don’t often go along with what’s trending. I am more curious about what makes other creators different and stand out from the rest of the pack. What make them unique and stand out?
Is AliveShoes a legitimate company?
After I did my research, concluded that AliveShoes was first a legitimate company that actually wanted me to design shoes and consider them as a supplier; I probably took way longer than most people before submitting my application to AliveShoes. Why? To be completely honest, I was hesitant. I was scared. I am kind of embarrassed to admit it, but I was afraid because I was thinking about everything that could go possibly go wrong instead of focusing on that 1% that could go right. To help myself and my own insecurities, I literally wrote down all of my fears. I made two columns. The left side was my fears and the right side was possible solutions. Even with my clothing line; Steel Wear and now as I continue working on my games, I take on the challenging and ambitious ones knowing that it scares me and makes me uncomfortable. Why? When you take on something challenging that’s seems scary; that’s how you grow. This is more than just making shoes for me. It’s a journey of growth, an ambitious journey of courage and finding strength in myself to researched. I weighed the pros and cons and wanted to digest as much information as possible before diving in.
After I did my research, concluded that AliveShoes was first a legitimate company that actually wanted me to design shoes and consider them as a supplier; I probably took way longer than most people before submitting my application to AliveShoes. Why? To be completely honest, I was hesitant. I was scared. I am kind of embarrassed to admit it, but I was afraid because I was thinking about everything that could go possibly go wrong instead of focusing on that 1% that could go right. To help myself and my own insecurities, I literally wrote down all of my fears. I made two columns. The left side was my fears and the right side was possible solutions. Even with my clothing line; Steel Wear and now as I continue working on my games, I take on the challenging and ambitious ones knowing that it scares me and makes me uncomfortable. Why? When you take on something challenging that’s seems scary; that’s how you grow. This is more than just making shoes for me. It’s a journey of growth, an ambitious journey of courage and finding strength in myself to researched. I weighed the pros and cons and wanted to digest as much information as possible before diving in.
Shoe Assembly
Where are they located?
The AliveShoes design and production team is located at their headquarters in The Shoe Valley district of Le Marche, Italy. They also run international operations in three flexible offices in Milan, San Francisco, and Amsterdam.
1.) Terms & Conditions
Always thoroughly read their terms and conditions before applying for AliveShoes or any online business platform of such nature. Do this before submitting your application!
Always thoroughly read their terms and conditions before applying for AliveShoes or any online business platform of such nature. Do this before submitting your application!
The Catch
You have to reach a minimum of 7 pre-orders to send your shoes into production. Getting past the pre-order phase was the most difficult for me as well as many others. People have to understand that what they are paying for is quality that you just won't get with large retailers. If I have to choose, I would rather support a fellow designer as opposed to grabbing the latest Jordan's.
You have to reach a minimum of 7 pre-orders to send your shoes into production. Getting past the pre-order phase was the most difficult for me as well as many others. People have to understand that what they are paying for is quality that you just won't get with large retailers. If I have to choose, I would rather support a fellow designer as opposed to grabbing the latest Jordan's.
Why 10 sales?
When you acquire 10 sales, you unlock the free PR Boos Service and increase your visibility.
Why 50 sales?
When you acquire 10 sales, you unlock the free PR Boos Service and increase your visibility.
Why 50 sales?
The Brand Boost service allows you access to AliveShoes' elite shoe development network and team in Italy to create a professional e-commerce presence and a custom capsule collection based on your sketches or ideas, and showcase your products to our international partners. You’ll be better able to grow your professional shoe business thanks to better branding, design, online presence, and marketing.
Why 100 sales?
When your reach 100 sales, sketch a design idea, send it over. AliveShoes will convert it to a prototype in just a few days so that you can add it to your collection. This is a major step into your fashion career. See the example video below.
Learn More: https://www.aliveshoes.com/how
You can submit and launch one shoe as standard. You can extend to 10 as part of the pro upgrade and can also extend to 30 or more with a launch extension upgrade. If you want, you can showcase all of your shoes in one place setting up your brand page. The brand page is part of the pro upgrade package. For each pair of shoes sold, you will received a $30 profit. You can receive your profits through PayPal or transform the money into discount coupons. You can learn more about profits on your Dashboard. If you don't reach the 7 pre-order sales goal, the people who purchased your shoes will be immediately refunded. The good news is that you can always re-launch your campaign and try to reach the goal again. However, the bad news is that AliveShoes originally charged a fee if you decided to start a pre-order campaign over. Your dashboard helps you the check information about the custom shoes you are selling, your profits and your current progress along with statistics. You still get profit from shoes that you purchase. So shoes purchased by you, you will still receive the $30 profits. You can buy your design in bulk and get discounted rates up to 15% off. Check the bulk promos directly at checkout clicking on the button "see bulk promos" just under the quantity tab. You can also find designer discount coupons and other coupons to offer your clients in the option menu.
What's the price range of the shoes?
This is where vast majority of people didn't do their homework and check prior to signing up through AliveShoes. AliveShoes clearly stated on their website that your custom shoes are price between $149 and $279.
This is where vast majority of people didn't do their homework and check prior to signing up through AliveShoes. AliveShoes clearly stated on their website that your custom shoes are price between $149 and $279.
Submitting My Application
Within days, they had notified me that my application was approved and I can start using their platform to create a pair of shoes.
The AliveShoes Platform
AliveShoes has a unique fashion-tech platform, allowing individuals and small companies to easily start shoe lines for free, online and in little time. However, I won’t lie, the platform is limited starting out to make it easier on everyone to use. Limitations like this makes it hard for artists out there to truly express themselves. That’s why my current long-term goal is to reach 50 sales. They did this to make it less complicating. To explain it better, what I mean by less complicating is that this platform eliminates the need for understanding supply chain, e-commerce, working with a network of producers, and spending six-figure start-up amounts. I know someone is probably reading this going, “What! Six-figure start-up amounts?” Many popular fashion companies utilize third-party business to handle things like infrastructure, hiring & employees, manufacturing and shipping for example. These things cost money! To get their business off the ground fast and to handle to cost of production which means hiring people to create the product while also compensating them, they are looking at these types of price ranges. Now back to the AliveShoes platform. This platform allows you to design and sell your own shoes with little risk but plenty of profits and rewards.
