Today on Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is joined by Lydia Howard, a footwear designer and developer who mentors those who want to start their own footwear brands. She’s been designing and developing shoes for 20 years and when she moved to Spain she decided to go out on her own and start her own business. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• When someone has a discovery call with Lydia about starting their own footwear brand they are often starting from different places, one might have an idea for a product, one might have a factory and wants to make the most out of it, or one might even just be someone with a passion. 
• The first thing you should be doing is really understanding the market for your product, what is the demand like, who the competition is, what are they doing, what are the costs involved. You should know all of this before you start getting ahead of yourself. 
• Lydia usually works with a minimum of 200 pairs as that is the least the factory will do. Lydia also tells her clients that if someone else comes in with an order for 10,000 pairs, then that’s the job the factory is going to prioritise. 
• The vegan option in leather footwear isn’t the most sustainable option as many use components that aren’t good for the environment and don’t last as long as regular leather. So Lydia has to ask her clients if they want to be vegan or more sustainable. 

BEST MOMENTS
‘Managing the expectations of my clients is usually the biggest job for me’
‘The most sustainable process is using a last that exists already’
‘I’ve had box manufacturers coming back to me saying they need an order of 1000 for a product with only 200 pairs’
‘I make sure the communication between the clients and the factory works’

EPISODE RESOURCES
Footwear Designer & Developer (@lydia.creates.shoes) • Instagram photos and videos
footweardesigninsight

VALUABLE RESOURCES 
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

ABOUT THE GUEST 

ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme:  thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist

CONTACT METHOD 
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
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Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
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Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall