Anothersole creates the right flats | Honor Tech

Anothersole, a shoe model based by Benny Chee and Phoebe Charn in 2016, rapidly made a reputation for itself in Singapore.

The 2 businessmen, each of their 50s, met at church and have been enterprise companions since 2000.

After Benny accomplished his Nationwide Service, he entered the insurance coverage business with the purpose of saving for school. However after venturing out to start out his personal enterprise, he in the end determined to not proceed his research.

Benny, with an engineering background, and Phoebe, with a vogue background, have intensive data of the shoe business. Along with Anothersole, they run one other enterprise, designing and supplying footwear to chain shops around the globe since 2003.

The thought for Anothersole got here from the necessity for comfy sneakers that had been additionally trendy. Many comfy sneakers available on the market have poor aesthetics, and the founders got down to problem themselves to develop the right flats that mix sports activities expertise and leather-based craftsmanship.

These sneakers needed to be excellent for journey and commuting whereas nonetheless offering the fitting help. It wasn’t straightforward, however they managed to create the right shoe that strikes a steadiness between high quality and luxury.

Creating the right pair of sneakers

The R&D course of at Anothersole is rigorous. They provide you with many design iterations earlier than manufacturing and might create many various variations of a construct.

Our Anytime lace-up flats are launched weekly with restricted editions and now we have as much as 150 colours of 1 type. Most of the restricted releases are produced in small batches and we don’t take them again as soon as they’re bought out.

– Benny Chee, co-founder of Anothersole

They provide quite a lot of best-selling traditional flats with stony textures and excessive sturdiness, in addition to their buttery-smooth Lucie made with Argentinian leather-based. His Paloma sneakers are additionally standard, that includes luxurious leather-based from Spain with soles that match the colours of the leather-based.

Benny added that they may quickly be saying a restricted run of sneakers made with premium leather-based utilized by a luxurious model.

Past its iconic flats, Anothersole has expanded its product line to incorporate girls’s sneakers and luggage, in addition to males’s sneakers.

This determination was pushed by buyer demand, as lots of their prospects personal greater than 10 pairs of Anothersole; the very best report is over 40 pairs.

“We now have loyal prospects clamoring for brand spanking new designs and we pay attention. We launched the masculine [line] as a result of it’s the girls who’re asking for it. They inform us that their companions complain that they do not expertise how Anothersole sneakers really feel,” stated Benny.

Pivoting from a shoe enterprise arm

One of many greatest difficulties Anothersole confronted within the early days was constructing a scalable model that was financially viable and sustainable.

We began Anothersole when our shoe enterprise arm was in danger as a result of consumers had been going on to the factories. We needed to pivot or face enterprise failure. The stakes had been excessive for Anothersole to work.

– Benny Chee, co-founder of Anothersole

With no exterior funding (it was fully self-financed by its sister firm), Anothersole saved its prices low by working effectively throughout its first yr. With no correct workplace, they held weekly conferences at McDonald’s for practically a yr.

The crew by no means complained. They had been all devoted to creating Anothersole profitable, and to this present day, Benny stays grateful to those that sacrificed and labored arduous for the model.

His technique for growing model consciousness, significantly within the early days, centered on constructing belief together with his prospects.

They centered on speaking authentically and persistently, whereas actively partaking with their prospects. By doing so, they had been in a position to enhance their Instagram following to over 50,000.

Along with promoting on-line and in shops, Anothersole held frequent pop-ups and roadshows each different month to attach with prospects and purchase new ones. Though it was difficult, it offered precious perception into the enterprise.

In October 2018, Anothersole opened its first bodily retailer in Funan. This transfer was motivated by the corporate’s want to be nearer to its prospects and provide them extra handy buying choices.

The omnichannel strategy was a hit, and the corporate opened pop-up shops in a number of malls in Singapore, together with Nice World, Westgate, and PLQ Mall. This helped them collect precious insights into their buyer demographics and led to the enlargement of their 10-store outlet. present retailers all through the island.

enterprise with coronary heart

Benny said that Anothersole is at present financially impartial and worthwhile, however its final purpose is pushed by its function to make a distinction.

Anothersole is thought for its #Buy1Feed1 initiative, the place 10 % of its earnings are donated to assist youngsters in want around the globe and to assist create a extra sustainable future.

That is a part of the corporate’s “Make Good, Do Good” philosophy, which focuses on creating high-quality merchandise whereas making a constructive influence on this planet. Benny believes that by selecting the place to spend cash as customers and types, we are able to collectively impact change and unlock sources for individuals who want them.

Shoppers, manufacturers and governments can collectively impact change. The place we select to spend our cash as customers and a model can have a constructive influence downstream. That is very highly effective. Think about if all corporations are united on this, what sources can we unlock from it?

– Benny Chee, co-founder of Anothersole

It grew greater than 400% regardless of COVID-19

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, it introduced unprecedented challenges for companies around the globe.

In the course of the first two years of Covid with all of the disruptions, it introduced unprecedented challenges, from provide chain lockdowns to retail restrictions. The price of logistics shot by way of the roof, affecting margins and supply occasions. It was a really troublesome interval for a lot of: retailers had been combating homeowners and there was plenty of uncertainty and concern.

– Benny Chee, co-founder of Anothersole

Somewhat than give in to challenges, Anothersole selected to deal with two issues: caring for its workers and prospects.

“With the help of the crew, prospects and homeowners through the darkish period of fixed lockdowns, we’re on a path of managed enlargement, bringing the variety of stores from three (earlier than Covid) to 10 at present,” Benny stated. .

He added that they took a leap of religion and invested in rolling out new channels in Singapore as they recognized alternatives available in the market with premium area freed up as many overseas manufacturers exited the market.

In accordance with Benny, their acquisition push within the US by way of a direct-to-consumer channel has additionally seen income soar within the final 18 months.

Regardless of the bumpy trip, Anothersole has managed to develop greater than 400 % up to now two years and expects to attain report gross sales subsequent yr.

Going ahead, Benny stated they may proceed to function with an “underdog mindset” and intention to develop sustainably.

Anothersole has formidable plans to show the corporate right into a worthwhile and purpose-driven enterprise. They’re at present exploring alternatives to introduce Anothersole to extra markets internationally, with the last word purpose of changing into a globally acknowledged model.

Featured Picture Credit score: PayPal / Anothersole