Kara Mac graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology and spent her early professional career as an apparel designer working with such brand names as, Ralph Lauren and Talbots.
She has travelled the world visiting clothing manufacturers in Hong Kong, Korea, Turkey and Pakistan. After 25 years of working for others, she realized it was time to apply her skills and develop her own brand. She settled on an idea that solved a problem that she, like many women, experience every day.
“I have a million things to do today, and I need a shoe that can work in every circumstance.”
Her commute to her office required an hour train ride and a twenty-minute walk every day. Not something you want to do in heels. Wearing flats for comfort during her commute meant she had to keep a supply of heels at her office.
“At that time, it was completely inappropriate for someone in the fashion industry to be caught dead in sneakers. God forbid you ran into someone you knew from work wearing tennis shoes!”
Her work also included evening events, which would require another shoe change. Kara commented,
“I often carried another pair of shoes in my shoulder bag along with a computer and maybe some food and paperwork. Why do I need to be burdened with so many shoes to get through my days?”
During a shoe shopping expedition at Neiman Marcus looking for a pair of sandals, she found just what she wanted but there were three different color options of the same shoe, pink, green and blue.
“I couldn’t decide on which color I wanted, so I walked out without buying any.”
Thus began the odyssey to develop a shoe that could be manufactured with a variety of options. The family kitchen became her ‘Research & Development Lab.’ Working with various chemicals and learning how to mold and cast new designs, she was able to make the heel cover parts of the shoes interchangeable.
During her research phase, Kara secured a short interview with Shark Tank investor, Damon John. He said he would give her 30 minutes, but they ended up spending over an hour discussing the possibilities of her new design.
“At one point during the meeting, he threw his hands up after listening to my pitch and said, “This can be huge!” I quit my job the next day.”
Although Damon didn’t invest in her business, which was not the intention of the interview, Kara has maintained contact with him via social media. That short meeting gave her the confidence to take the leap and start her own business.
“I did have a meeting with him a few years later. We were both going to be at an event for the Home Shopping Network and I reached out to his assistant to schedule a short meeting. I just wanted to thank him and let him know that his validation of my idea provided the encouragement I needed to quit my job and make my dream come true.”
Kara’s idea and hard work has paid off in sales and awards.
“Our shoes are unique because the heels are permanently attached to the shoe, but they have swappable heel covers and straps that can be customized for any outfit and are referred to as “Candy”.
The shoes can be customized for work, play, or a night on the town with a simple change of the heel cover. The shoes, boots, and sandals are manufactured with the heels permanently attached to the shoes, but the heel covers or sandal straps can be changed to create an entirely different look to match any outfit, or occasion.
The ease of changing the heel cover alleviates the need to pack several pairs of shoes when traveling. Use a red heel cover, or ‘Shoe Candy’ on the plane and switch to another color, or style for dinner that night.
“You can match every outfit in your travel bag, plus it’s the same with sandals. Swap out the sandal straps, as well as the heels. If you are on a cruise, use one color, or style for daytime lounging around the pool, or walking the Lido Deck, but have a completely different look with the same pair of sandals for evening wear.”
Fashwire, an internet marketplace for apparel, footwear and accessories, held a contest for their vendors. Twelve designers gave their two-minute pitch live. Two weeks later when the results were announced Kara Mac Shoes had won!
“It was a global pitch competition and I had won! I was shocked – I never win anything.”
Using recyclable materials in her shoe designs is very important to Kara and something that she is most proud of.
“It has taken years to perfect the design, but I finally have the whole collection together. Four different heel heights and ten classic styles that don’t go out of style, plus offer women a variety of ways to mix and match. The NEWEST COLLECTION of shoes are also 100% eco-friendly. Even the leather is dyed using vegetables as opposed to harsh chemicals. The outsole is natural undyed leather, plus the heel, which has always been injection molded using ABS material will now be hand carved in Brazil through reforestation. For every tree that is cut, they replant another. The insole, which is the cushion, is being made with parts of sugar cane. The lining is 100% recycled cotton.”
Creating a Sustainable Wardrobe
Kara doesn’t only focus on sustainability when it comes to shoes, she believes so strongly in taking care of the planet that it carries over to her wardrobe as well. She offered three tips for women to create a more sustainable wardrobe.
- Recycle Your Clothes. If you no longer want an item, donate it to a charity. Do not throw them away!
- Become a Rent a Runway member. It’s a huge company where you can rent clothing. As a monthly member, you get 8 different articles of clothing a month.
- Repair Your Clothes. Instead of getting rid of something that needs work, either repair it or find someone to do it for you. Or if it doesn’t fit and you really love it, have it altered.
Kara learned that it is not easy starting a business from scratch, that she must be resilient and roll with the punches.
“I look at what’s happening to other people in the world, it is so disheartening. Severe weather, fires, floods, and people being killed, or discriminated against and my life looks pretty darn good. I don’t know if that’s really the best way to go about it, but honestly, it just makes me feel so blessed. I have ups and downs and there is a lot of turbulence, especially in business, when you’re a single founder. But when I see the news sometimes, I realize, I’m okay?”
One major setback Kara experienced was her Facebook account was hacked and her bank account drained. She had been working on a crowd funding project to help finance her expanding inventory costs. Being shut down on Facebook and Instagram for six weeks severely affected her business. Working with Meta everything has been restored, but it was an ordeal of the highest order.
Kara is once again active on Facebook, her personal page is https://www.facebook.com/kara.mac.33 and her business page is https://www.facebook.com/ShoeCandyShoes.
We enjoyed our podcast with Kara, where you’ll find way more information that we could include here. Listen on iTunes or watch on YouTube.
To learn more about Kara Mac Shoes, or to order a pair, visit her website https://karamac.com/
