Posts Tagged ‘flip flops’

Cool Flip Flops,Switchflops,The $30 Million School Project

Cool Flip Flops,Switchflops,The $30 Million School Project:Back to School “season is upon us, and even the best students need a little motivation to trade beach, summer camp and carefree days in the classroom. But what if you could turn a school project in the $ 30 million business?” This is exactly what Lindsay Phillips creator SwitchFlops, and did.

Now 25, Phillips came up with the idea SwitchFlops at 16, as part of the project of high artistic school. Today, her company – Lindsay Phillips – employs 35 full-time staff and is projected to bring in $ 30 million in revenue this year.

The idea is simple – SwitchFlops are sandals with interchangeable straps. Thus, instead of buying several pairs of sandals, customers can, and do not own a sandal with multiple straps. After the Great Recession, 3-in-one shoe (or, hell, 50-in-1), tailor-made for buyers with limited budgets.

Main sandals well worth $ 35, plus additional tape is $ 12. Officially launched in 2007, SwitchFlops now sold in more than 4000 stores worldwide, and in line Phillips has turned in another shoe, like ballet flats, wedges and espadrilles. The company also makes bags, scarves and sandals for children. Lindsay Phillips, the company is currently building overseas office.

It does not hurt that Phillips, a ripe old 23 years old, had the wisdom to know that she did not know – and brought on board a CEO Jeffrey Davidson, 50, who has extensive experience in growing companies.

Which is not to take away anything from Phillips, who at the initiative and vision in the age of 16 years to develop their skills into something with commercial potential. She made a few flip-flops – ceramic flip-flops, which had straps with “fun, funky buttons on them. “It makes sense, when I came up with this idea,” says Phillips, who grew up in Tampa, Fla. “Everyone wears flip-flops to school, all the time.”

Her parents proudly displayed colorful sandals in their house. And the guests noticed. One woman even tried to put them on the screen. “They are ceramic,” Phillips said to her, but the boy suddenly came up with the idea that she should do some real triggers.

“I bought a fun button and tried to put them on the sandals, but they continued to fall, when I go to the beach, so I came up with Velcro, and began lining his shoes,” says Phillips, who returned from its prototype sandals straps for family members and friends.

It was just a hobby at first, until a relative said: “It’s really an amazing idea. Should patent it.

“I am 16 years old,” said Phillips. “I really do not know what a patent. Can you help me?”

She got going sympathetic but skeptical of a patent attorney, who told her to do some research and make sure that there was nothing of the kind already available in the market. If she can not find anything, he said that working with her. It is her research turned up nothing, and to the surprise of counsel, he could not find anything either. They began the process of applying for a patent. It took four years.

Phillips graduated from high school and college began at this time. She majored in art history at Rollins College and minored in communications, instead of focusing on the business. “My parents told me to learn what pleases me, because I would probably do business all my life,” she says.

But its innovations are always at the height of mind. Phillips worked as a summer in the leather Polo Ralph Lauren products for separation in New York, bringing its sales and production skills, as well as a trip to Europe in the Semester at Sea program – until she was ready to open its creation in the world.

The patent was issued in 2004, and after Phillips partnered with her mother, Liz, and began looking for the manufacturer. SwitchFlops made his first real retail appearance in January 2007 at the Surf Expo Trade Show in Orlando.

“We started with 10 bands,” says Phillips. “Primary Colors, but we would like to start with the basics, and it was very successful. We find our typical customer has 3 pairs of shoes and 10 bands, and for them to be able to go out and set them up – well, they get very excited and like to do it. We really think that all about versatility and value. ”

Phillips was able to tap into the growing Zeitgeist settings. Although people have always wanted to stand out from the crowd, the technology has really allowed consumers to tailor products to their tastes in recent years – and businesses, offering more interactive, design their own experience.

As marketing guru Randy Gage, author, why are you Dumb, Sick and broke … and how to get Smart, healthy and wealthy, said: “I have always said,” Find a need and fill it out, but it’s really bad advice, because people usually do not do what they want and what they want. Top Tips is, “Find and want to fill it.”

Phillips, of course, managed to do just that. “SwitchFlops allow you to express yourself,” she says. “Everyone wants to be a little unique, and although we could have the same bag, we do not want it to be exactly the same.”

Phillips recalls a meeting with one of her clients, including 8 pairs of shoes and 30 bands, and seeing the woman looked at her, shows how kids in a candy store, because they have chosen belts and matched them with shoes. “It’s amazing to be in the store and watch it happen because everyone takes something different,” she says.

And, different, of course, the whole idea.