Would you rather wear comfortable or fashionable shoes? It is usually an either-or option when it comes to selecting shoes for our fragile feet.

Wear sky-high heels for too many days and hours and we are plagued with foot and back pain. We have all been there before, and this is, literally, the consumer pain that Taffystep has set out to correct.

Lorraine Ng, Founder of Vancouver-based footwear company Taffystep, comes from a family with over 30 years of history in the shoe industry and is a self-proclaimed shoe-lover since the day she was born. When asked to share the story behind what inspired her to start the business, Lorraine points to the market gap she experienced first hand when she graduated and entered the workforce.

“When I graduated from school and was entering into the professional world, I found that there was a gap in the market. I wanted work-friendly shoes that were versatile enough to wear out at night but also comfortable and budget-friendly. Therefore, I was inspired to create a shoe brand designed for women in their 20s and 30s to wear at home, to work, and out at night. I want to empower women by providing affordable, comfortable, and versatile footwear that is ‘Sweet for your feet!’  That’s how Taffystep was born!” Lorraine shared.

The shoe industry is a competitive one, especially for the one that Lorraine is targeting, so what makes Taffystep uniquely different?

“Our shoes have the right balance of comfort, style, and affordability. Our clean aesthetic with comfortable, fun and cute design details allow you to wear them for any occasion with many different outfits.”

From the styles we see showcased on the brand’s website, with shoes with colours like ‘midnight blue’, ‘cherry red’, and ‘baby pink’, Lorraine delivers on her brand promise of designing shoes that are not your everyday work shoe and adds an element of fun to your daily work outfit while being comfortable for you to walk around in for the day.

Lorraine’s customers who are seeing pops of colours spring up in their offices have reached out to her and let her know how much they love the feet-friendly, stylish designs, and even offered up support for local businesses like hers.

Taffystep launched its online store right at the onset of the global pandemic, and while Lorraine admits that it might not have been the best timing, the silver lining was that people were spending more time at home but more willing to spend online and to support local businesses like hers, so the temporary closure of physical stores and shopping centers actually provided additional exposure and awareness for an online brand like Taffystep. With shipping options across Canada and a locally-based warehouse, Lorraine and her tight-knit team are luckily still able to serve their fellow Canadians.

Being the leader of the ship is often not as glamorous as others may perceive. In the startup phase, as Lorraine candidly admits, an entrepreneur is wearing many hats, often all at the same time. The path of entrepreneurship isn’t easy or smooth, and Lorraine shares that “the biggest challenge came down to stepping out of my comfort zone to do something that I have never done before and to have more compassion towards myself instead of self-sabotaging. Especially as women, we might be prone to have the belief that we are not capable and become critical towards ourselves. Also, as an introvert, networking events and business meetings are extremely intimidating.”

Despite the challenges, we each have our own way to overcome our barriers. For Lorraine, this meant “to take one step at a time, celebrating every small win and appreciating myself for the effort of trying.” She also suggests reaching out for help when you need it, because as newly-minted entrepreneurs, sometimes we may be nervous to reach out, wondering who would want to help us. The truth is, if you are sincerely asking for help and show your appreciation towards the person willing to dedicate their time to share their experience with you, there will be plenty of potential mentors willing to lend a helping hand.

Right now is definitely an interesting time to start a new business, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for Taffystep, with its comfortable, stylish and versatile options to spice up our work wardrobe! Visit the brand website to find out more about Taffystep.

Photos courtesy of Taffystep