Pros of AliveShoes
1.) Low Barrier to Entry
How much does it cost to start a shoe company? A shoe store's startup costs can be hefty! Expect to pay about $10,000 in initial franchising fees. Grand opening marketing can cost about $5,000 and initial inventory can cost as much as $50,000 for a smaller shop. When starting any business, you always have to consider the startup costs. The first question I ask myself before joining any platform is, “What sort of barriers will I encounter?” As an entrepreneur, I was shocked to discover that there was no startup cost when joining AliveShoes. This company essentially removes a great deal of barriers and gives the key to everyday people to unlock the gates into the footwear industry. We live in such an incredible time. For too long, the footwear industry has been filled with barriers, making it difficult, if not impossible for creatives, marketers, entrepreneurs, and influencers to launch a small fashion and lifestyle shoe brand. AliveShoes creates a new path for really anyone to design and produce great quality footwear.
1.) Low Barrier to Entry
How much does it cost to start a shoe company? A shoe store's startup costs can be hefty! Expect to pay about $10,000 in initial franchising fees. Grand opening marketing can cost about $5,000 and initial inventory can cost as much as $50,000 for a smaller shop. When starting any business, you always have to consider the startup costs. The first question I ask myself before joining any platform is, “What sort of barriers will I encounter?” As an entrepreneur, I was shocked to discover that there was no startup cost when joining AliveShoes. This company essentially removes a great deal of barriers and gives the key to everyday people to unlock the gates into the footwear industry. We live in such an incredible time. For too long, the footwear industry has been filled with barriers, making it difficult, if not impossible for creatives, marketers, entrepreneurs, and influencers to launch a small fashion and lifestyle shoe brand. AliveShoes creates a new path for really anyone to design and produce great quality footwear.
2.) Freedom to Customize Your Shoebox
I did like how this platforms allowed you to create your own shoe box design by uploading your own artwork and logos.
3.) Simple & Fast
The production process through AliveShoes is simple and fast.
Cons of AliveShoes
Nearly every platform is going to have its pros and cons. I am not criticizing AliveShoes however these are for the most part my opinions of cons I encountered and have with the AliveShoes platform.
1.) A Fixed Profit
1.) A Fixed Profit
The $30 you make for each shoes you design is a fixed profit regardless of that shoe’s price. Personally, I feel the more your shoes cost, the more commission you should get back in return. For example, if my shoes cost $170 and yours costs $260 because you utilized more materials, and we both make a sale, you earn the same amount of money as me. You also have to factor in the time people invest into selling these shoes and money spend marketing their shoes. Time is money. AliveShoes has a very rigid business model.
2.) Profit Deductions
This is why it is so critical to read the terms and agreements. There are profit deductions if you use the coupon codes offered by AliveShoes. I am not trying to scare anyone away or cause you to lost hope. I don’t make the rules.
3.) No Say in the Dictation of the Launch Price
As a designer through AliveShoes, we don’t have a say in the dictation of the price of our shoes. It is very difficult to mange this business model with such a poor margin. For this reason, I treated AliveShoes more as a side-hustle to create a small higher-end clientele base. The cost of acquisition is high and the possibilities to upsell do not exist.
4.) Platform Limitations
I was upset because I wanted to do more than just drag and drop colors and select materials. I had no creative control besides picking colors and selecting materials. The platform didn’t allow me to resize or scale my logo to be placed on the sides of the shoes. I knew with my next pair, I would have to upload my own so that it didn’t feel like wasted space. However I don’t feel AliveShoes is somehow a scam because of these limitations. While I don’t like these limitations, they have them in place to make it easier for everyone; especially beginning designers who want a low barrier to entry into the shoe design industry. Some of you reading are probably surprised I was upset for the same reasons you were. No platform is perfect and each has its pros and cons.
5.) No Copyright Filter
When I first utilized the platform, I noticed many people were getting away with copyrighted logos. This is not allowed, however there was no filter system in place to catch this sort of thing. Do not use trademarks owned by someone else or materials protected by copyright that are not free to use, unless you have explicit, written permission. AliveShoes will suspend your account and you will be held responsible for any related violations.
6.) The Brand Dilemma
The AliveShoes platform allows you to select from various shoe templates instead of creating your own. This ultimately created a brand dilemma because someone else can pick the exact same shoe template as you. The only difference is that they might have selected different colors and materials than you with their logo and design on the shoes and shoebox. I didn't discover this dilemma until much later. So people essentially have the same shoes but are calling them different brands which is a problem. AliveShoes' ads were misleading in a sense. They were not actually advertising a proposal to build a brand, but instead a marketing affiliation proposal with a low profit margin.
In my opinion, you work more as an affiliate for AliveShoes starting out rather than becoming an entry level designer. It would be better if AliveShoes stated you initially sign up for them as an affiliate starting out. Once you reach 100 sales of as an affiliate of their shoes, you have the opportunity move to an entry designer level position. From there, you sketch a design idea, send it over and have a prototype of your own shoes made to jumpstart your brand and truly standout from the rest of the pack.
7.) The Design Protection Fee
Instead of addressing the brand dilemma and fixing the issues of having identical shoes as others who signed-up through their platform, AliveShoes offers what they call Design Protection. With Design Protection, you essentially have to pay extra money just to have your color code and materials locked in so others could not use it or duplicate it.
Instead of addressing the brand dilemma and fixing the issues of having identical shoes as others who signed-up through their platform, AliveShoes offers what they call Design Protection. With Design Protection, you essentially have to pay extra money just to have your color code and materials locked in so others could not use it or duplicate it.
8.) Can't Try Before You Buy
Finally, since AliveShoes is an online platform, customers cannot try on the shoes before they buy them, and they must rely on the sizing charts provided.
Tips That Helped Me Reach My Pre-Order Goal
1.) Live Below Your Means
The reason I am so vocal about keeping your cost of living low is because it allows you to invest in your business. It allows you to take advantage of investments and opportunities. If you tie your money up with unnecessary bill you won’t be ready to attack. Especially if you don’t have children. Living below your means allows you to take calculated risk often. People ask me all the time, why do you live in Richmond? Cost of housing whether it be rent or mortgage eats up majority of people’s income. The cost of living in Richmond was less. So I needed to keep my living expenses as low as possible so that I could invest in my studio. People will make the false assumption you are rich when in reality I’ve been making sacrifices and depriving myself.
