Converse executive and FDRA board member Brandis Russell stops by Shoe-In Show to kick off our BHM '22 series by sharing her own shoe story and to talk about the important changes taking place at the newly reimagined Black Footwear Forum.
Feb 07, 2022•20 min•Ep. 305
What if you could know what sustainable products and language best connect with your customers BEFORE you launch new shoes and campaign? In this episode, we talk about how the most successful brands are leveraging First Insight's new capability on ESG issues to ensure they are hitting the mark. We also have a thoughtful conversation on key challenges and opportunities that will impact shoe sales in 2022!
Jan 31, 2022•28 min•Ep. 304
Stuart Jenkins, founder of Blumaka, joins us again to talk about his latest learnings and insights into footwear foams. We talk about the outdated manufacturing processes that need to be updated in order to reduce waste and emissions and get to a more "ethical" path for footwear companies.
Jan 24, 2022•32 min•Ep. 303
FDRA's new Vice President of Corporate Engagement Sandi Mines is no stranger to the shoe industry having grown up in a shoe family and worked at the helm of Footwear News. Listen in as Sandi shares her "shoe story" with our audience and unveils her bullish plans for FDRA in 2022 and beyond.
Jan 17, 2022•27 min•Ep. 302
Supply chain extraordinaire and current Head of Procurement & Commercial Excellence at Wayfair, Pete Mento stops by Shoe-In to try and tackle the many difficult challenges facing the global supply chain in 2022. We may not have all the answers, but we sure do have a ton of questions. If supply chain is top-of-mind for you today, you won't want to miss this episode and Pete Mento's many hot takes.
Jan 10, 2022•41 min•Ep. 301
Shoe Carnival President & CEO Mark Worden is back this time with former Shoe Station President & CEO Brent Barkin to discuss Shoe Carnival's acquisition of the Mobile, Alabama-based Shoe Station. Mark and Brent unveil their plans for the New Year as the two foundational family retailers join forces to grow Shoe Carnival into a larger footwear retailer powerhouse. Digital engagement coupled with bricks and mortar activation is the name of the game for these two footwear execs.
Jan 03, 2022•28 min•Ep. 300
Taken from a great webinar hosted by FDRA and Centric Software, this episode dives into key insights into supply chain strategy and how technology is helping companies make better, faster decisions across their supply chains!
Dec 27, 2021•57 min•Ep. 299
Export Now Founder and Chairman Frank Lavin joins Shoe-In Show this week to discuss his recent piece in Forbes exploring the fraught U.S-China relationship. With years of diplomatic experience across many U.S. administrations, Frank has a keen eye on the current challenges impacting the world's most important geopolitical relationship. Curious to explore tips for U.S. companies caught in the crossfire? Make sure you listen to this episode! Articles referenced during our discussion: Forbes The Na...
Dec 20, 2021•32 min•Ep. 298
Inflation and supply chain shortages will continue through the rest of 2021 and likely into the new year with consumer demand outpacing supply. The Rockport Company is leveraging First Insight’s predictive analytics solution and real-time voice-of-customer price elasticity data to optimize their assortments and pricing to effectively navigate the supply chain disruption and inflation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Hear from Lisa Laich, Chief Marketing Officer and Steven Holt, President at...
Dec 13, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 297
Mario Gallione, President of Journeys, joins us on this episode to discuss how they are dealing with supply chain issues, how they are rethinking mall traffic measurement, and how they are preparing for continued consumer changes in 2022. A must listen to this fun and insightful episode where the Metaverse also gets a mention!
Dec 06, 2021•28 min•Ep. 296
BBC International's fearless leader Josue Solano stops by Shoe-In to discuss the current turmoil impacting the footwear supply chain, his expectations for 2022 production and sales, and the innovative ways BBC is ensuring it has key product at the right time for its retail customers.
Nov 29, 2021•27 min•Ep. 295
Shoe-In welcomes FitForCommerce Senior Consultant Chelsea Mueller as she unveils her three key strategies to successful shoe selling in the current retail environment. No matter where you're selling your shoes - in-store, online, or out of the back of your station wagon - this episode is for you.
Nov 22, 2021•27 min•Ep. 294
Matt and Andy cover the latest FDRA data showing October shoe retail prices continued to edge higher for the 6th straight month. What's data, what's behind the continued surge and will it continue? Listen to this important episode to find out!
Nov 15, 2021•21 min•Ep. 293
FDRA's Chief Economist Gary Raines joins Shoe-In Show to review all the critical economic updates impacting the Shoeconomy heading into holiday 2021.
Nov 08, 2021•35 min•Ep. 292
FDRA's own Thomas Crockett stops by Shoe-In to join in on a political potpourri discussion around the vaccine mandate, infrastructure bill negotiations, China trade, and more.
