PLYMOUTH — Michaela Heling isn’t your typical college student.
While navigating a full course load at Lakeland University, she’s also managing her own start-up: Protean Footwear.
“I took an introduction to business class my first semester (at Lakeland University) and it turned into a fictitious business plan which turned into be not fictitious very quickly," Heling laughed.
Lakeland's introduction to business class is led by Stephanie Hoskins. She's been an instructor at the university for two years and is also the Herbert Kohler & Frank Jacobson Chair in Business and Entrepreneurship.
VIDEO: Lakeland University's Michaela Heling creates interchangeable softball cleat
“In my intro to business class, I tasked the students with writing a business plan, and I wanted them to think of an idea for a product, service, or a small business," Hoskins explained.
Heling, who is now a junior, discussed the class project with her father Michael Heling. At their kitchen table, the two came up with the idea of a versatile softball cleat with interchangeable soles.
“I always had to carry three different pairs of cleats with me – turf, metal and molded," the junior recalled.
Different playing surfaces call for different cleats.
Heling played fastpitch softball for 15 years. She carried around three different pairs of cleats to be prepared for any field condition. With Protean Footwear, softball players will only need to carry one pair of shoes.
This idea stood out to Hoksins, who is also an entrepreneur.
“I reached out to her to see how serious she was about the idea and if she would be willing to actually try to bring it to market," Hoskins recalled.
Lakeland University created an internship course for entrepreneurial students, which Heling took the following spring semester.
The junior has since participated in several pitch competitions, placing second in 'The Pitch' for college students at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. She also placed second in the Accelerate Sheboygan County Business Challenge.
Additionally, her interchangeable cleat garnered the interest of 2019 Women's College World Series Champion and former Olympian Rachel Garcia.
“When we had Rachel Garcia reach out to us, she goes I love the idea," Heling shared.
The two have since formed a business relationship and hosted a softball clinic together this past April at Lakeland University. Heling shared they plan to host more in the future.
However, Heling's versatile softball cleat is still in the funding stages. She only has a 3D model and is currently looking for investors.
“It's about $3,000 approximately just for the sample pair, and then we are looking at opening up a Kickstarter pre-sale campaign to raise the money for the first batch which we're estimating about $200,000," she explained.
A number that might be daunting to some, but just like her approach on the softball diamond, she's up for any challenge.
"She's driven," Michael Heling smiled. "When she has an idea, she's not going to give it up easy.”
“I hope to see it in big box stores in the future," Michaela added. "That's kind of the ultimate goal. Seeing professional athletes wear the shoes… It’d be cool to see them wear something that's brand new and female-owned.”
A dream that’s taking steps toward reality.
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