Podcast Summary
Allison Felix's Bold Move: Running in her own shoe brand at the Olympics.: Take risks and pursue success on your own terms, like Allison Felix did by creating her own shoe brand Saysh designed specifically for women's feet.
Allison Felix, the most decorated American track and field athlete in history, made waves at the Tokyo Olympics by running in her own brand of shoes. This unconventional move came about after her previous sponsor, Nike, offered her a lowball contract. Her brother and business partner, Wes Felix, helped turn the idea into a shoe brand designed specifically for women's feet called Saysh. This is important because not all women's athletic shoes are actually designed for women's feet. Allison's decision to go pro straight out of high school was controversial at the time but ultimately proved successful. Her story is a testament to taking risks and achieving success on your own terms.
Allyson and Wes: Pursuing goals through adversity.: Set goals and adapt to challenges to achieve success.
Allyson and Wes pursued their athletic and academic goals, with Allyson focusing on the 200 meters and winning a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics, and Wes excelling in college track while also working towards a degree. However, Wes faced a detour due to a liver virus, ultimately leading him to retire from professional running. Despite this setback, Wes views it as a gift, as it allowed him to focus on his career in sports and entertainment, which is where he found success. Meanwhile, Allyson pursued her education while still competing at the international level. These two athletes demonstrate the importance of setting goals and being adaptable when faced with unexpected challenges.
From Athlete to Entrepreneur: The Power of Pursuing Your Passions: Don't be afraid to take risks and follow your passions, even if it means overcoming obstacles. Seek guidance from mentors in your industry and be open to learning from others' experiences.
Wes Felix, a professional athlete turned entrepreneur, demonstrates the importance of taking risks and pursuing one's passions. Despite the challenges he faced as a student-athlete, he continued to compete and later on started his own business. Along the way, he discovered his interest in sports management and went on to become his sister's agent. His willingness to learn from others, such as Serena Williams' agent, showcases the value of seeking mentorship and advice from those who have experience in the industry. His story serves as an inspiration for individuals who aspire to pursue multiple passions and carve their own path, even in the face of adversities.
How Contacts and Humility Launched Wes Felix's Successful Business Career: Networking and seeking valuable mentors, like Jill Smoller, can help guide you through the complexities of your industry. Always strive for excellence in every aspect of your job and stay humble.
Entrepreneur Wes Felix reveals how reaching out to Jill Smoller, the agent of tennis legend Serena Williams, helped him launch a successful business career, representing his sister, Allison Felix. Smoller shared the importance of humility and information, teaching Wes to be exceptional at every aspect of his job, from negotiating deals with CEOs to fetching water for his client. She also showed him the value of having a talented agent to navigate the complex world of endorsements and sponsorships. Wes learned that every opportunity may not be what it seems, and it's important to have someone like Jill to negotiate the best deal for his sister. Wes' success is a testament to the importance of networking and seeking valuable mentors.
Building the Right Team and Mindset for Success: Embrace the journey while aiming for your goal. Building strong partnerships with blue chip sponsors is key for successful endorsements and sponsorships. The right mindset and team can lead to becoming a household name.
Success is achieved by having the right team and mindset. Having the right business partner allowed Allyson to focus on her training and competing, giving her the sense of relief that comes from trust. Winning an Olympic gold medal was a long time coming, but the key lesson Allyson learned was to embrace the journey rather than just focus on the end goal. From a business perspective, it's important to focus on building partnerships with blue chip sponsors. These partnerships will help sell products and cement a brand's reputation, which leads to successful endorsements and sponsorships. The right mindset and partnerships can turn an individual athlete into a household name.
The Harsh Realities of Corporate Hierarchies in Athletics: Allison Felix's Story: It's important to value oneself and build a personal brand to secure financial stability, not only relying on a single job or employer. Don't sacrifice personal growth or happiness for professional success, knowing one's worth is key.
Allison Felix's experience with Nike's lowball offer for a contract renewal sheds light on the harsh realities of corporate hierarchies and the lack of loyalty towards employees. Despite being the most decorated athlete in world championship history, Felix's performance was solely measured by financial gains, and her dedication and hard work were disregarded. This experience highlights the need for athletes and individuals to work on building their personal brands and diversifying their income streams to secure their financial future. It also emphasizes the importance of being aware of one's worth and not sacrificing personal growth and happiness for the sake of professional success.
Allyson Felix's Struggle as a Mother in Track and Field: Women in sports face challenges when starting a family, including the pressure to hide their pregnancies. There is a need for policy change to support mothers without risking their careers and opportunities.
Allyson Felix's story sheds light on the struggles for women in track and field who want to start a family or become mothers. Women often have to hide their pregnancies during negotiations and contracts because of the fear of losing opportunities. She had to train in the dark to hide her pregnancy, and it left her feeling isolated and lonely during what should have been a celebratory time in her life. Even health concerns like preeclampsia didn't deter the pressure and fear of negotiations and contracts. This story highlights the need for change in sports policies to support women who want to start a family or become mothers, without risking their careers and opportunities.
Allyson Felix's Humbling Negotiation with Nike: Advocate for yourself, stand up for what's right, and fight for fair treatment and representation. Even elite athletes face challenges and obstacles, especially when it comes to gender and motherhood.
