This Aspect Hustle Highlight Q&A options New York Metropolis-based entrepreneur Josh Turner, 34. Turner is the founding father of Stand4Socks, a sock firm that, for each pair bought, donates one other to somebody in want. The B Company has distributed greater than 750,000 pairs throughout the UK, Europe, and most not too long ago, Ukraine. Stand4Socks now sees greater than $1 million in income a yr. Responses have been edited for size and readability.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Stand4Socks. Josh Turner.
What was your day job or major occupation whenever you began your facet hustle?
I have been entrepreneurial because the age of 8, beginning little companies all through my early years of life. After I was nonetheless at school, I did membership nights, eBay, energy promoting, and many others., and this laid the inspiration for being a lifetime entrepreneur.
Being dyslexic, I ultimately had the chance to spend so much of time with Richard Branson, some of the well-known British entrepreneurs who additionally has dyslexia, and he has been an actual inspiration all through my life.
I studied enterprise at college, and once I began my profession, I went to an entrepreneur accelerator program referred to as NEF (New Entrepreneurs Basis). I used to be positioned in an enormous company job and, sadly, fired inside six months on Christmas Eve. I by no means needed to work in an enormous firm, however as I appeared for an additional job whereas on welfare advantages, I had the chance to launch this facet challenge. Within the UK, they provide a little bit more money to begin an organization on welfare. That was the place to begin — being near homelessness — however the additional time and money I needed to pursue this once I misplaced my job was the launchpad.
When did you begin your facet hustle, and the place did you discover the inspiration for it?
In 2015, TOMS Sneakers was big on the time for its “purchase one, give one” idea, and I noticed how the mash-up of enterprise and charity was truly an attainable and scalable idea. I preferred the thought of a hybrid mannequin of doing good as you do enterprise, not the old-fashioned definition of “earn cash, then give to charity.” Rubber wristbands like Livestrong had been additionally in style on the time, elevating cash, displaying assist and spreading consciousness. Nonetheless, on the finish of the day, they had been simply rubber wristbands, and I figured there needed to be a extra significant and sustainable approach to put on your values. That is when the thought clicked: Why not use colourful socks to indicate what we stand for?
We began in 2015 doing donations linked to the United Nations World Objectives. You put on one sock, and we plant 10 timber. One other sock helps gender equality and educates a toddler in Afghanistan. A 3rd reduces little one mortality; gross sales of the newborn blue sock would assist vaccinate youngsters in opposition to measles. One HIV and AIDS design wasn’t in style in the midst of 2016, so I began donating them to homeless shelters. I used to be fast (and stunned) to be taught that all through this donation course of, many shelters informed me nobody ever donates socks — but socks are essentially the most requested merchandise. Homeless folks stroll as much as 10 miles a day, and never having recent socks can result in very extreme foot well being points. That is when the penny dropped. I noticed we had been placing a lot effort into supporting causes worldwide, however we had missed one thing near house: homelessness. We nonetheless do 10% of different causes (Ukraine, dyslexia, NHS socks, and many others.). However now, nearly all of our “purchase one, give one” mannequin helps folks experiencing homelessness, which we use broadly to assist refugees, folks in Ukraine, youngsters in poverty, older folks and extra.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Stand4Socks
What had been a number of the first steps you took to get your facet hustle off the bottom?
On the time, I used to be a 23-year-old millennial who noticed the facility of the web and the way large of an element that may very well be on the success of my enterprise. One of many first issues I did was be taught to code and construct an internet site; this was earlier than even having socks or a manufacturing facility. In my thoughts, I believed getting socks could be simple (seems it wasn’t) and studying to code could be one of many tougher enterprise challenges to beat. Secondly, I could not afford a graphic designer or actually any exterior experience. So, I took it upon myself to be taught graphic design utilizing Illustrator and tips on how to design socks. I used YouTube to be taught each issues, not programs, as a result of I could not afford them.
I saved up my welfare cash to make use of on journey to go to large commerce exhibits to discover a manufacturing facility for sock manufacturing. I went to Paris, Hong Kong and Turkey for commerce exhibits, staying in hostels and taking low cost buses (on the time I could not afford direct flights or accommodations). I might communicate with folks on website and say, “We’re from Stand4 Socks,” and we would obtain the identical response: They’d by no means heard of us. They knew of the large manufacturers, however not us, as a result of we did not have a manufacturing facility but. Whereas not shocking, it offered a problem for 23-year-old me, because it was a little bit of a chicken-and-egg scenario to get a manufacturing facility to imagine in us. After lots of onerous work, we ultimately landed a manufacturing facility that believed in us, one which we nonetheless have a longstanding relationship with now. They took an opportunity on us when nobody else did. And now the folks there are like household — they even got here to my marriage ceremony!
Are there any free or paid assets which were particularly useful for you in beginning and operating this enterprise?
As I discussed earlier, YouTube was huge for us. I ceaselessly name it my co-founder. It taught me something I wanted to be taught. Being dyslexic, I be taught finest from visuals and at my very own tempo. If I received misplaced, I might rewind or discover one other video on the subject. Shopify has additionally been a game-changer, particularly as we have grown. It allowed us to launch an internet site shortly. As we expanded, we added apps and options to compete with greater firms, which took time however has helped us scale successfully.
Should you might return in your online business journey and alter one course of or strategy to save lots of you time, vitality or only a headache, what wouldn’t it be, and the way do you want you’d completed it in a different way?
