Lisa Nguyen was an accomplished woman well before she created Baubles n Soles, her line of interchangeable childrens shoes that she’s pitching in the Tank with her husband Duc and two kids. Nguyen is a former “Vietnamese Idol” who, as a result of her victory, hosted a series of TV shows in Viet Nam while studying law. Her legal career involved advocacy for refugees and victims of human trafficking. She also founded The Senhoa Foundation, a non-profit that helps raise money for human trafficking victims. That was all before she moved to the states.
While her passion for oppressed populations is clear, her passion for Baubles n Soles is just as powerful. Baubles and Soles was born out of frustration. Lisa hated the fact that her kids kept growing out of their shoes. Any parent knows this is a constant source of frustration. Lisa decided to do something about it.
All About the Shoes
She designed comfy, cute shoes for girl babies and toddlers. All the shoes are made of 45% soy and they’re totally recyclable. They look kind of like slip-on Crocs. The hook with Baubles n Soles is the patented, interchangeable baubles. They’re cute little accent pieces that snap onto the shoes, giving them a different look. A girl can wear shoes with a rainbow unicorn to the playground then switch out for a stylish bow for a “formal event.” As Lisa says, the shoes go “from playground to party.” There are even matching sets for mom and daughter.
A pair of shoes will set you back fifty bucks and bauble sets are twelve bucks. The baubles can be kept for new shoes as your child grows. The shoes are currently available on Amazon and the company website. One dollar from every sale goes directly to the aforementioned Senhoa Foundation. Baubles and Soles has been in business since 2017. In that short time, they mustered some sales, but Lisa wants a Shark to help grow the business through more channels. Will a Shark think this business has sole?
My Take on Baubles n Soles
As a father of five, I know how quickly kids go through shoes. In soccer cleats alone, I think our family caused Nike stock to go up several percentage points! As a dad, I was never too concerned about my kids’ “fashion sense,” that was mom’s job. I’d let them run around barefoot most of the time.
I do get what Lisa is doing here though and it makes good business sense. When you buy your first pair of shoes and set of baubles, you’re committing to the brand. The interchangeability and comfiness of the shoes and baubles all but guarantee repeat sales. And since people won’t stop having kids anytime soon, there’s a steady stream of new customers. I’m in.
Will the Sharks Like the Fit of This Business?
I’m thinking Lisa and Duc get a deal. Any one of the Sharks would be a good fit. Daymond is an apparel guy and he could bring value to the table. Lori could pitch the shoes on QVC. Robert has several online clothing related businesses including one that sells footwear – Happy Feet; so he’s been down this road before. Mark has interests in several apparel based businesses too. Mr. Wonderful could sell these to his “Something Wonderful Platform” database.
Lisa is smart, driven and successful. She’s also a great “American Dream” story. HEr background in non profits shows she’s a good human being, too. All the Sharks are going to love her. The question is, which Shark invests?
Entrepreneur, auteur, raconteur. Rob Merlino is a blogger and writer who enjoys the Shark Tank TV show and Hot Dogs. A father of five who freelances in a variety of publications, Rob has a stable of websites including Shark Tank Blog, Hot Dog Stories, Rob Merlino.com and more.
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