Hello, Sneakerheads and Shoe Aficionados,
My name is Robert, and I’m the founder and one of the four members of the core team here at Shoe Impact.
This website has a simple mission – to be your personal shoe industry insider. We’ll tell you the things no one else will. We’ll shed light on tidbits of information that will help steer you in the direction of finding that perfect pair.
In the confusing game that is the shoe industry today, we’re the one player that’s on your side.
Who am I to Talk Shoes?
Before starting Shoe Impact in 2014, I worked in the shoe industry for just over two decades with a prominent brand.
In that time, I held two positions: Shoe Developer (1993-2005) and Footwear Development Manager (2005-2014).
Granted, neither of the two jobs are the most exciting in the industry, but they made it possible for me to learn everything there is to know about what makes a good shoe.
The details about what my work entailed would bore you. To most people, there’s nothing interesting about writing technical specifications, checking blueprints, and communicating with factories.
Let me put it this way: many things need to happen for an idea to become a pair on a shelf. I was the guy that made all those mid-steps happen.
On top of that, I’m honestly passionate about shoes.
What it all Means For You?
It means that if you get your information on Shoe Impact, you’re getting the inside information. You’re getting the kind of in-depth, granular analysis that you won’t find anywhere else.
We go beyond opinions and provide shoe-rating models that stand out.
That is what makes Shoe Impact an authority on all things shoes.
The Short but Storied History of Shoe Impact
The story of Shoe Impact starts in a small burger joint in Baltimore. There were three people in that booth, and two of them wanted to talk about whether the Ravens should get rid of Joe Flacco. The third wanted to talk about this amazing new sole they’re developing in Japan.
Guess who’s who in that story?
Fast forward a few years, and you’ll see me quitting my job to pursue the pipe dream of talking about shoes for a living.
Thanks to people like you, that dream is now a wonderful reality.
The Core Team and Featured Shoe Experts
As Shoe Impact grew, it became possible to add three more people to the in-house team – a shoe sales rep, an import classification specialist, and a virtuoso cobbler.
We also hire featured experts on a per-case basis when we’re tackling a subject we don’t know enough about.
“The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no recipe for living that suits all cases.” – Carl Jung.
That’s where we come in; we prevent the shoe pinching.
