1. Adopt universal design principles: Give accessibility and style first priority by creating innovative zipper designs for effortless entrance, catering to a wide range of clients with different physical requirements.
2. Start small and use inventory sensibly: Billy cautions against making big product launches, especially for startups. keeping inventories in line with demand and avoiding excess.
3. Invest in connections and collaborations: Establishing solid nonprofit and investor contacts has aided in the growth and expansion of its goal to assist disability-related causes.
4. Create enduring customer experiences: With a customer-focused strategy, the goal is to "wow the customer" by attending to a variety of demands and providing exceptional customer service.
5. Be patient and persistent: Stress that it takes time to grow. Sustaining faith in the vision generates a positive vibe that motivates both team members and clients.
Meet Billy Price, the Co-founder of Billy Footwear.
Billy Footwear specializes in shoes that embrace a universal design. Attractive, comfortable, and appropriate for both leisure and professional activities. Billy Footwear shoes are specifically designed to be easy to slip into, regardless of physical limitations.
The idea for Billy Footwear came from Price's desire to find an accessible footwear solution that combined both fashion and function.
"It was just a matter of looking at shoes out there and figuring out a better way to do it,” he says.
"I broke my neck when I was 18, I put my shoes on at 36. It started with one pair of shoes, and now we're a business," Price states proudly, adding that the company is on track to sell its two millionth pair by the end of the year.
"Because of my disability, it's very challenging for me to shove my foot into a traditional shoe," Price shares.
His solution? A unique and innovative design that incorporates zippers in a novel way. The shoes feature a zipper that goes around the toe, allowing the upper part of the shoe to fold over completely when unzipped.
This design makes the shoes easy to put on and take off, especially for individuals with limited mobility or dexterity.
Billy Shoes Team
Billy Footwear, which started with just two co-founders, Billy Price, and Darren Donaldson, has grown significantly over the years. Their third team member, Patrick Foster, played a crucial role in connecting the company with key retailers in the shoe industry.
"He was the one that was able to get us connected to a lot of folks out there that had been in the shoe business on the retail side,” Price explains.
Thanks to Foster's connections, Nordstrom and Zappos became Billy Footwear's first major retail partners. The team remained small for several years before expanding to its current size.
"Now, as a team, we're up to 35 people. There’s people in design, there's people in customer service, there's people on the finance side," Price explains.
The company's fulfillment team, which handles orders from both its e-commerce website and business-to-business transactions, makes up the largest portion of the staff.
Price is amazed by the company's growth from just two people to a team of 35, but he acknowledges that they still need more staff to keep up with the increasing demand.
Billy Footwear actively listens to its customers and retail partners to guide its product development and ensure the success of its business.
"It's a matter of understanding what's selling," Price explains.
However, bringing a new product to market requires careful consideration, as the company must meet minimum order quantities from factories, often around 1,200 pairs per style. As a young brand, Billy Footwear had to create a full line of shoes without knowing if they would sell.
"It's a bold stretch to be able to create all these shoes and not know if they're going to sell or not," Price admits.
As the company began selling their products and receiving feedback, they were able to refine their designs based on factors such as fit, style trends, and customer input.
"You got to start small. You’ve got to start responsible. It's very easy to get over inventory and you get yourself in a position that can be very difficult to dig yourself out of," he cautions.
Building Toward the Future
As the company expanded, they faced the challenge of borrowing money. Building relationships with angel investors and independent investors became crucial.
"There's just a lot of risk that you're taking on to be able to build the business up to the point where it can sustain itself, and then you can start relieving some of that risk," Price states.
Ultimately, the decision to reinvest in the business depends on analyzing one's risk threshold, focusing on more guaranteed bets, and postponing riskier ventures until the company can absorb potential setbacks.
"It's really a matter of analyzing exactly where your risk threshold is,” Price advises.
Price believes that Billy Footwear needs to become a large business, not for the sake of being a big business owner, but because "you can't give what you don't have." In order to give a lot of value, the company needs to be big enough to afford it.
Price sees collaborations and intentional partnerships as key components of Billy Footwear's future. He plans to work with cause-based nonprofits that support various conditions, such as Rett syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy, as well as organizations that focus on society as a whole.
“I think with that type of mindset and partnered with the right people, there really isn't anything we can accomplish.”
Billy Footwear's customer service philosophy is inspired by Zappos' mantra of wanting to "wow the customer." The company strives to go above and beyond in meeting customer demands and providing a little extra to create a memorable experience.
With a diverse and inclusive customer base, Billy Footwear encounters a wide range of unique needs and scenarios. From parents looking for easy-on, easy-off shoes for their children to individuals with intellectual disabilities who find zippers more straightforward than laces, the company aims to cater to various requirements. Additionally, customers using orthotic braces or those with limited dexterity due to arthritis find the unobstructed entrance of Billy Footwear's shoes particularly beneficial.
To address these diverse needs, Billy Footwear has a dedicated customer service team that handles inquiries, provides sizing assistance, and facilitates returns. The team also manages collaboration requests from external parties. While the customer service team is currently small, the company recognizes the need to expand the team to meet the growing demand and ensure that all questions and concerns are addressed promptly and effectively.
Billy acknowledges that his business is still adjusting to the after-effects of Covid. He feels adaptability is key. Billy is particularly keen on matching inventory with demand. That was a real challenge during the pandemic—one that still weighs on Billy, along with many other business leaders.
Still, he believes good things come to those who wait. His advice to aspiring business leaders? Be patient. “It's never going to happen as fast as you wanted to. Have faith, believe in yourself. That [belief] is contagious for everyone around you,” he says.
Billy also believes in the power of maintaining relationships with customers. “Write to one customer and that customer is going to tell two people. All of a sudden, it turns into this monster momentum.”
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