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The business of sneakers: Q&A with teenage entrepreneur Noah Vitale - Anaheim High School Sports There's something unearthly magical about buying a pair of limited-edition, rare or highly sought-after sneakers. It comes once you crack open the lid about the quality-crafted shoebox, peel back the uncrinkled tissue paper and lay your eyes on your clean kicks (don't even get me started for the glorious give an impression of new leather, when combined rubber and Velcro!). Pretty near to heaven, right? One individual who knows this exact feeling is Noah Vitale, a sophomore at Los Osos High School in Rancho Cucamonga. The 16-year old has found a way to capture that piece of sneaker-heaven and convey it to sneakerheads all around the world through his upstart company, Vitale Kicks. Not only is Noah an honors student, maintaining a 4.5 GPA and an affiliate the Grizzlies' football team, he's and a consummate professional that can be found hours before school starts at his desk filling out orders, answering customer emails and searching for exclusive sneaks for a fanatical subculture of sneaker aficionados. In just 6 months time, Vitale Kicks has earned over $250,000 dollars in gross sales, because of a low-supply-high-demand market and a lot of hard work and commitment from Noah. Recently I sat down while using young entrepreneur to speak about how he turned his own sneaker obsession into a thriving business. Quesiton: I love your company logo. Who designed it? Noah Vitale: My brother Nick designed it. He's 18 plus a senior at Los Osos. We sat down together eventually and just assemble it. People seem to like it so that it worked out effectively. Q: So what exactly is Vitale Kicks? Noah: Basically it's this - Nike and Jordan brands will release a series of limited shoes whether its shoes from Air Jordan or Nike Running or anything like that. And because they're limited, you will have a huge demand for them. So we find ways to buy them from stores and then mark them up if we have them in your hands. So, say there exists a shoe that retails for $160 dollars, and it's really sold out to get all across the United States. We'll take that shoe and then sell on it for maybe $230 dollars on our website. We are able to do this because there's such a massive demand and you can't go in a retail store and purchase for them. So, the only choice is to purchase it from your so-called reseller, that's somebody like us. Q: So, if Nike drops a small edition Air Force 1, and I don't want to sit facing Undefeated for 2 days, I can call you up? Noah: Yeah, exactly. We actually have people who do sit beyond stores on release day then once they have the shoes we'll sell them a little bit over retail. So yeah, definitely any kind of shoe just like an Air Force 1 we can do the same exact thing. Q: As a consumer, I think that's worth the mark-up at that time because who may have the time for you to sit facing a store for days? Noah: Yeah, definitely. Q: So do you employ people to sit down out in front of stores? Noah: Yeah occasionally we all do. I'll pay friends say $20 bucks for just one night to camp out with us. That's just one of the many ways we're able to obtain the shoes. Q: What are another ways? Noah: We buy them online and direct from retailers like Footlocker or NikeTown. We'll enter raffles. They're not the simplest to get. It's a complicated process. Over time we've piled up friends as well as a network of folks like store managers and the like. Q: It actually sounds fun. Noah: It is fun because you're meeting new people and it's really thrilling every weekend to try to have as many shoes as you possibly can and at the same time frame I'm effortlessly my friends. It's a good experience, along with making a good profit every weekend. Q: So basically, you've made a business from the hobby. Noah: Definitely, given it all started with an interest in these type of limited-edition shoes. And then realizing that there is a big potential opportunity to create a business and make a little money. But all of it originated as a spare time activity of collecting and wearing these sneakers. So, it really is a business plus a hobby at the same time. Q: When did you start it and just how old have you been? Noah: Well I was many years old and I started the company in April of 2013. Q: Do you remember the exact moment the theory sparked? Noah: It started when my dad and I were beyond a Finish Line one night, where we were holding doing a raffle and now we were able to get two pairs of Air Jordans. As soon once we walked out of the store a number of people stopped us and offered us an enormous $150 dollars over-retail for them. We were like, 'Wow did that actually just happen'? It motivated my dad too because usually whenever you tell a mother or father about doing something like this they might say, 'Nah, there is no way! You can't go get a shoe that's in an outlet and resell it for more.' But after somebody on the sidewalk stopped my father and said, "Hey, I'll take those for $280 dollars right now," I think that actually kind of lit the spark for everything. Q: It really really helps to have your dad on your side right? Noah: Yeah it will be did help have my dad on my side. When someone my maturity is starting off they won't have the revenue to be able to acquire 100 pairs of shoes. So having my pops to help me out (and his awesome credit card) was definitely a big help. But, my parents will almost always be supportive of whatever I do. When I told my dad I wanted to accomplish this, he was all correctly because when I was obviously a younger kid I had another business and he saw how well I did achievable. Q: What's the priciest shoe you've sold? Noah: Nike includes a foundation with Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland, Oregon. At the first with the year they released a shoe known as the Nike Air Doernbecher that retailed for $250 dollars and we sold it for $1300 dollars. So that was a very large profit. It was form of tough to look for a buyer when we found one for your price it turned out satisfying. And we were able to get a couple pairs of people. That was definitely our biggest sale. Q: What's been the most interesting shoe you've sold? Noah: We're taking care of that at this time. We have a very shoe referred to as Nike Air Yeezy which is a collaboration involving the hip-hop artist Kanye West and Nike. The shoe retails at $250 dollars and it is currently reselling on an average of approximately $4,000 to $5,000 dollars. We have one pair in our hands right now so we're just waiting to get the right buyer who'll pull the trigger. But that's definitely our most beneficial shoe that we've ever endured. Q: How do you attempt selling a shoe that's worth a lot? It sounds almost dangerous. Noah: Right! We've had it in our possession just a little over a month and also the challenge with a shoe this way