Why live below your means?
1. If you fail at something and it costed you money, you will be able to recover faster from that loss.
2. You can retire faster by living below your means.
2.) Don't Start Out with More Than 1 Shoe
I made the mistake of designing more than one shoe starting out instead of just focusing on simply one. Luckily I didn’t submit my first draft. Instead, I took screenshots because had I submitted them, I would have a lesser amount of shoes to design. So if you are reading this and starting out, focus on just one shoe and one design. The vast majority of people will immediately jump ship if you try to sell them 4 pairs of shoes that are close to $200. If you start out with several pairs, your designs can only stay in the draft stages for so long before going into pre-order. Starting out with more than one shoes also means you have less shoes to design long-term if you don't hit your pre-order goals. Again there were fees to relaunch a pre-order campaign if you don't reach 7 sales within 30 days. For this reason, I don’t recommend launching several expensive shoes at once. So I’ll be honest, I got lucky there.
I made the mistake of designing more than one shoe starting out instead of just focusing on simply one. Luckily I didn’t submit my first draft. Instead, I took screenshots because had I submitted them, I would have a lesser amount of shoes to design. So if you are reading this and starting out, focus on just one shoe and one design. The vast majority of people will immediately jump ship if you try to sell them 4 pairs of shoes that are close to $200. If you start out with several pairs, your designs can only stay in the draft stages for so long before going into pre-order. Starting out with more than one shoes also means you have less shoes to design long-term if you don't hit your pre-order goals. Again there were fees to relaunch a pre-order campaign if you don't reach 7 sales within 30 days. For this reason, I don’t recommend launching several expensive shoes at once. So I’ll be honest, I got lucky there.
3.) Provide Offers & Fun Incentives
Before all of this COVID-19 crap, starting out I and a few friends went door-to-door and on the college campus near us handing out flyers. It went horrible at first! Right out the gate all we heard was, “Those are so overpriced! I’m on a fixed income! I’m just a college student! Is this a scam?” You have to be prepared for this so that when you provide a counter-response along with an incentive, they now get excited and feel they can afford your shoes. People who don't normally buy leather shoes are going to immediately think your shoes are too expensive or out of their budget. By providing incentives, this not only makes your shoes affordable for them, but reasonable and earns you customer loyalty.
Before all of this COVID-19 crap, starting out I and a few friends went door-to-door and on the college campus near us handing out flyers. It went horrible at first! Right out the gate all we heard was, “Those are so overpriced! I’m on a fixed income! I’m just a college student! Is this a scam?” You have to be prepared for this so that when you provide a counter-response along with an incentive, they now get excited and feel they can afford your shoes. People who don't normally buy leather shoes are going to immediately think your shoes are too expensive or out of their budget. By providing incentives, this not only makes your shoes affordable for them, but reasonable and earns you customer loyalty.
Customer Experience
You can host a fun event that people can participate in to earn a gift card towards your shoes. This is a safe way to invest in yourself and help make your shoes somewhat affordable. If you are making a basketball shoe, offer them an opportunity to win a gift card by playing a game of HORSE with you. I'm into video games, so because of COVID-19, I noticed everyone stayed inside for the most part. I had an idea while working on my game project.
My Grand Idea: I asked myself, "What if people could play free games from my website, earn points and use those points to redeem discounts towards my luxury shoes?"
I needed to find a way to test my idea. My game project was nowhere near complete so I thought why not test my idea with games already out. I hosted a video game tournaments for players to win a gift card towards my shoes. I charged a small fee to players who wanted to enter into the tournament. I provided a gift card to first, second and third place and priced them accordingly. Just for participating, I surprised those who entered the tournament by giving away the coupon codes provided by AliveShoes and t-shirts with my shoe design on them to further help advertise and promote my shoes.
My Grand Idea: I asked myself, "What if people could play free games from my website, earn points and use those points to redeem discounts towards my luxury shoes?"
I needed to find a way to test my idea. My game project was nowhere near complete so I thought why not test my idea with games already out. I hosted a video game tournaments for players to win a gift card towards my shoes. I charged a small fee to players who wanted to enter into the tournament. I provided a gift card to first, second and third place and priced them accordingly. Just for participating, I surprised those who entered the tournament by giving away the coupon codes provided by AliveShoes and t-shirts with my shoe design on them to further help advertise and promote my shoes.
My friend Natasha from work said, "You could host a raffle drawing!" This is where I got creative and it made me standout.
4.) Prototype Option
5.) Promote Your Shoes through Selling, Giving & Wearing T-Shirts
Receiving My Shoes Late
With my first pair, I originally was trying to design basketball shoes. Instead, they turned out not to be basketball shoes for athletic footwear, but basketball inspired shoes for casual wear. This was a huge mistake on my part due to the materials I chose based on feedback I gathered trying to please people. I was upset because the vast majority of my customers and ambassadors received their shoes a week before I did. A few customers including a couple ambassadors called me and said they thought they were getting regular leather instead of the patent leather.
5P’s Final Customer Feedback
- Shoe strings need to be a little thicker
- Regular Italian leather over patent leather
- Give customers more options: a leather selection and color selection on the website.
- The 5Ps logo on the sides of the shoes were too small and didn't take up enough space
- 5Ps logo on the outside tongue of the shoes
Nothing Sells Like Proof
Proof is the best negotiating power. An alternative to the 30 day time limit is the prototype option. You can purchase a prototype which will then start the production process for your prototype shoe and the customer's shoe. That way you can physically show people your shoes so they fully understand the quality, process and price of your shoes. It's much harder trying to sell a shoe no one can see in person especially with the higher price tag. The prototype option is found through your dashboard when you sign-in.
