Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to another S.L.G. Mira, your host, Alvaro. Now, who does the like shoes, right? So we're going to learn the luxury of walking in style with the one and only Tomás O'Mellani.
He's the CEO and founder of Stefan O'Vemmer, which is a bespoke shoemaker based in Florida, in France, in since 1983. So it's going to be an interesting story on all the elements that it takes to bring on the most incredible shoes and what it brings to the luxury space. What's happening with the last one? How are you?
I'm good over. How are you? Very good, I yourself? I'm better.
It's the end of the day and I've only been back in Florence for like 24 hours. So the first 24 hours are always challenging. The jet like price everyone is trying to get my feedback on something because I've been going so long. So the first day we'll literally say that being pulled by their sleeve, that's exactly what happens on a first day back in time.
Oh my God, listen, I appreciate you being with us today. I know that it's a little bit late over there. I love your background, by the way. It's very elegant.
It goes along with the bread. That's home. Exactly. They're very nice.
Hey, I was making a quick intro about yourself. CEO and founder of Stefano Bimmer, amazing business bulk shoemaker company based in France since 1983. There is a whole history behind the brand. A lot of people, everybody I know, they all love shoes.
So we had a previous guest with us that was giving an excellent story about the shoes. And now we have you, which we want to learn about your story and what it takes to bring the uniqueness to the shoemaker industry. I know I'm not a shoemaker myself. I got it in the industry by by courtesy of Stefano Bimmer that created the brand, the experience, the quality of his own shoes.
So I am a guest here as much as you are. I've learned, of course, about shoemaking in the meantime. So I can give an insight of what it is. But I think what we've done in the last, Jesus has been eight years already.
So what we've done in the last eight years is thanks to my experience as a consumer first. I try to implement and enhance that experience that I had as a client well before being a shoemaker. So I really brought to the table the best of my insight as what the client should be looking for or is actually looking for. Not just in terms of quality, which I tried from entirely for granted, thanks to my craftsmen, but in terms of experience of what I thought should be included in every line.
So when I first met Stefano and we first discussed partnering, the idea was I would really love to make this available to clients like me that are still like, I'm ready to wear shoes or make to order shoes and segments. I'm not cheap either. But at the same time, they're not. We spoke.
So that's what we did. We created a bespoke quality and quality of the experience on the main to order and segment of the market. Eight years ago, as far as I know, was really advanced as an idea. Nowadays, thanks to...
You've taken it even farther. Now you even offer training. You have bespoke you making trainings, which I believe that it really creates the engagement between those that are efficient at us or potential clients to really be feeling and living your brand. You're talking to myself about something very interesting, which is how to really leverage to increase exposure and gain new customers.
Now, I know that there's been a lot of things going on in the last couple of years, especially more recently. How have you adapted to that? Because you grabbed an amazing product and concept and turned it into a very successful business. That nowadays is expanding even farther and farther through the reach of media.
So how has been for you technology when it comes to marketing your product and services? It's been a very interesting relationship so far. I am learning, as we speak, about technology. And I'm adapting the tool to a very conservative old-school craft, which is Shumake and Crow.
I think the better impact that technology had on the segment, not just on us. The second is that we are all as a league of quality shumakers, let's put it this way, a tool to spread the knowledge, the style, the nuances of shumaking, and to really educate consumers in a very specific way, which is now this simple advertisement that you could put on on a page. So that's been a blessing. The other thing that I've learned is that because of this growing knowledge about what's behind the product, what's quality of the product about, we are more and more receiving and interacting with clients that are very well-established.
They are very well aware of what they're shopping for, they're very opinionated of what they like and what they don't. Hence, they end up spending higher money in which is good news for me and being an entrepreneur. They end up spending more money, but because they see more value. There is a story behind the brand and I like to have always this as a reference because when we do this SLG Meetups, it's all about the inspiration, the story behind a successful brand and behind the whole concept.
And when we have Tomasso in this case yourself here talking about the brand, it really brings the inspiration on the concepts that you have put into creation. Now, there is one thing that I like to ask all the time for guests and you definitely have worked on super amazing product with the most high-defined, high-level individuals, so they know what they want, they're very well-educated. So the whole concept of luxury has something that you've been living and breathing. So what is really luxury to you?
Well, I'm very opinionated by luxury, which I don't make, I don't match with pricing. Luxury is something that is rare, very rare, that it's hard to accomplish. It must be hard to accomplish on both sides of the end, like hard for the consumer to get it, hard for the maker to realize it, to make it happen. And it's practiced and refined through time with a nameless aim for perfection, which doesn't really exist but guides you in one direction.
