Challenge:     One  of  my  businesses,  TMC,  is  a  social  enterprise  focused  on  buying  handwoven  textiles   at  fair  trade  prices  to  support  weaving  communities  and  supporting  an  ethical  footwear   manufacturer  that  keeps  the  hand  making  of  shoes  alive  while  moving  the  skilled  artisans   from  a  piece  work  pay  model.     Covid-19  and  working  from  home  has  radically  changed  footwear  demand,  where  feet  go   and  don’t  go,  how  quickly  shoes  are  worn  out,  and  many  other  factors.  Do  you  need  shoes   when  you  now  spend  work  time  at  home?   Shoes  aren’t  visible  in  a  zoom  meeting,  are  they   relevant?   What  are  they  wearing  or  want  to  wear  while  working  from  home?     When  they  do  go  out,  people’s  habits  and  patterns  have  changed.   Will  there  be  a  need  for   formal  shoes?  Will  sneakers  grow  to  be  even  more  popular?   Is  going  out  a  chance  to  dress   up  a  bit  and  celebrate  fashion?     With  a  horizon  of  only  two  years,  what  footwear  opportunities  are  there  for  La Puerta Falsa?   What   do  customers  need?   What  do  they  want?   How  will  they  use  footwear?   What  should  PURPLE ACADEMY – WEMA BANK PLC’s  new  line  look  like?   Can  TMC  sustain  livelihoods  for  our  stakeholder  artisans  by   changing  what  footwear  it  sells?       Selection:   TMC’s  goal  isn’t  to  create  some  new  type  of  footwear,  but  apply  th  As  creating  prototypes   are  cheap  and  support  our  weaving  and  shoemaking  communities  we  work  with,  going  right   into  a  Learning  Launch   will  restart  small  amounts  of  income  for  our  stakeholders  and  allow   us  to  test  new  products  to  see  what  works  and  doesn’t  work  in  this  new  environment.      Application  &  Insight:   TMC’s  hypothesis  is  with  more  time  spent  at  home,  people  will  be  willing  to  buy  more   fashionable  “inside”  shoes.  Slippers  or  house  shoes  featuring  handwoven  textiles  can  be  a   new  product  line.     Key  Assumptions

● People  are  spending  more  time  at  home  than  pre  C19  and  will  continue  to  do  so  for  the  next  12  months.

● People  wear  comfortable  “inside  shoes”  when  at  home.   (in  many  cultures,  especially   in  our  primary  market  in  ASEAN,  outside  shoes  stay  outside  of  the  door)

● Comfort  is  key  decision  factor  in  buying  footwear

● People  are  looking  for  outlets  for  self-expression  like  fashion

As  TMC  is  going  with  prototypes,  the  best  learning  launch  will  be  testing  two  slipper   styles  for  both  men  and  women,  each  style  in  a  different  textile,  with  real  customers.   Slippers  can  quickly  be  Made  to  Order  to  fulfill  customer  orders  in  order  to  keep  this  a  cheap   experiment.

We  will  launch  on  both  our  single  brand  and  on  a  multi-brand  web  store  (holalili.com  and   stridecollectiveph.com).   A  product  page  will  be  created  on  both  websites  with  photos  of   prototypes  and  full  product  details  and  a  preliminary  price  based  on  product  cost  estimates.   The  slipper  “launch”  will  be  supported  with  social  media  for  up  to  4  weeks  to  get  the  word  out   and  drive  customer  traffic  to  the  new  product  pages.   With  online  channels  we  can  quickly   change  colors  and  price  points  and  measure  stickiness  and  purchases.   We  will  stick  to  the   Philippines  market  so  orders  can  be  quickly  manufactured  and  fulfilled.     Data  to  be  measured  will  include  sales  volume  versus  2019,  mix  between  men  and  women’s   shoes  sold,  and  ranking  of  visits  and  sales  of  new  slippers  on  multi  brand  store.   Frankly,   sales  have  been  zero  for  March  and  April,  so  any  momentum  is  positive  if  we  can  sell  at   gross  profit  of  40%.   (Financial  wow  should  be  easy  as  we  can  locally  source  materials  and   won’t  need  leather.)      If  the  first  Learning  Launch  is  successful,  we  want  to  test  coordinated  outdoor  and  indoor   shoes.   Using  the  same  handwoven  textile,  we  can  bundle  sneakers,  slippers,  and  mask,   featuring  the  same  textile.   (Shoe  factory  is  currently  making  PPE  and  masks  to  keep   shoemakers  earning).    We’ve  seen  masks  coordinating  with  shoes  and  bags  with  existing   customers,  and  would  like  to  add  bundled  offerings/cross  selling  to  see  if  there  is  any   opportunity  here.    Sneakers  have  been  a  strong  product  for  TMC,  growing  into  younger   markets,  and  increasing  sales  to  men.     Approach     E  Commerce  is  a  great  channel  for  a  Learning  Launch  as  it  is  quick,  cheap,  and  extensive   analytics  are  available  to  track  customer’s  online  behavior.   Frankly,  with  C19,  face  to  face  or   in-person  observations  aren’t  available  in  this  market  beyond  industry  data,  and   observations  in  supermarkets  and  other  open  public  spaces.      While  the  learning  launch  will  be  focused  on  testing  the  saleability  new  product  as  a  proxy   for  customer  need,  if  it  doesn’t  sell,  we  can  look  at  customer  behavior  data  in  Google   Analytics,  especially  on  the  multi  brand  site,  to  see  what  shoes  customers  coming  to  the   “inside  shoe”  page,  look  at  or  go  on  to  buy.   Do  customers  interested  in  the  slippers  behave   differently?   Does  the  slipper  social  media  pull  in  less/more  traffic  than  sneakers  or  mules?   Does  the  gender  mix  change  with  slippers  vs  other  shoes?      We  can  also  test  in-store  with  prototypes  to  get  first  person  feedback  on  customer  needs,   product  design,  pricing,  and  how  they  view  footwear  today  versus  a  few  months  ago.  Traffic   is  much  lower  and  will  have  to  be  done  by  shop  girl.     Ethnographic  research  could  add  more  valuable  insight  into  customer’s  new  use  of  footwear   and  would  be  a  far  better  to  start  the  design  innovation  process.   However,  the  cost  and   logistics  make  it  difficult.   With  the  learning  launch,  we  are  giving  small  amounts  of  work  to   our  artisan  livelihoods,  and  learning  if  there  is  a  larger  business  there.


