Stepping up for a purpose: New footwear line benefits charitable effort

Oct 09, 2008 (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- CROX | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Green Bay businesswoman Michelle Juza knows how to kick-start her new business. She's launching her Okobos Footwear line with a music festival on Saturday at the Resch Center in her hometown with the likes of Death Cab for Cutie, Ben Harper, Jewel and Ben Folds.

But we've already reported the music part (www.jsonline.com/796736). The Resch Center show starts at 6 p.m. but is preceded by a performance (with separate tickets) by Jesse McCartney and Ralph's World starting at 3:30 p.m. at ShopKo Hall, next to the Resch Center.

This is about Juza's shoe line, which launches at www.okobos.comaround the same time as the concert.

The line was inspired by three things: a downturn in the economy in 2006, Bono's charitable work with The Gap and Crocs. Juza explains that, during a meeting with their accountant, Juza and her developer husband, Tom, were told they needed to cut back on their charitable giving.

"It was a very difficult fact for me to accept," Juza said.

About the same time, Bono was launching his "red" campaign with The Gap and Juza started noticing the comfortable Croc shoes everywhere. She decided on a line of shoes she called Okobos.

"I didn't wake up one morning and say, 'Today's the day I'm going to start a shoe company.' I put the intention out there," she said. "I really want to find a way that generates enough money that we can share the profits to benefit the common good."

Okobos is a for-profit company, but it gives $10 from every purchase of shoes to the Okobos Foundation, which benefits charitable organizations including the MAANK Project to build the Musical Arts Academy of Narobi, Kenya, which supports the Girls Choir, Boys Choir and Children's Choir of Kenya; and the Friends of Nutre Hogar, a Panama Service Project.

Other shoes will be branded specifically for a charity, and for those, $15 more will go directly to the organization, Juza said.

Right now, the Web site features sandals in its inventory. Juza said the shoes are made in China and have leather upper components, leather suede, and outsole rubber and gum rubber. They'll sell for about $95, competitive with Clarks, a brand noted for quality and comfort.

Juza, who shares a blended family of six children with her husband, says having a houseful "prepared us for the long haul of a start-up company."

"In a funny way, the shoes became the vehicle -- advancing forward, taking steps toward a positive goal," Juza said.

The couple's 4-year-old daughter came up with the tagline for the kids' shoes: "Be a Messenger." Women's shoes carry the tagline: "Walk with Purpose." Men's shoes project: "Stand for a Reason."

The Juzas are working with Milwaukee native and former Virgin Records executive Ty Morse on the project. The Boys Choir of Kenya provide the Okobos jingle.

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