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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 owning a pair of limited-edition, rare or highly sought-after sneakers. It comes when you crack open the lid for the quality-crafted shoebox, peel back the uncrinkled tissue paper and lay up your eyes on your fresh kicks (don't even get me started on the glorious smell of new leather, combined with rubber and Velcro!). Pretty near heaven, right? One person who knows this exact feeling is Noah Vitale, a sophomore at Los Osos High School in Rancho Cucamonga. The 16-year old found a way to capture that little bit of sneaker-heaven and bring 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 member of the Grizzlies' football team, he's additionally a consummate professional that can be found hours before school starts at his desk submitting orders, answering customer emails and searching for exclusive sneaks for any fanatical subculture of sneaker aficionados. In just few months time, Vitale Kicks has earned over $250,000 dollars in product sales, as a result of a low-supply-high-demand market and plenty of hard work and commitment from Noah. Recently I sat down with the young entrepreneur to chat about how he turned his or her own sneaker obsession in a thriving business. Quesiton: I love your company logo. Who designed it? Noah Vitale: My brother Nick designed it. He's 18 and a senior at Los Osos. We sat down together some day and just build it. People manage to like it therefore it worked out very well. 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 this. And because they're limited, there will be a huge need for them. So we find a means to buy them from retailers and then mark them up after we have them in your hands. So, say you will find there's shoe that retails for $160 dollars, and it's really sold out in shops all across the United States. We'll take that shoe then sell it for maybe $230 dollars on our website. We are capable of doing this because there's such a massive demand and you also can't go in a retail store and purchase them. So, the sole choice is to get it from your so-called reseller, which can be somebody like us. Q: So, if Nike drops a fixed edition Air Force 1, and I shouldn't sit facing Undefeated for two days, I can call you up? Noah: Yeah, exactly. We actually have those who do sit beyond stores on release day after which once they obtain the shoes we'll sell them somewhat over retail. So yeah, definitely almost any shoe like an Air Force 1 we are able to do the same exact thing. Q: As a consumer, I think that's definitely worth the mark-up at that time because who's the time and energy to sit facing a store for the? Noah: Yeah, definitely. Q: So do you employ people to sit down out looking at stores? Noah: Yeah occasionally perform. I'll pay friends say $20 bucks for starters night to camp out with us. That's just one of the many ways we're able to get the shoes. Q: What are some other ways? Noah: We purchase them online and direct from retailers like Footlocker or NikeTown. We'll enter raffles. They're not the easiest to get. It's a complicated process. Over time we've piled up friends plus a network of people like store managers etc. 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 obtain as many shoes as possible and at once I'm effortlessly my friends. It's a good experience, along with making a good profit every weekend. Q: So basically, you've designed a business from a hobby. Noah: Definitely, since it all started with an interest in these type of limited-edition shoes. And then realizing that there was clearly a big potential possiblity to create a business and create a little money. But all this originated as a spare time activity of collecting and wearing these sneakers. So, it definitely is a business as well as a hobby at the same time. Q: When do you start it and exactly how old have you been? Noah: Well I was 20 years old and I started the business in April of 2013. Q: Do you remember the actual moment the concept sparked? Noah: It started when my dad and I were away from a Finish Line one night, where they were doing a raffle and that we were able to get two pairs of Air Jordans. As soon even as we walked out of the store some people stopped us and offered us a huge $150 dollars over-retail for them. We were like, 'Wow did that truly just happen'? It motivated dad too because usually whenever you tell a parent or gaurdian about doing similar to this they might say, 'Nah, there is not any way! You can't go obtain a shoe that's in a store and resell it for additional.' But as soon as somebody for the sidewalk stopped my dad and said, "Hey, I'll take those for $280 dollars today," I think that actually kind of lit the spark for everything. Q: It really helps you to have your dad on the side don't you think? Noah: Yeah it really is did assist to have my father on my side. When someone how old irrrve become is starting off they won't have the revenue to be able to buy 100 pairs of shoes. So having my father to help me out (and the credit card) was definitely a huge help. But, my parents will almost always be supportive of whatever I do. When I told dad I wanted to achieve this, he was all for it because when I was obviously a younger kid I had another business and that he saw how well I did with that. Q: What's the most costly shoe you've sold? Noah: Nike carries a foundation with Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland, Oregon. At the first in the year they released a shoe called the Nike Air Doernbecher that retailed for $250 dollars and we sold it for $1300 dollars. So that was obviously a very large profit. It was type of tough to locate a buyer so when we found one for that price it had been satisfying. And we were able to have a couple pairs of these. That was definitely our biggest sale. Q: What's been probably the most interesting shoe you've sold? Noah: We're taking care of that at this time. We use a shoe referred to as Nike Air Yeezy that's a collaboration relating to the hip-hop artist Kanye West and Nike. The shoe retails at $250 dollars and it is currently reselling while on an average of around $4,000 to $5,000 dollars. We have one pair in your hands right now and that we're just waiting to find the right buyer which will pull the trigger. But that's definitely our best shoe that we've had. Q: How do you attempt selling a shoe that's worth a lot? It sounds almost dangerous. Noah: Right! We've had it within our possession somewhat over a month and the challenge with a shoe like this is you have to be careful about how precisely you flip it because with such a huge demand, it's