Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Samantha Dong. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Samantha, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

ALLY Shoes is on a mission to disrupt fashion with functional beauty and a more sustainable business model. We firmly believe that women don’t need to compromise between style and comfort. Our all-female leadership team, led by Samantha Dong, and with the help of podiatric surgeon, Dr. Roxann Clarke and designer Sara Jaramillo, passionately designs stylish options for women while addressing fashion and fit challenges head-on.

[Breaking Free from Fashion’s Painful Past]

In an industry often steeped in discomfort, we’re pioneering change. We’re dedicated to proving that style and comfort can coexist.

Our unique approach sets us apart. Our shoes are scientifically designed by a foot doctor, Dr. Roxann Clarke and YEEZY alum Sara Jaramillo, bringing best practices from podiatry and sneaker designs into a classic pump. This ensures that our products provide strategic support and weight distribution, alleviating the pain and discomfort often associated with wearing heels. We took our commitment further by thoroughly testing our products in year one with real women, the ones who wear the shoes. Our brand is driven by women designers in the footwear space, offering a fresh perspective that’s often lacking in the industry.

[Sustainable Innovation for a Greener Tomorrow]

As we strive to revolutionize fashion, we’re acutely aware of the industry’s environmental impact. Fashion stands as the second-largest polluter globally, and the fashion industry’s water consumption is staggering. Worryingly, 30% of fashion products never reach consumers, leading to 92 million tons of solid waste. Recognizing these challenges, we’ve set out to reduce our environmental footprint through innovative business and inventory models.

We bring bespoke luxury to women at an accessible price point. We achieve cost-efficiency through a lean product line, focusing on classic silhouettes while offering diverse color and sizing options. ALLY’s proprietary online fit-finder, powered by an algorithm, is informed by data from thousands of women. Customers also have the opportunity to try before they buy, guaranteeing the perfect fit and reducing returns. Our flexible supply chain offers an on-demand, quick turnaround, which minimizes the need for excess inventory. This intentional production approach significantly reduces waste and overproduction, reflecting our commitment to sustainability.

As we continue to evolve, we remain steadfast in our mission: to redefine fashion, challenge industry norms, and lead the way towards a greener, more stylish, and comfortable future for women everywhere.

Samantha, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m Samantha Dong, the Founder and CEO of ALLY Shoes, and I’d like to share our journey with you. At ALLY Shoes, we’re not just a fashion brand; we’re a movement created by women for women. My passion lies in empowering women through fashion, making luxury footwear accessible for those on the move.

After a foot injury left me frustrated with the lack of comfortable heel options, I knew there had to be a better way. So, I assembled a dream team, including designer Sara Jaramillo and podiatric expert Dr. Roxann Clarke. Together, we set out to design stylish and pain-free heels for women everywhere.

Our claim to fame is our signature pain-free heels. We have engineered these heels with a patented, ergonomic support structure that is scientifically designed to alleviate pain. This support structure takes inspiration from podiatry and sneaker design, re-balancing body weight in the heel to bring unparalleled comfort throughout the day.

But that’s not all; I believe that every woman deserves a perfect fit. Our inclusive sizing ranges from US 4 to 12, with four different widths to choose from, ensuring that your ALLY heels are as close to custom-fitted as possible. In addition, we’ve created a true nude range in multiple shades to celebrate diversity.

At ALLY, we’re dedicated to sustainability. We offer micro-sizing, reduce inventory, and use a flexible supply chain to minimize waste. This approach allows us to provide luxury footwear at an accessible price, with our signature pain-free comfort and perfect fit.

One of my proudest moments was being featured on the Forbes 1000 List. It’s a testament to our commitment to innovation and dedication to our mission.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 brought unprecedented challenges to businesses worldwide, and ALLY Shoes was no exception. We faced a daunting reality when we lost 50% of our revenue stream due to the closure of retail partners and canceled trunk shows. However, I believe that in every challenge lies an opportunity for growth and innovation.

One of the most significant pivots we made was shifting our entire sales focus to eCommerce. This decision proved to be transformative for us. We implemented several key strategies to ensure our success in the online space:

Our first step is to enhance our user acquisition channels online with a limited budget. We established a robust brand ambassador program. This initiative quickly became our top growth channel, thanks to authentic word-of-mouth conversion. Additionally, we made substantial investments in high-quality and organic content on our website, resulting in a 125% YoY growth in SEO traffic. Collaborations with like-minded brands with similar audiences for campaigns and giveaways led to significant growth in our social media following and email list.

To address the challenge of selling comfortable shoes online without a try-on experience, we launched an at-home trial box program. This program recreated the in-person trial experience and achieved an impressive conversion rate.

Creating pandemic-relevant dress shoes was another big challenge we had to overcome. While we had our 2020 product roadmap all planned in March, we had to quickly adjust and decided to launch our first flats collection, which helped us maintain demand and sales.

Our ability to pivot quickly and stay true to our mission of empowering women through fashion is a testament to our resilience and commitment to making luxury footwear accessible to all women.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

The journey of ALLY Shoes from a side hustle in school. It all began during my MBA program, where I started exploring the concept and utilized relevant classes and group projects to refine the idea. After graduation, I was able to raise a small amount of funding and decided to focus on the business full-time, allowing me to lay the foundation for our innovative brand.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic presented unforeseen challenges. To ensure the survival and growth of ALLY Shoes, I made the tough decision to take on a full-time role, personally funding the business while balancing two jobs. This commitment paid off in remarkable ways. We achieved record-breaking sales and attained profitability, ultimately enabling me to leave my full-time job and return to growing ALLY Shoes as a full-time endeavor.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ally.nyc
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyshoes/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allyshoes/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/11244311