This Aspect Hustle Highlight Q&A options New York Metropolis-based entrepreneur Josh Turner, 34. Turner is the founding father of Stand4Socks, a sock firm that, for each pair bought, donates one other to somebody in want. The B Company has distributed greater than 750,000 pairs throughout the UK, Europe, and most not too long ago, Ukraine. Stand4Socks now sees greater than $1 million in income a 12 months. Responses have been edited for size and readability.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Stand4Socks. Josh Turner.
What was your day job or main occupation whenever you began your aspect hustle?
I have been entrepreneurial for the reason that age of 8, beginning little companies all through my early years of life. Once I was nonetheless in class, I did membership nights, eBay, energy promoting, and many others., and this laid the inspiration for being a lifetime entrepreneur.
Being dyslexic, I finally had the chance to spend so much of time with Richard Branson, one of the crucial well-known British entrepreneurs who additionally has dyslexia, and he has been an actual inspiration all through my life.
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I studied enterprise at college, and after I began my profession, I went to an entrepreneur accelerator program known as NEF (New Entrepreneurs Basis). I used to be positioned in a giant company job and, sadly, fired inside six months on Christmas Eve. I by no means wished to work in a giant firm, however as I seemed for one more job whereas on welfare advantages, I had the chance to launch this aspect challenge. Within the UK, they offer just a little extra cash to begin an organization on welfare. That was the place to begin — being near homelessness — however the further time and cash I needed to pursue this after I misplaced my job was the launchpad.
When did you begin your aspect hustle, and the place did you discover the inspiration for it?
In 2015, TOMS Footwear was large on the time for its “purchase one, give one” idea, and I noticed how the mash-up of enterprise and charity was truly an attainable and scalable idea. I favored the thought of a hybrid mannequin of doing good as you do enterprise, not the old-fashioned definition of “become profitable, then give to charity.” Rubber wristbands like Livestrong had been additionally fashionable on the time, elevating cash, exhibiting help and spreading consciousness. Nevertheless, on the finish of the day, they had been simply rubber wristbands, and I figured there needed to be a extra significant and sustainable approach to put on your values. That is when the thought clicked: Why not use colourful socks to point out what we stand for?
We began in 2015 doing donations linked to the United Nations World Objectives. You put on one sock, and we plant 10 bushes. One other sock helps gender equality and educates a toddler in Afghanistan. A 3rd reduces youngster mortality; gross sales of the child blue sock would assist vaccinate youngsters in opposition to measles. One HIV and AIDS design wasn’t fashionable in the midst of 2016, so I began donating them to homeless shelters. I used to be fast (and stunned) to be taught that all through this donation course of, many shelters informed me nobody ever donates socks — but socks are essentially the most requested merchandise. Homeless individuals stroll as much as 10 miles a day, and never having recent socks can result in very extreme foot well being points. That is when the penny dropped. I noticed we had been placing a lot effort into supporting causes worldwide, however we had missed one thing near dwelling: homelessness. We nonetheless do 10% of different causes (Ukraine, dyslexia, NHS socks, and many others.). However now, nearly all of our “purchase one, give one” mannequin helps individuals experiencing homelessness, which we use broadly to assist refugees, individuals in Ukraine, kids in poverty, older individuals and extra.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Stand4Socks
What had been a number of the first steps you took to get your aspect hustle off the bottom?
On the time, I used to be a 23-year-old millennial who noticed the ability of the web and the way huge of an element that could possibly be on the success of my enterprise. One of many first issues I did was be taught to code and construct a web site; this was earlier than even having socks or a manufacturing facility. In my thoughts, I believed getting socks can be straightforward (seems it wasn’t) and studying to code can be one of many tougher enterprise challenges to beat. Secondly, I could not afford a graphic designer or actually any exterior experience. So, I took it upon myself to be taught graphic design utilizing Illustrator and the way to design socks. I used YouTube to be taught each issues, not programs, as a result of I could not afford them.
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I saved up my welfare cash to make use of on journey to go to huge commerce exhibits to discover a manufacturing facility for sock manufacturing. I went to Paris, Hong Kong and Turkey for commerce exhibits, staying in hostels and taking low cost buses (on the time I could not afford direct flights or resorts). I’d converse with individuals on web site and say, “We’re from Stand4 Socks,” and we might obtain the identical response: That they had by no means heard of us. They knew of the massive manufacturers, however not us, as a result of we did not have a manufacturing facility but. Whereas not shocking, it offered a problem for 23-year-old me, because it was a little bit of a chicken-and-egg scenario to get a manufacturing facility to consider in us. After numerous onerous work, we finally landed a manufacturing facility that believed in us, one which we nonetheless have a longstanding relationship with now. They took an opportunity on us when nobody else did. And now the individuals there are like household — they even got here to my marriage ceremony!
Are there any free or paid assets which have been particularly useful for you in beginning and working this enterprise?
As I discussed earlier, YouTube was large for us. I regularly name it my co-founder. It taught me something I wanted to be taught. Being dyslexic, I be taught finest from visuals and at my very own tempo. If I obtained misplaced, I may rewind or discover one other video on the subject. Shopify has additionally been a game-changer, particularly as we have grown. It allowed us to launch a web site rapidly. As we expanded, we added apps and options to compete with larger corporations, which took time however has helped us scale successfully.
In the event you may return in your small business journey and alter one course of or strategy to avoid wasting you time, vitality or only a headache, what would it not be, and the way do you want you’d accomplished it in another way?
