A lot of people wander through life waiting for their purpose to find them.
Martin Roth went out and grabbed his.
Roth, international trade and finance senior, went from loose plans to go to law school to becoming an entrepreneur and the self-titled “vice president of just about everything,” of Feelgoodz, a company that makes flip-flops.
The New Orleans-based Feelgoodz is a sandal company with a twist. The shoes, according to Roth, are made of compressed all-natural rubber from Thailand, an idea owner Kyle Berner got on a trip in December 2007.
All of Feelgoodz flip-flops are made for a fair wage in Thailand and are biodegradable within five years, Roth said.
Roth said Feelgoodz works with UniquEco, a company that provides people in poverty in other countries with jobs recycling old, worn-out flip-flops and making them into little statues, handbags and bowls.
“If we’re making money, why not give back?” Roth said.
Roth got involved in 2009, when he saw an article about Feelgoodz and Berner on NOLA.com. He did something he said was totally out of character for him — he got involved.
“I just e-mailed and asked if there was anything I could do to help,” Roth said.
Before long, Roth was on a trip across the Southwest, promoting Feelgoodz in Whole Foods stores, which had just picked up the shoes for a trial run, Roth said.
“I was studying to go to law school, and all of a sudden, I’m in the nitty gritty of this experience with the founder of the company,” Roth said.
Roth said he found himself, still a college student, going to meetings with important people and trying to help get a company off the ground.
“I don’t want to sound cheesy, but it’s like following your dream,” Roth said.
Now Feelgoodz flip-flops are sold seasonally “in over 120 Whole Foods stores as far as Portland, Ore., and about 70 mom-and-pop stores nationwide,” as well as online, Roth said.
While the product has expanded its availability, consumers are not likely to see Feelgoodz billboards or television commercials any time soon, Roth said.
Because of a limited marketing budget, Feelgoodz has to focus mainly on social networking and word-of-mouth, which Roth called “guerrilla marketing.”
“That’s what we rely on. We know we have a superior product, and people will go out and tell their friends about it,” Roth said.
As someone who was never sure what he wanted to do and found it, Roth has advice for other students.
“If you don’t want to work a nine-to-five, don’t,” Roth said. “Find something you’re passionate about and take a leap. After that leap, everything will fall into place.”
 
 
 
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Contact Frederick Holl at [email protected]