One of my favorite podcasts to listen to while running or walking (or washing my shoe mobile or folding the endless laundry I somehow manage to create each week) is the How I Built This show with Guy Raz. It’s all about how seemingly ordinary people (ok, there are a few certifiable geniuses in there) saw a problem, came up with a solution to that problem, told people about their solution, and eventually created some of the most recognizable brands today (think: Spanx, Zappos, Kenneth Cole, etc.)
As an homage to the show, I humbly submit this first chapter of the Suda’s FitFoot story:
I started Suda’s FitFoot 2 years ago, (December 1st, 2018 to be precise) basically as a frustrated consumer. I wanted a better way to shop for running shoes. This was partly for myself - I love running and wanted the shoe shopping experience to be fun, easy, and inspiring. But mostly I started this business for my grandmother Dorothy and folks like her.
Dorothy Adams in Denmark 1971 ⬆️
My grandmother was a very important person in my life and she experienced a great deal of foot pain in her later years. She had lots of trouble getting around. I knew that she had food and health care brought to her at her assisted living facility - so why couldn’t great shoes be brought to her as well?
And maybe that person bringing her shoes would actually like older people and would be patient and answer all her questions, and even help her with her shoe horn.
We specialize in premium athletic shoes. This is the kind of footwear Olympians and other professional athletes wear to run, jump, and workout. Most of my customers, however, are the everyday heroes: busy professionals, parents with active families, business owners running around with a million things to do, and folks who want to get the most out of their retirement years. I love helping people find a great shoe (and socks, apparel, and accessories) to help them have a great workout and get moving.
Our business model has certainly changed over the past year. The first year of Suda’s FitFoot we did events, races, and pop ups at gyms. Health concerns and social distancing has since redirected our focus to more individual appointments (masked up and outside whenever possible). This year, health and wellness carries a whole new level of importance and our customer’s wellbeing is our number one priority.
Creating a better way to shop for shoes and increasing access to great footwear became my mission and this, Suda’s FitFoot was born!
As a side note, the seed money used to start the company came from the $5k my grandmother left me in her will when she passed. Rest easy Grandma. I got this.
