In this ongoing series, we are sharing advice, tips and insights from real entrepreneurs who are out there doing business battle on a daily basis. (Answers have been edited and condensed for clarity.)
I was in the process of writing my book called Return on Courage, which helps brands address their business fears head on — so that they can get unstuck and take action on new ideas. I realized through the book writing process that I was stuck and taking no action on the idea I was most passionate about. If you’re going to write a book about courage you might as well live the premise. So, after sitting on Sock Problems for 5 years, I finally put the idea in motion.
It was locking in all of our Charity Navigator-approved charities. We give 25% of every purchase back to our partners and each sock has a leading cause partner associated with it. Imagine trying to articulate your idea to some of the world’s largest charities when you have no tangible product to share and no website to showcase. Somehow, these charities believed in our mission, our team and our values. It didn’t hurt that the comps of our designs resonated.
There are hot-off-the-press new problems and we realize that we need to be ready to deliver for those passionate communities looking for ways to express their points of view. So the speed in which we can turn a meaningful sock around is a hot topic around our office.