Business of HYPE: Allbird’s Tim Brown Entrepreneurship | Startup Allbirds’ Co-Founder tells us how he went from professional soccer to building a billion-dollar company.
Business of Hype: Alexandra Hackett Studio ALCH’s Alex Hackett Believes Good Design Transcends Language. Also known as Mini Swoosh, the designer details fashion’s sustainability crisis and the importance to innovate with recycled materials.
Claima Stories with Bimma: Purvi Patel : Reebok – Senior Manager, Partnership Strategy How Purvi Patel grew up in a traditional Indian household with expectations of her becoming a doctor to sidestepping that path creating a career as a top marketer in the athletic and outdoor industry, working with some of the biggest names on Youtube and TikTok.
Where We Grow From Here: Justin McKibben Justin McKibben, industry consultant and the Director of Business Development at Melmarc, joins us on this episode to discuss all things industry. But not just the industry in terms of business as usual — the industry in terms of today.
Business of HYPE: Andy Fallshaw Bellroy's Andy Fallshaw on Creating a Product That Serves Purpose and Community
Claima Stories with Bimma: James Hesse : Heskicks – YouTuber / Sneaker Influencer We learn how James Hesse of Heskicks went from barely being able to afford lunch as a kid to generating over 130 million views on YouTube from his sneaker review videos.
Business of HYPE: Hommyo Hidefumi atmos’s founder details the importance of a strong human connection behind a profitable retail experience.
Claima Stories with Bimma: Portia Blunt : New Balance – Director of Apparel Operations This show was recorded during Claima Stories Live, an interview series we hosted through Zoom in an effort to uplifts spirits and offer hope to job seekers of color during the Coronavirus pandemic, we learn how Portia Blunt went from growing up in Copenhagen, Puerto Rico, Japan, and Brussels to leading a team in creating the first New Balance Black History Month Collection.
Claima Stories with Bimma: Jazerai Allen-Lord : True to Size – Co-founder This show was recorded during Claima Stories Live, an interview series we hosted through Zoom in an effort to uplifts spirits and offer hope to job seekers of color during the Coronavirus pandemic, we learn how Jazerai went from making $10 per article writing about sneakers to releasing her own sneaker with heritage sportswear brand, Reebok.
Business of HYPE: Sébastien Kopp Veja's Sébastien Kopp Calls for Transparency and Ecological Balance in Fashion. The co-founder of the popular sneaker brand details his “small solution” to normalizing sustainability.
The Ecommerce Playbook: Stop Running Small Tests There’s big business opportunities in front of you if you stop with the small stuff. How big? Well, let’s just put it this way: our brand Slick Products had one of it’s highest revenue days ever this past weekend… … and on today’s episode we’ll tell you exactly how we did it.
Claima Stories with Bimma: Bryce Wong : Nike SB – Footwear Designer This show was recorded during Claima Stories Live, an interview series we hosted through Zoom in an effort to uplifts spirits and offer hope to job seekers of color during the Coronavirus pandemic, how Bryce Wong went from experimenting with projects in his parents garage to designing some of your favorite Nike sneakers in the market right now.
Business of HYPE: Gildas Loaëc and Masaya Kuroki For Gildas Loaëc and Masaya Kuroki of Maison Kitsuné, Slow and Steady Wins the Race. The co-founders detail how they created their all-in-one fashion house, record label and cafe.
The Ecommerce Playbook: The ONE Thing We Have To Do To Win For 31 Bits Fresh off of the new acquisition of ethical fashion brand, 31 Bits, into the 4x400 portfolio – we talk about the ONE metric that will determine our destiny with the brand. We could either get this right, or get it really wrong. Listen now.
The Ecommerce Playbook: Should We Buy 6x The Inventory We Bought A Month Ago? Today on the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, we talk about one of our brands that’s finding remarkable success in the age of coronavirus, the exact tactics we used to double it’s ad performance, the implications of it on our cash system…
The Ecommerce Playbook: Why 31 Bits Chose 4×400 Bonus Episode! Host, Andrew Faris interviews the founders of newly acquired brand, 31 Bits.
Claima Stories with Bimma: Katie Lau : Under Armour – Director of Sportstyle Footwear Bimma sits down with Katie Lau to explore how she went from being picked on during a game of hide and seek for quote unquote wearing a pair of sneakers that weren’t for girls to working with Tom Brady and Concepts in Boston to create a very special sneaker celebrating the Patriots amazing 25 point comeback in SuperBowl 51.
The Ecommerce Playbook: We Acquired A Brand (And We’re Telling You Everything About It) From founder story to the future, we cover all things brand acquisition today as we add a new business to the 4x400 ecosystem. + Special guest, Taylor Holiday, CEO of Common Thread Collective.
