Sheri Schmelzer is the founder, president, and chief design officer of a multi-million dollar company that produces Croc charms called Jibbitz. She started the business in her basement by hand-making charms to personalize her daughter's Crocs shoes. Through local marketing and launching a website, demand grew and the business expanded into a manufacturing warehouse. After selling over 9 million Jibbitz, Schmelzer sold the business to Crocs for $20 million, proving that success can come from unexpected ideas and moments.

1. Sheri Schmelzer: Founder, President, and
Chief Design Officer
of
By Patricia McTiernan
Honors Econ Period 4

2. Sheri Schmelzer
• Mother of three
• Made millions
creating
accessories
for her daughter’s
Croc shoes
• Is now president and Chief Design Officer of a multi-
million dollar Croc Charm industry

3. Basement Business
• Started with an idea and a
• Small workspace in her
BASEMENT where she
worked painstakingly to
produce as many charms as
possible

4. Marketing
• Began locally marketing
the charms to family
members and friends
• Spread to local stores
• Launched a website
that was marketed by the local
stores that sold her Jibbitz and
internet ads

5. Genius Jibbitz
• Easy to mass produce
(Schmelzer eventually moved
her business from her basement
to a manufacturing warehouse)
•Each Jibbitz sells for $2.50 a piece.
•Each Croc shoe can hold up to 12 charms
•That’s up to $60.00 in Jibbitz per each pair
of Croc shoes.

6. Problems Encountered
• Product was in high
demand and Schmelzer
eventually had to hire
employees to keep up
•Went through 9
prototypes before finally
developing a product that
didn’t break

7. Serious Success
• Came when her daughter ran into the FOUNDER of
Crocs, Duke Hansen
A little over a year later she sold her
business for $20million to the Croc
company
And is the current President
and Chief Design Officer

8. Importance?
• Schmelzer proves that even in this day
success can come from unexpected ideas
and moments in our lives

9. Work Cited
• "Couple make $10 million on Crocs craze - Small business- msnbc.com."
Breaking News, Weather, Business, Health, Entertainment, Sports, Politics,
Travel, Science, Technology, Local, US & World News- msnbc.com. Web. 22
Feb. 2010. <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15121346/>.
• "Giznews.com: Jibbitz Launches Accessory Line to Personalize Crocs."
Giznews.com: Gizmos, gadgets, and great electronics...Get Gizzed! Web. 07
Feb. 2010.
<http://www.giznews.com/archives/jibbitz_launches_accessory_line_to_pers
onalize_crocs.php>.
• "Jibbitz� Launches Accessory Line to Personalize Crocs ; Both Kids and
Adults Can Create Their Own Style by Adding Snap-On Flowers, Stones,
Peace Signs, Words and Designs in the Holes of the Clogs | Business Wire |
Find Articles at BNET." Find Articles at BNET | News Articles, Magazine
Back Issues & Reference Articles on All Topics. Web. 07 Feb. 2010.
<http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2005_August_10/ai_n14875
604/>.
• "Little Jibbitz, big pay off - The Denver Post." Home - The Denver Post.
Web. 07 Feb. 2010. <http://www.denverpost.com/ci_4442705>.

10. Work Cited Continued…
• "Sheri Schmelzer | Starting a Business and Growing your Company,
Ladies Who Launch." Women Entrepreneurs: Resources for Women in
Business & Networking Organizations. Web. 22 Feb. 2010.
<http://www.ladieswholaunch.com/magazine/f-sheri-schmeltzer/39>.
• "Sheri Schmelzer: Accidental Entrepreneur | Your America | Reader's
Digest." Jokes, Cartoons, Food, Health, Sweepstakes, Word Power |
Reader's Digest Magazine Articles. Web. 22 Feb. 2010.
<http://www.rd.com/your-america-inspiring-people-and-stories/sheri-
schmelzer-accidental-entrepreneur/article79750.html>.
• "Snappy Jibbitz stylizer charms buyers of Crocs | Boulder County
Business Report." Business news, analysis, data and statistics for
Boulder and Broomfield counties in Colorado -- Boulder County
Business Report. Web. 22 Feb. 2010.
<http://www.bcbr.com/article.asp?id=91764>.
• "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURING ... - Patent Search."
Google. Web. 07 Feb. 2010.
<http://www.google.com/patents?hl=en&lr=&vid=USPATAPP117376
49&id=hsCoAAAAEBAJ&oi=fnd&dq=jibbitz&printsec=abstract#v
=onepage&q=jibbitz&f=false>.