By going with the prototype, it releases the pre-order timer/ lock on that pair of shoes and your customers can now order shoes without having to wait for the 7 pre-orders. Because the platform is limited starting out, design protection simply ensures that other users don't try to reproduce your design. It's not uncommon to see users pick the same colors and materials as you especially if they are using the same shoes template as you. However users have tried to steal specific names from others for their shoes. This is where design protection comes in. If you plan to use the AliveShoes platform long-term, I recommend the pro account. Otherwise, don't worry about the upgrade. The pro account simply gives you more customization options, but be careful because additional materials will raise the price of your shoes.
I utilized Steel Wear, my online t-shirt and merchandise shop to help promote my shoes. For completing a survey or participating in my event, I would offer a discount on T-shirts. With T-shirts, in my mind they are a walking advertisement. I bought so many shirts in various sizes from the SPOD platform through Shopify instead of my Spreadshop because I discovered I could acquire them at a far cheaper base price. I placed my my shoes on the shirts along with the website link. So anytime someone completed a survey, but didn't make a purchase or participate in my event, I would offer a T-shirt as a more affordable alternative to support my brand. I sold the shirts at the full price they went for on my Spreadshop so I could reinvest the profit back into gift cards to put towards my shoes. Then I would ask them what size shirt they wear. However, I only gave away free T-shirts to the first 7 people who actually pre-ordered and purchased my shoes as an added bonus. This also helped to further advertise my brand.
6.) Develop a Marketing/ Business Plan
There is no one size fits all so I am not saying the things
I suggest will help everybody or give you immediate results. What I am saying
is that this takes planning, time, investing and an incredible amount of work. While many people were laughing, they were completely unaware that 5P’s was more than just a brand; it was my marketing plan.
1. Product
2. Price
3. Place
4. Promotion
5. People
Social Media Marketing
Marketing on social media is where I am struggling the most even with the incentives I've offered. It all comes back to earning people's trust. Putting yourself out there especially on the internet can seem scary. Contrary to the internet marketing gurus, in my own experience especially when I was just starting out, all I have to say is that it’s whack! People will constantly troll in an attempt to tear you down when marketing online.
Marketing on social media is where I am struggling the most even with the incentives I've offered. It all comes back to earning people's trust. Putting yourself out there especially on the internet can seem scary. Contrary to the internet marketing gurus, in my own experience especially when I was just starting out, all I have to say is that it’s whack! People will constantly troll in an attempt to tear you down when marketing online.
I'd like to clarify a few points. First and foremost, I want to emphasize that I am not a liar. In my previous response, I was not sharing a sob story; rather, I was attempting to offer constructive advice in response to someone who was facing challenges with sales in comments. I believe that in sales, one doesn't necessarily need to resort to emotional manipulation or "selling emotion." It's about providing valuable information and building genuine connections with customers.
Regarding the shoe soles, I should clarify that they are not made of hard plastic, as I initially thought. Instead, they are constructed from a durable and robust rubber material, which is further coated with a silver finish. My previous misconception about the soles being painted only on the sides was corrected when I realized that the entire bottom surface is painted. This could indeed make them less suitable for basketball surfaces, as they might become slippery.
It's essential to understand that AliveShoes is merely the supplier, and the ultimate success of this venture depends on the effort and dedication you put into your business. These shoes draw inspiration from iconic brands like Converse and Chuck Taylors, paying them the respect they deserve. However, what sets these shoes apart is the exceptional quality and design of their interiors. In the end, I believe that constructive criticism and open discussion can help us all learn and grow.
Marketing on social media can indeed be challenging, especially when people readily accept false information without seeking all the facts. Over time, I've come to realize the importance of not constantly feeling the need to explain myself. In situations with hundreds or even thousands of comments, expending energy on clarifications can be counterproductive.
It's worth noting that while some individuals may be busy complaining in the comments section, they may not realize that this time could be better spent on their own business endeavors, whether through AliveShoes or any other supplier. So, when we weigh the value of our time and efforts, it's essential to consider where our priorities lie and what truly constitutes a waste of time in the grand scheme of things.
I remember competing and my competitors felt like they had to disrespect me by televising it or making it in a way. People compete for jobs all the time. You shouldn’t have to compete to acquire skills but its okay to compete for a job. Sure there are things I didn’t agree with when signing with AliveShoes. However, it reflects badly on you in the end when you feel like you have to tear someone down on social media for personal gain.
Colleges are struggling to keep up with the pace and speed of the internet because the Internet can provide those same skills they are teaching at a fraction of the cost, if not for free. Colleges when I was enrolled at the time back in 2009 to 2012 did not teach social media marketing. That’s one of the many reasons why I left because I wanted to find people who are practitioners.
Target Audience
Regarding the shoe soles, I should clarify that they are not made of hard plastic, as I initially thought. Instead, they are constructed from a durable and robust rubber material, which is further coated with a silver finish. My previous misconception about the soles being painted only on the sides was corrected when I realized that the entire bottom surface is painted. This could indeed make them less suitable for basketball surfaces, as they might become slippery.
It's essential to understand that AliveShoes is merely the supplier, and the ultimate success of this venture depends on the effort and dedication you put into your business. These shoes draw inspiration from iconic brands like Converse and Chuck Taylors, paying them the respect they deserve. However, what sets these shoes apart is the exceptional quality and design of their interiors. In the end, I believe that constructive criticism and open discussion can help us all learn and grow.
Marketing on social media can indeed be challenging, especially when people readily accept false information without seeking all the facts. Over time, I've come to realize the importance of not constantly feeling the need to explain myself. In situations with hundreds or even thousands of comments, expending energy on clarifications can be counterproductive.
It's worth noting that while some individuals may be busy complaining in the comments section, they may not realize that this time could be better spent on their own business endeavors, whether through AliveShoes or any other supplier. So, when we weigh the value of our time and efforts, it's essential to consider where our priorities lie and what truly constitutes a waste of time in the grand scheme of things.
I remember competing and my competitors felt like they had to disrespect me by televising it or making it in a way. People compete for jobs all the time. You shouldn’t have to compete to acquire skills but its okay to compete for a job. Sure there are things I didn’t agree with when signing with AliveShoes. However, it reflects badly on you in the end when you feel like you have to tear someone down on social media for personal gain.
Colleges are struggling to keep up with the pace and speed of the internet because the Internet can provide those same skills they are teaching at a fraction of the cost, if not for free. Colleges when I was enrolled at the time back in 2009 to 2012 did not teach social media marketing. That’s one of the many reasons why I left because I wanted to find people who are practitioners.