Claima Stories with Bimma: Cedric Hudson : adidas hoops – Senior Apparel Designer We explore how Cedric Hudson went from growing up without having a true hometown to becoming a standout apparel designer in the sportswear industry with garments featured in global publications including GQ magazine.
Business of HYPE: Allbird’s Tim Brown Allbirds’ Co-Founder tells us how he went from professional soccer to building a billion-dollar company.
Claima Stories with Bimma: Tracie Jackson : Nike – N7 Lead Graphic Designer Bimma was able to sit down with Tracie Jackson. She grew up on the Navajo reservation in Arizona where her family would travel around the Southwest to Native American art shows.
The Ecommerce Playbook: How Much Inventory Should We Buy In A Moment Like This? Today we're talking about the challenge of success. In particular, the challenge of figuring out inventory buying vetted against performance.
Business of HYPE: Stay @ Home With Sean Wotherspoon Round Two co-founder on moving his shop to online, his collab with adidas and why he feels inspired by positivity during this time.
Business of HYPE: Stay @ Home With Errolson Hugh The Acronym founder discusses whether or not the landscape has been changed for his futuristic clothing brand.
The ECommerce Playbook: This Moment Won’t Last, Maximize It At 4x400 our brands are winning big. And for many brands in the ecommerce space, it’s like Black Friday all over again. This week on the Ecommerce Playbook, Andrew Faris talks about the insanity of the moment we are in right now and has a very simple piece of advice for you: don’t wait, maximize it.
Business of HYPE: Stay @ Home With James Jean The artists tells us why time’s “been flying by” while social distancing.
The Ecommerce Playbook: What 32,000 Ecommerce Merchants Can Tell Us About Coronavirus (With Jake Cohen from Klaviyo) Bonus Episode! Featuring Jake Cohen, Director of Product Marketing at Klaviyo.
Business of HYPE: Stay @ Home With James Whitner The entrepreneur talks about how his past has prepared him for the current crisis and how he’s felt a surge of inspiration.
Business of HYPE: Stay @ Home With Joe Freshgoods Calling in from Chicago, Joe talks going back to the “old Joe” and focusing back on his own collection.
Business of HYPE: Stay @ Home With Jaysse Lopez The Founder of Urban Necessities discusses the changes he’s seen from his retail location on the Las Vegas Strip and more.
Business of HYPE: Stay @ Home With Luke Tadashi of Bristol Studio The Bristol Studio co-founder talks delaying his wholesale collection and his new perspective during this time.
Business of HYPE: Stay @ Home With Mike Cherman The Founder of ICNY and Chinatown Market tells us what learning curves the pandemic has set out for his business.
The Ecommerce Playbook: Why Do We Sell So Much Stuff On Sundays? For most of our brands, Sunday’s are drastically outperforming any other day of the week for sales revenue. But, before I make any sweeping generalizations about consumer behavior to come up with my answer as to why – it begins with looking at the numbers and the data.
Business of HYPE: Stay @ Home With Aaron Levant The entrepreneur updates us on the massive changes and potential innovation that will come forward through the pandemic.
Business of HYPE: Stay @ Home With Dre Hayes The Foundation co-founder discusses the changes affecting the numerous businesses under his company.
The Ecommerce Playbook: 250% Improvement on Facebook Ads: Here’s How We Did It This one's for all the data nerds. On today's episode, we're getting a little more tactical – sharing the process we use for customer acquisition and how we improved our Facebook ads by 250%.
Business of HYPE: Stay @ Home With Miguel McKelvey The Co-Founder of WeWork stresses how the pandemic has increased the understated importance of human connection.
Business of HYPE: Stay @ Home With John C Jay The Global Creative of Uniqlo updates us on the current changes for the major conglomerate.
Business of HYPE: Stay @ Home With Roy Choi and Nick Morgenstern The two give us a detailed look inside how the food industry is coping during a time of social distancing.
Business of HYPE: Stay @ Home With Christina Paik and Liz Beecroft Calling in from NYC, they tell us how they’ve adapted their businesses and what they’re doing to stay motivated.
Business of HYPE: Stay @ Home With Jessica Washick and Melody Ehsani The two creatives talk about meditation, self-reflection, gratitude and more.
Business of Hype: Stay @ Home With Ben Baller The jeweler of the stars tells us why he’s been prepared for months and how his business has been hit.
Business of HYPE: Stay @ Home With Jerry Lorenzo and Nicole McLaughlin On call with jeffstaple, the two give us updates on how they’re managing business and staying creative during this time.
