Logo with the number 53 and the word Holding underneath.

Building S3 Through a Three-Stream Business Model

At S3 Holding LLC, I helped build the business from the ground up by developing and presenting a clear three-pronged strategy designed to create market relevance, commercial traction, and scalable growth. As Senior Vice President of Design, I led a team of four designers and helped shape a multi-brand model that drove approximately $3M in first-year sales. My role extended beyond product direction. I helped define how the business should be structured, how the brands should show up in the market, and how product could be used strategically to support growth across multiple opportunities.

Overview

At S3 Holding LLC, I helped build the business by developing and presenting a strategic model centered on three interconnected revenue streams. The objective was to create a more stable and scalable company by balancing owned brands, licensed brands, and private label partnerships. As Senior Vice President of Design, I led a team of four designers and helped translate that strategy into product and brand opportunities that drove approximately $3M in first-year sales

A collage of various brand logos with labels. Top left: 'Vintage Foundry Co.' with 'NYC Est. 2014,' on a black background. Bottom left: a green label with a white geometric logo and 'HYBRID GREEN LABEL.' Top right: 'ALFANI' in white on a black background, 'KOHL'S' in purple with 'PRIVATE LABEL,' and 'UNIONBAY' in red with a registered trademark symbol. Bottom right: an illustration of a bunny skull with pink ears, 'Psycho Bunny' written around it. Labels beneath sections: 'HOUSE BRANDS,' 'LICENSED BRANDS.'

Challenge

The business needed more than product. It needed a structure for growth. Relying on one brand or one sales channel would have limited flexibility and increased risk. The challenge was to build a business model that could generate revenue in multiple ways while also creating long-term brand value and commercial traction.

My Role

As Senior Vice President of Design, I led a four-person design team and played a key role in shaping both product direction and the broader strategic framework for the business. My contribution went beyond footwear design. I developed and presented a three-pronged approach to build the company through a balanced brand architecture and complementary revenue streams.

Close-up of a white sneaker with gold eyelets and bunny logo detail on the toe box.
A close-up of a vintage, weathered leather box with embossed and riveted decorative details, placed on a wooden surface.
A pair of pink and brown sneakers with black laces on a wooden table, with other sneakers in the background. Text at the top reads '(capsule) ABOVE THE TREE LINE'. Additional text at the bottom provides event details for the Sands Convention Center, Venetian Ballroom, Las Vegas, NV, February 16-18, 2023, and a website link.

The Strategy

I built the business model around three revenue streams designed to work off of one another:

Owned House Brands

I helped create two internal brands with distinct positioning:

  • Vintage Foundry Co.: men’s & women’s sneakers, boots, and shoes with distressed, premium styling aimed at a consumer aligned with brands such as AllSaints, Free People, Premiata White, and John Varvatos

  • Hybrid Green Label: an outdoor-inspired, vegan-friendly brand using animal-free synthetics and fabrics, with recycled outsoles, laces, and boxes

These brands gave the business proprietary brand equity and differentiated market positioning.

Licensed Brands

To add recognizable brand names and create easier entry into the market, we worked with two licensed brands:

  • Union Bay

  • Psycho Bunny

This allowed us to build footwear programs around brands with existing awareness and commercial potential.

Private Label Retail Partnerships

We also leveraged our relationships with major retailers to build a substantial private label footwear business for:

  • Macy’s

  • Kohl’s

This gave the company a meaningful volume-driven revenue stream and stronger retailer integration.

What I Led

  • Developed and presented the three-stream business strategy

  • Helped define the architecture across house brands, licensed brands, and private label

  • Led a four-person design team across multiple brand and channel opportunities

  • Built product direction tailored to each brand and revenue stream

  • Connected design, commercial thinking, and retailer opportunity into one growth framework

Business Impact

  • Helped build the business to approximately $3M in first-year sales

  • Created a diversified model with three complementary revenue streams

  • Established proprietary brand value through owned brands

  • Accelerated market opportunity through licensed partnerships

  • Built meaningful private label business with Macy’s and Kohl’s

Executive Takeaway

This case study demonstrates my ability to build more than product. It shows how I think strategically about brand architecture, revenue diversification, retailer opportunity, and team leadership to help create a scalable footwear business.

A page from a shoe catalog displaying various black and brown men's shoes and boots, including styles named Bullet 500, Dapper Rat, Bonneville, Panta, Le Mans, and Fireball, with prices ranging from $295 to $395, part of the Fall Winter Collection 20
Red sneakers with gold embroidery of a rabbit and a skateboard, white soles, lace-up design.
A stylish woman standing with one hand in her pocket and a man sitting on steps outdoors. The woman wears a white blazer, dark hat, and dark pants. The man wears glasses, a light-colored hat, a dark jacket, and jeans with rolled-up cuffs.
A pair of worn blue and gray athletic shoes on a wooden table. In the background, a cluttered table holds jars, tins, and a small copper teapot. Further back, people sit on benches in a crowded indoor space with colorful circular-patterned carpet.
A wooden table with a bag of shoes, a bowl of instant ramen noodles, and two bananas.
Pair of white high-top sneakers with gold eyelets and white laces
A collection of men's shoes displayed on a wooden surface, including casual sneakers and formal leather shoes in different styles and colors.
Person's feet wearing hiking boots with patches of olive green fabric, rolled-up jeans, and patterned socks on a sunny surface.