dangerous in order to meet up for the shoe that's worth $4,000 dollars. So you ought to be careful. But we're definitely keeping it safe until find the right buyer. That will be nice if we let that go. Q: Nice payday! What do you generally do with the profits you get? Noah: I'll occasionally buy myself clothes but most from the money is let go of in my checking account and secured for college. Also, I just bought myself an Audi. So, that's one helluva first car to me. But apart from that, I just place it away for college. Q: How amazed are you once you sit back and discover the success you've been 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 led to me having this car.' It's just great to see hard work pay off. Q: What do your friends think about Vitale Kicks? Noah: You know my friends are actually those that I'll bring with me to pick-up shoes and I'll pay them for coming when camping. I'll text them some nights and say, 'Hey everyone down to go to Los Angeles beside me this weekend to pick-up some shoes? I'm paying everybody so-and-so volume of dollars.' And sometimes, they don't really even need to be paid because it's only a thrilling experience to go right down to these populated areas and to be around these those who are crazy for sneakers. And it's fun simply to walk out with the stores with exclusive shoes and everybody's looking at us saying, "Oh look, look, look, they got a." So my girlfriends have definitely solved the problem be where I am today and also have been a source of support and have taught me to be throughout all of it. And the best thing about it is, some of my friends have actually started their unique sneaker reselling businesses over a smaller level. It's cool to view that influence spread throughout all the group of my girlfriends and to determine them have success too with what they're doing. Sometimes they'll ask me for help and I'm more than happy to help them. Q: Are your customers surprised when they find out that you're a high school kid? Noah: Well, I only tell people I'm near to but when I do let them know I'm 16, they're very surprised. If anything they think it's really cool that someone younger than them could possibly be doing something such as this. Q: The testimonial page in your website is merely photo after photo of super-stoked people showing the shoes they purchased in you. How satisfying is that? Noah: The customer appreciation is fairly cool. That's one with the best parts is to find out the customer testimonials. They're really a big help to we and its rewarding whenever we get those back. Sometimes we'll even provide discounts if customers post a testimonial because that draws a lot of other people who haven't purchased in us. People will look at that and say, 'Oh those guys are legit ' they do know what they certainly.' Q: What's the biggest challenge you've faced being a young entrepreneur? Noah: My biggest challenge is maintaining school and the organization at the same time. I'm taking all AP and Honors classes and hold a 4.5 GPA. When I return home I usually have 3-hours of homework and when I'm playing soccer I won't get home until 5 p.m. Then I'll have 40,000 people on social websites that are emailing and contacting me about their order or about the shoes that are being released and asking if I'm getting certain shoes. So that's definitely hard looking to balance all of that. But I think I've type of found that balance. I take some time out in a certain hour to reply to emails, to get back to customers, and post up on social media. Then naturally, I remove other time to do class work and other things which might be more important. Q: Time management happens to be a skill is it not? Noah: Yeah, it's something I've learned to perform. Q: What are your plans after high school? Noah: I don't know what college I want to visit yet, but I plan to visit right right into a 4-year school. I also anticipate hopefully running multiple businesses when I'm out of high school. But I definitely will go to college with the Business or Computer Science Major and hopefully have other businesses in my hands in those days. Q: Who are a few of your influences or people that have inspirited you? Noah: I would say an entrepreneur like Mark Cuban. Or if you watch the show Shark Tank, those people on there. It's inspiring to find out how successful they are and exactly how they're in a position to 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 those who do the same exact thing as Vitale Kicks. It's not like we're some unique thing. We've just found a method to be successful. Q: What have you learned is essentially the most important element of creating a successful at-home business? Noah: How big social media is in regards to how it can help a company. I started a year ago with one follower on Instagram and today I have over 40,000 followers. Social media has really helped grow my business and it is definitely one with the most important factors for any business nowadays. Also the value of good customer service is huge. Like I said earlier, because the shoes are so expensive, folks are sometimes afraid to spend much money. I could be nervous too if I was spending $400 dollars or maybe more. When you communicate with a customer, you're making them feel comfortable regarding their purchase. So, without a doubt social websites and good customer service are the two most critical things in having a company. Q: A lot of young people consider starting their own business or doing something entrepreneurial like you. What sort of advice do you give a young individual that has a fantastic idea and wants to get it to the next level? Noah: I would tell others to look around and discover what other everyone is doing. Because when I was starting the business enterprise, I explored to other resellers and learned from them. So one with the most important things is usually to take advice and learn from others and build upon that. And also, not be afraid of just getting started. Get out there and get it going. Because you can have a lot of thoughts when creating a company and be thinking, 'I want to do this and I want to accomplish that.' But you just have to travel and undertake it. Eventually everything works out. So my advice will be learn and take advice from others and rely on yourself , nor be afraid to merely start. Take a chance and simply start. Q: Just get it done! As the famous shoemaker says! Noah: Exactly! Just undertake it! To find out about Vitale Kicks also to take a look at their extensive collection of limited-edition shoes, try them out at Vitalekicks.com. And connect with Vitale Kicks on Twitter and Instagram. |