My friend Stacey, me and Julie the Intern at a fashion show in Miami last week.

I thought I would take center stage today and write about what makes me tick when it comes to this website. I have asked  several of my contributors lately to talk about how/why they ended up in footwear and although some of you know already, I feel it is my turn to share.

I grew up with a big family in a small town….including 4 brothers! I always loved fashion (my mother will tell you stories about me arguing to tears with her when I was in kindergarten on a daily basis about what I was going to wear to school) but also loved to hang with the guys. I would take a punch and play with Barbies and that was just what I knew. It made me tough and I always knew I had to fight to get what I wanted…including dinner sometimes!! haha  As I grew up I remember sitting alone and dreaming about all the things I wanted to do, which included working with charities and something in fashion, but felt like it was a universe away.

Fast forward a few years, I was going to school for Graphic Design. This was right when 9/11 happened and the prospects of finding a job were slim to none. I decided to throw in the towel and find a 9-5 that I could potentially work my way up the corporate chain in. Anyone who knows me now, knows that this was  ridiculous for me to think that I actually would be able to do that and fortunately thanks to a company called Aquent and a lady named Elizabeth Freeman, I didn’t have to. Aquent is an international creative and marketing staffing firm. I was hired as the office manager but quickly started recruiting.  I was in Charlotte, NC at the time and while I loved my friends,  I felt I needed more and that is how I ended up in Miami…..walking down the streets of South Beach, broke, with a huge smile on my face!

Fast forward a couple years again and I was recruiting for a company specializing in fashion and for some odd reason I kept getting positions in footwear. I knew nothing about the industry, but met some amazing people right off the bat who were kind enough to fill me in and I fell in love. Over the next couple of years I met a LOT of amazing people and really found that I liked connecting people beyond just a job. It was actually fun for me to help people whether I would make a buck off of them or not. Call me crazy…..but that is the truth. I noticed a need for a resource for people in the industry to not only learn but to have a voice.  So I began doing research to see if there were any websites out there that met this need. I didn’t find anything and that is why Shoebizness was born. This was only last year!!

I was still recruiting and working with a web designer to come up with my site. I knew it needed to be simple and all about the content in the beginning because I wanted people to understand that the site was not about being flashy it was about the people. I had NO idea if people would be responsive, but I never thought twice about it. I ended up leaving my company in the beginning of December and a lot of people thought I was crazy. I was a very successful recruiter and did very well last year even with the crazy economy…..I didn’t care.

My first day out in Vegas last Feb acting like an idiot.

I launched the night before WSA and then got on a plane to Vegas……I remember talking to people about the site and not really having a clue what I was talking about. I didn’t even know how to explain the purpose, but none the less, I kept talking and then I met Sheena!!  Over the next few months I continued to build the content and add new contributors and in early August I relaunched with the new and improved design.

I would have never imagined in a million years how much I would adore what I do. I LOVE meeting new people, hearing their story and having an outlet to recognize them. As a recruiter for some reason people loved to tell me things they shouldn’t. I suppose this is because I was not technically part of the industry so they felt I was safe. I loved that part of my job, so it makes sense that it is also what I love about my website.  I have met and become friends with countless numbers of people since I launched and can’t imagine what the next few years will bring!!! It is so exciting and as I have had to evaluate over the last year what  I REALLY want to do (I also produce fashion shows), building this site absolutely takes the top spot! It’s amazing to me and I am thankful and humbled by all the support  I have received over the past 8 months! It keeps me motivated!!

PROOF!!

This posting marks the 514th post on the site and I personally have posted 300 of them!  I also checked out my stats and  I have now been seen in 74 countries!! Holy crap! That’s 19 more than just a couple of weeks ago!!   I am constantly getting new visitors and at this point it is still all word of mouth.  I love it!!

I want to thank all of you who regularly visit, contribute and are a part of what I am doing. At the end of the day…. I can’t do it on my own and this site isn’t about me it’s about all of you!! I am very appreciative of your support and I strongly encourage you to email me with what YOU would like to see from a site like this. I mean it, so do it!!   I want this site to be a fun, resourceful and realistice view on the industry and I need your help….

So that’s my abbreviated story and I am sticking to it! I hope you enjoyed learning a little about me and my crazy dream that is becoming a reality! Hopefully it will encourage some of you to not think about doing what you love….but actually get out there and do it! It is totally worth it!

-Julia