We caught up with the brilliant and insightful KELLY WALKER a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
KELLY, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.
I felt a divine inspiration to create something new and I received a download from God to make shoes. I had no previous experience with shoe making nor did I know anyone that had made shoes. However, I did make jewelry for several years so creativity was something I always had access to. So one particularly day several years ago, I was walking through Walmart and felt led to go to the shoe department. It was there where my inspiration began. I saw these garden shoes and felt led to buy a few pairs. In my creative brain, I got the idea to cut the tops off and see if I could create a shoe. From there the idea of my shoe line was born. I started out using various fabrics for the upper of the shoe and then graduating to genuine leather. The shoes I created with the garden shoe sole immediately sparked attention. Women and men would see me wearing these shoes and would ask who made them. After so many inquiries from people, it was clear that I had a pretty good idea that was marketable. I started creating various shoes and styles with this garden shoe sole and selling them in the various pop up markets in LA. However, The garden shoe needed further development which led me to Mexico where my shoe was perfected and made into the shoe you see on today.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m a shoemaker, designer, and artist committed to redefining comfort and style from the ground up—literally. I handcraft footwear that merges ergonomic design with elevated fashion, using carefully sourced leathers, custom soles, and strong wax thread for durability and distinction. My journey into shoemaking began from a deep love of art, fashion, and functional design and a shoe that I could wear. I wanted to create something beautiful that also feels good to wear—shoes that support your body and your self-expression.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Since I started my brand in 2016, I encountered 2 major events in history; Covid and now the tariffs. It seems like there have been more barriers since I started my brand which could put most out of business. But I feel more determined because I believe that God called me to this industry so I am in it for the long haul.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
I received funding initially; by taking equity from the sell of my home. I used some of the proceeds from the sell of my home to fund the initial costs. But of course funds are needed throughout the process. Although the pandemic was a horrific event that shifted our way of life; it brought in a lot of funding for businesses thought programs like the PPP loan and other SBA funds which helped me to pay for the development of the shoe which is the most expensive part of a shoe start up. However, funding is an ongoing challenge to maintain and expand a business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.KabisaLifeShoes.com
