Creating a unique reason for being.

Strategize: Acquisitive Growth

Industry: Apparel/Footwear

What's the situation?

  • Market leader
  • Slow category growth
  • Single category player
  • Sought to accelerate growth, improve profitability and drive up company valuation

What's our approach?

  • Proprietary qualitative and quantitative research on consumer’s unmet and emerging needs in footwear
  • “Voice of the customer” analysis to identify changing retailer buying behavior in accessories
  • Identified key demand gaps and adjacency growth platforms: Foot health, après sport, and non-footwear accessories with comfort benefits
  • Rigorous economic modeling to prioritize highest potential growth platforms

Show your work: the results

  • Positioned brand to “own” Comfort
  • Identified two new growth platforms: Shoe Inserts (FootPetals acquisition) and handbags to accessory buyers  (Baggallinis acquisition)
  • Created new revenue stream by licensing out the Dearfoams name in sleepwear category
  • Created omnichannel strategy using brand variants to manage conflicts.  Successfully gained entry into Club and Walmart
  • Realigned the company into three separate entities with very tailored growth goals:  Private Label, Licensing, and Branded businesses  
  • Successful exit: Business purchased by Mill Road Capital for over $18 a share

Adjusted Stock Price More than Doubled After Implementing Strategy