Student loans have a HUGE and growing impact on our industry – from taking hundreds of dollars out of each paycheck for many to the worries over saving enough for your kids’ college – it is impacting quality of life, productivity, talent retention and sales. On this episode we are joined by one of the leading experts on higher education, Michael Dannenberg, who discusses the student loan crisis in depth and provides exclusive insights and advice for shoe workers preparing for their kids’ college applications and payments, those paying off student loans, as well as explains how and why executives should add student loan benefits in employee packages. Everyone in the footwear industry needs to listen to this episode, a topic which is a personal passion to the Shoe-In hosts! Michael Dannenberg is the director of strategic initiatives for policy at Education Reform Now, and was previously senior advisor to various public officials, including former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA). He has been featured in major publications like the NY Times, Washington Post and other national outlets. He was the lead staff author of the College Quality, Affordability, and Diversity Improvement Act, sponsored by Senator Kennedy and for which National Journal named him to "The Hill 100" list of Congress' most influential aides.

On this episode we check in with Buddy Teaster, President and CEO of Soles4Souls. The Shoe-In Show team learns all about the new happenings over at Soles4Souls, some of the hardships they face helping countries in need, entrepreneurs, and more.

In a podcast crossover, Shoe-In’s Matt Priest joins Mike Jeppesen, President of Global Operations at Wolverine Worldwide, to discuss sourcing shifts on Wolverine Worldwide’s own podcast. Tariffs have had a major impact on strategic sourcing decisions, but so too have other risks and opportunities. Listen to this important episode to key get insights and tips on how your brand can source more strategically in 2020 and beyond!

Sabria Butler is FDRA's newest addition! Get to know how her love of shoes started, footwear retail experience, and thoughts on diversity being so new to the industry.

Jazerai Allen-Lord, Author, Designer, and Sneaker Strategist joins us for the very first time as we celebrate remarkable African Americans within the footwear industry during Black History Month. Jazerai has been a voice within sneaker culture for over a decade. It was an honor to have her on to discuss culture, her newest shoe release and business.

Chris Burns is back and this time joining us for our African Americans in footwear series. In this episode we discuss his latest adventures, from starting his own record label to his role as a professor. We also talk about the rise of the resale industry and how it will start to affect retailers in the future.

Shoe-In Show is honored to have Kickstorian Dee Wells join us for our African Americans in footwear series. In this conversation we talk about everything from memorable episodes with Phife Dawg and Tinker Hatfield on his Obsessive Sneaker Disorder talk show, footwear innovation and we get his thoughts on Kobe Bryant's Influence.

Matt's brother, David Priest, Senior Vice President and Chief Safety, Quality and Epidemiology Officer at Novant Health joins us for a special and very timely episode concerning the coronavirus spreading through China. China is a key sourcing location for the footwear industry making this timely episode so important for your upcoming travel plans and sourcing strategies.

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor with the Journal of Commerce joins the Shoe-In Show squad to help us understand how brands can approach implementing technology to solve supply chain issues, talks investment boom and what's to come in the future!

Jose R. Suarez, Founder & CEO of Impactiva is back but with something new, Impactiva's new SaaS platform, vaēso! vaēso is modernizing retailer & brands’ manufacturing ecosystems by providing real-time quality, productivity, speed and order status data! Learn all about it straight from the CEO!

The Shoe-In Show team is honored to chat with Matt O'Toole, Reebok's brand president. We discuss the evolution of Reebok, footwear innovation, and their new Cotton + Corn plant-based shoe!

First Insight services some of the largest retailers, manufacturers and brands by providing vital consumer insight in order for businesses to make the best investments. Greg Petro, CEO and Founder of First Insight joins us to discuss the importance of the company, the importance of diversity in the marketplace, shopping habits, and much more!

FDRA is excited for 2020. On this episode, we discuss some highlights from 2019 and talk about some things to expect from 2020. We also introduce the Shoe-In Show fam to the newest addition of FDRA, Sabria Butler our new marketing and events assistant!

Want a real look at how brands look at and work on shoe sustainability from marketing and sales to product development and sourcing? Listen to this powerful episode. Often hard to define and understand, this panel at FDRA 2019 Sourcing Summit opens up on the realities of sustainability so everyone can get better at making and selling environmentally friendly shoes.

Shoe-In Show listens in on a conversation Thomas Crockett had with Mike Piza of Apex Logistics and Kerry Rasmussen of Farrow at the 2019 FDRA Sourcing Summit in New York. Understanding sustainable supply chains even as you develop more sustainable product is key...particularly in the age of e-commerce.

