We recently connected with Aida Stenholm and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Aida, thanks for joining us today. Crazy stuff happening is almost as certain as death and taxes – it’s technically “unexpected” but something unexpected happening is to be expected and so can you share a crazy story with our readers

I had just designed my first run of shoes. I was in Peru directing the manufacturing process and then I tried to pack a couple of suitcases with my new shoes that I love so much. We’re talking about six months of work to get this first tiny run done. When going through customs, they had other plans. I was honest with them and told them they were hopefully for resale but mostly samples to get feedback from potential customers. US Customs decided the best way to solve that problem was to drill a hole through the soles of every pair of shoes I had so they could not be sold.

There was yelling, then crying, then depression. The grand lesson was that we needed help with import/export. I honestly hadn’t even thought about the insane amount of paperwork required to do this little thing I wanted to do. We adjusted and moved on. I wish I could say that was the most expensive mistake made along the way.

Aida, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I got into this because I have always loved great footwear. So much of what we are sold is such poor quality that we’re sort of used to it by now. It really irked me at one point and I was in a place in my life where I could take a risk and wanted to start something new. So we sold the house, moved, studied from master shoe makers, set up a little business (that has since changed multiple times), and just went crazy making shoes.

We’ve all done it. We’re shoe shopping and can’t decide between two options because we really want this color/pattern but with a different style that doesn’t have that option. What I offer is the ability to mix and match. Because I make them in house, my customers can select from a large stock of leathers with different patters and colors and also from hand woven Peruvian blankets to create their masterpiece. Depending weather they are local to Wichita or online, they either come in for a measurement or send me their measurements from the instructions on our website. If ordering online, they usually get a personal phone call from Aida before the cutting and sewing starts to make sure it’s what they had envisioned. In a couple of weeks, they get their new shoes.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

With a small business, there is very little separation between my reputation and the brand. I have not and can’t get stingy with making the customer happy. I will continue to bend over backwards to make a purchase from me as risk free and enjoyable as possible.

My shoes are not for everyone. They are totally unique to the customer. If the customer is not happy for any reason, it is better for me to keep them happy and remake or refund them immediately. It’s painful sometimes because I made exactly what they specifically wanted even though I suggested something different — I still refund the purchase.

If you have multiple revenue streams in your business, would you mind opening up about what those streams are and how they fit together?

No, we don’t. We struggled with this for a long time and ended up thinking selling cheaper items that weren’t “our brand” would hurt us in the long run. I still can’t say 100% that it’s the right call. As a retail outlet, it definitely costs us some sales. But as a shoe maker, I can’t give the same guarantee that a different brand shares my vision on quality materials and craftsmanship. We ended up with just one revenue stream but would love to hear some stories of other ideas that might solve that riddle.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.aidastenholm.com
• Instagram: #aida.stenholm
• Facebook: Aida Stenholm
• Linkedin: [email protected]
• Twitter: killasumaq by Aida Stenholm
• Youtube: Aida Stenholm
• Yelp: [email protected]

Image Credits
Image Credits Amy Dye Photography