is you must be careful about how exactly you market it because with such a tremendous demand, it's dangerous to fulfill up for a shoe that's worth $4,000 dollars. So you should be careful. But we're definitely keeping it safe until look for the right buyer. That will be nice even as let that go. Q: Nice payday! What do you generally do with all the profits you cash in on? Noah: I'll occasionally buy myself clothes but most of the money is put away in my bank account and saved up for college. Also, I just bought myself an Audi. So, that's one helluva first car for me. But besides that, I just place it away for college. Q: How amazed are you whenever you sit back to see the success you're able to create from reselling sneakers? Noah: It's amazing. When I was driving home from buying my Audi, I was just thinking, 'Wow! This thing that I'm doing has triggered me possessing car.' It's just great to see hard work pay off. Q: What do your pals think about Vitale Kicks? Noah: You know my friends are actually those who I'll bring with me at night to grab shoes and I'll pay them for coming with me at night. I'll text them some nights and say, 'Hey everyone down to head to Los Angeles when camping this weekend to grab some shoes? I'm paying everybody so-and-so volume of dollars.' And sometimes, they don't really even desire to be paid as it's merely a thrilling experience to go into these populated areas and be around these people who are crazy for sneakers. And it's fun simply to walk out in the stores with exclusive shoes and everybody's looking at us saying, "Oh look, look, look, they got that or this." So my girlfriends have definitely reduced the problem be where I am today and possess been a source of support and have solved the problem throughout all of it. And beauty of it is, some of my pals have actually started their very own sneaker reselling businesses with a smaller level. It's cool to view that influence spread throughout each of the group of my friends and to see them have success too with what they're doing. Sometimes they'll ask me for help and I'm happy to help them. Q: Are your customers surprised once they find out you are a high school kid? Noah: Well, I only tell people I'm all-around but when I do tell them I'm 16, they're very surprised. If anything believe that it's really cool that a person younger than them could possibly be doing something like this. Q: The testimonial page on the website is definitely photo after photo of super-stoked people revealing the shoes they purchased in you. How satisfying is that? Noah: The customer appreciation is pretty cool. That's one of the best parts is to see the customer testimonials. They're really a large help to we and its rewarding once we get those back. Sometimes we'll even share discounts if customers post a testimonial because that pulls a lot of other people who haven't purchased in us. People will look at that and say, 'Oh those guys are legit ' they know what they're doing.' Q: What's the biggest challenge you've faced being a young entrepreneur? Noah: My biggest challenge is maintaining school and the company at once. I'm taking all AP and Honors classes and hold a 4.5 GPA. When I go back home I usually have 3-hours of homework and when I'm playing soccer I won't return home until 5 p.m. Then I'll have 40,000 people on social media marketing that are emailing and contacting me relating to order or about these shoes that are coming out and asking if I'm getting certain shoes. So that's definitely hard trying to balance all the. But I think I've type of found that balance. I take some time out in a certain hour to respond to emails, to obtain back to customers, and post up on social media. Then naturally, I get other time to do assignment work and other things which can be more important. Q: Time management is undoubtedly a skill is it not? Noah: Yeah, it's something I've learned to accomplish. Q: What are your plans after high school? Noah: I don't know what college I want to check out yet, but I plan to travel right in a 4-year school. I also plan on hopefully running multiple businesses when I'm out of high school. But I definitely will visit college with whether Business or Computer Science Major and hopefully have other businesses on my small hands at that time. Q: Who are a few of your influences or people who have inspirited you? Noah: I would say an entrepreneur like Mark Cuban. Or if you watch the show Shark Tank, all those people on the website. It's inspiring to see how successful they are and the way they're capable of help people out with businesses and stuff. Q. Ever consider taking Vitale Kicks on Shark Tank? Noah: Not really. You know, there's over 10,000 people who do the same exact thing as Vitale Kicks. It's not like we're some unique thing. We've just found ways to be successful. Q: What have you learned is the most important aspect of creating a successful at-home business? Noah: How big social media marketing is in relation to how it can help a small business. I started this past year with one follower on Instagram now I have over 40,000 followers. Social media has really helped grow my business and it's really definitely one in the most important factors for virtually any business today. Also the importance of good customer care is huge. Like I said earlier, because these shoes are so expensive, people are sometimes afraid to spend a great deal money. I will be nervous too if I was spending $400 dollars or more. When you talk to a customer, you will be making them feel comfortable regarding purchase. So, without a doubt social media and good customer support are the two most crucial things in having a company. Q: A lot of young people take into consideration starting their own business or doing something entrepreneurial like you. What kind of advice do you give a young person who has a really good idea and wants to go to the next level? Noah: I would tell others to check around to see what other people are doing. Because when I was starting the business enterprise, I analyzed to other resellers and learned from their store. So one in the most important things would be to take advice and examine other coffee shops and build upon that. And also, not be afraid of just starting. Get out there and understand it going. Because you can have so many thoughts when creating a business and be thinking, 'I want to accomplish this and I want to do that.' But you just have to look and get it done. Eventually everything works out. So my advice will be learn and take advice from others and have confidence in yourself and don't be afraid to merely start. Take a chance and start. Q: Just take action! As the famous shoemaker says! Noah: Exactly! Just undertake it! To find out more on Vitale Kicks and take a look at their extensive collection of limited-edition shoes, take them into consideration at Vitalekicks.com. And connect with Vitale Kicks on Twitter and Instagram. |