DeeTour: Nathan Resnick (Sourcify CEO) If you make goods or want to make goods, this episode is for you. Nathan Resnick, CEO of Sourcify, joins me to discuss the sourcing industry. Nathan has a lot of great insight on making bids, sourcing, manufacturing, where there's opportunity, the future of sourcing and more. As a B2B manufacturing platform, Sourcify has helped 100's of companies make products.
The Ecommerce Playbook: We Are Crushing The Coronavirus We went from getting destroyed last week, to flipping the table and having the most profitable week in 4x400 history. On today’s new episode of the Ecommerce Playbook podcast, Andrew Faris is singing a new tune – sharing how his businesses went from getting crushed to crushing it.
How Pinterest aids in shopping and discovery For millions of people around the world, Pinterest is the first stop on their retail journey — it’s a place to discover, get inspired and personalize. For retailers, Pinterest is an opportunity to engage with customers earlier and more often, well before a transaction takes place. To learn more about how brands of all sizes are taking advantage of this social media platform, the Retail Gets Real team chats with Amy Vener, the head of retail strategy at Pinterest.
The Ecommerce Playbook: The Coronavirus Is Crushing Us We don’t always get it right, and things are not always going well for our business. Now is one of those times for us… When we started this podcast, we promised a level of transparency around numbers, struggles, and growth. So, we’re holding ourselves accountable to sharing the struggles – because the truth is, the Coronavirus is crushing us…
The Ecommerce Playbook: Constraints Generate Creativity: Profit and Growth Amidst the Coronavirus E-commerce playbook podcast coming back at you again in the midst of all things Coronavirus. I'm trying to figure out what the heck the right thing to do is in the midst of all of this, with sorting out all kinds of new workflows, and all it's a real challenge. So, one of the things I want to say right away is that: it is a fact that constraints generate creativity.
Claima Stories with Bimma: LaToya Kamara Manley : Jordan Brand – Director of Merchandising Women’s We learn how LaToya Kamara Manley went from creating her own fashion designs as a teenager in Portland, Oregon to managing the growth of the women’s business in North America for one of the most iconic brands in sportswear history.
How Cotopaxi creates superfans through sustainability As retailers incorporate sustainable business practices and consumers hold companies accountable, brand defensibility will become imperative, says Annie Agle, director of impact and brand at Cotopaxi. Agle joined the Retail Gets Real podcast to chat about the startup’s mission-based model.
Claima Stories with Bimma: Cedric Fletcher : Jordan Brand – VP of Global Merchandising Bimma sits down with Cedric Fletcher. Growing up in the Bronx during the 80s, Cedric had a lot of responsibility at home as a child. With his mother working two jobs to provide for his family, he supported by looking after his brother with autism. The maturity he developed over the years helped him to become a Global Merchandiser for some of the most recognizable brands around the world.
Proactive Communications Through a Fast-Moving Crisis Kristin Carpenter, CEO/Founder of Verde Brand Communications, is offering a second episode with current best practices for specialty brands communicating in the throes of the novel coronavirus.
The Ecommerce Playbook: How Our Ecommerce Brands Are Responding to Coronavirus COVID-19 COVID-19 is officially a global pandemic. And we all have questions. Here’s how we’re responding and preparing our DTC brands at 4x400.
How Sephora evolves the in-store experience Sephora is driving some of the most exciting innovations in the beauty industry, from digital try-on experiences to clean beauty initiatives to engaging “cast members” in stores. As senior vice president of merchandising for color and fragrance at Sephora, Alison Hahn leads many of these cutting-edge initiatives.
Claima Stories with Bimma: Cindy Zhou : adidas – Global Concept-To-Consumer Manager We learn how Cindy Zhou went from longboarding on the streets of Toronto to using her love for action sports and helping adidas drive business growth in kids footwear.
Business of HYPE: Joshua Vides Known for his stencil artwork, the artist reminisces on his CLSC days and talks about opening a coffee shop.
Crisis Communication for Your Business During the Covid-19 Outbreak In this episode, sharing a brand-new framework that the Verde Brand Communications team created for our roster of specialty brands to support crisis communications for the COVID-19 virus crisis.
The Ecommerce Playbook: Numbers, Struggles & Growth – “Did I Already Blow It?” Jjoin Andrew Faris — CEO of 4x400 — where he shares the real-life numbers, struggles, and everything in between when running multiple ecommerce businesses. Returning to work after 6 weeks of paternity leave, I'm reacquainting myself on what the heck is happening in my business in the aftermath of Black Friday, Cyber Monday.
Claima Stories with Bimma: Jocelyn Rice : Columbia – Apparel Designer We dive into how Jocelyn Rice went from dropping out of high school to becoming an apparel designer for Women’s and Men’s outerwear.
