And the next thing I knew, this girl was cleaning my husband’s Nikes at an outlet mall kiosk…

*record scratch*

Yep, that’s me… I bet you’re wondering how I ended up in this situation.

It is customary that my husband and I go on a Friday night date. 

Last week was Barnes & Noble and the Nike store. I know many of you don’t actually know me, but if there were two stores that I could go to on an ideal date night - it would be B&N and Nike. I was riding high.

(I was also due a fiction read, so I got this one.)

As we’re walking towards the door of our final stop, I saw a girl at a kiosk coming to get our attention.

A MALL KIOSK? Keep that hair straightener away from me. If you grab my hand to put lotion on it, I WILL scream.

My gut reaction was to evacuate.

“We have kids to get home to, I’m sorry,” I said. (This was true.)

“It’ll only take 30 seconds!” The girl said. 

“That’s okay! I don’t think we’re interested!” (This was also true.)

“You’re going to love this, there’s nothing to lose!”

Oh she’s persistent, I’m thinking. Okay.

This might would’ve turned me off before I became an entrepreneur, and now I respect it more than just about anything else.

So I started slowing down.

And the next thing I knew, this girl was cleaning my husband’s Nikes outside an outlet mall kiosk…

Mani’s Luxury Cleaning Kit - homemade, small batch, shoe cleaner that works on all materials from suede to leather. 

Mani was the one cleaning my husband’s Nikes on a Friday night at 6pm.

I asked her, “how did you start doing this?”

“About a year and a half ago… I realized I couldn’t stand being told what to do anymore. I wanted to do my own thing.”

I had gone from a skeptic avoiding eye contact, to her biggest fan, all within about 2 minutes. 

We, of course, bought the cleaning kit.

“I knew we were gonna buy whatever she was selling as soon as she started her presentation.”  - if my husband knows anything, it’s me.

It wasn’t a pity buy. I love supporting a woman out there getting it, but that’s not why I really bought either. 

The shoe cleaner was legit AF.

In fact, when we were leaving the store, I saw Mani walking to her car to get more kits from the trunk. She’d sold out. 

What she’s doing is very cool. But it’s what she’s not doing that kept me up that night. 

She’s not curating an aesthetic feed and hoping someone finds her. 

She’s not shouting from the rooftops that her cleaner is the best and then complaining to the group chat when sales are low.

She’s not perfecting her website. 

Matter of fact, I couldn’t even FIND her website to tag for you guys. Sending her to Jade STAT. 

Everyone wants to live their life on their own terms and a fraction of those people are willing to do the things you actually have to do in order to live life on your own terms.

Creating a shoe cleaner? Demonstrating it works by cleaning people’s shoes? Positioning yourself outside a shoe store? At an outlet mall where people are walking around probably wearing tennis shoes? On a Friday night when the wORk dAY is over? Brilliant! 5 stars! I couldn’t wait to tell you guys about this!

Mani inspired me to get out from behind my computer and go where the people are.

Mani inspired me to do whatever it takes to make the dream work.

Mani inspired me to show people I can help them by actually helping them. 

And when you see my shoes looking right, yes you did.

Xo, The Salesgirls