Challenge : One of my businesses , TMC , is a social enterprise focused on buying handwoven textiles at fair trade prices to support weaving communities and supporting an ethical footwear manufacturer that keeps the hand making of shoes alive while moving the skilled artisans from a piece work pay model . Covid-19 and working from home has radically changed footwear demand , where feet go and do n’t go , how quickly shoes are worn out , and many other factors . Do you need shoes when you now spend work time at home ? Shoes are n’t visible in a zoom meeting , are they relevant ? What are they wearing or want to wear while working from home ? When they do go out , people ’s habits and patterns have changed . Will there be a need for formal shoes ? Will sneakers grow to be even more popular ? Is going out a chance to dress up a bit and celebrate fashion ? With a horizon of only two years , what footwear opportunities are there for La Puerta Falsa ? What do customers need ? What do they want ? How will they use footwear ? What should PURPLE ACADEMY – WEMA BANK PLC ’s new line look like ? Can TMC sustain livelihoods for our stakeholder artisans by changing what footwear it sells ? Selection : TMC ’s goal is n’t to create some new type of footwear , but apply th As creating prototypes are cheap and support our weaving and shoemaking communities we work with , going right into a Learning Launch will restart small amounts of income for our stakeholders and allow us to test new products to see what works and does n’t work in this new environment . Application & Insight : TMC ’s hypothesis is with more time spent at home , people will be willing to buy more fashionable “ inside ” shoes . Slippers or house shoes featuring handwoven textiles can be a new product line . Key Assumptions ● People are spending more time at home than pre C19 and will continue to do so for the next 12 months . ● People wear comfortable “ inside shoes ” when at home . ( in many cultures , especially in our primary market in ASEAN , outside shoes stay outside of the door ) ● Comfort is key decision factor in buying footwear ● People are looking for outlets for self - expression like fashion As TMC is going with prototypes , the best learning launch will be testing two slipper styles for both men and women , each style in a different textile , with real customers . Slippers can quickly be Made to Order to fulfill customer orders in order to keep this a cheap experiment . We will launch on both our single brand and on a multi - brand web store ( holalili.com and stridecollectiveph.com ) . A product page will be created on both websites with photos of prototypes and full product details and a preliminary price based on product cost estimates . The slipper “ launch ” will be supported with social media for up to 4 weeks to get the word out and drive customer traffic to the new product pages . With online channels we can quickly change colors and price points and measure stickiness and purchases . We will stick to the Philippines market so orders can be quickly manufactured and fulfilled . Data to be measured will include sales volume versus 2019 , mix between men and women ’s shoes sold , and ranking of visits and sales of new slippers on multi brand store . Frankly , sales have been zero for March and April , so any momentum is positive if we can sell at gross profit of 40 % . ( Financial wow should be easy as we can locally source materials and wo n’t need leather . ) If the first Learning Launch is successful , we want to test coordinated outdoor and indoor shoes . Using the same handwoven textile , we can bundle sneakers , slippers , and mask , featuring the same textile . ( Shoe factory is currently making PPE and masks to keep shoemakers earning ) . We ’ve seen masks coordinating with shoes and bags with existing customers , and would like to add bundled offerings / cross selling to see if there is any opportunity here . Sneakers have been a strong product for TMC , growing into younger markets , and increasing sales to men . Approach E Commerce is a great channel for a Learning Launch as it is quick , cheap , and extensive analytics are available to track customer ’s online behavior . Frankly , with C19 , face to face or in - person observations are n’t available in this market beyond industry data , and observations in supermarkets and other open public spaces . While the learning launch will be focused on testing the saleability new product as a proxy for customer need , if it does n’t sell , we can look at customer behavior data in Google Analytics , especially on the multi brand site , to see what shoes customers coming to the “ inside shoe ” page , look at or go on to buy . Do customers interested in the slippers behave differently ? Does the slipper social media pull in less / more traffic than sneakers or mules ? Does the gender mix change with slippers vs other shoes ? We can also test in - store with prototypes to get first person feedback on customer needs , product design , pricing , and how they view footwear today versus a few months ago . Traffic is much lower and will have to be done by shop girl . Ethnographic research could add more valuable insight into customer ’s new use of footwear and would be a far better to start the design innovation process . However , the cost and logistics make it difficult . With the learning launch , we are giving small amounts of work to our artisan livelihoods , and learning if there is a larger business there .