Business of HYPE: Nick Morgenstern The Founder of Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream tells us how he built New York’s most popular ice cream parlor.
The Ecommerce Playbook: Numbers, Struggles & Growth – “The Black Friday Results Are In” Last episode I told you about how we were in a cash crunch. That was going into the Black Friday,Cyber Monday weekend. Now that it's over, the results are in. Here’s a big takeaway for me from Black Friday this year that I saw across the board: our brands, CTCs, and everybody else ...
How data drives decisions at TechStyle TechStyle, known for its portfolio of brands including Fabletics, Just Fab, Shoe Dazzle and Savage by Fenty, has built one of the most data-driven strategies in the industry. Its membership model that rewards customers with better pricing and promotions also enables it to more deeply understand customer preferences and behaviors, and TechStyle uses that data to create better products, more engaging content and reach customers more effectively. To learn more about the company’s unique model and where it’s headed in the future, with Laura Joukovski, president of global fashion brands for TechStyle.
Understanding the future consumer The consumer is constantly changing, and companies need to adapt and change quickly in order to keep up — or, even better, retailers can be proactive and get ahead of the curve. Following her presentation at NRF 2020: Retail's Big Show, Andrea Bell, Head of WGSN Insight for WGSN joined the Retail Gets Real podcast team to talk more about where the customer will be in 2022 and what retailers can do to prepare.
Claima Stories with Bimma: Ed Wallace : Under Armour – Footwear Designer We explore how Ed Wallace went from living in a neighborhood filled with of crime and violence to designing innovative performance running shoes and selling more than 1 million pairs of his first running design.
Business of HYPE: Dre Hayes Co-Founder of The Foundation breaks down what it takes to run a successful business that manages other businesses.
Business of HYPE: Jessica Washick Nike designer by day and nail artist by night, she tells us how she balances the two careers.
Claima Stories with Bimma: Saraa Green : adidas hoops – Footwear Development Manager We were able to sit down with Saraa Green. She grew up in a family full of the fastest competitors. That’s right, she and her siblings were track and field athletes and It was that same competitive mentality she used on the track that helped her become a footwear developer working on laceless basketball sneakers for adidas.
Business of HYPE: Mister Cartoon The legendary artist breaks down his expansive career, how he landed a Nike collaboration and his future plans in animation.
International retail trends to watch in 2020 How are consumers in the United States different from consumers in Europe or China? Do they have different expectations? And if so, what’s causing those differences?
Claima Stories with Bimma: DeWayne Dale Jr. : KEEN Footwear – Innovation Designer Bimma speaks with DeWayne Dale about how receiving a pair of Air Jordan 3s when he was 9 led to him pursuing his love of sneaker design and eventually getting paid to do it for a living.
Business of HYPE: Aurora James Aurora James Isn’t Here to Fix Fashion’s Problem, She’s Here to Listen to It. The founder of Brother Vellies details the story behind her successful brand and how she is slowly changing the world.
Claima Stories with Bimma: Domonique Debnam : Jordan Brand – Sr Product Line Manager How Domonique Debnam shifted from thinking her only career options growing up were to be a lawyer to becoming a Product Marketing Strategist in the sportswear industry, managing a $700 million footwear business.
Le Tote CEO on retail’s evolution When seven-year-old clothing rental startup Le Tote bought Lord & Taylor for $100 million last year, the move was seen as a reflection of where retail is today — technology-driven disruptors leading the reinvention of the industry. Le Tote co-founder and CEO Rakesh Tondon shares insight into Le Tote’s approach to fashion, changing relationships with consumers and what the future holds for Le Tote.
Business of HYPE: Salehe Bembury Salehe Bembury Is Sneaker Culture's Renaissance Man. Versace’s senior director of men’s footwear & sneakers dissects his impressive career, from Payless and Cole Haan, to YEEZY and Versace.
Claima Stories with Bimma: Frank Cooker : Curator / Creative Frank is a Creative / Curator in the sportswear industry. He departed from Jordan Brand in 2018. Frank has created quite a name for himself in the industry as someone that truly understands the art of storytelling through sneakers. He’s worked on a number of notable releases, from the Aleali May Air Jordan 6 to the Nigel Sylvester Air Jordan 1.
Claima Stories with Bimma: Darla DeGrace : DeGrace Group After growing up in the projects of Cambridge, MA, it took Darla 9 years to get her degree while balancing a full time job. She has since dedicated her career to being a champion of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts, partnering with global sportswear brands like Reebok.