The Shoe-In Show team listens in on a conversation Matt had with Tracy Graham and Suzie Glover of Keds as they explore the launch and learnings from the iconic brand's collaboration with ace&jig at the 2019 FDRA Sourcing Summit. Tracy and Suzie will walk you through the ups and downs of establishing a sustainable product for such a well-known sneaker brand in the dawn of "slow fashion" with ace&jig.

The NPD Group's Sneaker extraordinaire Matt Powell joins the Shoe-In Show team to discuss the latest in outdoor trends for Fall '19. Jasmine jumps in to discuss the NIKE x Jun Takahashi collaboration Undercover and the recent Jordan x Knicks drop in her world-famous Fashion Footwear in Focus segment.

Professor Caroline de Baere joins us on this episode as she discusses her interesting work on testifying in court cases around shoe intellectual property issues as well as her current work to educate the next wave of shoe designers. She also shares her great 'shoe story' from Esprit to Ariat and many other top brands and how that led her to start her own brand in LA that focuses on sustainability!

Jeff Hunt, CEO & CoFounder of Snap36 joins us to discuss consumer shifts, the increase of footwear purchases online and the benefits of 360 product photography to give your customers an "in-store" experience!

Listen to one of the key panels at FDRA's 2019 Sourcing Summit discuss current shoe production challenges, strategy and new opportunities they see around the globe. The panel includes Cherie Blum of Adesso-Madden of Steve Madden, Matt Brown of Richlife Footwear, Jean-Marc Pedeboy of Romans CAD, and Luis Humberto Vela, of the Mexican Footwear Chamber & Gösh Footwear.

Product safety, quality and compliance should be at the top of the list when selling to consumers! Josue Solano, BBC International & Kapil Bansal, TÜV SÜD are experts in the industry and give us best practices to make product safety cost-efficient, avoid product recalls, and much more.

The Shoe-In Show team is honored to have Andy Gilbert, President of Genesco Licensed Brands back in the studio. We get a chance to discuss retail transitions, holiday retail forecast, Genesco's most recent performance, and how Journeys is leading the much of their current success.

Global Customs Manager and 30-year NIKE veteran Dan LeBlanc sits down with the Shoe-In Show crew to reminisce about his time at the iconic footwear company and the role he plays in helping drive customs compliance and tariff understanding around new product launches. The crew unveils their current kicks (including Dan's new Joyrides) and what they plan to get in the "Whatcha Got? Whatcha Gettin'?" segment.

Our good friend Bill Snowden flips the script and interviews us! We talk about the challenges of knockoffs to scammers and hackers in an eComm world and get some great insights into new tech tools Verisk is using to help their clients and can help you too!

Export Now Founder and CEO Frank Lavin walks us through the ins and outs of selling product in China on e-commerce platforms. If you're looking to sell product online to the expanding China consumer base but don't know how, Frank's your guy. He walks us through the process as only Frank Lavin knows how.

How did Hoka grow into a top brand? What innovation lessons can we learn from its story and how can we apply those lessons today? Industry legend Stuart Jenkins joins us to share stories and insights never heard before, and a new project he is working on that may change the industry!

Chris Hillyer of Deckers Brands and Nicoline van Enter of the Footwearists join us to talk about some key tech and tools changing how brands are designing and developing footwear. This fun and insightful discussion covers a wide range of issues and is sure to make you think differently about the future of footwear!

Ryan Hunt of Bloom takes us on a journey of how they take algae from lakes, cleaning up the environment, and using that algae to make foam for shoes! We discuss material innovation and the development process in this unique and fun episode.

Last maker Jones & Vining explain how much innovation goes into last making, as well as new materials they are launching. We talk about the process of making lasts, how they are key to fit and comfort, and how one day data will allow us to match lasts data to consumer feet for a perfect fit!

Taped at the NW Materials Show in Portland, we sit down with our friend Hisham Muhareb to discuss why designers and development teams love the shows, what new materials brands are finding at the show as well as innovations from foam to plastics!

The Shoe-In Show crew discusses all things footwear and summer from our favorite summer shoes, consumer favorites, best brands for the summer, and more!

Danny Muskat joins the show to talk about how selling shoes and branding has changed over the past few years. From selling on the internet to brick and mortar retailers, we talk about the evolution in relationships, requirements and how companies are changing their models to adapt to new consumer norms. Don't miss this insightful, thoughtful, episode!

