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Anothersole, a footwear model based by Benny Chee and Phoebe Charn in 2016, has rapidly made a reputation for itself in Singapore.
The 2 entrepreneurs, each age 50, first met at church and have been enterprise companions since 2000.
After Benny accomplished his Nationwide Service, he entered the insurance coverage business with the aim of saving up for his college charges. However after venturing into beginning his personal enterprise, he in the end determined to not pursue his research.
Benny, with a background in engineering, and Phoebe, with a background in trend, have intensive information of the footwear business. In addition to Anothersole, they handle one other enterprise, which designs and provides footwear to chain shops globally since 2003.
The thought for Anothersole was sparked by the necessity for comfy footwear that have been additionally trendy. Many consolation footwear in the marketplace endure from poor aesthetics, and the founders got down to problem themselves to develop the proper flats that mix sports activities know-how and leather-based craftsmanship.
These footwear needed to be excellent for journey and day by day commute, but present sufficient assist. It wasn’t simple, however they succeeded in creating the proper shoe that strikes a stability between high quality and luxury.
Creating the proper pair of footwear
The R&D course of at Anothersole is rigorous. They provide you with many design iterations pre-production and are in a position to create many alternative variations of 1 building.
Our Anytime lace-up flats are launched weekly with restricted editions and we now have as much as 150 colors of the one type. Most of the restricted releases are produced in small batches and we don’t carry them again after they run out.
– Benny Chee, co-founder of Anothersole
They provide a wide range of best-selling traditional flats with pebbled textures and excessive sturdiness, in addition to its buttery-soft Lucie made with Argentinean leather-based. Its Paloma footwear are additionally widespread, that includes luxurious leather-based from Spain with soles that match the leather-based colors.
Benny added that they are going to quickly announce a restricted collection of footwear made with premium leather-based utilized by a luxurious model.
Past its iconic flats, Anothersole has expanded its product line to incorporate sneakers and luggage for girls, in addition to sneakers for males.
This determination was pushed by buyer demand, as a lot of their prospects personal greater than 10 pairs of Anothersole — the very best report being greater than 40 pairs.
“We’ve loyal prospects clamouring for brand spanking new designs and we listened. We launched the boys’s [line] as a result of it’s the ladies who’re asking for it. They inform us their companions are complaining they don’t get to expertise what Anothersole footwear really feel like,” stated Benny.
Pivoting from a footwear buying and selling arm
One of many greatest struggles that Anothersole confronted within the early days was constructing a scalable model that was each financially viable and sustainable.
We began Anothersole when our footwear buying and selling arm was in danger as a result of consumers have been going on to the factories as a substitute. We needed to pivot or face enterprise failure. Rather a lot was at stake to make Anothersole work.
– Benny Chee, co-founder of Anothersole
With no exterior funding (it was totally self-funded by its sister firm), Anothersole stored its prices low by working leanly throughout its first 12 months. With no correct workplace, they held weekly conferences in McDonald’s for near a 12 months.
The group by no means as soon as complained. Everybody was devoted to creating Anothersole profitable, and until as we speak, Benny stays grateful in the direction of those that have sacrificed and labored onerous for the model.
Its technique for elevating model consciousness, notably within the early days, was centred round constructing belief with their prospects.
They targeted on speaking authentically and persistently, whereas actively participating with its prospects. By doing so, they have been in a position to develop its Instagram following to over 50,000.
Along with promoting on-line and in department shops, Anothersole held frequent pop-ups and roadshows each different month to attach with prospects and purchase new ones. Though it was difficult, it supplied invaluable enterprise insights.
In October 2018, Anothersole opened its first bodily retailer in Funan. This transfer was triggered by the corporate’s want to be nearer to its prospects and supply them extra handy purchasing choices.
The omni-channel method was successful and the corporate went on to open pop-up shops in varied malls throughout Singapore, together with Nice World, Westgate, and PLQ Mall. This helped them to collect invaluable insights into their buyer demographics and led to the growth of their present 10 retail factors islandwide.
Enterprise with a coronary heart
Benny said that Anothersole is presently financially impartial and worthwhile, however their final aim is guided by its objective to make a distinction.
Anothersole is understood for its #Buy1Feed1 initiative, the place 10 per cent of its earnings are donated to serve kids in want world wide and to assist create a extra sustainable future.
That is a part of the corporate’s “Make Good, Do Good” philosophy, which is concentrated on creating high-quality merchandise whereas additionally making a constructive influence on the world. Benny believes that by selecting the place to spend cash as shoppers and types, we are able to collectively impact change and unlock sources for these in want.
Shoppers, manufacturers and governments can collectively impact change. The place we select to spend our monies as shoppers and a model can have a downstream constructive influence. That is very highly effective. Think about if all firms are united on this, what sources can we unlock from it?
– Benny Chee, co-founder of Anothersole
Grew greater than 400% regardless of COVID-19
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, it led to unprecedented challenges for companies everywhere in the world.
Throughout the first two years of Covid with all of the disruptions, it introduced unprecedented challenges, from provide chain lockdowns to retail restrictions. Logistics value shot via the roof, affecting margins and supply timelines. It was a really tough interval for a lot of — retailers have been preventing landlords and there was quite a lot of uncertainty and worry.
– Benny Chee, co-founder of Anothersole
Fairly than giving in to the challenges, Anothersole selected to concentrate on two issues: taking good care of its workers and prospects.
“With the assist of the group, prospects and landlords through the darkish ages of fixed lockdowns, we went on a path of managed growth, bringing the variety of retail factors from three (pre-Covid) to 10 as we speak,” Benny stated.
He added that they’ve taken a leap of religion and invested in rolling out new channels throughout Singapore, as they recognized alternatives out there with premium area freed up as many abroad manufacturers exited the market.
In response to Benny, their acquisition push into the USA via a direct-to-consumer channel additionally noticed income leap multifolds prior to now 18 months.
Regardless of the bumpy journey, Anothersole has managed to develop by over 400 per cent over the previous two years and expects to realize report gross sales within the coming 12 months.
Shifting ahead, Benny stated that they are going to proceed to function with an “underdog mindset” and purpose to develop sustainably.
Anothersole has bold plans to construct the corporate right into a purposeful and worthwhile enterprise. They’re presently exploring alternatives to introduce Anothersole to extra markets internationally, with the last word aim of turning into a globally recognised model.
Featured Picture Credit score: PayPal / Anothersole
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