If you missed the first interview then CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT. Last time we spoke with Gary, there were a bunch of questions that couldn’t be answered (since his episode on Shark Tank hadn’t aired yet). Here is the update:
DeFY. Hey Gary, congrats on your deal with Daymond! What has life been like post the airing of your episode on Shark Tank?
Gary: We have had hundreds of inquires and hundreds of people wanting to purchase REMYXX sneakers all with fantastic comments and words of support. Currently we are at over 1100 fans on our Facebook page and we are well on our way to meeting our $39,697 goal by June 25 (which happens to be my wife’s birthday) on kickstarter.
DeFY: Daymond know’s the fashion industry very well, how has partnering with him helped you?
Gary: First, Daymond has shown me he is an all around great guy with a genuine interest in people, and willingness to help however it best fits. Aside from the day when I hope to sign on the dotted line to officially partner-up with Daymond, he has been an amazing advisor, resource, and strategist that is available and open to listen. In many conversations, it was more like he was a college professor that we hypothesized and problem solved to reach the best solution looking at short-term and long-term goals. Additionally the communications I had with the team at Shark Branding (Daymond’s company) and the MBA students in the program he runs at Babson College was invaluable. Ultimately, I am very lucky to have Daymond in my corner however it unfolds tomorrow, in the near future, or eventually down the road.
DeFY: So, what exactly happened with the deal we saw on TV?
Gary: What wound up happening with the offer of $50,000 for 80 percent after the show, Daymond made it clear he did not want to steal my company and emphasized that when the time comes for any contract negotiations it will be for a deal that is fair and appropriate for the both of us. Instead, together we put strategies in place for me to get off the ground. So, now with my pre-order sales campaign that I launched on Kickstarter the night of Shark Tank, as I hit my $40,000 goal, I am psyched to show that REMYXX is in fact a viable product and brand with real consumer interest.
DeFY: Have any retailers like Urban Outfitters expressed interest in carrying the brand?
Gary: I have had conversations with Nordstrom, Zappos, Journey’s, and a few others but nothing is firm on the table, yet. And I am working on others like Urban Outfitters, plus the independent shoe shops for the first time now.
DeFY: I see a bunch of colorways on your site, which shoes are available for purchase through kickstarter?
Gary: The first launch designs include 4 colors, the message in black/white, a washed blue/white, a checked pink/white and a retro white/black. And now, in our talk here, due to the positive response and secured funding and by request, I am adding what is known as the REMXX Signature Green edition. It has been one of the favorites all along but the cost is a bit higher so I was holding back until now.
DeFY: What sizes are they available in?
Gary: Sizes available are youth 4 through size 12 men’s. There are no half sizes right now, but if you wear an 11.5 we recommend you go a half size up to the 12. Also, the shoes run a little on the wider side not tight and narrow.
DeFY: When everyone wants to recycle their shoes where will they be able to send them?
As I stated on Shark Tank, the best way to recycle REMYXX, at the end of their wearing-cycle, is to mail them back to me that I can guarantee they will remain the only Landfill-free Sneakers in the marketplace. As a closed-loop system, it is what I call true honest recyclability. Instructions will be written on the box and on the website for easy understanding. Oh yeah, and consumers will receive a $5.00 credit on their next purchase for sending them back. Also let me add here, while REMYXX are technically proven lab certified 100% recyclable that they could be placed in your curbside recycling bin, collection agencies and processers do not know what REMYXX is capable of, they will only see it as another sneaker. Understandably, it is going to take time to educate the recycling plants to recognize REMYXX cool sneakers 100% recyclable.
DeFY: Last point I see here on Kickstarter, REMYXX has partnered with Soles4Souls to donate shoes to people in need, tell me about that?
Gary: Obviously in my efforts to be more than just another sneaker, in that I want to be a brand that represents design, fashion, awareness, and sustainability, I want my consumers to look good, do good, and feel good in all ways REMYXX. With Soles4Souls program to donate shoes to people in need, it was the perfect add-on for another way REMYXX can giveback relating to footwear and my launch. On Kickstarter, people can choose rewards that 1, 5, 10, or 60 pairs of shoes will be donated with their pre-order pledge. Soles4Souls is a fantastic organization that I expect REMYXX will be able to do more in the years to come.
A special thanks to Gary for the work he has done here in delivering a sneaker like no other. It is a sneaker innovation that can be appreciated by designers, fashionistas, sneaker-heads, the green community, and entrepreneurs alike. Be sure to support REMYXX on Kickstarter (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/691761471/remyxx-cool-sneakers-100-recyclable) before June 25, and follow Gary and REMYXX on Facebook and Twitter.