This story is part of our 1,000 stories campaign. What’s your story?
Name: Heather Bridgers
Business: Just for KiiX, high heel shoe protector
Industry: Clothing & Accessories
Location: Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, U.S.
Reason for starting: As a woman that has a financial and emotional investment in my cherished high heels I had ruined one-too-many pairs of heels by nasty scratches to the back of the heel from sidewalks, grates and other hazards. I made up my mind to solve this problem. This led me on the quest to develop an effective and invisible heel protector, Just for KiiX.
I am working towards a 5 yr revenue target of $2.5M. According to the NPD Group (www.npd.com), women spend about $20 billion on high heel shoes annually in the US. This represents a major market opportunity for Just for KiiX to attain significant sales through on-line and department and specialty stores. There is an opportunity for shoe designers and manufacturers to include Just for KiiX with every pair of shoes. Additional shoe protection products are ready to be added to the Just for KiiX line up to increase market/sales upside opportunity. My vision is that Just for KiiX will be the brand name leader in shoe protection.
Related: Read about another clothing & accessories entrepreneur here.
How do you define success? Maintaining loving, caring, personal relationships while fulfilling my professional vision of being a respected entrepreneur and leading a path to help others achieve their aspirations. Making a positive difference is key to success.
Biggest Success: Winning Nordstrom’s support to sell Just for KiiX.
What is your top challenge and how have you addressed it? In the early stages of Just for KiiX there were numerous research and development challenges to overcome. I found that developing a face-to-face relationship with scientists and manufacturers encouraged them to persist in providing solutions to deliver the final, excellent product.
It was challenging to resign my partnership in a large law firm to spend more time with my children and continue to work with clients as a sole practitioner. Adding the entrepreneurial endeavor of Just for KiiX required more adjustments in my allocation of time, resources and the need to maintain balance. Because Just for KiiX is my passion, the energy is the easy part. Balancing the needs of Just for KiiX with my family is the challenge.
Related: Do You Have What It Takes to Start a Business?
Who is your most important role model? In my business life, like many women entrepreneurs, I respect and appreciate Sara Blakeley of Spanx. Her vision, innovation, tenacity and marketing savvy are inspiring. She shares her success formula to help others on their journey. She is now in a financial position to help others in a major way. Just for KiiX supports Dress For Success (www.dressforsuccess.org) to help other women in my community move forward in their lives.
[box_light]Website www.justforkiix.com
Twitter @justforkiix
Facebook www.facebook.com/JustforKiiX
Pinterest www.pinterest.com/JustforKiiX[/box_light]
Tell us your story!
Read about another clothing & accessories entrepreneur here
Edited by The Story Exchange