Roaming eyewear store visits customers at work

Rather than wait for customers to come to her, Wink Eyewear‘s Michele Bayle takes her entire eyewear ‘store’ to their workplace. Toting a collection of four hundred frames, Bayle offers personal consultations to find a flattering fit. The visits aren’t just about convenience; they also allow customers to get feedback from friends and coworkers, helping them pick a pair of glasses that everyone will approve of. Much like the mobile restaurants and small food delivery companies we’ve been featuring, Wink Eyewear offers its founder a clear advantage: the opportunity to start a business without investing in a retail location. By keeping things mobile, fledgling entrepreneurs can avoid overhead costs that can make a new business hard to sustain. Traveling salespeople are hardly new, of course, but were generally part of larger organizations. By contrast, the current entrants are small independents making the most of a new infrastructure: portable payment solutions, mobile broadband, shared workspaces and the low-cost marketing power of social media. Whether it’s to keep costs low, try out a business for size or work around jobs and families, there’s no doubt that this model can work for other aspiring entrepreneurs, especially if the outcome offers customers added convenience and personal service. One to consider! (Related: Doctor 2.0 uses IM and sticks to house calls.) Contact: 206-676-2624 Spotted by: Andrea Ballard