Starting a small scale business - Shoe making

By Linda Irabor

Due to the high rate of unemployment in the country, multitudes of unemployed youth have had to look for means of self employing themselves. One of the ways most of them do this is by starting some sort of business, no matter how small.

A shoemaker mending a shoe

Shoe making is worth a consideration by those who complain of unemployment. It is also a good source of income for students of institutions of higher learning who lack sponsors.

We all know that people love shoes and because of this, the industry of shoe making is really growing and will continue to do in years to come.

There is always a huge demand for shoes and people would do anything to have the latest design as part of their collection. No matter how hard an economy is, the market for shoes still strives as people will always want protective coverings for their feet.

Shoe making is becoming a well known profession in the country. The people in the profession were formerly known as cobblers, repairers or menders of damaged shoes or sandals. Innovation and creativity being introduced to the job, has lead to the production of durable and very attractive shoes.

The very first thing you need to learn before starting your  own shoe making business is how to create a pair of shoes itself. You have to learn how to make patterns, proper cutting of materials, stitching, molding heel counters and toe craps, and cementing of soles.

After learning the basics, it is important that you educate yourself on the intricacies of shoe design and also decide on the types you want to design and sell.

This process involves a lot of research and plan and it is important to remember that your main goal is to make profits and therefore, your designs should be unique and exciting enough to attract patronage.

In as much as it is advised that you make your shoes affordable, it is very pertinent that you draw lines between this and sacrificing the quality of the products. 

You also have to decide if you want to make shoes for children, ladies, or men in order to create a market for yourself.   There is the need to do this as the market is becoming saturated therefore, otherwise you will just be wasting time, energy and financial resources.

It is also important to note that your success in this business depends highly on your entrepreneurial skills. You need to create a good business plan that states your goal, source of funding, and marketing strategies for long-term.

A shoemaker

You also need to study the competition in your area and look for a good location for your store, equipment and storage.

This profession is not seasonal as people always patronise shoe makers always, especially when their shoes have problems.  Some buy shoes made by shoemakers because products are given personal touches.

What this means is that customers can dictate to them how they want the products to look. Shoes are made from different materials, depending on the raw materials available and the varying climatic conditions in different parts of the world.

Leather has been the principal material for making shoes. Throughout time, it has always been the material used and the most available; leather has also proved to have the best qualities.

The rising patronage for shoe making is engendered by influx of fake shoe products into the country whose short lifespan are often a source of concerns to buyers.

Since no one goes back to the sellers to make complaints about any damaged product and get new ones in place of them in the country, Nigerians consider it a wise idea to rather patronise shoe makers to whom they can lodge any complaints in case the products develop faults after purchase

A shoe maker, Mr. Abdullahi Musa, who has spent over ten years in the profession, said that  the profession is  very  lucrative , adding that  creativity and hard work has a lot to do with its success.

On the number of years it takes to learn the profession, he stated that it depends on how “quick- to- learn” an individual is. For some, it takes two years while for others it may take up to four.

He, however, disclosed that someone with high cognitive powers could also learn the job within a year, but added that such a person may not garner enough experience needed to be an expert in the job.

With a good number of people in the profession, its door is still wide open to accommodate as many as who would like to go into it.

All that is required include patience and innovative skills, sufficient amount of money, one to two years of learning, interest and focus.