Claima Stories with Bimma: Jarvis Sam : Nike – Sr Director Diversity Jarvis Sam started his professional career working at Music World Entertainment. That’s right, the record label founded by Beyonce’s dad. Shortly after, he started to make a name for himself working in Tech for companies like Google and Snapchat. In 2018, he joined Nike, inc. to lead the brand’s Diversity recruitment efforts.
UncommonGoods: Creating unique and sustainable retail Sustainability can mean a lot of things to a business. For Dave Bolotsky, founder and CEO of UncommonGoods, it’s not just a buzzword; it’s the key to success.
Business of HYPE: Drieke Leenknegt Drieke Leenknegt and the Delicate Art of Collaboration. Nike’s former Global VP of Influencer Marketing & Collaborations discusses her two-decade-stint at the Swoosh.
Business of HYPE: Kerby Jean-Raymond of Pyer Moss Kerby Jean-Raymond of Pyer Moss Is Not a Gatekeeper, He Breaks Them Open. From almost losing it all, to bringing the fashion world to Flatbush, he tells us why he finally feels free.
Business of HYPE: Edson Sabajo and Guillame Schmidt Edson Sabajo and Guillame Schmidt Built Patta on Teamwork and Quirkiness. Patta’s co-founders reflect on 15 years in business.
Claima Stories with Bimma: Rashad Williams : adidas hoops – Sr Director Footwear Rashad Williams opens up to Bimma Williams about his diverse career journey working at global sportswear brands including Fila, adidas, Jordan, Nike, Under Armour, and adidas again.
The Ecommerce Playbook: Numbers, Struggles & Growth – “We Need Black Friday To Work” Week-over-week, join Andrew Faris — CEO of 4x400 — where he shares the real-life numbers, struggles, and everything in between when running multiple ecommerce businesses.
Business of HYPE: adidas MakerLab adidas MakerLab is Decentralizing the Shoe Industry. Recorded live at the Brooklyn Creator Farm, Jeff Staple sat down with three footwear designers to discuss their redesign of the Campus 80s.
Business of HYPE: Christina Paik Christina Paik Wants to Inspire You By Staying Offline. The photographer reflects on her career, details her complex relationship with social media, the importance of mental health and much more.
Business of HYPE: Jason Markk He details the “aha” moments, the creation process, growing pains and much more for his sneaker cleaning solution.
Business of HYPE: Alexandre Arnault and Kim Jones CEO of RIMOWA discusses the legacy, innovation and future plans behind the brand and is later joined by Artistic Director of Dior Men’s, Kim Jones to discuss their collaboration.
Business of HYPE: A$AP Ferg A$AP Ferg On Working Smarter Not Harder. The multifaceted creative talks inspiration, money moves, future plans and much more.
Business Of HYPE: Luke Tadashi The co-founder and creative director of Bristol Studio details the brand’s early inspirations, collaboration with adidas and future plans.
Business of HYPE: Louis Colon The VP of FILA’s Heritage & Trend details the brand’s unique approach to marketing and its return to relevancy.
Business of HYPE: Daniel Kasidi Rastaclat founder Daniel Kasidi tells us the meaning behind his bracelet company. More than just a shoelace, Rastaclat is a brand that aims in building community and bringing awareness to various issues.
Business of Hype: Nicole McLaughlin jeffstaple sits down with graphic designer by day and conceptual artist by night, Nicole McLaughlin.
Business of HYPE: Jason Stein The founder of Laundry Service tells us how he went from finding clients off Craigslist to working with Jordan.
CEOs Wear Sneakers: Jordan Harbinger Wall Street lawyer turned interview talk show host, Jordan Harbinger. Jordan is the host of the immensely popular podcast, The Jordan Harbinger Show, where he interviews some of the most successful people in the world, gaining insights into their strategies, perspectives and overall world views.
Business of Hype: John C Jay In Part 2, John C Jay Isn't Done Learning About Global Businesses. The Global Creative of Uniqlo tells us, “experimenting in your life is the most valuable thing you can do.”
Business of Hype: John C Jay For John C Jay There Is No Such Thing as an Excuse. From Executive Creative Director at Wieden+Kennedy to President of Global Creative at Fast Retailing and Uniqlo.
CEOs Wear Sneakers: Dion Walcott Dion is the founder of Toronto Loves Kicks, MARTK’D and iDEEa Consultancy Group. He specializes in brand positioning and creative strategy. In this episode, Omar and Dion talk about the sneaker culture, following your passion, and the interconnected nature of music.
Business of Hype: Miki Agrawal Miki Agrawal on Challenging Stigmas by Talking Taboo Topics. The entrepreneur and author details how she enjoys shifting culture through her past businesses, Wild and Thinx, and her latest venture Tushy.
