The Ledger
Every statement that passed quotation and attribution checks. Mix any filter with any other: certainty 1/5, debate potential 5/5, or both at once.
why aren't all 9 resolved? a statement only gets an assessment when the public record can support or contradict it. opinions and what-ifs never can, and 0 checkable ones are still open, waiting for their date. predictions held up or didn't; assertions are supported or contradicted. on every card: ▮▮▮▮▮ certainty · ▮▮▮▮▮ debate potential. speakers are clickable
On was likely the first running shoe to embed a rigid plate
“We were probably the first brand using plate, a plate in the shoe, we call it speed board.”
On only pursues product concepts considered impossible to build
“I think it's so deeply ingrained nowadays in the company that we only approach things that are impossible. If people are coming back, you know, after initial idea or vision, and people come back and say, oh, yeah, we can do it. I said, then we don't do it. Lea…”
Bernhard's garden hose prototype cured his chronic Achilles issues in six weeks
“Again, I have had my Achilles issues for maybe three, three and a half years to at the end of my career. And I've seen so many doctors and specialists and nothing really helped. And within six weeks walking and running in the garden hose shoes, since today, th…”
Nike refused to look at sponsored athlete Bernhard's shoe prototype
“I was an athlete, right, running for their company, becoming world champion, they didn't even want to look at the technology, not even at the drawing.”
Bernhard pitched On's early prototype to Nike, Puma, Adidas, New Balance
“We pitched it to Nike, Puma, Adidas New Balance.”
Puma invited On's founders to headquarters to lab-test shoe prototypes
“And Puma actually invited us to their headquarters, and they, you know, to me, the CEO back then said, when we sent the shoes, he said, yeah, we sent the semi, you know,
Three, five shoes.
We're going to take it to the lab.”
On produced its first 8,000 to 10,000 shoes in South Korea
“I think it was like 10,000 or 8000 shoes we produced in Busan in South Korea.”
On secured early retail sales by running with store owners
“Casper and I, we you know, attacked the German, Austrian, and Swiss market. I think it was year one and two. Not very successful until I think it was Casper coming, you know, and saying, hey, all these retailers are actually, you know, they're runners, you kno…”