Best in Shoe
Knowing what's hip has helped this shoe expert build a footwear empire.
Vital Stats: Udi Avshalom,
32, president and CEO of Training
Camp in New York City
Company: Retail stores
carrying urban shoes and apparel
Projected 2003 Sales: About
$15 million
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Paternal Instinct: "My
father was in the variety goods business. Our job was to watch the
merchandise outside [his store] or sell in another location. His
motto was 'Don't come home 'til you're sold
out.' And that's how it started."
"The customer
is the boss. I'm just the schmuck who makes sure the bills get
paid."
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Shoe Fetish: In 1983, the
day his father got in a pair of purple KangaROOS to sell, Avshalom
fell in love. "Being the kid who always had rejects, and
looking at all the shoes other kids had, [the shoes] gave me a lot
to study. I started looking for more footwear resources." He
launched his first shoe store in 1996 and now has six locations in
the Tri-State area.
Floored: Avshalom's
reputation as an urban gear and shoe expert has hip-hop celebrities
stopping by for new gear and companies seeking consultation on the
hottest trends. He plans to build his brand and open more stores
outside New York City. But he still manages to spend two full days
a week working the sales floor, trying to outsell every
employee.
You Suck! In Avshalom's
weekly "Udi Sucks" contest, one random employee is asked
to list five criticisms about the business. "My father said,
'Someone who's good for you is someone who's going to
criticize you.' When a [salesperson] tells me something I'm
doing wrong, we make changes quickly."