UA alumnus Marcus Gibson had a business idea spark after playing an interactive game of selling shoes in his GBA 490 class during the last semester of his senior year in 2015.

After Gibson’s time at the University, he decided to follow his love for shoes alongside his day job, but he wanted to create something much more than just a shoe company. Having suffered after his best friend died by suicide his senior year, Gibson and his partner, UA alumna Beca Gibson, have been in the process of developing W.M. Gibson, an online-based shoe company that is currently working to eventually partner with American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).

The company plans to donate a portion of profits to its mission as Gibson said the issue hits very close to home for him.

Gibson said W.M. Gibson is a company that strives to bring the best out of people and to be a symbol of the team’s passions, goals and determination. The company believes there is a better way to provide quality shoes at an affordable price, especially after one gets out of school. Its mission is to “create the world’s best dress and casual shoes, at the best price” and is targeting people in their 20s.

“The other side of the desire to help people is that we are driven to build this company, not to fill our personal bank accounts, but by the impact we can make via creating jobs, supporting organizations like AFSP and giving back to the communities that have shaped us, i.e. UA,” Gibson said. “There were so many people who came before us at UA that enabled us to grow and learn on campus, either through scholarships, programs or facilities. That is our long-term goal. That is the first derivative of our why.”

Clark Conway, a senior majoring in civil engineering and entrepreneurship, said the overall appearance of the shoes is consistent with what one would find at a Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus retailer, but he was much more impressed with W.M. Gibson’s philanthropic efforts.

“For someone who has struggled with depression, it’s extremely comforting to know that there are people in the business world concerned with more than just profits,” Conway said.

The W.M. Gibson online website offers three luxury pairs of men’s shoes for sale, but Gibson said the goal is to include a few more styles and one day expand to women’s shoes, too.

Brian Montavon, instructor of marketing at the University, said that he thinks it’s great that graduate students are starting their own businesses, as they’re in a great environment to do so.

“I think there are a lot of opportunities within our university,” Montavon said. “Students are learning all the material, the theory behind starting a business, and they also have a lot of resources around them. The approach I think is great that they’re focusing on a certain type of appealing product and connecting it to a good cause.”

Gibson said his advice for current students thinking about pursuing entrepreneurship is to “just do it,” even if it means starting small. He admitted starting W.M. Gibson was not his first business idea. He put together a ride-sharing idea before Uber was huge during his time at the University and never launched it.

“You just need to start,” Gibson said. “That’s the hardest part. The best way to test your product is to actually put it out there.”

The team is currently working with AFSP, and W.M. Gibson has plans to have a dedicated page to the AFSP on its website.

“I’m excited to see what more Marcus will be able to offer to customers as his business grows, and see just how large of an impact he is able to have on our social environment as well,” Conway said.