Patty Baker is the president of Shoe Roads Productions, a traveling shoe show division created in 2002 that generates funds for hospital auxiliaries by selling footwear to medical professionals. Patty is a lifelong footwear fashionista who also serves as vice president of sister company Laurie’s Shoes – her family’s fourth-generation owned and operated store founded in 1951 – which carries more than 60,000 pairs of children and adult brands plus a variety of accessories. Her motto for success mirrors the immortal words of Marilyn Monroe: “Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.”

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I have lived in St. Louis, Missouri all my life. After graduating from Washington University in St. Louis with a BA in Psychology, I started working at a local women’s clothing store while attending school for my master’s degree in social work. I enjoyed the world of fashion so much that I stepped back from completing my degree and stepped into my family’s shoe business. I joined Laurie’s Shoes in 1979 as a manager of our main location…and I never looked back. I became vice president of the company in 1983 after my dad passed away and later created Shoe Roads Productions in 2002. 

What inspired you to start your business?

I grew up in a family that made their livelihood from footwear. Together my grandfather and my parents founded Laurie’s Shoes in 1951. Today my brothers and I run the company with my son, so it’s truly a family affair. 

Once when my oldest son was hospitalized, I looked around at all the doctors and nurses who took care of him but didn’t have the time to take care of themselves. Their footwear was awful! I realized that busy hospital staff have little time to shop for comfortable, quality shoes. I wanted to become involved in a way to solve this situation plus give back to the hospital. That was the spark that kindled how Shoe Roads Productions was created.  

Where is your business based?

Shoe Roads Productions is headquartered in St. Louis and currently serves hospitals in eight Midwestern states: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Kentucky. 

How did you start your business? What were your first steps?

I started very slowly, taking baby steps from the very beginning by cold calling hospitals and personally telling them about my plan. I didn’t want to immediately purchase a truck to transport our inventory because I thought we should prove ourselves before investing in this new opportunity. In the beginning, we rented vehicles. Then our business took off quickly and adapted to the changes, eventually purchasing equipment when it became productive to do so.

At first, we didn’t even buy shoes for Shoe Roads Productions. We basically took cases of product from sister company Laurie’s Shoes to see how we would perform at hospitals. Starting from scratch is scary, but we knew our customer service and brand reputation would open the doors. I’m proud to say we were an immediate success because the hospitals recognized our value and ultimately engaged in our services.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

I work closely with the Director of Volunteer Services, who typically handle the hospital’s fund-raising efforts. Their goal is to raise money for the hospital’s specific needs – such as mammography machines or lung cancer devices – that they may not have the funds to purchase. That’s where Shoe Roads Productions comes in. 

A portion of all in-person and virtual sales by medical employees and their families serve as a year-round fundraiser to subsidize the hospital’s chosen philanthropies and equipment needs. We offer this timesaving, on-site shoe shopping at nearly 150 Midwestern hospitals. Last year I am proud to say that we donated a total of approximately $108,000 to the hospitals we partner with.

Since creating Shoe Roads Productions nearly 20 years ago, our word-of-mouth audience has done an excellent job of sharing our organization’s story. Throughout the last few years, we started targeting larger corporations that want the shopping convenience we offer and the professional service we provide for their employees. It’s their decision to either pass our discount on to their employees or donate the money to their favorite nonprofit.  

I’m proud that Shoe Roads Productions shares the same brand promise of my family’s Laurie’s Shoes: we both put customer service on a pedestal alongside quality products, which translates to a loyal customer base who are our biggest ambassadors. Our entire organization – including sister company Birkenstock & More founded in 2006 – shares the philanthropic pursuit of giving back to the community and to our customers. 

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

Physically bringing the product into hospitals for their shoe shows is our biggest challenge. We now have a 26’ trailer and truck that we load up with our most popular shoes and shoe display racks. It takes our team at least two hours to set up our show that we advertise in advance within the hospital and the community. We create an actual – not a virtual – shoe store at their site. It’s interesting to note that we have found our best sales results happen at smaller hospitals in small towns. Their support is impressive!

Since we can’t have every shoe and every size at these traveling shoe shows, we ship our products for free and can special order for our customers. The best part: each purchase is deducted directly out of their salary through the hospital’s payroll. It’s an appealing perk that hospital employees benefit from and enjoy. 

How do you stay focused?

I’m a very motivated person. I always want to do better and go bigger in terms of more hospitals and customers. Managing Shoe Roads Productions while staying in tune with Laurie’s Shoes takes a lot of time and energy, but it’s who I am…and it’s all I know. 

