In today’s episode we welcome Ahriana Edwards to Speaking of Start-Ups.  Ahriana is the founder of Vaila Shoes, Vaila short for available “because it’s about time ladies with extended shoe sizes have options available to them." Through her Vaila line, which is now being represented in Macy’s department stores, Ahriana focuses on footwear for the workplace and after hours.

In this episode you’ll learn how Ahriana’s journey from a curious and artsy child helped shape her journey as a budding entrepreneur.

Key takeaways from episode 161:

How acting at an early age helped shape her entrepreneur journey
How curiosity inspires not only companies, but all the aspects of bringing a company to life
How university hackathons helped her learn and embrace the entrepreneurial process
Why being a big fish at a smaller school helps get access to more opportunities
Leveraging the relationships built at a small institution
Why solving your own problems becomes a solution for others
Researching adjacent industries when you can find what you’re looking for in your own
Why it is so important to be super specific with the questions you ask your customers
Building inventory of physical products is about knowing your customer
You can’t say the right thing to the wrong person and you can’t say the wrong thing to the right person
When to let go of things you’re not passionate about in your business and bringing on the right team members to help you do so
Finding employees who feel your pain
And much more…

Since the inception of her company in 2020, Ahriana has 10x’d her sales and revenue each. Listen to find out how this young woman is taking big strides in the footwear industry and solving problems for women worldwide.

 

William Bissett is the owner of and an Investment Advisor Representative of Portus Wealth Advisors, a Registered Investment Adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Opinions expressed on this program do not necessarily reflect those of Portus Wealth Advisors. The topics discussed and opinions given are not intended to address the specific needs of any listener.

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