Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jordan Clark, founder of Dooeys, located in Seattle, WA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
At Dooeys, we're reimagining slippers for modern home life by creating stylish and supportive house shoes made from plant-based & recycled materials.
Our customers are women who want to look and feel good while on their feet at home. They're seeking support on hardwood floors, an elevated design to wear in front of guests, or just feel put together at home, and they love the ease of slipping them on and off.
Tell us about yourself
In 2017, I moved to Amsterdam and began working from home. I tried to adjust to this new lifestyle by building good habits, namely not sitting all day, but I grew tired of having to choose between wearing ugly, unsupportive slippers or outdoor sneakers to be comfortable on my feet at home. Finding nothing with actual foot support and a cool style, I decided to create it.
As I started researching the fashion industry, I quickly learned how terrible of an impact it has on the environment. It is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions. That's more pollution than international flights and maritime shipping combined! I determined that if I was going to create a product for the world, I'd do it in a sustainable way. This meant choosing innovative, plant-based & recycled materials like bio-based leather made from apples, EVA soles made with sugarcane, and lining made from recycled plastic as well as offsetting carbon emissions on every order shipped.
Every customer email or review we get from women saying how grateful they are they found Dooeys is what motivates me to push forward. Running a small business is hard, but knowing we've created a product that women love gives me the confidence and drive to grow this brand.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Our house shoes were rated the Best Overall Slipper by House Beautiful, and I participated in a TV Show, Billion Dollar Idea, which pushed me outside of my comfort zone and taught me many valuable business lessons that I carry with me in building Dooeys today.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Imposter Syndrome. I started a fashion brand without any experience in the fashion industry. I definitely felt like an outsider at first when talking to suppliers and manufacturers in the beginning, but I quickly realized that I could learn a lot from books that helped me be informed on the lingo and find partners with who I felt comfortable asking questions.
I look back now and smile that with no prior fashion experience, I've designed three styles of shoes that our customers love, developed relationships with innovative material suppliers, set up a supply chain including a manufacturing partner in Portugal & a 3PL in the U.S., and I've been able to successfully market and sell our house shoes.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be ready to learn. Read books, listen to podcasts, meet new people, and build connections that will help you understand the industry and create a great product or service.
- Connect with other entrepreneurs. Find founder groups online or in person where you can share experiences. It's very fulfilling to help out other entrepreneurs, and you'll also learn a lot in the process. There are founder groups that use channels like Slack which can be an excellent resource when you have questions you want to bounce off other business owners.
- Discipline. From having an idea to growing your business, it takes a lot of discipline. You have to set your priorities and not get distracted. Set monthly or quarterly goals and then actually take the time to reflect on if you met these goals and, if not, why? Protect your time and be aware of what gives you energy vs. what takes it away.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://dooeys.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dooeys.slipshoes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dooeys.slipshoes/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dooeys
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-dix-clark/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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