Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristie Nunez.
Kristie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Based out of Miami, FL, our online store, Julia & Santos Shoes was founded in late 2021 by my cousin and I. Julia Santos was our grandmother whom neither of us met, but feel a strong connection to her, through family bonds. My cousin has successfully been in the shoe business for more than 25 years in their native Dominican Republic, while I have been in the e-commerce space since 2005, and hold an MBA in marketing since 2020.
The idea for Julia & Santos Shoes came about after I was laid off from my marketing position after the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, and my cousin’s brick-and-mortar shoe stores in the Dominican Republic closed temporarily due to social distancing. At Julia & Santos Shoes, we place a strong emphasis on the quality of materials and the craftsmanship (handmade) of all our shoes. Each one of our artisanal shoes is handmade, in Brazil, allowing us to support traditional craftsmanship.
Our shoes are made from high-quality materials that are comfortable, durable, and stylish. We also strive to keep up with the latest fashion trends and a wide variety of styles to offer our customers something unique and special unlike anything else on the women’s shoe market. Our packaging is made from recycled materials, ensuring we are contributing to sustainability practices by reducing the carbon footprint as much as we can. J & S represents the modern, sophisticated woman, with a laid-back attitude.
We’ve had to do a lot of research and planning to figure out the logistics of starting an online store, from setting up our website, juliaandsantos.com, to finding and reaching customers through social media marketing and SEO, but it has all been a wonderful learning experience in entrepreneurship. However, our hard work is slowly paying off, and have been able to build a loyal customer base who appreciate the quality and style of our shoes. Today, we continue to grow and evolve our business from our home base in Miami, FL.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
ABSOLUTELY NOT! I don’t think anything worth having is ever easy. One phrase my dad always repeats often is “If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.” Owning and running a small business, is extremely challenging, especially in the initial phase when you’re trying to work out all the kinks, and don’t know what you’re doing.
Although the physical aspects of running any business are draining, the most difficult part is realizing you have to figure out everything on your own, due to limited resources. Our initial investment in inventory was entirely self-funded, leaving us with a minuscule budget for marketing, technology, and hiring employees, obligating me to wear many hats.
I’ve had to learn how to be a social media marketing manager, content creator/editor, website/SEO developer, strategist, customer service representative, photographer, model, shipping agent, and accountant, just to name a few, which at times has left me burnt out. We’ve also realized there is a lot of competition from larger more established shoe companies with greater resources and brand recognition making it challenging to stand out and appear in search results on search engines.
Finally, the biggest struggle we’ve faced has been generating leads and turning them into customers. The shoe market is crowded and highly competitive, making it difficult for small shoe brands like ours to stand out. Because we are a relatively new shoe brand, we are still establishing brand recognition, which will eventually allow our potential customers to gain our trust and loyalty.
To overcome these challenges, we’ve had to employ various strategies, the obvious, offering high-quality products that stand out in our market, partnering with influencers to build brand awareness, leveraging social media platforms to reach potential customers, offering promotions and discounts to incentivize purchases, and slowly building a strong brand identity that resonates with our target audience.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We talked about who we are and what we specialize in when we described how we started, so we will focus on what sets us apart. Our shoes are handmade in Brazil. Brazilian women’s footwear is known worldwide for its quality, unique styles, high-quality materials, and expert craftsmanship. At Julia & Santos, we pride ourselves on offering all of these attributes to our customers.
Our Brazilian manufacturers use only the best materials, including soft genuine leather, exotic faux croc and snakeskin, suede, jute, and straw. These materials not only look luxurious but are also durable and comfortable to wear. Brazilian design is amongst one of the most unique and best in the world. Our manufacturers incorporate bold and distinctive designs in all of our shoes, with an emphasis on colorful patterns, intricate details, and unique embellishments.
In addition, our shoes are made by highly skilled artisans who use traditional techniques passed down through generations to create footwear that is not only beautiful but also comfortable and functional. Our footwear is not only designed to be stylish, but comfortable as well. Julia & Santos Shoes feature cushioned insoles, breathable materials, and ergonomic shapes that support the foot’s natural contours.
We can’t forget about sustainability. Our manufacturers try to incorporate as many sustainable and eco-friendly practices as they can. Our boxes are made with recycled materials and natural materials such as jute and straw are used in a few of our models, all of which help minimize waste and environmental impact.
Overall, Julia & Santos footwear will be known for a unique combination of style, quality, and comfort at extremely attainable and competitive prices making our shoes desirable for fashion-conscious women around the world.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Starting a business is always a risk! When starting a business there are several factors to consider, especially in the online shoe market. The online shoe market is highly competitive, with so many established players, therefore, standing out is one of the biggest risks we faced starting this brand, especially since we are completely new.
I think risk-taking is an important and necessary part of entrepreneurship and anything else you want to accomplish in life. As they say without risk there is no reward. Risk-taking involves taking calculated risks, such as investing in a new product or service, hiring employees, and entering a new market. When done well, risk-taking can lead to growth and success, as it has for us at Julia & Santos.
However, risk-taking also involves the potential for failure, loss, and uncertainty. Entrepreneurs, like ourselves, must balance the potential rewards of taking a risk with the potential costs, and make informed decisions based on available information and careful analysis. Ultimately, risk-taking is a complex and nuanced topic, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Successful entrepreneurs must be able to evaluate and manage risks effectively, while also being open to new opportunities and possibilities.
Managing inventory can be challenging, particularly with shoes, where sizing can vary widely. We’ve had to make sure we have the right amount of stock on hand, without overstocking or understocking popular sizes and styles.
Contact Info:
- Website: juliaandsantos.com
- Instagram: @juliaandsantosshoes
- Facebook: @Julia & Santos
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.
com/@Juliaandsantos/featured
Image Credits
Alex Press Photography
