5 Things I learnt About Business From Watching Kinky Boots

This week I went to see the musical show Kinky Boots, an amateur production presented by Phoenix Theatre Company Doncaster.

A great show (see it if you can it is on till Saturday) full of energy, great sets, great costumes and great songs.
It also makes you think about life and dealing with grief, relationships, work and all the different types of people you meet in the world who are all going through their own problems, some at the same time as you and some people are at different stages and want different things.

The show is based around Charlie who inherits the family’s shoe making business and how he manages to turn around the failing business and also find himself at the same time.

Whilst watching Kinky Boots things about the business world jumped out at me and these are the 5 things I learnt about business from watching Kinky Boots. We all need to at least think about them, if not implement them to be successful like Charlie:-

1) Have a niche
Charlie is the fourth-generation son running the family business of men’s shoes. This shows they have a niche that needs supplying.

This as well as his new girlfriend is celebrated in the song “The most beautiful Thing”.

2) Find out what your customer wants
Charlie in discussions with Lola who is a Transvestite finds trouble getting suitable boots.

This is celebrated in the song “The sex is in the heal”

3) Be able to pivot if their wants are different to your products.
The shoe factory is not doing well and it’s last remaining client has cancelled its order for men’s shoes. Charlie sees the opportunity in supplying Lola and her friends and changes to production from shoe to knee high boots.

This is celebrated in the song “Land of Lola”

4) Have a USP
Charlie devises a boot with a heal that can support a man’s weight.

This is celebrated in the song “Charlie’s Soliloquy”/”Step One”.

5) Accept Someone For who They Are
The show focuses on the message of get to know yourself first and accept who you are which then makes it easier to accept other people and their strengths and weaknesses.

This is celebrated in the song “Raise You Up/Just Be”

Do you have a niche?, Do your products/service match the need of your clients?

What do you need to do to be more like Charlie?