This Facet Hustle Highlight Q&A options Leila Quraishi, 27, of Los Angeles, California. Quraishi’s sock enterprise Nudesox is focusing on seven-figure income throughout all gross sales channels subsequent yr. Responses have been edited for size and readability.
Picture Credit score: Dan Simantov. Leila Quraishi.
Wish to learn extra tales like this? Subscribe to Cash Makers, our free e-newsletter filled with inventive facet hustle concepts and profitable methods. Join right here.
What was your day job or major occupation if you began your facet hustle?
I used to be a senior in highschool after I began Nudesox. Rising up, I used to be at all times entrepreneurial and beloved creating and taking over management roles. In eighth grade, I grew to become a licensed kids’s yoga teacher and taught non-public classes all through highschool, designing class flows and exercise gear — now I make grip socks.
Associated: I Took My Facet Hustle Full-Time and Made $222,000 Final Yr. This is How — and Why Typically I Work Simply 10 Hours a Week.
When did you begin your facet hustle, and the place did you discover the inspiration for it?
I got here up with the idea for Nudesox in 2015. As quickly as I turned 18, I purchased the area title for Nudesox and legally filed the enterprise quickly after. I’ve at all times beloved placing outfits collectively and dressing up, however I additionally worth my consolation. On the time, I could not discover the perfect no-show sock. They had been uncomfortable, slipped off, weren’t cushioned and did not even cowl my complete foot. I used to be by no means a fan of colourful, seen socks and thought there have been most likely so many individuals who felt the identical method, however nonetheless need protection and luxury. That was the second I assumed to myself, Why has nobody ever created athleisure socks in pores and skin tones?
Picture Credit score: Greyson Tarantino
What had been a number of the first steps you took to get your facet hustle off the bottom? How a lot cash/funding did it take to launch?
I grew up finding out profitable entrepreneurs for enjoyable and would spend hours dissecting how they acquired to the place they had been: I would learn articles and watch interviews and, after all, numerous Shark Tank. I used to be at all times fascinated by enterprise and innovation. Once I began Nudesox, it was a brand new class, so it was troublesome to discover a producer that understood the idea. It took me two full years to nail down a producer and get correct samples. I began the model with $10,000, and to today, Nudesox is absolutely bootstrapped with no outdoors funding. Each greenback I ever made went again into the enterprise for it to develop.
I’d DM or e-mail influencers asking in the event that they needed to attempt the model, and it was well-received; many posted themselves sporting the socks on their Instagram tales. Given it was a novel product, a number of publications wrote concerning the firm, which helped unfold the phrase. I studied entrepreneurship on the College of Southern California, the place I discovered tips on how to create succinct pitch decks and shows, in addition to the significance of KPIs and correct enterprise administration. Combining my research with Nudesox actually helped progress the enterprise and launched me to a community of people that nonetheless assist me and the model at the moment.
Are there any free or paid assets which were particularly useful for you in beginning and operating this enterprise?
Once I began Nudesox, I relied closely on connecting with function fashions within the vogue trade. I’d LinkedIn message and e-mail executives at prime vogue and shoe manufacturers to find out about their processes and trajectory. Networking is vital, however there may be an artwork to it. I at all times attempt to discover synergies with folks earlier than I attain out to them to verify the dialog is sensible. When you attain out to folks aimlessly simply to solid a large web, you will not essentially get a lot worth or substance. It is vital to be intentional along with your outreach and present that you simply care and have performed your analysis. I additionally take heed to quite a lot of podcasts. I particularly love NPR’s How I Constructed This with Man Raz. I extremely suggest it to anybody seeking to begin a enterprise or simply for some inspiration.
Associated: This 29-Yr-Previous’s Facet Hustle Introduced Individuals ‘to the Darkish Inexperienced Facet.’ It Made $10,000 Inside 2 Days and Sees 6 Figures a Month.
When you may return in what you are promoting journey and alter one course of or method, what wouldn’t it be, and the way do you want you’d performed it in a different way?
Get your operations down and determine which instruments hold you most organized and supply one of the best move. For instance, I’ve used a number of varieties of software program for creating invoices, and it will get messy when you might have paperwork in other places. Having a centralized database is so vital for record-keeping.
Picture Credit score: Dan Simantov
In terms of this particular enterprise, what’s one thing you’ve got discovered notably difficult and/or shocking that individuals who get into the sort of work needs to be ready for, however probably aren’t?
Once I began Nudesox, I used to be very younger, and there was so much that I did not find out about operating a enterprise and even the best way retailers function. It is tough when you find yourself studying, and when folks know you are within the studying section, oftentimes you will get taken benefit of. It is vital to stroll into each room with confidence and certainty — do your analysis forward of time, however do not essentially share your doubts or questions with simply anybody. Have a choose few folks that you simply actually belief — this is the reason it is vital to have mentors.
Are you able to recall a selected occasion when one thing went very flawed? How did you repair it?
