By entering the business world, Liudas and Eduard are creating additional work for the elderly in the regions

Men who want to start their own business have started a social business, hoping not to make millions, but to learn the subtleties and processes of business. In addition, the business created at the expense of the time remaining after the main works also carries a beautiful social message: the guys help weavers living in the Lithuanian regions to earn extra money.

Half a year ago, men who are engaged in climbing began to offer a shoe that is suitable not only for enthusiasts of this sport, but also for everyone who wants to dip their feet in the Lithuanian-filled “Fleps” shoe.

E. Jeriomenko, who recently returned to Lithuania to live from abroad, said that the idea to start producing and selling such shoes came from receiving a gift from his grandmother.

Half a year to create the final product

“As I was climbing, my grandmother would knit me some sturdier slippers with leather soles. They were very strong and suitable for my hobby ”, recalled the interlocutor.

After receiving many questions from those around him about where to buy those slippers, Eduard and Lud, with whom he had become close friends since studying in Britain, decided to try starting a business.

“It just came to our attention then. This project also allowed us to keep the main job, but at the same time learn how to start a business, pay taxes, manage accounting, create advertising and the like,” said E. Jeriomenko.

Realizing that the boys could create the desired product, they began to think about the next step: how to gather more knitters, how to create a design. Eduardo’s sister, Viktorija Jeriomenkaitė, contributed to the latter.

“It took about half a year before we finally had the polished product,” said the interlocutor.

The idea that the product under development would provide an opportunity to earn money for the elderly was carried by the boys from day one.

As L. King said, the guys have too much market analysis before production. slippery he didn’t even participate, “We thought the product was attractive and new.” Our closest competitors are Crocs and we just hoped to find an audience for the product. “

I tried Lithuanian sheep wool

When creating the shoes woven by their grandmothers, Liudas and Eduardas had set one goal: the product had to be as Lithuanian as possible. Even in development sneakers The boys used the website of a Lithuanian start-up dedicated to creating “Zyro” web pages.

“We wanted even the threads to be made from Lithuanian raised sheep, shins, so that the threads were carded in Lithuania, dyed and spun here. Most of the plans have been successfully implemented, “said E. Yeriomenko.

However, it was decided to give up wool yarn from sheep raised in Lithuania. After trying to weave a shoe with Lithuanian wool threads, the decision was made that the threads were still too rough. Now young entrepreneurs buy yarn from a factory in Kelmė, where the wool they bring in is carded, spun and dyed.

But Vienna sneakers required material – leather for the sole.

“Initially, my old sofa was used, which should have been discarded,” smiles Eduard. – And now we use leftovers from furniture manufacturers that they would otherwise throw away. We collect better pieces from waste and use them. We don’t want to buy new leather, because we try to make the product as sustainable as possible. “

Lack of shoemakers

Young entrepreneurs selling their new job for just half a year are already thinking about the future challenges they may face as sales increase.

“It’s a complicated thing to do slippery – gluing of the sole. This requires a shoemaker and his occupation is very high. And generally, we don’t have many of them in Lithuania. We still need a ballet shoe. It was finally half a year before we could get them and bring them from Poland. We will see how it will continue, if we manage to increase production, then one of the things that hinders development may be the lack of shoemakers ”, commented E. Jeriomenko.

So far quiet guys can only be for knitters. L. King looks for them through social media. And more than 200 Lithuanians who wanted to weave responded to the latest search.

“We try to work with weavers from the regions, with whom they want to contribute a pension, social allowance or salary,” Liudas said.

While they respond and are willing to weave slippery there were many, but until now the guys have had to choose only a few due to the current demand for the product. We are currently working with 8 weavers.

“We have decided that it is better to work with a few on a regular basis and have the opportunity to have a more stable source of income, not have much, but at intervals,” continued the young entrepreneur.

However, the process itself, until it is finally cut by hand for cooperation, is not so short: the weavers have to weave according to the drawings that are sent to them. slippery, and Liudas and Eduard must ensure that their quality is adequate.

Liudas’ invitation to cooperate on social media was also answered by the women’s house “Circle of feelings Anykščiai”. It is also the women of this community who are already working: “Right now, they have sent us our first order sneakers consignment ‘.

Has already traveled to Italy

In Lithuania, the guys have chosen not only climbers as their target audience, but also all residents who would like to try this social business product. At that time, it is planned to focus only on climbers abroad.

Created by Ludo and Edward sneakers it can already be found in a climbing center in Italy. They should already be in the UK this week.

“There will be more rooms where they will be, but we are also thinking of changing the sales model. Instead of hauling ready-made slippery in different salons, we may try to have an advertisement for our product and promote online sales in them, ”continued L. Karalius.

Both young entrepreneurs admit that the main obstacle to development right now is not lack of money, but lack of time. 1000 Men who have invested a billion euros in starting a business do not feel the need to invest more, but when they do their main work, they experience that the scarcest resource is time.

“Before high growth, we should first make sure that investments are efficient: now we are still researching the markets, what we do in the evenings, on weekends. We do it slowly, in small but sure steps,” summarized L. Karalius.