Creating An Empire Out Of Flipping Shoes; Alex Sky Huang’s Success Story
When Alex Sky Huang attended his first sneaker convention in 2016, the then-8th grader did not know he was about to stumble on a profitable business opportunity that would earn him a loyal customer base and more than 400 positive reviews on his Instagram page alone.
Alex Sky Huang is the Founder and Owner of 954Sold, a brand named after the South Florida area code he grew up in, serving Broward County. 954Sold is a lifestyle reselling brand that helps customers purchase limited edition, sold-out and rare sneakers and clothing that cannot be purchased from retailers.
So how has a teenager been able to juggle his academic responsibilities with building a successful online brand?
The Inspiration to Begin
Alex Sky Huang has always been inspired to have his own independent thing and make money.
“In seventh grade, I was introduced to the realm of hyped sneakers and was fascinated by the look and styles of the various shoes,” He shares. “When I asked my parents to buy me a pair they suggested I find a way to make my own spending money. I was too young to get hired at any nearby businesses, but I used my holiday and birthday savings to purchase two pairs of gently used sneakers I thought were really stylish and unique.”
In 2016, Alex got the opportunity to attend his first sneaker convention. As he wandered among the booths, he got into a conversation with a reseller. She noticed Alex had a pair of sneakers in his hands and asked him how much he would take for the shoes. Alex had only owned the shoes for a few months, wearing them to two basketball games. So, he asked her for a little below the original retail price and she paid for them on the spot.
Later, as the convention wound down, Alex ran into her again. He discovered she had resold his sneakers for $50 more than she paid for them. This was the lightbulb moment for Alex. He realized people of all ages could make a decent profit for reselling sneakers. Thus, 954Sold was born.
Facing Challenges
Immediately Alex came up with his brand idea, he started to spread the buzz online. Soon, customer orders started to troop in. Despite the challenge of not having his own car, Alex takes customer order fulfillment very seriously. When clients buy from 954Sold, they are guaranteed their shoes will ship out within 2 business days. For Alex, upholding that promise has involved countless seven-mile bike trips to the nearest USPS. However, this dedication has helped him build a loyal and engaged customer base.
In the sneaker reselling business, you must always be on the lookout for sharks looking to sell fake and counterfeit merchandise. In Alex’s years of reselling, he has been scammed a handful of times, from paying for products that turned out to be fake, to paying suppliers who never delivered. However, all these setbacks did not deter him. He persisted and became well-versed in authenticating products.
“The most traumatizing experience I’ve had in this business was when I was robbed at gunpoint for a few thousand dollars worth of shoes during a meet-up with a celebrity buyer at his rented vacation house, “ Alex says. “The case remains under review with investigators but the scary occurrence reminded me of why my parents always made me promise to only arrange business meetups in public places… to avoid situations like that one! Fortunately, I’m good at learning from my mistakes and using these lessons to further improve myself and my business.”
Beyond external challenges and experiences, Alex’s personal organization skills were also put to the test. He had to learn on the job, and develop his own system to keep track of inventory, profit, and sales.
Building An Empire
Alex Sky Huang credits his success to his ability to stay disciplined, persevere through personal hardships and financial dents, and create and maintain business relationships.
Although many might think he is still very young, Alex takes his business very seriously.
“My business has been my passion since its inception, but I’ve always had to juggle it with my student-related responsibilities, including maintaining a stellar GPA, along with participation in sports, clubs, and volunteer service.”
Knowing the importance of community service, Alex has created several ways to incorporate 954Sold’s platform to implement various service projects over the years, including shoe/clothing donations to local homeless people, donating a portion of profits to purchase food for homeless meals, and most recently organizing groups to sew cloth masks for those in need due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Becoming A Role Model
Alex’s passion to succeed stems from his craving to always over-perform and beat his own records. This is a habit worthy of emulation, for anyone who is looking to succeed in life.
“My best advice is to pursue your interests and goals, whether that be financial or intrinsic goals,” he shares. “I also think that researching and asking others who work in the area you want to grow in is important. Those people can tell you about problems they have run into and how they have handled them, allowing you to learn from their mistakes.”
You can connect with him on:
Instagram: 954Sold
Website: 954Sold.co
