For 2016, Forbes released its annual 30 Under 30 lists consisting of 600 up-and-coming entrepreneurs, talents and agents of change in 20 different categories. A University of Mississippi alum, Patrick Woodyard, is among the social entrepreneurs nationally recognized by Forbes.
Woodyard is the cofounder and CEO of Nisolo, an online retailer based in Nashville, Tennessee providing leather shoes and fashion accessories handmade by skilled shoemakers in Trujillo, Peru. Nisolo also sells handmade jewelry from producers in Nairobi, Kenya.
Forbes recognized his company for providing fair wages, English classes and other services to employees in Peru and Kenya as well as having reached significant revenue levels in its latest fiscal year as well as having been sold in all 50 states and over 50 countries.
Patrick Woodyard said, “I’m honored to make the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and am deeply grateful for the recognition of the passion and energy that has been put into building Nisolo. I do wish, however, that this were a team award and not one with my name on it. Roughly translated, Nisolo means ‘not alone’ in Spanish for a reason. I am extremely thankful for everyone who was a part of laying the foundation for Nisolo—those at Ole Miss, my family and friends, and everyone who is currently executing this dream – our team members in Peru, Kenya, and throughout U.S. We’ve come a long way, and there is so much more that can still be done!”
Woodyard’s compassion for the producers in Peru and Kenya sets Nisolo aside from most online fashion retailers. Patrick Woodyard has always been interested in global affairs as evidenced from his double degree in Spanish and international studies from the University of Mississippi. His education came to fruition when he worked for a microfinance company, Sinergia, in Peru where he helped women with low-incomes grow small businesses to help their families.
Woodyard helped a lady with her convenience store when he met her husband, Peruvian shoemaker named Willan Ulloa Sanchez who made beautiful leather men’s shoes. Woodyard found out that, despite the shoes aesthetically competing with high-end brands, Sanchez could not support his family on solely his shoemaking skills in Peru. With that realization, Woodyard decided to connect him and numerous shoemakers to the fashion market in U.S. to empower them as providers to their families.
In October 2011, he along with cofounder Zoe Cleary, launched Nisolo from his parents’ garage in Oxford. Despite this humble beginning, Woodyard was no stranger to hard work thanks to the University of Mississippi.
At the University of Mississippi, Woodyard served as president and founder of Hope for Africa/EDUganda and cofounder of Respect Mississippi (racial reconciliation organization). While a student at both esteemed Croft Institute of International Studies and Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, he worked as Director of Community Service for the UM Associated Student Body as well as vice president and philanthropy chairman for Eta chapter of Sigma Chi.
The University of Mississippi appreciated his work as he received the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College’ Barksdale Award, the Order of Omega Honors Society U of M Community Servant of the Year and Sigma Chi Balfour Award for Exemplary Academics and Service in 2008, UM International Friendship Award for International Service in 2009, and was named to the Ole Miss Hall of Fame and Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities upon graduation in 2010.
His mother, JoAnne Oliver, said, “We are grateful for educators at Ole Miss who taught our children to enjoy learning.”
She quoted Lao Tzu (600 B.C. – 531 B.C.): “Go to the people. Live with them. Learn from them. Start with what they know. Build with what they have, but with the best leaders. When the work is done, the task accomplished, the people will say, ‘We have done it ourselves.’”
With that quote, she succinctly describes her son’s desire to connect skilled workers to stable revenue and plentiful opportunities for education and growth.
As the alum of University of Mississippi, Patrick Woodyard brought the same tireless work ethic to Nisolo. He grew Nisolo from his parents’ garage to a nationally recognized online retailer employing over 50 people.
The shoemakers are not only employed. Nisolo has provided a savings and loan program, inaugural healthcare, training of quality and design and knowledge of outside markets while establishing distribution channels through Nisolo brand.
These shoes are not only sleek, fashionable and comfortable; the consumers could buy these shoes with a rested conscience that these shoes do not come with a hefty price tag of underpaid labor.
These shoes come in men and women styles along with women’s clutches and men’s leather belts. In addition to the leather shoes, handmade brass jewelry from Kenya is also available for order online. Shop Nisolo.com to see various styles and help support hardworking producers in Peru and Kenya.
Callie Daniels Bryant is the senior managing editor at HottyToddy.com. She can be reached at callie.daniels@hottytoddy.com.
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