Starting
in the shoe business is a serious decision that will take planning,
effort, discipline, and hard work. More than likely you are overwhelmed
with questions about how much money you will need, where funding will
come from, where to find merchandise, how to lease a retail space, and
more importantly... “Where do I start?"
If
your dream is to get into the shoe business and you are looking for
someone to coach you through the process then sign up for Rashidah Ali's
'Sole Searching' Shoe Seminar.
The purpose of the seminar is to give you practical advise, information, and resources on everything from:
•The importance of creating a business plan.
•The importance of knowing your market.
•Finding your ideal location based on your market.
•Getting the best price.
•How to establish relationships with shoe vendors.
•Creative ways to find inexpensive display fixtures
You’ll be able to answer questions like: •Should my boutique be a sole proprietorship, or a corporation?
•How do I establish an inexpensive merchant account?
•How do I tap into the power of the Internet to boost sales?
•What is the best and easiest way to track inventory?
At some point, leveraging the time and energy of employees
will be a key to freeing up your time and energy – which is better spent
building your business or enjoying the rewards of entrepreneurship. But
definitely not right away.
You’ll eventually want and need to know: •Great sources for finding qualified employees.
•How to interview and hire.
•Why having employees can be crucial to reaching your goals.
•Why you may want to franchise, and how to get started.
Meet your host, Rashidah Ali.... Isn't she CUTE? :
I
am the host of the seminar, My name is Rashidah Ali and without
objection, most would agree that I've had my finger on the fashion
pulse, forecasting trends and discovering the hottest, emerging
designers of tomorrow. I've worked with and styled the fashion-forward
in the latest styles in footwear, such as cult favorites like Giuseppe
Zanotti, Gianmarco Lorenzi and Casadei. After years of preparation, I
recently launched ENCORE, a private label shoe line. Ive also owned two
shoe boutiques and more importantly, solely manage my successful private
label shoe business now.
Where She Started
About 9 years ago I had a full time
job working for two large companies. Initially I started at Bad Boy
Entertainment before transferring to Def Jam. I had what many would call
a “promising career". A decent salary, benefits, and relative “job
security”. However like many corporate jobs, there was a price to pay
for that. Long hours, difficult personalities, and the politics that
seem to be the norm in most organizations. It was a lot of fun but it
also drained me emotionally and physically. The gratification I once
felt in my job was vanishing quickly.
I felt starting my own business was the only way to create real
financial security, independence, and most important to me, freedom.
After walking into a boutique in South Beach during vacation in Miami
Florida, I realized starting my own shoe brand would be a way to combine
my interests and skills while building an asset for my future. I was
ready to start my own enterprise, I was ready to hand in my resignation,
but then that burning question popped into my head “Where do I start?”I
didn’t have a coach or a guide, I wish I would have, in fact I'd later
pay someone whom I thought did have the answers just to find out she
knew even less than I did.You can start as small, or as big, as you'd
like.My first retail space was 1300 square feet, but the key for me was
that I defined my dream and believed in it. I took it one step at a
time. Whatever I didn’t know how to do, I learned by of research or by
trial-and-error, often the hard and expensive way.
Essentially, it’s the "results" that count:
The result was that when
I created a well presented luxury boutique, with a fabulous theme and a
product selection that was truly unique, I soon discovered, people
loved it.The best part was, I accomplished it in a very short time
frame, but I spent far too much focusing on that "fabulosity factor". I
begin production in July of 2007 and in only four months, I was sending
out invitations for a grand opening scheduled for November 15th 2007. I
had shopped around for a retail space, signed a lease in one of Harlem's
most affluent areas. (without credit checks or financial statements by
the way.)
Save yourself thousands of dollars by learning from Rashidah– Instead of learning “The Hard Way.”
My seminar course is the
culmination of all my experiences. It is a step-by-step guide on how to
open a shoe boutique, packed with all those difficult, hands-on lessons
I learned. It is the blueprint for how to create a shoe brand. I felt
compelled to create the resource I wish I had to help others like myself
achieve their goals with less headache, expenditures, and time. I will
show you step-by-step how to start.
The next stop on the multi-city tour will be
in NYC May 31, 2013 with more dates TBA..
We've got our Signature on this One....Great Job Rashi (Boss Chick Family)
