Welcome to our weekly column, Reset. Written by Karen Taylor Bass, this column, published each Tuesday, is about life lessons learned and mastered mentally, spiritually, and physically and how they contribute to a successful life and career.
Krista Barnett, a Black-Iranian mom, wife, CEO and plus-size inventor, has invented an item that makes you scratch your head and wonder why it hadn’t been there all along: The Boot Band, which expands the width of tall boots for larger calves. Modestly priced between $55 and $90, the Boot Band has made an impression with mentions in O, The Oprah magazine, Woman’s Day, a spotlight on the nationally syndicated show, The Doctors, Newsday and The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch.
Barnett’s true reset moment came during a visit to the mall for some retail therapy. Though she was unsuccessful in finding a boot to zip over her “ample” calves, The Boot Band was born. “For many women, not being able to make a purchase can compromise spirit, value, and posture. I had a divine inspiration from God and created the prototype for The Boot Band in 2007. Life is about trusting and receiving. With the Boot Band, women, can wear the boots they choose and re-define their power while being trendy,” says Barnett.
According to a study conducted at the W. P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University by associate professor Naomi Mandel states, “We found that overweight consumers demonstrated lower self-esteem – and therefore probably less enthusiasm about buying products.”
Barnett knows firsthand that many women are not a size six. And, like her, many women are curvaceous and sexy and still want to wear the latest fashions. She realized that the options for purchasing tall boots, a fall and winter staple, were limited for those who had large calves.
The response to The Boot Band has been through the roof with the product’s website tallying an impressive 300,000-plus hits after launching. Barnett, emotional and with pride, declares, “The feedback has been heartfelt and women have expressed their deepest gratitude for this product because their frustration is over. The Boot Band has allowed many to feel normal and included.”
Eager to offer The Boot Band to these underserved consumers, Barnett states, “I began designing and developing a product that would enable women to walk into any store and purchase boots right off the shelves and bolster their self-image instantaneously. No longer will women who have large calves feel excluded from mainstream fashion.”
With a 19-inch calf, Barnett now owns a closet full of designer boots, ranging from Christian Louboutin, Prada, Coach, Michael Kors, Nine West, Payless and Juicy Couture. So not only is The Boot Band filling a need in the marketplace, it’s filling a need in its inventor’s closet.
Krista Barnett’s Reset: Just because the product doesn’t exist doesn’t mean it shouldn’t. Women and mothers are the best inventors because we create out of love, not just need.
And a Reset bonus, click here for tips from Barnett about how to get your small business off the ground.
Karen Taylor Bass is a best-selling author, PR Expert and understands that life only gets better when you press RESET. Follow her @thebrandnewmom.