Target Audience
For the longest time, I thought that my ad copy, images, videos and landing pages were the most important part of my ads. Well... I was wrong. I learned targeting is where it's at. It doesn't matter how good your ad is. They won't work especially if you are targeting the wrong people. It's like trying to sell dog toys to someone who doesn't own a dog... its hard! I was making a big mistake with my ad's targeting. Narrow your target audience and their interests that relate to your shoes.
Don't Try to Pleas Everyone!
To explain this more in depth, this helps you to narrow your target audience. If you try to please everyone, it you make you if not your brand go astray. People are going to have different likes and opinions so its only natural for some to lave, some to love your product and sometimes others might hate it. This was a good because it allowed me to narrow down those who liked the shoes and discover what interests they had in common.
Compare Results & Not Other People
Don't compare yourself to other people. Instead, compare only results. You are different from that person and will have different views and ideas from them. However, results are key. Let the numbers speak for themselves. You can't please everyone. The best thing you can do is just believe in yourself and do what you think is right for you. If you buy the red car, people will say you should have got blue. If you get married, people will say you picked the wrong partner. If you learn a trade, people will say you should have went to college. Everyone has an opinion about everything. You will go crazy trying to please everyone, so its best to not even try. One certain way to end up miserable is trying to please people. My friend Benjamin Dunn posted, "Don't let someone else's opinion silence your passion or dreams. Keep your flame lit."
7.) Join a Facbook Group for Help & Support
Some people use the internet for the sole purpose to crake jokes, troll, share memes, stalk celebrities, and plain gossip. I prefer to use the internet to hustle. I was upset with how toxic the AliveShoes community was. Nobody was willing to actually help one another. Can you imagine what we could accomplish if we shared more than simply just our pictures of our designs? What if we share not only our successes but our failures so we can learn from one another? This would prevent us from repeating the same mistakes two or three times. That is why I joined the Alive Shoes Group – to not only share pictures but my experiences and ideas moving forward. So ask yourself, how are you utilizing the internet? How are you utilizing your cell phone?
Hire a Professional Photographer
When I started spending more money on self development than clothes, shoes and partying, my life changed. Some people will buy a $200 pair of shoes but won't spend $200 to hire a photographer for their brand or spend $200 to learn copywriting from an expert. Money is just a tool that gives you options, so use it and treat it wisely. Nothing changes if nothing changes.
When I started spending more money on self development than clothes, shoes and partying, my life changed. Some people will buy a $200 pair of shoes but won't spend $200 to hire a photographer for their brand or spend $200 to learn copywriting from an expert. Money is just a tool that gives you options, so use it and treat it wisely. Nothing changes if nothing changes.
Remove Your Excuses & Ego
Opportunity does not give a damn about your excuses. Excuses are lies people tell themselves to avoid dealing with the unpleasant truths. As long as people buy into these excuses, they won’t grow. Instead of addressing the real underlying problems, they hide the symptoms.
Accused of Being a Scam
Last year in 2019, my Limited Edition shoes 5Ps were featured online in Esquire and 2020 of this year in Wired magazine! Sounds amazing right? However, during these uncertain times, I've been falsely accused of being a scam and pyramid scheme throughout this entire year on my journey as an entrepreneur. I just shake my head in disbelief sometimes because I'm just starting out. I am simply just one person. There is an acronym for so many words. People laughed initially when they heard 5P’s but once they saw AliveShoes showcase my shoes along with myself advertised in a luxury magazine, their laughter turned into complete silence. If you feel like Alive Shoes is a scam, reach out to them to address any questions or concerns you have. Don’t comment it’s a scam. That makes you look unprofessional and contradictory. It’s a contradiction because they are the supplier. It’s your business at the end of the day so it sounds like you are calling yourself a scam.
A Pyramid Scheme?
Let me clarify why comparing this venture to a pyramid scheme is inaccurate. I've heard comments like the one above numerous times, where people mistakenly label my project as such. Firstly, let's establish that AliveShoes is far from being a multi-level marketing platform, and I'm not relying on others to generate volume for my business. There's no system in place where individuals run their businesses under mine to resell my shoes and earn commissions in the process.
Secondly, the concept of a pyramid scheme doesn't apply here because the shoe market is diverse. People come in various shapes and sizes, including their feet. A significant challenge I encountered was potential customers who expressed interest in my shoes but couldn't buy them due to their need for wider-fitting options. Unfortunately, at that time, my product range didn't cater to these needs.
It's worth noting that many individuals entering the business world often seek shortcuts, instant gratification, or get-rich-quick schemes. However, the internet is saturated with self-proclaimed gurus and scams that prey on people's aspirations, selling them the illusion of grandeur and a lifestyle built on financial gain alone. This isn't the true essence of starting a business. The primary purpose of embarking on an entrepreneurial journey is to make a positive impact and help others. I firmly believed that by helping myself first, I could pave the way to assist others in the process.
Secondly, the concept of a pyramid scheme doesn't apply here because the shoe market is diverse. People come in various shapes and sizes, including their feet. A significant challenge I encountered was potential customers who expressed interest in my shoes but couldn't buy them due to their need for wider-fitting options. Unfortunately, at that time, my product range didn't cater to these needs.
It's worth noting that many individuals entering the business world often seek shortcuts, instant gratification, or get-rich-quick schemes. However, the internet is saturated with self-proclaimed gurus and scams that prey on people's aspirations, selling them the illusion of grandeur and a lifestyle built on financial gain alone. This isn't the true essence of starting a business. The primary purpose of embarking on an entrepreneurial journey is to make a positive impact and help others. I firmly believed that by helping myself first, I could pave the way to assist others in the process.
Stay In Your Lane
When your are just starting out and being called a scam, even if it’s not true, it can potentially destroy the credibility of your business. It doesn’t look good when people are calling my business a scam on ads I paid for with no actual evidence and yet somehow the majority are so quick to believe the masses. Don’t be so quick to believe the masses because sometimes the ‘m’ is silent. I'm slowly learning that even if I react, it won't change anything. It won't make people suddenly love and respect me or magically change their minds. Sometimes it's better to just let things be, let people go, don't fight for closure, don't ask for explanations, don't chase answers and don't expect people to understand where you are coming from. Life is better lived when you don't center it on what's happening around you and center it on what's happening inside you instead. Work on yourself and your inner peace.