Business of Hype: Jaysse Lopez Jaysse Lopez Wants to Revitalize the Retail Space. Urban Necessities’ founder tells how he turned $20 USD in to $20 million USD, and why he partnered with American Eagle.
Business Of Hype: Sean Wotherspoon Sean Wotherspoon on Being a Part of a Problem to Find a Solution. In part two of this episode, he talks veganism, being relatable, haters and much more.
Business Of Hype: Sean Wotherspoon Part 1 of a two-part series, jeffstaple sits down with Round Two owner Sean Wotherspoon. The vintage expert and recent Nike collaborator tells us how it all started from a vintage Polo Bear shirt, to Round Two’s humble beginnings in Virginia, to the joys of finding a “priceless” item and much more.
Business Of Hype: Eric Koston jeffstaple sits down with skateboarding legend Eric Koston. The “Michael Jordan” of skateboarding details on his early rise to the sport, the complexities of sponsorships, creating his own brand and the interwoven cultures of streetwear and skate culture
Business Of Hype: Jaden Smith jeffstaple sits down with Jaden Smith. He shares with us how he wants to change the world by detailing his creative process and humanitarian concerns. Successfully paving his own path, the young icon tells us he’s not concerned with fulfilling his parents legacy, but focused “[doing] better for the whole world.”
Business Of Hype: David X Prutting Photographer and co-founder of BFA, David X Prutting tells us how he went from assisting photographers to running his own business. He shares his insight on the competitive industry and how BFA became one of the most coveted sources for event photography.
Business of Hype: Peter Lundgren jeffstaple speaks with T-Post founder Peter Lundgren. Started 14 years ago, T-Post is a wearable magazine that delivers monthly t-shirts to your doorstep with a graphic on the outside and editorial feature printed on the inside. T-Post aims to reinvent storytelling and the medium of print itself.
Business of Hype: Roy Choi Jeff Staple sits with chef Roy Choi as he reflects on his ten-year milestone of being in the business. The founder of Kogi BBQ discusses his thought process, early beginnings and newest venture, Best Friend.
Tobi Lütke — From Snowboard Shop to Billion-Dollar Company Shopify Tobi Lütke (@tobi) is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Shopify. In 2004, Tobi began building software to launch an online snowboard store called Snowdevil. It quickly became obvious that the software was more valuable than the snowboards, so Tobi and his founding team launched the Shopify platform in 2006. He has served as CEO since 2008 at the company’s headquarters in Ottawa, Canada.
Business of Hype: Jerry Lorenzo Fear of God founder Jerry Lorenzo talks at length about his recently-launched collaborative line with Nike, as well as his time as a club promoter, working with Kanye West and designing merch for Justin Bieber. Along the way we learn about the importance of creating solutions, selling a perspective, overcoming fears, and family.
CEOs Wear Sneakers: Sharifa Murdock Sharifa Murdock is the co-founder of Liberty Fashion & Lifestyle Fairs, a contemporary fashion and lifestyle trade show that curates forward-thinking brands and connects them with the industry’s top buyers. She is also the founder of ENVSN Fest, an event Sharifa started to inspire young women looking to pursue entrepreneurship, gain success, and be the best they can be.
CEOs Wear Sneakers: Daina Trout In this episode, Barney welcomes to the podcast CEO and President of Health-Ade LLC, Daina Trout. Health-Ade ferments, brews and sells organic kombucha beverages in small glass batches in order to ensure the freshest product. Health-Ade is also the fastest growing brand in the beverage category and kombucha is the fastest growing category in beverage industry.
Business of HYPE: Jon Wexler adidas' Jon Wexler on How He Landed the Most Coveted Job in Footwear. From booking gigs in college, to saving Kanye’s life, Wexler details his journey.
CEOs Wear Sneakers: KC Holiday KC Holiday, co-founder of Qalo, the functional wedding band that fits your life. Qalo is a brand that isn’t built solely on silicone wedding bands; it is about so much more. The success that the Qalo brand has experienced is due to their commitment to the ideals and values of family, relationships and, above all, love.
Business of HYPE: Greg Hervieux and Jay Smith of BlackRainbow jeffstaple sits down with Greg Hervieux and Jay Smith, founders of creative marketing agency and media brand BlackRainbow. The Parisian businessmen discuss BKRW's mysterious origins, why print will never die, balancing the digital and real worlds, creating your cool no matter where you live, and why product always comes before marketing.
Business of HYPE: Benny Gold jeffstaple sits down with San Francisco-based designer and accidental clothing brand founder Benny Gold, delivering a show that centers on hard-work and acting on impulses as means to entrepreneurial success. Listen in as Benny documents the progression of his accomplished career, from growing up on an isolated Key West island and attending SCAD, to designing the original Huf logo, working with icons like Nike, Supreme and Stüssy, and stumbling into the creation of his namesake label.
