Editor’s note: This article was first published in August 2010. The figures it cites are from 2010: annual turnover of 1.5 million euros “and still rising”, about 20% of profits spent on advertising, and shoe prices of 80-260 euros.
Business ideas are everywhere; we just have to keep our eyes open. Just ask Andrés Ferreras. Twenty years ago he was told that one of his legs was 1.8 centimeters shorter than the other. The difference gave him a slight limp, which had a simple fix: a 1.8 cm wedge in one of his shoes. After that, Andrés saw the potential for a million-euro business.
Mr. Ferreras reasoned that if a 1.8 cm wedge discreetly added to the heel of a shoe could correct a problem with his foot, he could also design shoes with wedges of up to 7 cm to make a man taller.
He weighed all the drawbacks. Getting the word out about this kind of business was going to be hard, and many men would feel shy or embarrassed to be seen going into a shop like this. It’s a bit like cheating to look taller.
Andrés Ferreras designed the shoes so that no one could tell the extra height was artificial, and launched Masaltos.com. His shop stands out for its discretion, with tinted windows to protect customers’ privacy.
Masaltos.com was a success from the start and became a go-to shop for celebrities in Spain and parts of France.
Andrés Ferreras invests roughly 20% of his profits in advertising and expanded his business through the internet, receiving orders from the United States, South America, France, Italy and elsewhere. Today it’s a benchmark in its specialty and design: a small business with an annual turnover of 1.5 million euros, and still growing.
The shoes cost between €80 and €260, and the product’s biggest advantage is that it instantly turns someone of average or short height into a tall person.
Congratulations on such a great business idea.
Further reading
- The entrepreneur’s mindset, according to Donald Trump
- Business ideas: services for other companies
- Business ideas in leisure and tourism
- Business ideas related to clothing
- How to be a successful entrepreneur
Featured image: Adam Kowalski, Public domain, via Flickr.
