Sole Purpose Ft. Justin Schneider Career Slay podcast

9d ago 51:08

Content provided by Kelly Poquiz Burke. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Kelly Poquiz Burke or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

In this episode of the Career Slay podcast, Kelly Poquiz Burke interviews Justin Schneider, the Founder & CEO of Wolf & Shepherd, a hybrid footwear brand redefining comfort in dress shoes.

As a former All-American track and field athlete at the University Notre Dame studying industrial design, Justin discovered his passion for footwear early on, eventually designing shoes for Adidas and New Balance. There, he had a breakthrough—why not bring athletic comfort to dress shoes?

That idea became Wolf & Shepherd. Since 2015, Justin and his wife and co-CEO, Hope, have built the brand into a leader in the space, selling nearly 2 million pairs and expanding their lineup from casual to formal—all with performance-driven comfort at the core.

Justin shares his journey of building a footwear brand and emphasizes the importance of family support, having personal conviction and relentless tenacity as an entrepreneur. He discusses finding alignment between building a business and family life, the vision for the brand's future, and the significance of embracing risk and opportunity. Finally, Justin shares the advice he’d give to his younger self and as well as advice for founders and entrepreneurs.

Enjoying the show? Please consider subscribing, leaving a rating, and sharing to help us #slaythefearincareer. And if you're looking for one-on-one career coaching, visit careerslay.com to learn more.

Chapters

1. Introduction to Career Slay Podcast (00:00:00)

2. Justin Schneider: From Athlete to Entrepreneur (00:00:52)

3. Childhood Influences and Early Interests (00:02:21)

4. The Journey into Industrial Design (00:04:43)

5. Internship at Adidas: Lessons Learned (00:08:13)

6. Transitioning from Adidas to New Balance (00:12:21)

7. Exploring Opportunities at Reebok (00:15:49)

8. A Unique Adventure in Madagascar (00:19:49)

9. Launching Wolf & Shepherd: The Business Begins (00:22:26)

10. From Selling Flowers to Shoe Entrepreneurship (00:24:24)

11. The Birth of Wolf and Shepherd (00:25:22)

12. Overcoming Financial Hurdles (00:26:23)

13. The Power of Conviction in Sales (00:28:49)

14. Testing the Market at Nordstrom (00:32:03)

15. Balancing Family and Business (00:34:55)

16. The Vision for Wolf and Shepherd (00:37:11)

17. Embracing Risk and Opportunity (00:41:22)

18. Iterative Learning and Growth (00:44:51)

19. Defining a Career in Three Words (00:48:13)

38 episodes