To save lots of time and vitality, I’d get a grip on our monetary numbers earlier. I’ve had mentors who emphasize monetary particulars, and my dad has an accounting background. I’ve had occasions after we almost ran out of cash as a result of we donated socks earlier than gross sales got here in or spent an excessive amount of on inventory with out ample money circulation. Utilizing the accounting software program Xero has been phenomenal for our enterprise. It permits me to see our stability sheet in seconds, evaluate 12 months on 12 months and month on month, offering real-time monetary insights and comparisons. As a substitute of getting simply annual enterprise plans and money circulation forecasts, we at the moment are in a position to evaluation our numbers on a weekly or month-to-month foundation, empowering us to remain intently attuned to the numbers. This, in flip, has created alternatives for us to take extra calculated dangers, know when issues are tight and alter technique when wanted.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Stand4Socks
Relating to this particular enterprise, what’s one thing you’ve got discovered notably difficult and/or shocking that individuals who get into this sort of work ought to be ready for, however seemingly aren’t?
We had been lucky sufficient to pitch on the UK’s model of Shark Tank known as Dragon’s Den. One of many largest obstacles we chanced on was how we offered and understood our monetary numbers. As somebody with dyslexia, dealing with many alternative numbers underneath stress was troublesome, particularly after we had been thrown a ton of questions all of sudden. Since filming in 2019, we have grown considerably and acknowledged the worth of getting a grip on our numbers year-round versus ready till year-end. That is one thing we weren’t aware of within the earlier levels of our enterprise, however have grown to acknowledge how great a distinction it will possibly make.
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Are you able to recall a selected occasion when one thing went very fallacious? How did you repair it?
Given how sudden the pandemic was, challenges in our enterprise escalated rapidly, regardless of being a web-based enterprise. Our manufacturing facility shut down, and our provide chain was severely disrupted. We got here up with the thought of launching a particular “Assist for Well being Heroes” sock to help frontline staff and to handle the PPE hole with high quality socks. We began by launching a pre-sale as a approach to help frontline staff and preserve our lights on, with the caveat to clients that they seemingly would not get the socks for 3 months. We bought over 30,000 pairs of socks in that interval, which helped preserve our enterprise alive and help a worthy trigger. It actually taught us the power of our clients and mission and confirmed that just a little creativity can go a great distance.
How lengthy did it take you to see constant month-to-month income? How a lot did the aspect hustle earn?
It took about 5 years earlier than we had constant month-to-month income. For the primary 5 years, I put a majority of my time into this enterprise, however my revenue got here from freelance work with digital advertising consulting for manufacturers and different huge corporations. I truly realized these expertise from constructing my enterprise, and that is how I used to be in a position to maintain myself and the enterprise within the early days. I labored from my mother’s shed for the primary 5 years, which helped me preserve prices low and save as much as finally transfer out and proceed to develop the enterprise. This time interval was invaluable for studying how the enterprise operates, enabling extra speedy and sustainable development within the subsequent 5 years.
What does development and income appear like now?
We’re now a persistently seven-figure enterprise yearly and worthwhile. We have remained bootstrapped, although, and have not taken any outdoors funding. Our focus is to prioritize sustainable development, our backside line and profitability. With our enlargement to the U.S. market, we count on 3x development of the entire world enterprise, and 10x within the subsequent 5 years is what we’re working in the direction of.
What do you get pleasure from most about working this enterprise?
What I get pleasure from most about my enterprise can be what makes it the toughest: Nobody tells you what to do. On one hand, you need to work out every part your self. There is not a playbook; nobody is handing you a to-do checklist. However then again, that is precisely what makes it so rewarding. You get to set the route, belief your intestine and observe your instincts, rightly or wrongly. When working for a big company, I typically noticed inefficient decision-making. At this stage in my profession, being so junior, I had no say, although my intestine was telling me there was a greater method. Working my very own enterprise provides me a chance to take dangers and course right in actual time. Generally these dangers result in flops, however different occasions, they’ve led to nice success. The sense of freedom to construct one thing your method is what retains me going.
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What’s your finest piece of particular, actionable enterprise recommendation?
Benefit from the journey. It is going to be method tougher than you assume whenever you set out, but in addition far more rewarding than you’d ever count on. Do not get overly caught up in milestones — recognize the method.
Additionally, the reply is all the time “no” if you happen to do not ask the query. So many individuals cease themselves from reaching out due to the worry of being rejected. But when the reply is already “no” in your head, and also you attain out and get a “no,” then nothing’s modified. Do not be afraid to succeed in out to individuals since you would possibly simply get a sure.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Stand4Socks
That mindset has taken me to some wild locations. One of the crucial surreal examples? I ended up spending every week with Sir Richard Branson on his non-public Necker Island. That have did not come from deep connections or privilege: It got here from asking daring, typically unreasonable questions and strolling by means of doorways some might have felt that they had no enterprise knocking on.
Richard gave me a bit of recommendation that has caught with me: “Rent individuals smarter than you, after which get out of their method.” It is sensible in idea, however whenever you bootstrap and live in locations like New York Metropolis, you typically cannot afford to rent these individuals. So my strategy has been to be taught simply the fundamentals — whether or not improvement, sock design, advertising, and many others. — after which delegate successfully. Do not attempt to be an skilled in every part, however have sufficient foundational information to information somebody who’s.
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