A young business with heart and Soule
You’ve heard of the term “Buy One, Get One Free”. But how about “Buy One, Give One”? This is essentially the concept behind Soule, a social enterprise started by three young Singaporeans, Justine Lee, John Tay, and Lim Jingying.
Soule’s business model is a simple one – for every pair of footwear they sell, they donate a pair of shoes to needy children in China. Their vision of providing “A Sole for every Soul” is also where the company derived its name from.
When asked what inspired them to embark on this social venture, Justine replied, “About four years ago, we heard about impoverished children in rural China getting infections on their feet because they could not afford proper shoes.”
“After seeing the situation for myself on a humanitarian trip, I came back to Singapore provoked to do something about it,” he added. And thus, Soule was born.
As noble as the venture was, it wasn’t without its challenges. “Being young and inexperienced, many business people did not take us seriously,” Justine recalled. “We had a hard time looking for a good supplier that was willing to work with us.”
Still, the trio of friends persevered, determined to make their idea a reality. Then in 2008, things started to take a turn for the better.
(L-R) John Tay, Lim Jingying & Justine Lee
At the Mayor’s Imagine Social Entrepreneurship Challenge organised by Central Singapore CDC, they won second place and a $25,000 cash prize to fund their business.
With seed funding and suppliers in place, Soule finally had the legs to run their business. The results were immediate – they sold out their first batch of footwear and donated more than 300 pairs of school shoes to needy children in Lincang, China.
For the founders of Soule, that was just the first of many milestones they hope to achieve as they look to expand their product range and market reach in the coming years.
Starting a social enterprise is never easy whether you’re 16 or 32. But oftentimes, having a strong belief in your business and the desire to succeed can go a long way.
As Justine puts it, “Everyone has the capacity to do something to make the world a better place; all it takes is the determination to finish what you started.”
“It will not be smooth-sailing all the way, but if you persist and believe in your dream, you will see the fruits eventually.”
To learn more about Soule, visit their website at www.soule.com.sg.