Business Spotlight: Shoe-Biz - Businesspeople take shine to locally owned shoeshine service

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Susan Snider wasn't sure what direction her career would take when she left her job as a receptionist in 1988. She just knew she didn't want to work in an office anymore. |ret||ret||tab|

Snider, who was living in Dallas, was in search of a new career when one of her neighbors told her about Denise Pullen, who owned a shoeshine business called Classic Shine. Snider interviewed with Pullen, and was hired on the spot.|ret||ret||tab|

Pullen assigned Snider to work at one of her permanent shoeshine stands, which was located in the lobby of a high-rise office building in downtown Dallas. Snider worked there for four years, and then her boss made her an offer.|ret||ret||tab|

"Denise got into the tradeshow and convention industry," said Snider. "She told me I could start going to these conventions, so that's what I did. I spent the next eight years traveling everywhere."|ret||ret||tab|

Snider, who relocated to Nixa in 1993, said the tradeshow and convention business proved to be quite lucrative. Exhibitors would pay a fixed amount to set up a shoeshine stand in their display booth. The exhibitor then would offer passersby a chance to get off their feet and enjoy a free professional shoeshine. While their shoes were getting shined, a sales representatives would describe the company's products and services.|ret||ret||tab|

"It was really cost-effective for these companies to bring us in because it got people to stop at their booths," said Snider. "Once the person got up there, and I started shining their shoes, the sales rep had a captive audience."|ret||ret||tab|

By 2000, traveling had lost its charm. Snider was tired of living out of a suitcase, and she wanted to spend more time with her daughter. So, she started her own shoeshine company called Shoe-Biz.|ret||ret||tab|

Snider used the knowledge she had acquired while working for Pullen and applied it to her new business. To get her name out, she joined the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce and set up a shoeshine booth at the chamber's "Business After Hours" networking functions. |ret||ret||tab|

She also joined the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, which allowed her to see what tradeshows and conventions were coming to Springfield, and she established relationships with several hotels in Branson, which hosted large business groups. |ret||ret||tab|

Recently, Snider began working with her friend Amy Cox who owns Pressed and Delivered of Springfield. Cox travels to area offices and picks up and delivers business professionals' laundry, dry cleaning and shoes. Snider also works with Village Cleaners of Springfield, which offers shoeshine services to its customers.|ret||ret||tab|

In addition, Snider works special events and has a permanent shoeshine stand at the Springfield Livestock Marketing Center, which she operates two days a week. |ret||ret||tab|

"I work with several companies who have me come in once a month to shine shoes," she said. "It boosts morale and helps the company because sales reps and other business professionals need to project a certain image."|ret||ret||tab|

Snider said she's worked hard to promote Shoe-Biz during the past two years. Still, she feels marketing presents the greatest challenge to her as a small-business owner.|ret||ret||tab|

"I don't enjoy marketing," she said. "You have to keep going back to the same people and just be persistent. For a long time, I just felt like I was bugging people, but you just have to get over that if you want your business to succeed."|ret||ret||tab|

Currently, Snider is making plans to expand Shoe-Biz by setting up shoeshine stands at tradeshows and conventions held in Kansas City, St. Louis and other large cities in the region. She also is hoping that Springfield will build a new convention center. |ret||ret||tab|

"Springfield needs a new convention center," she said. "When that happens, I want the shoeshine stand that's located right in the middle of the expo area."|ret||ret||tab|

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