Ask Away: Instagram Q&A with Dani | June 2020
Recently, Dani hosted a Q&A on Instagram Stories to chat all things Merry People - new colors? New products? Advice for starting at markets? What changes has COVID-19 meant for us?
If you missed out, here is the chat!
Have a burning question for Dani? Keep an eye on socials for her next Q&A!
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE ON FINDING A FACTORY AND DEVELOPING YOUR FIRST PRODUCT?
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Start small. Get your product made locally to start with (if you can). Yes, it will be more expensive but you can order lower quantities and get your product / prototype right.
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Get as much feedback as you can! Take your product to retailers who could potentially stock your product and get feedback. Sell your product at weekend markets, hear what your customers say!
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Ethical Clothing Australia is a great starting place to find suppliers and manufacturers in Australia. I'm not sure about the equivalent in the U.S., but I know there will be resources online for creatives.
ARE YOU BRINGING BACK BLUE?
We will have a new blue boot coming out later this year. Blue Sky and Classic Blue/Grey won't’ be back (sorry!)
WILL YOU EVER MAKE THE BOOTS TALLER UP THE LEG?
Yes, we 100% will! We are pretty close to finalizing the design. I was planning to visit our factory earlier this year to finalize. Hopefully, we will have them online by the end of 2020.
WILL YOU BE BRINGING OUT BIGGER SIZES?
Our current size range is EU36-43. We don’t have anything planned for bigger sizes in the next 12 months… but it is something I want to do as we grow. We need to develop new molds per size which is expensive and can be timely.
ARE THESE AMAZING BOOTS UNISEX??
Yes! We recently shared a blog about the many places men wear our boots, click here to read.
ARE YOU MAKING BOOTS THAT ARE NONSLIP?
Yes! I had actually planned to go to our factory earlier this year to work on a non-slip sole… and it has been harder remotely to prototype so our timeframe has been pushed out to 2021.
MORE COLORS FOR KIDS!!
Yes! We will have another kids' color later this year. Subscribe to our mailing list to be the first to know.
HOW DO YOU DECIDE ON WHAT COLOURS TO PRODUCE?
We brainstorm color combinations as a team. We get 2-3 variations/shade of one color and then get feedback from friends and family. During this process, I spend time trying to visualize the color combinations on women I walk past in the street.
I LOVE MY MERRY PEOPLE BOOTS!! 2 YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG.
Thank you!! We recommend using silicone oil/spray to keep your boots looking new for longer. It will brighten the color and also keep the rubber moist which will prevent the rubber cracking. [Read More Boot Care Tips.]
CAN YOU RECOMMEND WHICH SILICONE OIL TREATMENT TO USE, HOW OFTEN?
We have been using Gear Aid and it works really well.
Use as required:
- After cleaning
- If the color is looking dull or fading.
- Every 6-8 weeks if you’re wearing your boots regularly.
WHAT ABOUT SAFETY BOOTS? I’D LOVE TO WEAR YOUR BOOTS AT WORK.
We get a lot of questions on safety boots and seal caps… We don’t have anything planned at the moment. We need to better understand the safety standards and see if our factory has the ability to produce. Sign up to the mailing list to keep informed of this.
HOW CAN I BUY MY SECOND PAIR OF BOOTS WITHOUT MY HUSBAND NOTICING?
Haha, this is actually me sneaking things into the house during COVID… (good luck!)
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM COVID?
I have always been people-focused, but I became more people-focused with my team - wanting to make sure everyone’s mental and physical health was okay, they were giving themselves self-care, etc.
Definitely the importance of having diversity in your sales channels (ie: online / wholesale / physical), the diversity of product-mix and sales regions/countries.
I learned the importance of being agile as a leader.
YOU ARE A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE! YOU SHOULD START YOUR OWN MENTORING PROGRAM.
Thank you!! I’m actually mentoring this year at Start Up Gippsland. I grew up in Gippsland so very excited to hopefully help some regional business grow!
MORE COLORS!
So many comments on new colors! Yes, we will always try to come out with new colors. We have two planned for later this year. Subscribe to our mailing list to be the first to know!
Have a burning question for Merry People? Send us an email anytime at support@merrypeople.com
Stay Merry everyone! Xx