Business of HYPE: James Whitner James Whitner of The Whitaker Group, an East Coast retail empire that includes A Ma Maniere, Social Status, Prosper and A.P.B. On this show, James talks about getting shot and going to prison in Pittsburgh, finding his escape in fashion, the Tokyo effect, fighting the "hood dude" stigma, what's next for the brand, and so much more.
CEOs Wear Sneakers: Casey Adams – Build Your Empire Entrepreneur, public speaker, and CEO of Build Your Empire, Casey Adams. Author of the best-selling book, Rise of the Young, Casey truly has a remarkable story. He turned a near fatal neck injury from a negative situation into a positive outcome by using his recovery time to learn everything he could about building a personal brand by leveraging social media.
Business of HYPE: Errolson Hugh we dive into the mind of ACRONYM's co-founder and principal designer, Errolson Hugh. For 80 minutes, we learn how Hugh has become your favorite designer's favorite designer, spawning a new generation of street-minded technical fashion brands. He talks about discovering the functionality in karate gis at the age of 10, meeting his longtime partner Michaela Sachenbacher in college, moving to Berlin and designing outerwear for the likes of Burton, causing mass hysteria with 2015's Lunar Force 1, and so much more.
Business of HYPE: Shepard Fairey jeffstaple sits down with world-renowned street artist, activist and entrepreneur Shepard Fairey. Fresh off the launch of his most ambitious project to date, one that brings his work into the world of virtual reality, the 48-year-old dives into the genesis of his “Andre the Giant has a posse” sticker and OBEY brand, what it takes to find your own distinct style, partnering with like-minded people, artist legacies, and so much more.
CEOs Wear Sneakers: Snow Tha Product – Rapper Rapper, entertainer, and entrepreneur, Snow Tha Product is a self-made, self-taught businesswoman, who successfully launched the company, Product Entertainment in 2007. With a combination of hustle, determination and will to succeed, Snow has built a brand that is both unique and influential, especially with her target audience of young Hispanics.
CEOs Wear Sneakers: Stevin John aka Blippi Children’s entertainer and YouTube star, Stevin John aka Blippi is a creative entrepreneur with a background in brand development and digital marketing who created the character Blippi with the goal of educating children through positive and interactive experiences. Hommy announces an exciting new shoe release in collaboration with the K-Swiss and Blippi brands.
CEOS Wear Sneakers: Anwar Carrots In this episode, go inside the mind of streetwear designer Anwar Carrots and hear how his own history inspired his creative journey into style.
Business of HYPE: Yassine Saidi of PUMA Yassine Saidi, head of PUMA's lifestyle and collaborations division, details his exciting career path with some stellar advice along the way. As you'll hear Jeff Staple address in his opening, the success of any sportswear brand relies on a recipe of history, legacy, cultural authenticity and potential, and the chef that brings it all to the table. In this episode you'll meet PUMA's Executive Chef.
Business of HYPE: George Bamford George Bamford of Bamford Watch Department to find out how a lifelong tinkerer went from the watch-world’s “antichrist” to an industry inspiration, reigniting the lost art of personalization in the age of mass production.
CEOs Wear Sneakers: Connor Seltz – Bespoke Custom Sneakers Connor Seltz, aka Ceez discusses his background and the unconventional route he took to becoming a customizer of sneakers and other footwear. He reflects on one of his favorite projects, the LeBronold Palmers, and why that custom job was so rewarding. Finally, Connor emphasizes how networking and friendships have allowed him to flourish in such a competitive and niche career.
Business of HYPE: Josh Luber On this near-80-minute episode, StockX's Josh Luber details the rise of his unique business, a story, as he often tells it, of serendipity. As you’ll discover however, StockX was built on nothing short of hard work and sacrifice.
Business of HYPE: Julia Lang Brand consultant Julia Lang, the Tanzanian-German marketing specialist details her budding career in curating the digital voice and image for celebrities, boutique stores and large corporations around the globe.
CEOs Wear Sneakers: Noah Whinston – Immortals In this episode, we speak to Noah Whinston about eSports. Noah speaks about his background with sports statistics, his interest in eSports, and how he created Immortals at such a young age. We discuss how eSports is becoming the new frontier of sports as well as the distinction between video gaming and eSports.