Success Happens Overtime - Not Overnight
Treat AliveShoes like a side-hustle. Side-hustles reduce if not eliminate expenses. Find a side-hustle than can eliminate your smallest bills first. If your water bill is $50, find a hustle that can pay for that and move on to the next bill. Let's say your phone bill is $70. Start small and gradually work all the way up to your rent. Now you can save your entire salary and live off money earned through your side-hustles. Imagine reaching into your PayPal or your Cass App and you have enough money to cover your cost of living. It's more possible than you think but nothing works if you don't. The mindset is messed up. When you tell people you are an entrepreneur, they assume today this day in age you are trying to get rich vs helping people. I was simply looking for a trusted leather shoe supplier to give my customers more options and to build a small higher clientele base.
This is Not Get Rich Quick
Get Rich quick is like a disease this day in age because it teaches you that in business, you can get instant results in 30 minutes, 2 days or 3 months. Prior to joining AliveShoes, I asked various people complaining about their experience with them how long have they been doing marketing. To my surprise, most at the time haven’t tried. They haven’t even tried or made any effort to market on social media for their own business. I was mind blown. People spent more time complaining in comment sections, writing negative reviews without doing any research prior. I realized the vast majority didn't even try when I was just starting out and because of this, I saw this as an opportunity. In short, my advice is to throw away all of your expectations of getting rich quick. People will put in 2 days because they want results. 3 months. Throw away all your expectations of getting rich.
People looking to get rich in a short span of time put in little time, look for shortcuts and end up failing themselves. I was shocked to find people calling me a scam but invested little to no time into developing an advertising campaign, a business plan or learning about marketing. They want the results but at little effort as possible. The goal is not to get rich quick but to improve your skills from a 1 to a 10, so that you can start earning more. Earn like a 10, but if you only have one skillset or solely rely on one stream of income, then you deserve the results that you are complaining about right now. That’s okay. In regards to my business, I am nowhere near where I want to be because there is far too much to learn. Even the millionaires I spoke to never stop improving current skills and learning new ones. People trying to get rich quick don’t give two cents about their customers. They are solely in it for the money.
Skills Pays the Bills
Name the highest earning careers you can think of: Doctor, Lawyer... or Pro Athlete? How many years to get to the NFL did you put in? 12 years. During those 12 years he was essentially working for free because he wasn’t making money. It takes 8 to 10 years to become a doctor. Lawyers might take 6 years. You spend years working for free to get great at what you will do. It takes years to get great at something that you do, not overnight. Don’t rely on 1 skillset. Learn more skills so you can start earning like a 10. Exercise: Make a list of skills and number them 1-10. If you only have 1 skillset, you deserve to make what you are making. There is too much to learn and I am no way there yet. However I am on my way. Remember, SKILLS pays the BILLS. Focusing on getting great at skills. Colleges do not teach this. They teach you to rely on 1 source of income, work your way up the ladder vs having several sources of income, I needed to find people who are practitioners because I wasn’t getting that in college. Be patient, learn this skillset and commit to mastery.
Why did you Join AliveShoes then if not solely for the money?
Create a business to solve a problem
Every person I’ve met who started a business for the sole purpose of money ended up miserable. You have to enjoy the work that you are doing. You won’t get wealthy relying on one source of income. I needed to create several streams of income. A great business solves and provides solutions to people’s everyday problems. They are customer centric, attentive to their customers’ needs. I’m not out here looking for that "winning product". You are designing it. Get great at this. So if someone has a problem and you find a solution to that problem, you can make money. Stop overcomplicating it. It’s all about communicating with people and doing it in a way that grabs their attention, getting them interested and wanting to buy your product or service. This is not a pyramid scheme. There is nothing magical or some sort of hidden secret about what I am doing. It’s a sales process. The strategy is for the most part the same. I built Steel Cyclone Studios to help with the problems in my life I was facing. It all started from a need, not for the sole desire of money and that’s the problem with many business startups this day in age. They want fast money and immediate results. I didn't want to sit around and complain about the problems in life. Instead I want to create solutions and actually do something and fix the problems in my life that I am upset about.
For example, ever since attending GDC Next 2013; I was upset with the gaming industry selling video games at full price for $60 while also placing harmful micro-transactions, pay-2-win mechanics and hidden fees in their games at launch. It's unethical business practices like these which further motivated me to start my own game company and fueled me to provide new alternatives that benefits players. I was unhappy with the direction the industry was taking due to corporate greed and unhappy at my job as a play-tester. So I left the corporate world to pursue my own dreams. At first everyone laughed and told me I was crazy but I didn't care because I wasn't happy at that job. I instead took a 9-5 job knowing I would make less money while I developed my business on the side. I'm on a mission!
Waiting for the "Perfect Time" Will Never Come when starting your own business. The hardest part is always just taking the first step. You have no idea how you would be today if you started a year ago. A lot can change in a year. You can start working out now and love your body. You launch that podcast and people will tune in. You started a business and now you are earning the same if not more than your 9-5. You asked that special person out and now your are in love. Don't be afraid to take that first step. So what was the problem or problems I was facing prior to joining AliveShoes? I was full of anxiety at the time because I was facing several problems all at once. My mind was all over the place, filled with questions like, "How am I going to find solutions to make luxury shoes and apparel more affordable? Also, to help with my anxiety, I wrote them down and this is a great exercise for you to write down yours as well and brainstorm solutions. Tackle the first problem go one at a time.
1st Problem: How can I make luxury shoes and clothing more affordable?
Why are the shoes and products sold through AliveShoes so Expensive?
I would constantly hear questions like...
--"Why are they so expensive? They cost more than Jordan's!"
--"What makes these dhows so special?"
I was constantly belittled, cussed out and getting responses like...
--"Nobody is going to buy those!"
--"You aren't going to make sales through this platform!"
--"What makes your shoes so special?"
--"Those are so overpriced!"
--"You are trying to make shoes? Ha, its Jordan vs. Jordon!"
