By Albert Phillips
College is tough. The rigorous course work, late night parties, campus organizations, and never-ending exams can take a toll on even the most disciplined of minds. Luckily, no distractions formed against Thabiti Stephens and Malcolm Conner have prospered. Two current Morehouse College students, Thabiti and Malcolm have teamed up to launch their own shoe company, Steps by Stephens. The company produces unisex casual shoes at an affordable price. A pair of shoes cost about $60, including shipping and handling. Aiming to do more than just generate profit, the company gives a portion of its proceeds to homeless youth in Atlanta.
Stepping into a $48 billion footwear industry with major companies like Nike, adidas, and Under Armour, Steps by Steps is slowly making some headway. They were featured Black Enterprise, A&H Magazine,rollingout.com,and various other online websites and blogs.Recently, I got a chance to speak to the CEO and Founder, Thabita, and asked him a few questions about his business and vision for the future.
Albert: In a 2011 report, the U.S. Census noted that there are roughly 2 million black-owned businesses in the U.S. What does your business add to the collective of other black businesses and do you have any collaborative effort with any other black businesses?
Thabita: Steps ultimately was created as a way to give back to the community. We add to any collective group of business by providing a sturdy and valuable product. But in the case of our business, in return you’re feeding a child in Atlanta, Georgia. We have not collaborated with any other business.
Albert: In an article featured in Black Enterprise, it stated your goal was to bring in $100,000 in 2013. How close are you to achieving this goal?
Thabita: As of May, we have reached 45 percent of that. We are releasing new colors of shoes this winter to achieve this goal and expand our business.
Albert: What are some ways that you promote your company?
We promote through social media and word of mouth for the most part.
Albert: Did you look to any other shoes for inspiration in designing your own? If so, which ones?
Thabita: No our design was completely created by my partner and I.
Albert: Five years from now, where do you envision your company being?
Thabita: I envision our shoe being sold by major distributors with a much wider variety of sizes and colors. We would also like to expand the charity to at least 3-5 cities.
Albert: How has college helped you expand your business ideas?
Thabita: The competitive atmosphere at Morehouse really motivates me to make progress and continue to work on my business so that I can expand it into the company I want it to be. But I can’t exactly say college has helped me expand any ideas.
To purchase a pair of shoes or learn more about the company, visit their website at https://stepsbystephens.com
From: http://freedumbnow.tumblr.com/post/54393221338/morehouse-students-launch-affordable-shoe-company
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