Hello Cruiserworks Friends!
This Blog is a combination of what has been happening with producing the Cruiserboot here in the USA with just a hint of venting.
Ready for some great news? We are shipping the lasts and dies for the Men's Tour Boot to Wisconsin this week! The Weinbrenner Shoe Company has been both a leading manufacturer and a pioneering force in the American footwear industry since beginning operations in 1892 and they will be producing the Cruiserboots for us! Very nice folks up in Merrill, Wisconsin and we are looking forward to growing Cruiserworks with them. Jay and I are flying up to see this boot go into production in the next 3-4 weeks and once in production we are looking at a 6-8 week delivery. This again is possible because of you the customer and your undying support for Cruiserworks!
AS many of you know our no finances plan has been to move one style boot in production at a time so that is what we are doing. The cost to move one style boot at a time into production is between $15,000 and $20,000. So we will continue to save money to put towards getting another style in production. The order of the boots that go into production is determined by the best sellers. Here is the order: Tour first then Classic, Tall Side Zip, Defender, Lady Rider, Lady Side Zip, Lady Lace and Men's Short Zip. Of course we will move as quickly as we can getting them all in production.
Cruiserworks has been trying to secure a small loan for inventory for all of the 3 years that Jay and I have owned the company with absolutely no success. We have a very sound, very detailed Business Plan and up until 5 months ago had credit scores of over 740. All the banks we have applied with and the Small Business Administration office we have been working with has said our plan is solid and looks really good. So what is the problem? I am at a loss and have no idea why a minority owned company with annual sales of over $450,000 for the last 3 years can not secure a loan for inventory that would be produced right here in the USA. As far as Angel Investors go they get a higher quicker return on their money by investing in technology and medicine. Some want 51% which would be control of the company for a $50,000 investment! That is not going to happen!
Throughout this last year I have on a regular basis contacted my State Representatives,Congressmen, and whoever else in public office that will listen. I have also on a regular basis called the Whitehouse comment line as I did again on Monday July 26th only to be asked by the phone volunteer who answered if I had nothing better to do than to call the Whitehouse comment line! That statement was made with a very condescending arrogant attitude and it hurt my feelings greatly! I am 46 years old and have worked since I was 16 and have never drawn unemployment or been on any government assistance program. How dare he ask me if I have nothing better to do and to use such a tone that was intended to make me feel below him! I tried to get the BUTT HEADS name but he then hung up on me! I called back to complain and as soon as a nice caring sounding lady answered of course like a little girl I busted out crying! Not what I wanted to do because I was MAD AS HELL! I am after all a tough business woman right? Anyway I have my big girl pants back on today and I am once again trying to find some traditional funding for production and calling all the powers that be. I just hung up with the SBA in Charlotte and was told I should have contacted them 7 months ago and here is the kicker, I DID! The small community banks that normally do Micro Loans are not doing them unless you have acceptable collateral (they will not accept the $400,000 worth of boot making equipment we own) because of too much risk. And forget the big banks that the tax payers bailed out so they could hand out big bonuses to themselves because they do not do traditional lending now! What does that even mean that the big banks no longer do traditional loans? It is a BANK for crying out loud!
And please save the emails to me about my veiled political comments and that we must not have a good Business Plan or know what we are doing blah blah blah! It is bad out here people! Nothing will ever be as it used to be and I do not mean this comment to be veiled at all when I say WE NEED 2 or 4 YEAR TERMS so we can get them back to work for the people and out of the lobbyist pockets!
In an effort to get financial backing from somewhere we are trying to get as many commitment to buy boot orders as humanly possible. An impressive list of BO's for boots will go a long way with potential investors or lenders. Some of you have offered to pre pay for boots up front and wait 3-4 months for delivery! What an incredible gesture of support and faith in us that is! See you motorcycle riders really are the best! Please email cutomerservice@cruiserworks.com or cara@cruiserworks.com and show your support by letting us know that you want to be on the USA MADE Boots list!
I just refuse to let Cruiserworks go along with the dream of producing our great product here in the USA. After all during this very bad economy and depressing time we have managed to still be here and get the equipment back state side and on its way to a producer here in the USA! This is thanks to no one but YOU the Cruiserworks Customer for making it possible!
A sincere and heartfelt THANK YOU, to you the Cruiserworks customer for your continued support and help in keeping this great product and country alive!
WE REALLY CAN NOT DO IT WITHOUT YOU!
Cara Crawford
President
Cruiserworks
