From Tennessee to Germany: Our First International Sale

The day I made my first international sale, I had two thoughts. First, someone in Germany just paid real money for my shoes. Second, I have absolutely no idea how to ship to Germany.

This was one of those moments where you realize you’re playing a bigger game than you thought. One day you’re grinding, trying to get people in your own city to notice what you’re building. The next, your brand is crossing oceans.

The Panic Phase

When the order came in, I stared at the screen like it was a glitch. I actually refreshed the page three times.

At first, I thought maybe I had accidentally done something wrong without realizing it. Nope. Someone in Germany actually wanted our accessible Zipped Brands shoes.

The problem? I had never shipped anything outside the country before. I had no system for this. No process. No idea what I was doing.

But I did what any business owner does when they have no clue. I opened Google and typed, “How do you ship to Germany?”

The Packaging Drama

Here’s the thing about sending a pair of shoes across the Atlantic: you want them to look good. This wasn’t just a sale to me. So, I spent an embarrassingly long time obsessing over the packaging. Should I include a handwritten note? Maybe throw in some Tennessee flair?

At one point, I even considered adding a mini Jack Daniel’s keychain for a touch of local charm, but then remembered international shipping laws are no joke. So, I settled for a heartfelt thank-you card.

The Waiting Game

Here’s the thing no one tells you about shipping internationally. Once the package leaves your hands, it enters a black hole of anxiety.

For the next two weeks, I checked the tracking number like a psycho. Days went by with no updates. Then one morning, I saw it. The package had landed in Germany.

And then... nothing.

Another five days of silence. My brain started running through worst-case scenarios. Maybe the package got lost. Maybe it got sent back. Maybe it got confiscated because I didn't write something correctly on the form, and some German customs officer thought I was smuggling rare animal parts.

Then, finally, I got the notification.

Delivered.

The Moment That Hit Me

I remember staring at the tracking, feeling like I had just unlocked a new level in life. My shoes had officially made it to another country.

That hit me.

Because this was never just about selling shoes. It was about solving a problem. Making life better for people who had felt ignored by the industry. Proving that accessibility doesn’t have to be ugly or inconvenient.

That first international sale wasn’t just a sale. It was proof. Proof that this thing I’m building has no borders.

And that’s when I knew.

Zipped Brands was going global.