Today we welcome on Phil and Renee Piediscalzo, owners of Orleans Shoe Co., to hear about their journey of starting and growing their independent shoe business. They are good friends of ours and great local business owners, which we love to highlight. We’ll discuss the challenges they’ve faced, the importance of adapting to local markets, and the lessons they learned along the way.
We’ll also highlight a few of the unique aspects of their business that help set them apart, such as their focus on customer service and comfort-based shoes. Despite competition from big players like Amazon and Nike, they have found success by building relationships with their customers and supporting the local community.
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
01:20 – Background and Journey of Orleans Shoe Company
04:07 – Transition to Independent Business
09:07 – Adapting to Local Markets
10:55 – Importance of Vision and Flexibility
13:45 – Learning from Mistakes and Pivoting
18:31 – Finding Unique and Quality Shoe Brands
21:35 – Dealing with Big Competitors
25:35 – Lessons Learned and Unique Aspects of Orleans Shoe Company