To save lots of time and vitality, I might get a grip on our monetary numbers earlier. I’ve had mentors who emphasize monetary particulars, and my dad has an accounting background. I’ve had instances once we practically ran out of cash as a result of we donated socks earlier than gross sales got here in or spent an excessive amount of on inventory with out sufficient money stream. Utilizing the accounting software program Xero has been phenomenal for our enterprise. It permits me to see our stability sheet in seconds, examine yr on yr and month on month, offering real-time monetary insights and comparisons. As an alternative of getting simply annual enterprise plans and money stream forecasts, we at the moment are in a position to evaluation our numbers on a weekly or month-to-month foundation, empowering us to remain carefully attuned to the numbers. This, in flip, has created alternatives for us to take extra calculated dangers, know when issues are tight and alter technique when wanted.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Stand4Socks
In relation to this particular enterprise, what’s one thing you have discovered significantly difficult and/or shocking that individuals who get into any such work needs to be ready for, however doubtless aren’t?
We had been lucky sufficient to pitch on the UK’s model of Shark Tank referred to as Dragon’s Den. One of many largest obstacles we came upon was how we offered and understood our monetary numbers. As somebody with dyslexia, dealing with many various numbers below strain was troublesome, particularly once we had been thrown a ton of questions abruptly. Since filming in 2019, we have grown considerably and acknowledged the worth of getting a grip on our numbers year-round versus ready till year-end. That is one thing we weren’t conscious about within the earlier phases of our enterprise, however have grown to acknowledge how super a distinction it may well make.
Are you able to recall a particular occasion when one thing went very improper? How did you repair it?
Given how sudden the pandemic was, challenges in our enterprise escalated shortly, regardless of being an internet enterprise. Our manufacturing facility shut down, and our provide chain was severely disrupted. We got here up with the thought of launching a particular “Assist for Well being Heroes” sock to assist frontline employees and to deal with the PPE hole with high quality socks. We began by launching a pre-sale as a approach to assist frontline employees and hold our lights on, with the caveat to clients that they doubtless would not get the socks for 3 months. We bought over 30,000 pairs of socks in that interval, which helped hold our enterprise alive and assist a worthy trigger. It actually taught us the energy of our clients and mission and confirmed that a little bit creativity can go a good distance.
How lengthy did it take you to see constant month-to-month income? How a lot did the facet hustle earn?
It took about 5 years earlier than we had constant month-to-month income. For the primary 5 years, I put a majority of my time into this enterprise, however my revenue got here from freelance work with digital advertising consulting for manufacturers and different large firms. I truly realized these expertise from constructing my enterprise, and that is how I used to be in a position to maintain myself and the enterprise within the early days. I labored from my mother’s shed for the primary 5 years, which helped me hold prices low and save as much as ultimately transfer out and proceed to develop the enterprise. This time interval was invaluable for studying how the enterprise operates, enabling extra fast and sustainable development within the subsequent 5 years.
What does development and income seem like now?
We’re now a persistently seven-figure enterprise yearly and worthwhile. We have remained bootstrapped, although, and have not taken any exterior funding. Our focus is to prioritize sustainable development, our backside line and profitability. With our growth to the U.S. market, we count on 3x development of the entire international enterprise, and 10x within the subsequent 5 years is what we’re working in direction of.
What do you take pleasure in most about operating this enterprise?
What I take pleasure in most about my enterprise can be what makes it the toughest: Nobody tells you what to do. On one hand, it’s important to determine every thing your self. There is not a playbook; nobody is handing you a to-do record. However then again, that is precisely what makes it so rewarding. You get to set the route, belief your intestine and comply with your instincts, rightly or wrongly. When working for a big company, I usually noticed inefficient decision-making. At this stage in my profession, being so junior, I had no say, despite the fact that my intestine was telling me there was a greater manner. Operating my very own enterprise provides me a chance to take dangers and course right in actual time. Generally these dangers result in flops, however different instances, they’ve led to nice success. The sense of freedom to construct one thing your manner is what retains me going.
What’s your finest piece of particular, actionable enterprise recommendation?
Benefit from the journey. It may be manner tougher than you suppose whenever you set out, but in addition far more rewarding than you’d ever count on. Do not get overly caught up in milestones — recognize the method.
Additionally, the reply is at all times “no” should you do not ask the query. So many individuals cease themselves from reaching out due to the worry of being rejected. But when the reply is already “no” in your head, and also you attain out and get a “no,” then nothing’s modified. Do not be afraid to achieve out to folks since you may simply get a sure.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Stand4Socks
That mindset has taken me to some wild locations. Some of the surreal examples? I ended up spending per week with Sir Richard Branson on his personal Necker Island. That have did not come from deep connections or privilege: It got here from asking daring, usually unreasonable questions and strolling by means of doorways some could have felt that they had no enterprise knocking on.
Richard gave me a chunk of recommendation that has caught with me: “Rent folks smarter than you, after which get out of their manner.” It is good in concept, however whenever you bootstrap and reside in locations like New York Metropolis, you usually cannot afford to rent these folks. So my strategy has been to be taught simply the fundamentals — whether or not improvement, sock design, advertising, and many others. — after which delegate successfully. Do not attempt to be an knowledgeable in every thing, however have sufficient foundational information to information somebody who’s.
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