Lena Phoenix, co-founder of Xero Shoes, explains the biomechanical purpose behind adding a rear heel strap to barefoot running sandals.
0:00 / 0:16exact quote · 16.3s
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“That strap around the back is actually really important, because flip-flops actually take a lot of effort to keep on your feet. But when you just have that strap around the back, then your toes can relax, and your foot can move as intended.”
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More from Lena Phoenix
Insight
Phoenix advises entrepreneurs to run away from starting shoe companies
“Like if you're thinking about Starting a shoe company, I would just say run as fast as you can in the other direction”
Lena PhoenixMar 13, 2023▶ 1:17:03Xero Shoes: Steven Sashen and Lena Phoenix
AssertionNot publicly verifiable
Xero Shoes scaled from $114,000 to $500,000 in its first three years
“So our first year, we did a 114,000 in revenue, and the, that was our first 12 months, so late to twenty-oh nine. Late to twenty-ten. Twenty-ten... And so we, our second year in business, and we're not getting paid, you know, everything is going back into the …”
Lena PhoenixMar 13, 2023▶ 45:00Xero Shoes: Steven Sashen and Lena Phoenix
AssertionContradicted
Xero Shoes created the first outsole specifically designed for barefoot running
“These guys helped us with the initial design for what was actually the first outsole specifically designed for barefoot style running”
Lena PhoenixMar 13, 2023▶ 47:51Xero Shoes: Steven Sashen and Lena Phoenix
Insight
Factories initially lose money on new manufacturing clients and take a bet
“It's very difficult to become a new manufacturing client because the factory is losing money on you. They're really, they're taking a bet”
Lena PhoenixMar 13, 2023▶ 52:28Xero Shoes: Steven Sashen and Lena Phoenix
AssertionNot publicly verifiable
Xero Shoes' original Chinese manufacturing partner secretly patented their design
“We learned that our first factory had actually patented our Saturnal design in China, so that was something we had to deal with.”
Lena PhoenixMar 13, 2023▶ 1:01:36Xero Shoes: Steven Sashen and Lena Phoenix
Disclosure
The founders put $100,000 on credit cards to finance shoe molds
“We had put about a 100,000 dollars on those credit cards to pay for the cost of the molds, and we had to pay in advance of selling the material.”
Lena PhoenixMar 13, 2023▶ 50:10Xero Shoes: Steven Sashen and Lena Phoenix
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