I needed to pull my very first buy order of socks in 2018 as a result of they’d “slip off.” My mistake was that I did not check the product in each circumstance and with completely different sneakers to verify they held up. Greatest mistake! Ever since that second, each new SKU is worn, washed and examined many, many instances with numerous sneakers. I took that first loss and discovered my lesson.
Associated: They Began a Facet Hustle Producing an ‘Apparent’ Meals Merchandise. It Hit $300,000 Month-to-month Income Quick — On Observe for Over $20 Million in 2025.
How lengthy did it take you to see constant month-to-month income? How a lot did the facet hustle earn?
Nudesox is an idea I by no means gave up on, and it simply takes one large “sure” to propel you ahead. That is the facility of 1. We regularly hear about in a single day successes or venture-backed manufacturers making it large shortly. I would argue it is equally as spectacular to pursue one thing for years earlier than it hits — proof that the model has a function and giving up will not be within the equation. Persistence and resilience are two important founder qualities. All through the journey of Nudesox, our retail pop-ups would see 1000’s of {dollars} in weeks, and now the model sees 1000’s of {dollars} in minutes with extra orders and clients. It is all about timing and product-market match.
What does development and income appear to be now?
Nudesox is on monitor to promote over 30,000 pairs of socks this yr throughout all gross sales channels. Having robust partnerships and distribution is vital for scaling. We launched with QVC this yr, and in our first present, we bought over 500 pairs of socks per minute — that is about 9 pairs per second! This was a partnership I had at all times dreamed of as a result of it is a possibility to current the operate of Nudesox visually and share the way it makes getting dressed simpler. Being on dwell TV and demonstrating Nudesox’s effectiveness elevated gross sales and allowed me to attach with clients in actual time. Making a product that individuals put on each day and by no means knew they wanted has boosted the model, particularly now that we now have main distribution. Nudesox sees excessive returning buyer charges and natural phrase of mouth, so we’re enthusiastic about future development.
Picture Credit score: Dan Simantov
How a lot time do you spend engaged on what you are promoting on a day by day, weekly or month-to-month foundation? How do you construction that point; what does a typical day or week of labor appear to be for you?
I work about 75 hours every week, together with my weekends, and I begin each day with an iced matcha! Along with Nudesox, I additionally work for Shopify, serving to manufacturers emigrate and develop on our platform. Throughout the day, you will discover me on the cellphone with retailers all in favour of rising with Shopify’s platform. Throughout the night, you will discover me on the cellphone with my producer discussing margins and retail partnerships. I discover it fulfilling to have a number of issues happening without delay, and the extra on my plate, the extra I get performed. Proper now, I am engaged on scaling Nudesox with extra distribution channels and designing new types. It is at all times been vital for me to search out synergies in my life. I selected to work for Shopify as a result of Nudesox runs on Shopify, and I perceive the platform and the way it’s personally helped me run the enterprise. I like connecting with different enterprise homeowners and being in that world.
What do you take pleasure in most about operating this enterprise?
I like watching every stage of its development and seeing new alternatives come up. Attending to see one thing you’ve got constructed attain new heights over time is rewarding. Working a enterprise is dynamic and continually evolving; there may be by no means a uninteresting second. Excessive highs and low lows, however it makes me so glad seeing the neighborhood of people that love and put on Nudesox day by day. When folks buy socks from our retail pop-ups, I typically see them come again days or perhaps weeks later sporting the Nudesox they purchased. It is at all times such a great feeling to see folks appreciating your product and realizing it is including worth to their lives. It is a private reminder that what I’ve constructed issues.
Associated: ‘Absolute Freedom’: Siblings Behind a Self-Funded 8-Determine Model Reveal 3 Secrets and techniques Aspiring Entrepreneurs Ought to Know About Development and Success
What’s your finest piece of particular, actionable enterprise recommendation?
My finest piece of enterprise recommendation can also be private recommendation. We speak so much about love languages and never sufficient about studying languages. It is pure to think about how we prefer to “obtain” from others, however it’s additionally vital to know tips on how to “give” to your self from inside. Spend high quality time attending to know your self and the way you be taught and take up data. Consider the way you finest work together with folks — is it a selected atmosphere or way of thinking? The place do you discover inspiration, and the way do you cope with powerful conditions? The frequent denominator of all the things we do in life is ourselves, so having that self-awareness is what is going to make you profitable. As soon as you’ve got performed the self-work, deal with fixing actual issues that individuals face. Is the market there? Have a transparent imaginative and prescient on the way you need to execute and present folks you might be keen to offer your all earlier than asking something from them. Lastly, ensure you have an X-factor. What makes what you are promoting stand out, and what makes you the proper particular person for this? That is how I began Nudesox.
This text is a part of our ongoing Younger Entrepreneur® collection highlighting the tales, challenges and triumphs of being a younger enterprise proprietor.
Be a part of prime CEOs, founders and operators on the Degree Up convention to unlock methods for scaling what you are promoting, boosting income and constructing sustainable success.
