Media Mavens: In conversation with Victoria Marshman
Serial entrepreneur Victoria Marshman saw a problem emerge during the pandemic and went out to solve it. Enter Mave & Chez: the slipper revolution. Switching from a service-based business to a product-based one, Victoria and her partner Dani ran an incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign and are taking preorders now (tip: check our social media pages for your discount code).
We chatted with Victoria about her current company, what got her here, and how social media enabled the growth of a strong community.
Cleo: Why did you decide to launch Mave & Chez? Tell us the story!
Victoria: Back in March 2020, I had been running two event planning businesses, and was hit hard by the pandemic. All the events and clients I was working with were either canceled or paused. My entrepreneurial spirit kicked in and I wanted to make the most of this gift of time we were given. My business partner Dani Kagan and I started to think about other businesses we could spark while we had more time at home than ever before.
Spending our workdays from home, wearing socks and shapeless slippers was starting to take a toll on my physical health and well-being, so we started to search for slippers that could support us all day and take them to and from errands, without making them feel frumpy.
After speaking to hundreds of women, we realized we were not alone - frustrated by the lack of ergonomic and stylish house shoes on the market, Dani and I decided to create Maves. Named in honour of our strong, late grandmothers, Mavis (known as Mave) and Sheina (known as Chez), we wanted to pay homage to their legacies - as well as all the women who paved the way for new generations.
Cleo: What was the Kickstarter experience like? How did you prepare for success?
Victoria: Launching the Kickstarter campaign and hitting our $25k goal in less than 24 hours, as well as being selected by Kickstarter as a “Project We Love,” was one of the most exhilarating and humbling experiences of my life. It really showed me the power of a community rallying together behind something they believe in.
Like with so many businesses, creating and launching a product is very EXPENSIVE. You simply can’t do it without capital. The great thing about the Kickstarter approach is it not only helps you raise money to cover production and development costs, but it also allows you to prove the concept and need for your product in the market, as well as gain invaluable feedback from your Kickstarter backers on your product design.
Don’t be fooled though, it was A TON of work. We launched our Kickstarter in October 2022, and we started prepping a year in advance for it. I highly recommend reading “Crowdfunded” by Mark Pecota - it’s an incredible blueprint on how to successfully launch and run a Kickstarter campaign.
Cleo: How have you been able to use social media to grow your online community and spread the word?
Victoria: I believe that no matter what type of business you are running, you are also building community. You are nothing without a loyal community of followers who believe in you and your mission. Social media has been an incredible tool for us to be able to connect with our customers and build meaningful relationships.
Posting content is not enough nowadays though. You need to be engaging with your followers, listening to them, and showing up authentically in order to build community. Like with any relationship, it’s a two-way street.
One of our biggest strategies during the Kickstarter campaign was collaborating with influencers and other organizations that have similar values. This allowed us to get exposed to new audiences and find fellow slipper fanatics across social media platforms.
Cleo: What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to social media?
Victoria: I think one of my biggest challenges has always been how time-consuming content creation is. As a creative at heart (I used to be a professional dancer and still teach dance to youth on the side), I absolutely love the creative process of content creation. I could spend hours and hours editing and putting together one reel!
Up until last fall, I was creating all of our content and managing our social media, on top of running all other aspects of our business. It was too much! We finally hired in time for our Kickstarter campaign, and it was the best decision we had ever made!
Moral of the story, hiring someone who can completely own your social media content and managing your community is critical and essential. I only wish we had done it sooner!
Cleo: What advice would you give to a budding entrepreneur looking to get going with a new brand?
Victoria: I went from being a service-based entrepreneur to a product-focused entrepreneur in two years. I don’t have an MBA and have no formal business training. The point is - no amount of education or knowledge can prepare you for entrepreneurship. You’ll never be 100% ready and you’ll never have all of the answers. Dive in head first and focus on being a consistent, resilient and loving failure. Bet on yourself and that you will always figure it out. Because I promise you… YOU WILL!
Cleo: And a fun one to finish off, what’s your favourite way to take a break from work?!
Victoria: I am a serial traveler and part-time digital nomad. I absolutely love exploring this beautiful world and going on endless adventures. My favourite way to disconnect and unwind is going on long hikes wherever I am and being in nature. There’s no better feeling. Sayulita, Mexico is one of my most treasured places in the world and I try to spend most of the Canadian winters there.