So true luxury is really an ambition, in my opinion. It's more than what you can buy, it's what you can aspire to. I always give the best example. A glass of sparkling, freezing sparkling water in the desert is true luxury.
It doesn't cost a thing to make, but it's rare. It's there and there has a lot of value. So a way to look at luxury for me has always been how do you make something that is scarce, available to a broader audience, and how do you remain loyal to the proposition of quality and loyal to the value of the brand without cutting corners, because many have been tempted to cut some corners. Exactly.
Unfortunately, we see that, yes. But it's exactly what you mentioned in there, and I love the definition of luxury that you provided. So this is amazing. Now, there is one thing I wanted to ask you as well, because we like to bring up some more personal elements into the conversation, because obviously you are a very positive, hardworking man that have brought a lot of value when it comes to the shoemaking industry.
What are some of the, I guess, personal routines that have helped you maintain this rhythm on Keep Growing? You know what they say, right? Find something you love and you'll never work a single day in your life. I recently had a different interview, and after disclosing what the Stefano-Bemoric venture had been for me, which was like a 15-minute description of what it had been in eight years, then she asked me, so what are your passions?
I was like, I just say that, and then I realized she was asking my personal passions, like, oh, you mean cyclical, you're lying, so that secret is Ben, I enjoy what I do. I really love it. For me, there's a component of pride to see an idea that gets recognized, appreciated, accepted, validated, and that's priceless, and as a fact, I'm always patching ideas. That's really what makes me tick.
That's great. I do appreciate what you're mentioning here, because I believe that a lot of people right now, they're looking into new ways to kind of keep themselves afloat with all the changes that were experiencing. When you focus on really what you're passionate about, it makes your day flow in a different way, in a more positive way. It's always updated.
It's funny, it's like things that you were so opinionated and keen on two years ago, they're not exactly the same nowadays. Following the passion is also letting it express in a very modern and contemporary way. Last year, of course, the last 12 months have been affecting everyone, me included. I find myself slightly changing from who I was a year ago, to a different kind of person that's still in love with the same things, but is looking at the world in a more positive way, in many ways.
I was able to recenter and appreciate some things, like the pleasure of small things in life, which when you're busy, you take for granted or you overlook. Even in my work routine, I went back to enjoying the adventures of their prize, because that's what it is. It can be only good news every day, because otherwise you get used to it. It's a challenge.
And for some of us, it's been very bad. I hope that we all get through it even more solid than before. But I think for us, it's been humbling lesson, because we're still thanks to all of you. We have loyal clients, we've been doing well, knocking on wood or touching iron as we say.
It makes me realize that life is made of ups and downs. And a business is a living creature that follows. It's not an entity. It's really a living creature.
It's made of craftsmen. It's made of clients. It's made of ideas. I love this.
If it wasn't for the tragic events around us, I think it's been an experience for many of us that we should find lessons to learn in this as well. Amazing, Tomasso. Thank you very much. Is there any other takeaways or anything that you would like to share before we wrap this up?
Try to know it later. I'm not sure. Well, my and I am a non-technological media person, but my appreciation goes to you and the work that you do, because without this effort that you're putting, some of us, as included, will be more isolated in our comfort zone. It takes a little bit of expanding your space of possibilities.
It's what I invite everyone to do, especially in Minecraft, because I know so many incredible shoemakers that are stuck to shoemaking. They don't really get out of the little routine that made them famous, and now it's time to really break it. Well, thank you very much, Tomasso. Please, everybody.
That said, you will not see me dancing. I'll take a talk, everyone. Not yet. Never say never.
I mean, and I mentioned this to you previously, and I think it's a good idea to always bring something fun when it comes to content. Do it in some dancing with issues, and alternate it actively, something to work up. I do appreciate your time. Thank you so much.
Everyone, please make sure to follow their page. They do a phenomenal job. If you have questions, please reach out directly to Tomasso. It's an amazing guy.
Thank you very much. Whether you're in New York, Italy, or give me up. Hopefully, my name is on my list. It's been a long winter, and I'm looking forward to some of the options, my name is on the list.
on the list. If you're in New York, I'm there most of the time. So please, ring the bell. Thank you, Tomah.
Have a good evening. Thank you everybody for tuning in. Bye-bye. And thanks again for everybody tuning in today.
We hope you enjoyed it. And remember, embrace its beautiful success in life. My name is Alvaro and I'll see you next time.