This story appears in the
January 2003 issue of
Entrepreneur.
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Vital Stats: Taryn Rose, 35,
founder of Taryn Rose International Inc.
Company: High-end shoes for
women and men that boast classic style and handcrafted comfort
Sales: $15 million projected
for 2003
Woe My Feet! "I was a
resident at USC School of Medicine, on my feet up to 14 hours a
day. I had a hard time finding shoes attractive enough to go with
my wardrobe, but also comfortable enough to meet my functional
needs. Also, I saw a lot of women who needed foot surgery because
of tight footwear. I thought, 'I should see if there is
something out in the market.'"
"My philosophy
on beauty is women shouldn't have to think about their feet.
They should be thinking on their feet."
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Say Again, Doc? "My
family was opposed [to my starting a business]. They're a
traditional Asian family. They thought I was giving up prestige and
a good income to take on a lot of risk. For me, that was exciting.
That was how I wanted to live-to have a vision, build on that
vision and be proud."
More Talk, Less Ads: "I
find editorial is more important than advertising because we want
to educate so people understand what we're all about, and you
can't do that with an ad."
Sole Searcher: "I
targeted a niche, the luxury market, with comfort as a philosophy.
My customers are like myself-independent [people] who are in
control of their lives. They're not victims anywhere, and
they're not going to be fashion victims."
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