--"Why are they so expensive? They cost more than Jordan's!"
--"What makes these dhows so special?"
I was constantly belittled, cussed out and getting responses like...
--"Nobody is going to buy those!"
--"You aren't going to make sales through this platform!"
--"What makes your shoes so special?"
--"Those are so overpriced!"
--"You are trying to make shoes? Ha, its Jordan vs. Jordon!"
Below are just some reasons as well as selling points that helped me to fully answer the question as to why are these products so expensive. It is my hope that the following key reasons numbered below can help you as well as others.
1.) Longevity & Italian Leather is not Mass Produced
Italian shoes have a reputation for being regarded as the best shoes in the world! From Italy's extensive history in leather tanning to its passion for shoe craftsmanship, Italian shoes are well-known for their handcrafted leather. Italian leather actually lasts 50% longer than regular leather. This specific leather is so highly regarded because of its quality. Only all natural vegetable and plant based extracts are used by craftsman to manufacture Italian leather. Because Italian leather is not massed produced, it takes much longer to make than traditional cheaper factory made alternatives.
1.) Longevity & Italian Leather is not Mass Produced
Italian shoes have a reputation for being regarded as the best shoes in the world! From Italy's extensive history in leather tanning to its passion for shoe craftsmanship, Italian shoes are well-known for their handcrafted leather. Italian leather actually lasts 50% longer than regular leather. This specific leather is so highly regarded because of its quality. Only all natural vegetable and plant based extracts are used by craftsman to manufacture Italian leather. Because Italian leather is not massed produced, it takes much longer to make than traditional cheaper factory made alternatives.
2.) Saves Money
This is a shocker! Contrary to the vast majority of people on the internet saying these shoes are overpriced, you are actually saving your customers money through AliveShoes. I researched some of AliveShoes' competitors in Italy. Majority of their competition from Italy are selling their handcrafted Italian leather shoes for $400 or more! With that being said, many of them are dress shoes. You really have to do your homework with AliveShoes and see their competition. To name a few, google search Giuseppe Zanotti, Salvatore Ferragamo, Bontoni, and Enzo Bonafe. Initally, I was shocked by their prices but I learned you have to understand their customer base. Who are their clientele? A popular company called Koio, created by two people, visited 34 factories in Italy and found one to help them sell their shoes at a similar prices as AliveShoes. Their shoes are crafted with the finest calfskin leathers, hand-finished with incredible attention to detail. Because calfskin comes from a calf it has a tighter grain and fiber, and is both thinner and lighter than cow hide. The problem is, people didn't do their research and compared AliveShoes to most US shoe brands.
Don't Lower Your Price! Change Your Clientele!
With all due respect, I don’t recommend lowering the price. Yes, many have suggested lowering the price however they didn’t do their homework. When you lower the price, you devalue your product. When I encountered people who typically purchase designer Italian leather shoes; I was surprised by their questions. It was the complete opposite end of the spectrum from people I spoke to prior. They asked me questions and made statements like...
--"Why are they so cheap?"
--"Are you sure this is actually Real Italian leather?"
--"Are you sure this is actually Real Italian leather?"
--"That's not real genuine Italian leather!"
I learned I have to further narrow my target audience, I have to factor in things like age range, income, gender, location and time. Do the market research, compare your styles, and pound the pavement. Treat your clients as individuals. If you want your business to be successful, you should treat the customers as individuals and offer them what they want. The marketing campaigns should be able to cater to the needs of the individuals and also deal with all their concerns regarding any products or services your business offers. Customers buy good feelings and again, solutions to problems. So make them feel important and appreciated. Always use their name and find ways to compliment them, but be sincere. This brings me to the next following selling points. $200 was a lot to some, but not a lot to someone.
When your prices are set too low, it creates a situation where you must exert significantly more effort to achieve the same level of sales that someone else might accomplish in just one sale. This not only places a heavier burden on your business but also has several other noteworthy implications.
Increased Workload: Low prices mean you need to sell a higher volume of products or services to reach your revenue targets. Consequently, you'll find yourself working tirelessly to manage larger inventories, handle more customers, and fulfill additional orders. This can lead to burnout and increased stress.
Margin Compression: Lower prices often result in thinner profit margins. As a result, you might find it challenging to reinvest in your business, innovate, or maintain quality standards. In the long run, this can harm your business's sustainability.
Perceived Value: Customers may associate lower prices with lower quality, potentially damaging your brand's image. It can be challenging to convince potential customers that your offerings are of equal or superior quality when priced significantly lower than the competition.
Customer Expectations: Low prices can set the expectation of continuous discounts or deals. This can make it difficult to maintain a stable pricing strategy and may even lead to customers waiting for discounts before making a purchase.
Competitive Disadvantage: Competitors with higher prices might offer better service, quality, or features, making it challenging to compete on value. You might also be inadvertently signaling to potential customers that you lack confidence in your product or service.
Profitability and Sustainability: Long-term profitability and business sustainability can be jeopardized by a strategy of continuously undercutting prices. It may be difficult to cover operating costs, invest in growth, or weather economic downturns.
Customer Support Challenges: Handling a larger customer base can strain your customer support resources. Inadequate support can lead to customer dissatisfaction and harm your reputation.
It's crucial to find a pricing strategy that aligns with your business goals, considers the value you provide, and sustains your profitability. While competitive pricing can be an effective strategy, it should be balanced with maintaining the value of your products or services and ensuring your business remains viable in the long term.
3.) Quality & Materials
Leather is flexible yet durable. Shoemakers particularly use leather for men's dress shoes because its a breathable and insulates heat. While this sounds great the drawbacks to leather shoes as already mentioned is that leather is expensive compared to other most commonly used shoe materials. Most shoes are made with textiles, synthetics, rubber and foam which can be mass produced unlike Italian leather. Nikes for the most part are made of polyester, rubber, eva foam, cotton and synthetic leather. I am not criticizing Nike in any way. I am simply trying to explain the differences. One thing I do like about Nike is that they continue to create many of their shoes out of recycled materials such as water bottles to make polyester out of.
