Jennifer Bailey is the Founder and CEO of Calla, a women’s footwear brand that creates stylish shoes for ladies who require more comfort due to bunions and other health problems, but still want the designer look.
What inspired you to launch Calla? Did you have a ‘lightbulb’ moment?
Having had bunions for years, I have always struggled to find comfortable and attractive shoes that actually fit my feet.
This really came to light when planning my wedding in Lucca, Italy, where I ended up spending hours and hours searching online to find the perfect shoes. By the time I reached pages 6, 7 and even 8 on Google, I gave up and said to my [now] Husband out of sheer frustration that I was going to create my own shoe brand that manufactured stylish shoes which also accommodated for women with bunions.
This was my real lightbulb moment, but it wasn’t until a few years later when I was made redundant during maternity leave that I re-evaluated what was important in life and decided to take the plunge and push the idea forwards. Fast forward 5 years and Calla Shoes are now worn by thousands of women worldwide.
How do you set yourself apart from other ‘comfortable’ shoe brands? How has Calla innovated the footwear industry?
The main driver behind the Calla brand is to create stylish and on-trend shoes for ladies who require more comfort due to bunions and other health problems.
I am a big believer of the fact that just because you don’t have ‘normal’ looking feet doesn’t mean you can’t wear nice shoes that look and make you feel good. Installing this ethos throughout Calla product lines has been key to our success and, I believe this is what differentiates us as a brand.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur? Is there anything you would have done differently?
There are loads of lessons that I have learnt since launching and continuing to grow the Calla brand. I think one of the main ones is to not put too much pressure on myself about meeting certain timelines or deadlines, particularly for things out of my control like the physical manufacturing process.
In learning this, I have also embraced the concept of failure and learnt to redefine success in line with my own metrics – not everyone elses. I now believe that as long as you are moving forwards and working towards consistent marginal gains, you will achieve your goals, but you need to ensure you are kind and more supportive of yourself in the process. Key to this is working with a Mentor, whether paid or unpaid, who can not only guide you from their own experience in business but can also give you a pat on the back and tell you ‘well done’ when it’s needed most.
How did you conquer any moments of self-doubt while setting up your business? What pushed you through?
I have had so many periods of self-doubt and still do from time to time, but have found that the best way to overcome this is to surround yourself with the right people, who can lift you up and remind you of how far you’ve come.
Programmes like the NatWest Accelerator have been really beneficial in finding and creating a network of supportive, like-minded people who not only understand what it really takes to build a business, but are also there to guide and support you through challenging times.
I also think it’s important for business owners to recognise burnout and to take the time they need with family and friends to overcome it. So many individuals are too afraid to admit when they are struggling both emotionally and physically in running a business, but there is certainly no shame in asking for help – it’s physically impossible to build a brand without a united team around you.
What are your top tips for entrepreneurs wanting to get their business out there?
Before launching a product based business, it’s so important to find and build your community via platforms like Instagram. Not only will some of your community members turn into customers as and when you do launch to market, but involving them in the early stages of product development will also engage them emotionally and transform them into real brand ambassadors.
A lot of entrepreneurs neglect the importance of building a community in favour of alternative PR and marketing strategies, but it’s something I would genuinely recommend to anyone thinking of starting a business.
How has the last 12 months affected your plans and goals for Calla?
The last 12 months certainly haven’t changed my plans or goals for Calla, but it has taught me how to maximise my budgets and do a lot on a shoe string.
Like many other brands, I have changed styles and product lines to appeal to customer demand and focused more on casual lines as we physically weren’t able to go anywhere due to lockdown restrictions. Overall, however, my ambitions for growth and my vision for the brand long-term haven’t and won’t change.
What plans do you have for your business over the next two years?
Over the next two years, I have clear plans for accelerated growth, which I hope will be supported by raising investment. This will be used to not only increase awareness of the Calla brand both in the UK and overseas, but to also educate women on the fact there is a solution to problems like bunions and they don’t have to compromise on comfort as a result. In addition, I also want to develop more styles for other podiatry issues to ensure we can provide stylish and comfortable shoes for a vast and growing market.
Any new product launches we should know about?
I am in the final stages of launching the first line of Calla fashion trainers which I am really excited about… So, watch this space.
What do you think gives a brand longevity?
I think there are a few key things that give a brand longevity, being an engaged community, product quality and the ability to consistently adapt to changing customer demands.
