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Website: Click Here
Email:
Phone: (239) 218-1491
Myspace: Click Here
I Am... My Father's daughter, a proud strong Native woman, Noble...and Humble, Raw and Wild, Vibrant and Subdued, Elegant and Plain, Respectful yet incredibly Passionate. An instrument of the Creator, a spiritual being nourished by creativity and expression and empowered by His Spirit... I want... to always walk in beauty, to live only this moment, and the next. I have... passion, fire, hope, faith, unconditional love
I Wish... Often, hard and deep...and then I go make my wishes
my reality...
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Interview with Jerry Anderson
By Larry Knudsen
Tell us a about yourself?
I spent many of my growing up years in Ponemah on the Red Lake Rez, that’s where my heart is still today. I’ve beaded and Danced powwow from a very early age, began beading for others and selling my work when I was still in Jr. High School.
I did restoration repair work on museum beaded pieces when I was younger as well. After high school I went to college in Phoenix, and was introduced to the different types of beadwork out there, you watch and learn. From there I moved to Alaska for awhile, after high school then South Dakota then ended up in Florida where I met my husband got married and raised 3 incredible sons there. My father is Cherokee from Qualla Boundary. My mother is Yugoslavian.
When did you know it was time to get launch your company?
After a year of research and ground work, I felt it was time, there really wasn’t a good time. I was very discouraged to start out without capital, and I think that was my biggest mistake.
Without risks, people can’t succeed. I just felt at the time if I didn’t do this someone else would, time was of the essence.
Your shoes are very beautiful, how did you choose your designers?
You mean my beaders? Gosh, I am still in need of beaders. I currently have 3 beaders, three from Red Lake and a Cherokee woman from Texas. The designs themselves came from a combined effort of an amazing beader Christy from Oklahoma, she designed a few of the patterns and I did the rest.
I wanted to have designs that represented tribally regional areas… I have plans for an African American line as well as other Native beaded designs. WNB isn’t just about the 2 strap summer sandal look. These shoes you see are just what I’ve started out with, I have tons of designs.. I want to create from boots to pumps, all beaded or beaded highlights.
Tell us how today’s economy has effected your company?
It hasn’t, 99% of my customers are native women and you know how it is when we see something we want we find a way to save the money to get it. Look at all the bling that goes into our dance regalia, this handmade stuff isn’t cheap, if you want quality, something that will turn heads, you will make a way to afford it.
Do you have any strategic plans to help Walk-N-Beauty more forward?
Every day is fishing day for me. I am constantly throwing out fishing poles trying to find that needle in the haystack. I’m looking for a business partner that is able to buy into my business that has business sense to take WNB to the next level. Someone that has the marketing smarts and ideas to push WNB to the front of the international Native Fashion world.
Starting in January WNB will be touring the US and Europe with an awesome company called Manitobah Company, they are a native owned business out of Winnipeg that makes mucklucks and moccasins, they are taking my shoes to all the high end shoe trade shows across the USA and Europe. I am confident once WNB gets international exposure, we will explode in a good way.
As a minority business, what was the biggest obstacle to getting Walk-N-Beauty off the ground?
The money situation, funding, even thru small business association they said I wasn’t eligible for funding until the business was 2-5 yrs along. I was flabbergasted, “Now is the time I need the Capital” when I’m starting the business, “Not when I’m struggling” to pay bills and make ends meet 2-5 yrs later.
I think there is a problem with that way of thinking, small business owners that have come as far as I have on my own in the first year, should be able to get capital funding. I would say that was the biggest obstacle. It’s not cheap to start a business, if you want to do it right you can’t cut corners. You want to focus on branding, marketing and exposure. I did that the first 2 yrs. and brought WNB to the public eye and now it is a wanted fashion item. Its recognizable and people want it, they look for it, and see the value in my product.
Has your website contributed to your company profits?
No, the website has gotten a lot of hits but it really needs an over haul and a way to generate more sales. I’m not skilled in that area, so I’d love to meet people who are trained to do that.
We met on Myspace, do you get many hits from there?
I haven’t got any sales that I know of from Myspace.. I have gotten a lot of sales from facebook. |