One other thing: I’m extremely lucky to be happily married for the past 32 years. My husband is my soul mate who has been by my side and totally gets me. He is my backbone and the reason I have remained so successful throughout the years. When our children were growing up, we split chores, child-rearing, and household duties right down the middle. Now that he is retired, he takes care of our home, making dinner for us every single night. He treats me like a queen and allows me to focus my energies on growing Shoe Roads Productions.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

Years ago, Shoe Roads Productions focused on the typical hospital work shoes by Alegria, Dansko, and Klogs. Today’s work shoes are more athletic, meaning they’re more comfortable and not as stiff as shoes of the past, so there is a bigger selection available for our customers. Our 70-year history in the footwear industry helps us stand out from big-box chain stores that offer no guidance or expertise about the correct fit. Another difference: we provide shoe options from only the best product lines. 

I believe COVID-19 is part of the reason for the shift of becoming more casual since now more staff spend increased hours on their feet, which requires the most comfortable footwear. We offer a wide variety of shoe lines compared to our competitors…plus we offer a seamless experience where employees save time and hospitals benefit from this philanthropic partnership.

Shoe Roads Productions now sells over 200 brands of quality shoes – including UGG boots and Birkenstock sandals – and hospital workers can deduct their purchases from their job’s payroll. Based upon our reputation and our product accessibility, we keep expanding to suit our customers’ needs. We even carry a large selection of accessories and socks from brands like Vera Bradley. Our business model continues to evolve and acclimate to the current trends thanks to our seven decades of footwear background.

When it comes to ensuring the finest fit possible, both Shoe Roads Productions and Laurie’s Shoes use a Brannock device to find a customer’s exact measurement and the perfect shoe that promotes proper support, comfort, and growth. The benefit of having your feet measured and trying on a shoe is what makes our companies the best place to find shoes for the entire family. Purchasing shoes online can be costly and time-consuming since every brand and style fits differently. A misfit shoe can cause major foot problems, which is why our in-person method is much safer and more effective.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Networking. I became involved in learning how a hospital’s volunteer services and auxiliaries work to create benefits for their organizations through fund-raising efforts. Phone calls, emails, and attending their meetings and conferences helped me learn how to offer our services to them. Word of mouth interactions among these groups has given our business a big boost. The top reason we are so successful: our customer service is exceptional, and people love to share their experiences with their friends and family via social media.

Shoe Roads Productions utilizes Laurie’s model, which has remained the same for the past 70 years. Our skilled sales team, including certified Pedorthists, measure each customer’s feet to determine the best shoe based upon various factors including walking tendencies, arch attributes, foot length, and width. Our staff is extremely knowledgeable in terms of the latest footwear technology, fashion trends, and Pedorthic insight.

What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Know that you will have to put your heart and soul into any business to be successful. Never leave it up to anyone else to run your company because you ultimately know the most about your business.

What’s your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

I don’t really have specific favorites, but I do like to read a lot of self-help books because I can always learn more and perform better. 

What’s your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

I’m just starting to embrace LinkedIn, and I love it. I have connected with so many people throughout the U.S. with this very engaging platform. I also rely on Google Calendar and Google Sheets, which enable my team to effectively communicate on an ongoing basis.

Who is your business role model? Why?

My dad was – and is – my role model and my mentor. He worked hard every minute of the day, no matter how he physically felt. He gave me and my family a wonderful life while simultaneously never taking his eyes off our Laurie’s stores. 

How do you balance work and life?

This is a daily struggle for me. I have two grown children and three grandchildren, and I truly enjoy the time we spend together. I think about work 24/7 so, when I go on vacation, I can’t go lay on a beach because then I think about our companies too much. Instead, I opt for Disney World. It’s the only place I can vacation where my mind is entirely off work because I’m so entertained.  

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

I enjoy running—so far, I have participated in eight half and one full marathon—and I now take boxing classes. Both help me relax, and I feel rejuvenated afterward. 

What do you have planned for the next six months?

I plan to increase Shoe Roads Productions’ sales by expanding my hospital clientele in additional states. I also will focus on connecting with more corporations to bring our traveling shoe show to their employees. I’m excited about 2022 and all that it offers.

How can our readers connect with you?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patty-baker-27387a19/

https://www.shoeroadsproductions.com/

https://www.lauriesshoes.com/

https://www.birkenstockstl.com/