Fancy Footwork An orthopedic surgeon-turned-entrepreneur proves to the world she can stand tall on her own.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Vital Stats: Taryn Rose, 35,founder of Taryn Rose International Inc.
Company: High-end shoes forwomen and men that boast classic style and handcrafted comfort
Sales: $15 million projectedfor 2003
Woe My Feet! "I was aresident at USC School of Medicine, on my feet up to 14 hours aday. I had a hard time finding shoes attractive enough to go withmy wardrobe, but also comfortable enough to meet my functionalneeds. Also, I saw a lot of women who needed foot surgery becauseof tight footwear. I thought, 'I should see if there issomething out in the market.'"
"My philosophyon beauty is women shouldn't have to think about their feet.They should be thinking on their feet." |
Say Again, Doc? "Myfamily was opposed [to my starting a business]. They're atraditional Asian family. They thought I was giving up prestige anda 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 thatvision and be proud."
More Talk, Less Ads: "Ifind editorial is more important than advertising because we wantto educate so people understand what we're all about, and youcan't do that with an ad."
Sole Searcher: "Itargeted a niche, the luxury market, with comfort as a philosophy.My customers are like myself-independent [people] who are incontrol of their lives. They're not victims anywhere, andthey're not going to be fashion victims."
Contact Source
- Taryn Rose International
www.tarynrose.com
