Mary Yashan Gui didn’t start her career in fashion. She immigrated from China to the United States at age seven and grew up with traditional expectations to pursue a stable profession (think business, medicine, or law). Following this path, she attended business school and earned a marketing degree, then spent five years working at a large advertising agency. The corporate work—often promoting unexciting products like arthritis medications—left her feeling unfulfilled. Seeking a more creative outlet, Mary quit her advertising job and became a fashion blogger and influencer, turning her lifelong love of style into an online brand. As an influencer, she developed skills in photography, styling outfits, and collaborating with brands—experience that would later help her build her own business.
One signature of Mary’s personal style was pairing socks with sandals and heels. This quirky fashion habit garnered attention on her Instagram and became part of her identity. Over time, she noticed a gap in the market: there were few options for socks that were both elegant and affordable. At the time, consumers could only choose between bland, cheaply made socks with tacky patterns or high-end designer socks that cost $30–40 a pair. Sensing an opportunity, Mary decided to create the kind of socks she wanted to wear. Her idea was to make “funky yet elegant”socks with whimsical prints and quality materials, but at an accessible price point. In essence, she set out to treat socks as a fashion centerpiece rather than an afterthought.
Mary officially launched her sock brand, Sock Candy, in August 2020. Based in Los Angeles, Sock Candy started as a direct-to-consumer online shop, with Mary initially offering a small collection of sock designs. She put a lot of effort into branding from day one – coming up with a catchy name, a playful logo, and a vibrant aesthetic that reflected her love of whimsical prints and bold colors. The very first styles included sheer nylon socks with bright embroidery and fun motifs, alongside a few cotton styles. Early customers were drawn to these unique designs, especially the sheer socks with intricate patterns that weren’t common elsewhere.
Importantly, Mary chose to bootstrap the business. Rather than seek venture capital or outside investors, she used her own savings (plus a little family help) to fund Sock Candy’s startup costs. This lean approach meant Mary had to wear many hats in the company’s early days. She personally managed everything from designing or curating the sock patterns to building the website and even running marketing campaigns. In fact, Mary taught herself to run paid online ads to promote Sock Candy, since hiring a full marketing team wasn’t in the budget. Her strategy was to start small, test the market, and reinvest earnings back into growth – a classic bootstrap method.
- 2020: Launched Sock Candy in Los Angeles and generated approximately $80,000 in sales in the first year. Mary was essentially a one-woman show at the start, handling design, marketing, and fulfillment on her own.
- 2021–2022: Gained traction through social media and word of mouth. Sock Candy’s funky designs started getting press attention in fashion outlets like Vogue and Allure. The brand even caught the eye of pop star Katy Perry – Sock Candy collaborated with Perry’s shoe company on a special promotion (socks were included as a gift-with-purchase for her footwear line). These collaborations helped expose the young company to a wider audience.
- 2023: Reached about $720,000 in total sales by the end of year three. Sock Candy was featured in The New York Times, which highlighted the trend of statement socks in fashion. The business expanded beyond its website, with Sock Candy socks now sold in select Urban Outfitters stores and listed on Macys.com’s marketplace.. Mary also got an unexpected celebrity endorsement when Chrissy Teigen purchased a pair of the sheer socks and organically posted about them on Instagram, giving the brand a significant publicity boost.
- 2024: Approached the $1 million mark in cumulative sales. Mary continued to run the company with a very small team and no outside funding. By this point Sock Candy had over 60 different SKUs (styles) and a loyal customer base of fashion-forward sock enthusiasts. The brand appeared in various gift guides and media (from Rolling Stone to Cosmopolitan), further cementing its reputation in the quirky fashion space.
- 2025: Made a primetime TV debut on ABC’s Shark Tank. Mary Gui pitched Sock Candy on the April 11, 2025 episode of Shark Tank.
Throughout this growth, Mary has remained at the helm, ensuring the brand stays true to its identity. Notably, she achieved these milestones without venture capital. Sock Candy is still entirely founder-owned and bootstrapped, and Mary runs a lean team to keep operations efficient. As of 2023, the company had just three people (Mary as CEO, plus one full-time and one part-time employee) handling everything from order fulfillment to social media.. Additional help comes from freelancers for tasks like design and photography, but there’s no sprawling corporate structure – it’s a tight-knit operation. This hands-on approach has allowed Mary to maintain quality and brand consistency while scaling up gradually.
Sock Candy’s appearance on Shark Tank in April 2025 is the latest chapter in the company’s story. Mary’s pitch on national television marks the culmination of nearly five years of building her business from scratch. The Shark Tank opportunity could open new doors – whether through an investment deal or simply the surge of customer interest that often follows an episode’s airing.
Beyond the TV spotlight, Mary Gui continues to focus on expanding Sock Candy’s reach. The brand has grown from a niche Instagram idea into a recognizable name in the fashion accessories niche, all while avoiding hyperbole and sticking to a straightforward mission: making fun, stylish socks that let people express themselves. It’s a direct reflection of Mary’s own journey – from leaving a safe corporate job to turning a personal fashion quirk into a thriving small business. With a strong foundation and a wave of new exposure, Sock Candy is well-positioned for whatever comes next, be it new product lines, more retail partnerships, or simply delighting a growing community of sock-loving customers.
Throughout it all, Mary Gui’s role has been pivotal. She’s not only the founder but the driving force behind product design, branding, and strategy. Her story demonstrates how a clear vision and steady execution can take a humble idea (in this case, sheer embroidered socks) and grow it into a sustainable business. In an industry dominated by big players, Sock Candy’s success so far shows that a passionate entrepreneur can still carve out a unique niche – one pair of candy-colored socks at a time.
