Today I am kicking off a new series for Skipping Girl called ‘Meet A Maker’. This is a chance to meet and support female lead Australian businesses; women who are kicking goals and bringing amazing innovation to our world.
What I love about small business owners is how much they genuinely LOVE what they do. Meet The Maker brings you the faces behind some of Australia’s most innovative and interesting businesses…how great is that?! We are kicking off this series with Marie Lewis, co-founder of Australian brand Synxsole.
Marie (right) with co-founder and uni bestie, Rachael Ferguson (left)
When I first heard about Synxsole I was immediately curious. I’ve had plantar fasciitis for a few years now and in the past year have started to get serious about treating it (yeah, I know, it took me a while!) I cannot overstate the difference that taking care of my feet has made!
Everyone walk’s with their feet rolled slightly in or out, and it only takes a small change in circumstance to lead to serious foot problems. For me, it was being 18 weeks pregnant with my third child, on holiday in New York City and walking the length of Manhattan for three solid weeks in unsupportive shoes. In hindsight, the shoe situation should definitely have been a bigger priority (however given that I had to write ‘pants’ on my hand as a packing reminder the week before we left says that headspace was pretty limited at the time)! Meanwhile FIVE YEARS later I am still dealing with the implications.
So yeah, headspace.
Back to Synxsole. Synxsole are orthotics that everyone can wear. If you have or need orthotics then you can take them to a podiatrist to have altered to suit you needs. At $44.95 a pair, this is a much cheaper option than a traditional orthotic. They are also a better option than other off the shelf orthotics as they don’t come with any pre-support- this means that they can be adjusted to your needs, not generic ones. AND of course(!) the best part is that they can be worn with most shoes so your ‘shoedrobe’ just got a whole lot bigger!
For those of you lucky ducks with no specific foot problems, wearing Synxsole is a preventative measure. They are comfortable and supportive and will help you to avoid developing significant (and expensive) foot problems! Slim and lightweight and can be worn with most shoes.
I bought a pair for myself and my daughter (as I’d noticed that she rolls her feet in when she walks) and then Marie kindly sent a couple of extra pairs for the boys in the family to try. My hubby grabbed a pair and put them in his shoes before I’d even said anything about them! At the end of his first day wearing them I asked him how they went and he said this…
“I didn’t really feel any different wearing them but I think they must have been making a difference because at the end of the day my feet were less sore and my shoes were more comfortable.”
I was a bit slower off the mark with getting my Synxsole sorted as I already wear Bared and Radical Yes shoes, both of which come with inbuilt arch support. When I went to get mine, I discovered that hubby had already taken my pair and was using them in another pair of his shoes. Now, I don’t know about your hubby, but in my household, this is a massive statement!
As for the kids, they have all been really happy to have them in their shoes with my older two declaring them to make their shoes ‘MUCH more comfortable’ and ‘100% more comfy!’ I’ll be getting another pair for my daughter so she’s not having to switch them between shoes all the time, and a pair for myself (which I might have to hide from my hubby – ha!)
So how have the Synxsole founders managed to pull off such a feat – a successful business, a Shark Tank success and making a positive impact on the lives of thousands of Australians?
Well firstly, they have each other. Having met on their first day of university Rachel and Marie have travelled together on the road of podiatry then business and motherhood. So many entrepreneurs find the journey can be lonely so Marie and Rachael are so fortunate to have been able to do this together!
I asked Marie for her best piece of ‘working motherhood’ advice and she said….
Is “buy a coffee machine” too cheeky?! 
Seriously, I would say make sure you designate family, kids and husband time in your schedule. It’s so easy to get busy and not have enough time. In my personal opinion, and what I have learnt, is that family success whilst building up a business is more important than work. Business success with your family happy and supportive by your side is the most incredible, rewarding and awesome experience you’ll have!
My personal belief: Success is measured by your success with your family. Not money. Almost anyone can make money. Very few can do it with a happy family by their side. 
I love this! It’s so true, of course being financially successful in business is important – it’s business and not a hobby, but having the perspective of family first is huge and can totally redefine the way we see success.
Life and business change massively once kids are in the picture so I asked Marie how her work life had changed through this season….
It’s certainly busier! With little kids, you really do feel tired a lot of the time. There are lots of deadlines and endless late nights but it’s very rewarding as we get to work from home more. Motherhood is awesome as it has forced me to become extremely organised and work more efficiently. Everything is more concise and to the point 
Isn’t that the truth?! Want something done, ask a Mum!
The Synxsole team are a wonderful example of the incredible talent, hard work and dedication being shown by thousands of female entrepreneurs in this country and I can’t wait to see what they do next!
You can find out more about Synxsole and order a pair for yourself or like me, the whole family on the Synxsole Website.