1 in 3 shoe companies have no sustainability program in place and 67% of footwear professionals say they lack education to make forward progress on sustainable shoes. On this episode we break down all the data and stats from FDRA's recent survey and share new ideas, tools and resources to help brands get more sustainable!

FDRA's newest intern, Ashton Tucker sits down to give us his opinion on what brands high school and college students are loving right now, where they prefer to shop, ideal price points, and more.

Beth Goldstein from the NPD Group comes on the Shoe-In Show to discuss how consumers view sustainability and the business and marketing opportunities it creates for brands!

Brands looking to get their shoes to retail faster are using air freight. On this episode, our good friend Mike Piza joins us to share best practices and insights into air freight and what the future of air supply chains hold as consumers start to demand one-day shipping. Jasmine also leads the way with her picks for summer in our "Whatcha got, whatcha gettin'?" segment!

Supply chains and trade are getting harder and harder, but there are new tips and tricks that can help. Our favorite Canadian Kerry Rassmussen of Farrow joins us on this episode to discuss successful strategies on navigating the new trade normal as well as insights into customs issues and how you could avoid a higher duty bill!  Jasmine takes a second to highlight Rihanna's new luxury line with LVMH. Rihanna has had a lot of success with past footwear collaborations, Jasmine believes her apparel and footwear line will do very well. We also get Kerry's opinion on a new footwear trend!

In this episode, we dive into some key issues for the footwear industry around sustainability and the ability - or not! - to recycle old shoes. Joining us is the ever-insightful Nicoline van Enter of the Footwearists.

Ports are critical supply chain hubs for footwear companies. Dr. Hacegaba from the Port of Long Beach joins us on this episode to explain port activities, innovations and sustainability as the number of goods shipped into the U.S. keeps increasing. Jasmine also leads our famous "Whatcha got - whatcha gettin'?" segment that made us say wow at Dr. Hacegaba's style!

Team FDRA takes off the gloves and gives an open and impassioned discussion on the current state of politics around President Trump's proposed tariff increases on shoes. This covers the impact on prices at retail to how businesses are trying to adapt. A must-listen show for everyone working in the footwear industry!

Join Matt as he discusses the current state of footwear retail with a panel of experts at FDRA's 2019 Footwear Executive Summit. Tackling the questions if brick and mortar retail is dead and ways to enhance experiences and drive foot traffic, Ed Rosenfeld of Steve Madden, Mitch Harvey of Deckers, Carren Morris of LaunchPad Services, and Moritz Schiebold from Volumental all bring their unique perspectives to the conversation.

Ambassador Mike Froman, former United States Trade Representative in the Obama Administration, is back with his thoughts on the current trade environment, with an insider's view on the Trump Administration's strategies as they relate to China and global trade. Some of his answers might surprise you!

Direct from FDRA's 2019 Footwear Executive Summit, Matt catches up with Diane Sullivan, CEO, President and Chairman of the Board at Caleres, to explore the many ways she has transformed the iconic footwear company through thoughtful acquisitions and strategic decisions.

Jasmine takes over the show with the help of teenagers Madalyn Priest and Molly Downey to discuss footwear (of course) and grill Matt and Andy on their own shoe stories. Footwear fun is had by all!

Straight from FDRA's 2019 Footwear Executive Summit, listen in as Matt speaks with Tim Boyle, President and CEO of Columbia Sportswear, on his values, the importance of advocacy and engagement, and his plans to grow Columbia's footwear business in the coming years.

At the 2019 FDRA Executive Summit Andy welcomes a panel of footwear technology experts as they explore emerging technologies in the areas of 3D rendering, product integrity, workforce development and learning, and factory efficiencies. Guests include: Alban Denoyel, Co-founder and CEO, Sketchfab Paul Foley, Executive Vice President Global Sales & Strategy, Vi3 Sam Caucci, Founder & CEO, 1HUDDLE Jose Suarez, Founder & CEO, Impactiva

Matt and Andy listen in on David Kahan's address at FDRA's 2019 Footwear Executive Summit as the Birkenstock Americas CEO takes us through the brand's long history and thriving relevance in today's marketplace. You'll get to hear David sing some Dylan as a bonus!

As the global footwear industry celebrates the importance of intellectual property protection this World Intellectual Property Day, Matt catches up with NIKE's Chief IP Officer, Margo Fowler, and Mark Smith, NIKE's VP of Innovation and Special Projects, to discuss the importance of protecting IP and strategies brands can adopt to successfully defend their trademarks, designs, patents, and IP.