Business of HYPE: Ben & Bobby Hundreds Bobby and Ben Hundreds of The Hundreds dive into their brand's origin story, one many revere as the first streetwear brand born on the internet. In discussing everything from their first run of shirts, to their first employee and first tradeshow, we discover just how rare their finely-balanced partnership is, one they affectionately call a marriage. The two also tackle outside investment, misconceptions of the industry, maintaining relevancy and much more.
Business of HYPE: Ben Baller Jeweler of the stars Ben Baller recounts his humbling rise from his moniker's hardwood origins to multi-millionaire status hot on the heels of retirement...if his entrepreneurial spirit doesn't spark yet another career metamorphosis, that is. Listen in and learn more about Ben's time as Dr. Dre's head of A&R, what led him to peddling drugs and sneakers, how he deals with fame, and being the mentor the younger generation of hustlers need.
Business of HYPE: Samuel Ross Samuel Ross of A-COLD-WALL*,The young accomplished designer talks, at great length, about his career trajectory thus far, from trading Instagram follows with Virgil Abloh, to working as a top designer at DONDA, and finally moving onto his brand full-time.
Business Of HYPE: Shirt Shirt talks at length about navigating the music industry, signing to Jack White's label, his bootlegged adidas x Nike project, parlaying a master's degree and so much more.
Business of HYPE: Mike Shinoda Linkin Park frontman Mike Shinoda opens up about Chester’s passing, while discussing the band’s origins.
CEOs Wear Sneakers: Natasha Case – Coolhaus In this episode, Coolhaus founder, Natasha Case gives insight into the moment that led her to the Coolhaus concept and the ingenuity and hustle it took to get the business off the ground. She continues to carve out a unique space in CPG and bring creative thinking to the fast-growing, certified female-owned business.
CEOs Wear Sneakers: EMJ – Make-up Artist In this episode, Make-Up artist Em J created her own line and emerges as the UK’s leading designer of kit essentials for Make-up, Hair and Beauty professionals. Em J talks about starting small, where to find the best ideas and following your passion.
CEOs Wear Sneakers: Caner Veli – Liquiproof Listen as Caner Veli, inventor and CEO of Liquiproof, talks about creating a product he couldn't find, continually seeking education and inspiration, and "becoming chef of life."
Business of HYPE: The Shoe Surgeon The Shoe Surgeon opens up to jeffstaple about how he went from a counterfeiter to the customizer of choice for celebrities like Justin Bieber.
Business of HYPE: James Jean The illustrator and artist explains how he made the leap from comic book covers to galleries worldwide.
Business of HYPE: Melody Ehsani The Streetwear designer explains how she broke into Fairfax's infamous boys' club.
Business of HYPE: Mike Cherman "People say your brand dies when you go to Urban," Mike Cherman says, "Enjoy making no money for the rest of your life. I've been in Urban since the first collection. So if that means I'm dead, I've been dead since day one."
Business of HYPE: Upscale Vandal In a wide-ranging conversation, Upscale explains why doesn't have interns, why he bought the house he grew up in, and why everything really is Pusha T.
Business of HYPE: Aaron Levant The entrepreneur explains how he moved from graffiti to the streetwear world, and his attitude of ‘oppositional defiance.’
Business Of HYPE: Hiroshi Fujiwara Interview with the fragment design head honcho where he explains how he makes lightning strike twice, over and over again.
CEOs Wear Sneakers: Emil Corsillo – The Hillside and Hickoree’s Emil Corsillo gives us his best tactics for getting attention as a small brand. Named one of GQ's Best New Menswear Designers, he talks about taking risks, learning from abundant mistakes and the importance of professional presentation.
CEOs Wear Sneakers: Karen Civil In this episode, Karen Civil walks us through her journey from wanting to be an "online communicator" before it existed to now, being one of the most well-known social media marketers in the industry.
CEOs Wear Sneakers: Matt Halfhill – Nice Kicks In this episode, we talk to Matt Halfhill, founder of Nice Kicks, who turned his love of sneakers into a profitable and long-lasting business.
CEOs Wear Sneakers: Leah McSweeney – Married to the Mob In this episode, K-Swiss go behind this scenes with Leah McSweeney, the founder of popular female-focused streetwear brand, Married to the Mob. After 10 years of carving out her space in a competitive industry, Leah tells us the unique story of how she got started, and how she’s lasted streetwear's fast-moving culture.
CEOs Wear Sneakers: Mike Cherman – Chinatown Market Mike Cherman, founder of streetwear brand Chinatown Market talks about his previous brands, his successes, failures and lessons learned along the way. Based in Los Angeles, Chinatown Market is known for their graphic printed T’s, bootlegged logos and most recently, their IKEA dad cap. Hypebeast once said ‘No trend is safe from Mike Cherman’, testament to his speed to pick up on what’s relevant in youth culture.
