Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Lewis.
Hi Victoria, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started my career as an operating room nurse, where I regularly spent 10-12-hour shifts on my feet. Compression socks were something I needed, but I could never find a pair I actually liked wearing. Most were made from synthetic materials that felt hot and irritating, and the designs either felt boring and medical or like an afterthought.
Eventually, I became personally offended by how ugly compression socks were—which sounds dramatic, but it’s true. Women wear them during some of the longest and most demanding days of their lives. Why can’t they be comfortable, functional, AND something you’re actually excited to put on?
That frustration is how Vix was born. I have no background in product development, manufacturing, or e-commerce, so I learned everything as I went, while continuing to work as a nurse (Crazy? Yes. Worth it? Also yes). I spent countless nights researching fabrics, testing samples, obsessing over designs, packing orders, answering customer emails, and figuring out each new challenge as it came. Fake it til you make it has really been my catch phrase the past two years.
What started as a solution to my own frustration has become something much bigger: a brand helping women feel supported, confident, and more like themselves during the longest days of their lives. Nurses were a huge part of our early community, but Vix has also grown among pregnant women, frequent travelers, people managing chronic conditions, and anyone who spends long days on their feet. The most rewarding part has been seeing customers genuinely get excited about a product they once wore only because they had to. I’m still deeply involved in the design and development of every product, and as Vix continues to grow, that original purpose remains at the center of everything we create.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been an easy ride—and I think that’s true of most businesses, even when the outside version looks like everything happened quickly.
I don’t have any experience running a business, so nearly every stage of building the business came with a new learning curve. I was figuring out suppliers, inventory, marketing, fulfillment, cash flow, and customer service—while still working long shifts as a nurse.
One of the hardest parts has been accepting that growth rarely happens in a straight line. There have been delayed shipments, products that needed to be improved, inventory decisions that felt overwhelming (still do), and plenty of moments when I questioned whether I was making the right call. When you care deeply about the product and the people buying it, every setback feels personal.
Time management has also been a challenge, which is why bringing on people who genuinely care about the vision, take real ownership of their work, bring creativity and fresh energy to the business has been so critical. The right people push me to think bigger, hold me accountable, and make me even more excited to launch, innovate, and try new things. Building that team has allowed me to step away from some of the day-to-day details and focus more intentionally on where the company is going. I’ve learned that the right hire does far more than complete a list of tasks—they create better systems, contribute new ideas, and help build a business that can thrive without depending on me for every decision.
I’ve also had to learn that perfectionism can be both a strength and a challenge. I obsess over the details because I want every product to be something our customers genuinely love, but building a company has taught me that you cannot wait until everything feels perfect before moving forward. You have to listen, adapt, improve, and keep going. You also have to be okay with making mistakes and having the ability to see the big picture. I think communication matters more than most people think, and your customers can feel when you are being transparent with them.
Those struggles have shaped Vix just as much as the wins have. They’ve made me a more resilient founder, pushed us to create better products, and reinforced the importance of staying close to our customers. Ultimately, they have helped clarify what kind of brand—and company—I want Vix to become.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Nursing was actually my second career, and I chose it because I wanted my work to feel meaningful and centered around helping people. I was always drawn to the idea of being able to make someone feel safer, more comfortable, or less alone during their most vulnerable moments.
I eventually became an operating room nurse, where I learned how to stay calm under pressure, pay attention to the smallest details, advocate for patients when they can’t advocate for themselves, and work closely with a team. In the operating room, there is very little room for error, and that responsibility shaped the way I approach almost everything in my life and business.
Today, I’m both a nurse and the founder of Vix Socks. In many ways, the two roles are more connected than they may appear. Nursing taught me to listen closely, identify what someone truly needs, and find creative ways to make their experience better. That same mindset is at the center of how I build Vix.
I’m most proud that I’ve created a career rooted in helping women feel cared for. As a nurse, that happens one patient at a time. Through Vix, I’m able to extend that impact to women going through long shifts, pregnancy, travel, chronic health challenges, or simply demanding days on their feet.
I understand our customers because I have lived the problem myself. I’m not approaching compression socks only from a business or fashion perspective. I understand what it feels like to truly need them, and I bring the same level of care, empathy, and attention to detail to our products that I learned to bring to my patients.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
The strongest relationships I’ve built have come from showing genuine interest, consistently engaging, and allowing the connection to develop naturally over time.
Social media has been incredibly valuable for that. I try to be open about what I’m building, share both the successes and the challenges, and genuinely engage with other founders and people in the industry, as well as my customers. That visibility has led to relationships, opportunities, and conversations that likely would not have happened otherwise. Founder and industry events have also been important because there is something powerful about being in a room with people who understand the realities of building a business. I need to be better about going to these honestly, because I think you need to put yourself in rooms where you learn and grow, even if it’s a little uncomfortable. I’m not the most outgoing person, so for me its about seeing the value and opportunities in whatever it is I’m going to. Not to mention, the more you do something, the easier it gets. You have to exercise that muscle.
When it comes to mentorship, I think it is important to seek out people who have already navigated the stage you are trying to reach. Some of the most valuable guidance I’ve received has been around creating systems and building a company that can operate without the founder being involved in every single task. It’s very easy to accidentally create a business that completely depends on you, rather than one that ultimately works for you.
I also don’t believe mentorship always has to come from one official mentor. I’ve learned from fellow founders, industry experts, employees, customers, podcasts, and even brief conversations with people who were generous enough to share their experience. Stay curious, ask thoughtful questions, and look for ways to contribute to the relationship as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://vixsocks.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vixsocks
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Vixsocks
- Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vixsocks