Nov 01, 2021•34 min•Ep. 291
FDRA asked 1,000 families where they plan to buy their shoes this holiday season, how much they plan to spend and what type of shoes they plan to buy.
Oct 25, 2021•26 min•Ep. 290
This week Matthew Rubel shares some real wisdom on how companies need to think and act more strategically to deal with continued business disruption. We cover supply chain costs, retail/consumer demand shifts, long-term inflation, and capitalization issues - with Matt going through each area and laying out clear things shoe companies should focus efforts and energy on (consumers to employees) to ensure they hit the mark. This is a must listen episode to understand key changes we face as an indus...
Oct 18, 2021•21 min•Ep. 289
Listen in as Dr. David Priest provides the footwear industry with critical updates around COVID, the delta variant, vaccine mandates, and more.
Oct 11, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 288
Matt, Andy and Jasmine check in with Mark Worden, the new president and CEO of Shoe Carnival, during his first week on the job. Mark lays out his bullish vision for the family footwear retailer's future with a focus on bricks and mortar and in-person shopping. Learn Mark's unique background and perspective and find out what shoes he currently wears and what he plans to buy next in Jasmine's Whatcha Got? Whatcha Gettin'? segment.
Oct 04, 2021•32 min•Ep. 287
There are a growing number of ecomm platforms you have to be on to grow shoe sales, but they all come with different data and content requirements, and systems making it a real headache to manage. In this episode we are joined by Syndic8 CEO Chris John who explains how brands must think about their data and how to use new technology to be on as many platforms as possible, as seamlessly as possible. If you want to grow eyes on your product and increase sales, give this episode a listen!
Sep 27, 2021•16 min•Ep. 286
Continuing the conversation from lasts week's episode our panel adds more ideas and takeaways on how to create better supply chain strategies to curb costs and headaches. A must listen on the ways brands and suppliers are getting creative in this age of supply chain chaos.
Sep 20, 2021•35 min•Ep. 285
Supply chains costs and shipping capacity issues remain large challenges to our industry. This panel discussion, from FDRA's 2021 Supply Chain Summit, provides some ideas and insights from various aspects of the shoe industry to help plant some new ideas and tips to better manage the chaos.
Sep 13, 2021•35 min•Ep. 284
Listen in on part two of a fascinating conversation around the current challenges of the global footwear supply chain from industry leaders at Crocs, Michael Kors, Rack Room Shoes and Apex Global Logistics. Receive key takeaways on cost mitigation strategies (if there are any to be had) and important forecasts for how long the shipping chaos will continue.
Sep 06, 2021•41 min•Ep. 283
Listen in on part one of a fascinating conversation around the current challenges of the global footwear supply chain from industry leaders at Crocs, Michael Kors, Rack Room Shoes and Apex Global Logistics. Receive key takeaways on cost mitigation strategies (if there are any to be had) and important forecasts for how long the shipping chaos will continue.
Aug 30, 2021•32 min•Ep. 282
Footwear fan favorite Cliff Sifford joins Shoe-In again to discuss back to school 2021 and his expectations for an epic shoe selling season. Matt also explores with Cliff the global state of the footwear supply chain and how current challenges are impacting inventory.
Aug 23, 2021•23 min•Ep. 281
Industry leader and footwear exec Dave Grange is back on Shoe-In to discuss his recent appointment as International Brand President at K-Swiss, the history of the iconic California brand, and his vision for its dynamic and exciting future in the age of sneakers and e-commerce.
Aug 16, 2021•32 min•Ep. 280
FDRA's own Strategic Marketplace Advisor John Heron stops by Shoe-In Show to discuss the return of in-person FFANY market weeks in New York and the launch of the FDRA X FFANY Digital Directory.
Aug 09, 2021•24 min•Ep. 279
Most shoe companies working on sustainability lack a coherent holistic approach to ensure their efforts lower costs and magnify impact. In this episode we talk about a new program FDRA and the Footwearists are launching soon to help increase knowledge and help companies form real strategies that tie efforts together. A must listen for every exec and workers in our industry! Visit Shoe Sustainability Summit to learn more!
Aug 02, 2021•27 min•Ep. 278
Kelly Helfman, President of Informa Markets, Fashion Division steps into the Shoe-In Show to share the current state of live events and trade shows. MAGIC in Las Vegas is back in full effect this year; listen to this episode to hear how they are transforming footwear in Las Vegas and insights for emerging retailers and brands who are ready to get back connected.
Jul 26, 2021•20 min•Ep. 277
This week we have LaShae Boone-McCray, Strategic Account Manager at RG Barry on for the first time! From the shoe store to the corporate office, we learn about LaShae's shoe story and how her career in footwear lead her to take on the challenge of helping to create a more diverse and inclusive culture at RG Barry.
Jul 19, 2021•25 min•Ep. 276