Meet a Sandbox Member: Stephen Chen
December 29th, 2009 by Sara Usinger
Stephen Chen is a financial services professional and the former Vice President of Business Strategy at Bear Stearns where he helped launch BearXplorer™, an award-winning international hedge fund software company. BearXplorer was a macroeconomics analytics platform that helped asset managers quantify the impact of economic shifts on their portfolios. It was named Best Risk Analytics Initiative of the Year by the American Financial Technology Awards in 2006 and Buy Side Innovation of the Year by The Banker in 2007. Stephen on facebook and twitter.
Tell us the story of your latest project / occupation.
I am the cofounder of GreenSoul Shoes, a charitable 100% recycled shoe company. It is a platform built on public-private partnerships that has created a network of local shoemakers, orphanages, and large NGOs to donate one pair of shoes for every pair sold. By identifying local shoemakers in communities of shoeless kids, GreenSoul Shoes is using a market-based restoration model to provide microfinancing opportunities for Third World entrepreneurs while shoeing their community’s youths.
What are you doing and how did you get there?
I have been working with a number of nonprofits and foundations the last decade. As the Executive Director for the Asian/Pacific American Heritage festival, I am used to coordinating large state-wide events. Additionally, I have been inspired by my friends at Orphans International (www.oiww.org) and Alastair Ong (See his story here).
Tell us about the biggest successes and failures in your life. What worked, what didn’t, and what did you learn?
GreenSoul Shoes has the potential to change the most lives. The business model has worked and people have benefited from it on 3 continents. Things that have worked include working with local populations and our partnerships with local shoemakers. These have really worked to our advantage and we build “social capital.” Things that have not worked include our originally packaging which came apart in our initial shipment and adhesives that could not withstand the wear & tear of transport!
What do you want to achieve in the next week, the next year, the next 10 years?
I want to map out a retail strategy targeting large clothing manufacturers for GreenSoul Shoes in the next week, have 3 large retailers by next year and have shoed in excess of 1 million children and consumers in the next 10 years.
What was your most inspiring moment during the last two weeks?
Talking to a young Vietnamese man about helping his family by selling bricks made from compacted mud.
How could other Sandboxers and the outside world support you and why would that be exciting for them?
Introductions to retail establishments that have an interest in artisan-made products. It would be exciting for them as they help to write a chapter in our adventure to shoe 1 million children in 5 years!
Stephen’s favourites:
Place on earth- Lantau Peak, Hong Kong
Travel destination last year- Phnom Peng, Cambodia
Food- Vietnamese
Quote- “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.”
