“The shoe is a canvas most people are unfamiliar with. When people take one of our classes, it’s a collaborative, hands-on experience. We roll up our sleeves to help them see their vision to life.”

 “Patrons bring in their own shoes. Most people bring in leather-based sneakers, but we’ve also done boots as well as soccer, baseball and football cleats. We teach them the basics of shoe design, then help them customize their shoes with our specialized equipment. This includes a stencil printer, an airbrush station, and a variety of paint options and materials like shoelaces, charms, glitter and rhinestones.”

What are some memorable shoe designs customers have created?

“One fun technique we use is a gradient design. We had a customer who did a sunset gradient using neon oranges and yellows all the way to darker purples. The gradient designs are some of my favorites.”

“Another design I’ve enjoyed is paint splatters. You don’t have to have a high level of artistic ability to achieve a cool look and every shoe turns out differently. Shoe design doesn’t have to be gaudy or loud — sometimes small and subtle detailing adds quite a bit of character to a shoe.”

How has your business evolved and what are your long-term goals?

“Initially, shoe design was something I did as a hobby and for one-off special requests. Keilara and I really wanted to open a brick-and-mortar business and foster the customer experience aspect. We envisioned a comfortable space with a fun, visual atmosphere. We thought the classroom setting would be well received in Utah, where there are artistically minded people and date night is a popular part of the culture.”

“Looking into loan options, we had a connection to Zions Bank through Community Banking Relationship Manager Waruni Murphy. The process happened much more quickly than we anticipated; we opened a year or two earlier than we expected. We started offering classes in September 2024.”

“Going forward, we’d like to offer more corporate events and team-building activities.”

What’s been your experience as a small business owner and what advice do you have for aspiring business owners?

“So far, it’s been more emotionally rewarding than anything I could have anticipated financially.  People show up and we go through the design process together. I get to be their cheerleader for a few hours. Sometimes they’re making shoes for pregnancy announcements, quinceañeras, weddings or graduations. We get to be a small part of these big life events, and the reward of sharing these moments is not something that I could write up in my business plan.”

“My advice for other business owners is to be calculated and be smart so if the opportunity arises, you are ready. Sometimes, like in our case, you need to take that risk earlier than anticipated. You never know if the opportunity will be there in a year or two so take the plunge if you can.”

How has Zions Bank helped you in your entrepreneurial journey?

“Waruni at Zions Bank made the SBA loan process simple. That was what that made us recognize our dream was right around the corner.”

“The loan has taken a huge burden off us. We’ve been in business less than a year and we don’t have everything figured out, so it’s nice to have some financial cushion through the SBA loan. It provides a sense of security as we’re in our ramp up stage.”

“We’re fortunate and blessed to have this space and to be able to jump into something unique that we love and we’re passionate about. We’re excited to be a part of people’s lives and experience the happy moments alongside them.”

Looking for a bank that’s invested in your future and can help you reach your financial goals? Zions Bank’s team of relationship managers can provide small business success strategies as well as funding options, including U.S. Small Business Administration loans. Visit a local Zions Bank branch to learn more.

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