Allyson Felix's negotiation with Nike was a humbling experience after experiencing motherhood and realizing the challenges of returning to elite competition. Despite being offered a contract 60% less than her prior deal, Felix and her team fought for maternal protection and refused to sign without disclosing her pregnancy. The reality of the situation was that Nike viewed her age and future potential, not her previous accomplishments. The situation highlighted the importance of advocating for oneself and standing up for what is morally right, even in a negotiation setting. Felix's story serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by female athletes and the ongoing fight for fair treatment and representation.
Allison Felix Takes a Stand Against Nike's Treatment of Female Athletes Who Become Mothers: It's important to stand up for what you believe in, even if it means going against powerful corporations. Companies need to be truly committed to women's empowerment, not just use it as a marketing tool.
Allison Felix's op-ed in the New York Times sheds light on the issue of Nike not supporting female athletes who become mothers. Her decision to put her name to the story was fueled by a desire to ensure that her daughter and future generations wouldn't have to go through the same thing. Wes, her agent, was wholeheartedly supportive of her stance, despite the risks. This highlights the importance of standing up for what you believe in, even if it means going against a giant corporation like Nike. It also emphasizes the need for companies to be truly committed to women's empowerment, not just use it as a marketing tool.
Allison Felix's journey to create female-focused athletic footwear: Sash offers athletic shoes tailored to women's needs, challenging the dominance of big brands. Allison's experience with Nike inspired her to make a difference and champion women through sports.
Allison Felix and her brother, Wes, experienced a moment that changed the trajectory of their business. After Allison's op-ed in the New York Times, they pivoted from a sponsorship-based business model to a product-based one. Their idea was to create shoes specifically designed for women's feet. With a new apparel sponsor, Athletic, they set out to make a product that challenged the notion that only big brands like Nike and Adidas could make quality athletic footwear. Allison's experience with Nike inspired her to make a difference in the industry and design shoes that better fit women's needs. The outcome was sash, a company that champions women through their love of sports and provides them with the gear they need to succeed.
Allyson Felix Starts Shoe Brand Celebrating Athletes as Whole Individuals: Frustration with lack of shoe sponsorships led Allyson Felix and her brother to create a brand that values athletes for more than just their athletic ability. Starting from scratch can bring new opportunities.
Athlete and mother Allyson Felix's struggle to find a shoe sponsor despite her impressive Olympic record inspired her and her brother Wes to start their own shoe company during the pandemic. The frustration of not being valued for more than just her athletic ability made Allyson tired of seeking sponsors and led the siblings to create a footwear brand that celebrates athletes as whole individuals and supports their advocacy work. Wes's idea to build their own shoe company came from a simple moment of building Legos during the pandemic. Through this experience, Allyson discovered the value of building something from scratch and seeing it come to life with her own vision.
The Importance of Taking One Step at a Time in Solving Big Problems: Starting with small goals and tackling them one by one can ultimately lead to solving bigger problems. Wes and Allison's realization about the lack of shoes for women highlights the importance of taking an incremental approach to solving problems.
Wes and Allison started with just one step, which was to design a shoe for Allison to wear at the Olympics. They self-funded the project and realized that if they could create a shoe that Allison could wear, other runners would want it too. But during the process, they discovered that shoes for women were not actually made for women and were just marketed differently. This realization changed their entire design process and made them think about the bigger problem at hand. The key takeaway here is to start with one step and not to get overwhelmed by the bigger picture. Solving small problems can lead to significant changes in the long run.
The Neglect of Women's Footwear by the Sportswear Industry: Women's footwear has been mostly designed based on men's feet. By creating shoe lasts based on women's feet, brands can create comfortable and high-performing shoes for women. Advocacy and awareness can lead to a change in the industry.
The footwear industry has been largely designed around men's feet, leaving women with uncomfortable and ill-fitting shoes. Brands have neglected their female customers, assuming they are satisfied with their products, despite never having designed shoes to suit their feet. By developing a last based on women's feet, specifically for athletic shoes, women can have access to shoes designed for their performance needs. The challenge lies in convincing brands to produce a new line of shoes rather than relying on the same molds to produce both men's and women's shoes. Through raising awareness and advocating for change, women can finally have access to footwear that celebrates and supports their athletic abilities.
Allison Felix and the Depersonalization of Athletic Shoes: Allison Felix's company aims to provide better options for women in athletic footwear and has expanded beyond personal branding to create a mission-driven brand. With the help of mentors, they have already released successful lifestyle shoes and are now working on a specific running shoe for women.
Athletic shoe company, Allison Felix, depersonalized their business to build a brand that could live beyond her personal achievements and endorsement. With the help of former Nike developers and designers, she released the Sage One and Two line, which are lifestyle shoes that can also be used for workouts. However, the company is now working on a specific running shoe designed for women. Their mission is to provide better options for women in athletic footwear. This core message is bigger than just Allison Felix, and she is passionate about making the company grow beyond herself. With the support of amazing mentors, they were able to produce a gold medal-winning and iconic shoe for women.
Sash: Celebrating Women Holistically: Sash's maternity returns policy is just one example of how the brand caters to women's needs and hopes to continue addressing products that aren't made for women in the next decade.
Sash, the shoe brand, envisions itself as a brand that celebrates women holistically and provides them with products that meet their needs. Their maternity returns policy is an example of how they cater to women's needs, even if their foot size changes during pregnancy. In the next 10 years, Sash hopes to continue meeting women exactly where they are and address other products that aren't made for women. Their goal is to ensure that women feel seen and known by them in all areas of their lives and be a brand that women can be proud of.