Cheap shoes for the most part are glued together in a way that won't stand up time and use. Sometimes they are made this way deliberately to keep people going back to buying more only because they are affordable but they don't last long. Ironically you could easily end up spending more long-term. Instead, most handcrafted Italian shoes are either blake-stiched or blake rapid stitched, using a sing or double stitch on the inside. This provides a clean silhouette and it also makes the shoes easy to resole, and thus more durable. Moreover, these shoes can have a much thinner and more flexible sole, providing great lightness and comfort. Being part of AliveShoes as a designer gives you access to the magic of Italian crafting.
4.) Odor Resistant
If you have smelly feet and feel insecure, they help to prevent foot odor. Leather is extremely beneficial to your feet as it ensures they won’t smell and helps prevent nasty odors. It has been proven that leather breathes much more than “fake” leather.
5.) No Creasing at the toes (this depends on your type of shoe)
6.) A Custom Shoebox - AliveShoes allows us to provide our customers a unique custom shoe box with a magnetic clip to help customers' shoes last even longer.
7.) FREE SHIPPING!
8.) Exclusive!
If you really want to make your customer's shoes exclusive, offer to sign their shoe box or the inside tongue of their shoes.
If you really want to make your customer's shoes exclusive, offer to sign their shoe box or the inside tongue of their shoes.
2nd Problem: How am I going to acquire more money to
put towards helping my roommates move out?
I joined AliveShoes fore unselfish reasons. I asked myself, "How am I going to acquire more money to put towards helping my roommates move out?" You see, at the time I was living in a one bedroom apartment. I gave my friends my room to help them get on their feet while I slept in the living room on a bunkbed. This created a problem because you can't sleep or have people sleeping in the same space as you work when operating a business due to zoning restrictions.
Zoning Restrictions
Zoning Restrictions
Most people who start a home-based business are not trying to break the law. When researching the legalities of operating a business out of my home, I reasearched the obvious: start-up costs, taxes and incentives for my small business. However, I didn't research zoning laws and wasn't aware of it until my friend and co-worker at the time Daron brought it to my attention. Zoning is a major consideration for anyone who aims to being a home-based business and I am telling you this so that you can avoid the same mistakes as I've made. Certain neighborhoods make it explicitly illegal to operate businesses within their confines. In some cases, if you violate the zoning rules, your business can potentially get shutdown. Unfortunately, many home business owners aren't aware of their neighborhood zoning laws until it's too late.
Create Several Sources of Income Streams
Don’t Rely on One Source of Income. Now, it takes two or more incomes to do what 1 income did 30 years ago. We are literally living off old information. The beauty of entrepreneurship is the more you work at it, the more it grows. AliveShoes is just one source of income. You might be frustrated because your job refuses to give you a pay raise. So it's critical to invest in yourself. No one is coming to save you. No one is coming to give you a pay raise. I don't know who needs to hear this but the chances of you getting wealthy with one source of income is slim to none. You slim chances get even slimmer if you don't own the machine that pays you that income. If your single source of income is a business you own, you are in a better position than if your single source of income is a job you have. Own the machine!
Don’t Rely on One Source of Income. Now, it takes two or more incomes to do what 1 income did 30 years ago. We are literally living off old information. The beauty of entrepreneurship is the more you work at it, the more it grows. AliveShoes is just one source of income. You might be frustrated because your job refuses to give you a pay raise. So it's critical to invest in yourself. No one is coming to save you. No one is coming to give you a pay raise. I don't know who needs to hear this but the chances of you getting wealthy with one source of income is slim to none. You slim chances get even slimmer if you don't own the machine that pays you that income. If your single source of income is a business you own, you are in a better position than if your single source of income is a job you have. Own the machine!
Easy Doesn't Pay Well
Let's be honest, we all like what comes easy. Everything I've done with my business and my affiliation with AliveShoes has never been easy. What comes easy doesn't always gets us any closer to the happiness we are looing to find. Watching Netflix everyday after work is easy. Skipping the gym and eating comfort food is easy. Not working on your business and partying is easy. Spending all you money at the mall is easy. Gossiping about politics, sports and your old friends is easy. Easy doesn't pay well.
Let's be honest, we all like what comes easy. Everything I've done with my business and my affiliation with AliveShoes has never been easy. What comes easy doesn't always gets us any closer to the happiness we are looing to find. Watching Netflix everyday after work is easy. Skipping the gym and eating comfort food is easy. Not working on your business and partying is easy. Spending all you money at the mall is easy. Gossiping about politics, sports and your old friends is easy. Easy doesn't pay well.
Even after reaching my goal marketing is still a major struggle. I've made a tremendous amount of mistakes and learned along my journey as I went. I could write a book at this point. I wanted to find a way to save people money on luxurious shoes. I was fortunate to find AliveShoes; a supplier from Italy with the finest artisans that allows me to save you money on handcrafted Italian leather shoes. I have made many mistakes along my journey and don't proclaim to be an expert by any means. My shoes are durable, odor resistant, have no creasing at the toes and made with unmatched quality that's built to last. It gets better! I offer free shipping on all limited edition shoes that comes packaged in a custom shoe-box with a magnetic clip. This brand is limited and will only remain in production for the next couple years. See more by visiting my brand page at https://www.aliveshoes.com/brand/5ps.
Pay it Forward
I started to see how my business slowly and maturely made a positive impact on the lives of my family, friends and those around me. I was able to help my friends living with me at the time acquire a place to live; a place they can call home had I never started Steel Cyclone Studios.
I started to see how my business slowly and maturely made a positive impact on the lives of my family, friends and those around me. I was able to help my friends living with me at the time acquire a place to live; a place they can call home had I never started Steel Cyclone Studios.
Too expensive you say? Still out of your budget? No worries! Click on the Shoes page at the top to explore my high-top canvas shoes with great quality; all for a great price! Don't go broke trying to "look" rich. Wealth has no image! True wealth is not of the pocket; but good health of the heart, mind, body and soul. Our true wealth is the good we do in this world. So don't accept people's limiting beliefs of what you can or can't do! Others will try and tear you down when you are on the other side of the cash register. Be yourself because everyone is already taken. This is your life!
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: there may be a few links in this description that, at no cost to you, will earn me a commission if you choose to click them and make a purchase 🙂
Don’t worry – I only ever promote things that have genuinely helped me.