Business Opportunities Weblog

January 26, 2009 by Angela Shupe | 4 Comments

Closets that are jammed full of hanging clothes are about to breathe a sigh of relief, with the aid of Smart Spacing Hangers.

It was through Lisa Box’s retail clothing experience that lead to her inspiration. Each night the employees would go through the store and evenly space the hangers on each rack, taking up to an hour after closing before it would be complete. The next day the organized feel that each rack had would be eliminated within hours, as the customers sorted through the clothes.

With the spark of inspiration and a good sized investment, Lisa spent the next couple years forming her business. Launched just last year, Smart Spacing Hangers has already begun to make it’s mark on the clothing world.

What has been the hardest part of getting started?

Being able to trust showing someone my invention and then to whom, the money I had to spend and the one most outstanding hardest part of getting started was…..the decision to let go of all others conventional expectations and going off a limb of doing what I believed in that had no SECURITY. I gave up all safe 9-5 401k, insurance, and being stable. Taking the big leap and deciding to go for it, I not only stepped out of the box, I am the Box, Lisa Box.

What do you enjoy the most about being an entrepreneur?

What I enjoy most about being an entrepreneur is that I am doing what I know what I am meant to do. That I know my purpose has been made known to me in a way I can’t explain but that I can be one that follows what I’ve been given a gift and that I have honored it. Doing anything else, I would not be able to accept settling for less of myself. As devastatingly hard and as much as I have sacrificed, still I must prevail. I have sold possessions, my car, my children have to live with their father because I can’t afford supporting them anymore and what more I need say after that?

What has the feedback been like from your customers?

The feedback is overwhelmingly positive, it is so reinforcing for me and consistent that there is absolutely no question in my quest.

Do you have any goals that you would like to reach with Smart Spacing Hangers before your 1 year anniversary?

Yes, getting the large purchase order from The Container Store that I am very close to and the large 20′ Container order from Australia that I have been working on diligently and am very close to also.

What have you learned from the start-up process?

That I had no idea what I would be getting into. We inventors just think of the invention, the actual marketing and the big orders take way more than we even fathom. The insurance, the taxes, the shipping duties and custom brokers is a learning enlightenment.

We know what inspired your business but what ultimately made you decide that you’d like to turn that inspiration into your business?

That the only way to make right of the invention and the response of the customers made it clear that I had to follow through which meant the business end of it all. I just had no idea what that meant. When I had the gift of knowing my purpose in life, it didn’t matter what it would take to meet it. The fact that I was given an answer to what I was meant to do, I was so grateful and it was a part of me like I can’t explain. There just is nothing that I wouldn’t do to honor the knowing and the hand of a higher power I feel is with me. I would never turn my back on Him. He gave this to me and every single person and company that has purchased my product is so extremely, unwaveringly excited, that I can’t ignore this.

Has the recession had any effect on the launch of your business?

Absolutely NOT. Like I said, nothing will make me falter and no one complains about the price and not one single return.

Do you have any advice that you’d like to share with other potential entrepreneurs that might be considering their own business based of an inspiring idea?

Yes, that if they don’t have a fire of a passion, don’t do it, if they do, don’t ever ever look sideways and do research and get a business plan. Do the next thing before it happens to make it happen.

In Clothing, Interviews, Invention | 4 Comments