Podcasts about Pensole

Feb. 13, 2024 ~ Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design Founder D'Wayne Edwards chats with Dan Gilbert and Mark Hollis about how Pensole is much more than sneakers.

Dr. D'Wayne Edwards, Founder and President of the Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design, joins this week's Consensus in Conversation. Edwards is a legendary footwear designer. He rose to prominence in early sneakerhead culture as the head designer for Nike's Jordan brand, where he designed over 500 styles for Michael Jordan, Tupac, the Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, multiple Olympians, and countless other sports stars. In 2010, Edwards began a path mentoring and educating other aspiring designers, creating Pensole Footwear Design Academy, a first of its type in the nation. Later, Edwards reopened the Lewis College of Business, a formerly defunct HBCU in Detroit, Michigan, founding the Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design in 2021.Today, Edwards is working on new and exciting ways to advance footwear design and education. The school recently announced JEMS by Pensole, the nation's first Black-owned footwear factory. Dr. D'Wayne Edwards is an icon in the footwear industry, and even if you aren't a sneakerhead, you've definitely seen his designs on famous musicians, athletes, or celebrities. For an inspiring conversation covering sneakers, self-taught schooling, business, launching a college(!), and so much more, listen now on your favorite podcast platform. More on the episode:Learn more about Jems by Pensole at https://jemsbypensole.com/ or on Instagram at @jemsbypensole Time Stamps!(0:00) - D'Wayne's cold open(1:02) - Intro on Dr. Edwards, Pensole Lewis College, and JEMS(2:56) - Background: growing up, footwear, and California(8:23) - Sneaker culture and the footwear industry(12:51) - A big break into footwear design(19:03) - Nike, MJ, and D'Wayne's legendary career(24:09) - Launching Pensole, a footwear design academy(33:22) - Launching Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design(37:39) - Creating JEMS, the footwear factory(40:38) - Sustainability and creating a positive impact(44:52) - Mentorship, students, and legacy(47:58) - Advice for younger self(51:00) - Conclusion and end credits Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pensole Lewis College, the first and only Historically Black College and University with a focus on design, and Logitech International are teaming up for a technology and education partnership. Plus, a forum on disability and race, a new modest clothing line for healthcare workers and more.

What does it take to start a business? Is it by having the money or by having investors? Does it depend on having social capital? Or both?Would you believe that it all starts in your head? It all starts with ONE idea that solves a problem. And it's not impossible that 3,000 miles away, someone will pay for that solution you came up with.By taking that first baby step, you're choosing to embark on your journey, from which you'll learn a lot, whether it becomes successful or not.Listen to this episode with Stephen Green to learn about how he started his career in finance and as an entrepreneur. Learn how he uses his background to support Black-owned businesses in Portland through PitchBlack, and how he helped A Kids Book About to start challenging, empowering, and important conversations with kids.About the Guest:Stephen Green (he/him) from Portland, Oregon is a Blatino who has spreadsheets as his super power and sneakers as his kryptonite. As a result of living in Portland his whole life, he's become a person that gobbles up relationships and community. Like most entrepreneurs, his journey began with his parents who were both entrepreneurs while he was growing up. While his mom started a tech company, his dad worked for Intel for a long time before starting his own HR company with Intel as their main client. And he's now passed this on to his oldest daughter, who also started a business during the pandemic and now takes him out to dinner.A husband, father, recovering banker, and VC, he's also the founder of PitchBlack, a pitch competition he started in 2015 that highlights black founders in regions across the country who strive for community over competition. It has expanded to include events in Seattle, Austin, and Philadelphia. And to date, 100 founders have pitched their ideas, more than 1,000 people have attended the combined events, and more than $100,000 has been awarded directly to the winning companies. In addition, the Portland winners have raised an additional $40M in funding since 2015. A startup mentor and advisor to portfolio firms at Backstage Capital, he also held positions at these companies: Director of Operations at PENSOLE, COO at A Kids Book About, and Community Director at WeWork. He co-authored A Kids Book About Family and he's a contributor to A Kids Book About Public Speaking by TEDxPortland, a volunteer-driven, nonprofit organization, where speakers and performers share ideas on a wide range of topics to bring people together and spark deep discussion and connection.Connect with Stephen Green:Twitter: @PDXStephenGInstagram: @PDXStephenGPitchBlack: https://www.pitchblackpdx.com/A Kids Book About: https://akidsco.com/Timestamps(02:33) - Icebreaker: How Stephen Green became "The Guy Who Knows Everybody"(04:06) - Icebreaker: What America looks like through the eyes of immigrants(04:53) - Icebreaker: His sneaker collection and his three Grail shoes(07:25) - One of the few things that can give you true gratification(08:07) - The two kinds of people in the world(08:44) - His educational background, career in banking, and working with founders(10:18) - What being part of a community is all about and how you can participate in yours better(12:16) - PitchBlack's success story(13:54) - How PitchBlack started and what to watch out for next(16:53) - Being a Blatino while having his own identity in and out of the home(19:34) - Why he thinks now is the easiest, cheapest, and quickest time to start a business(20:45) - The over-glamorized world of entrepreneurship and what you should be focusing on instead before raising money for your business(23:55) - The core tenets of starting and/or running a business(25:45) - Ways your Mission, Vision, and Values

Pensole Lewis College's own Dion Walcott joins Sabria and Matt as they explore the exciting 2023 plans for the all-important Black Footwear Forum. With a new podcast, regional meet-ups, and another national event in Detroit in-store, Dion, Sabria and Matt have their work cut out for them this year. Rest assured, they're up for the challenge. With special guest: Dion Walcott, Director of Partnerships, Pensole Lewis College

Sneaker historian, podcaster, trailblazer, teacher, curator, host, father (you get the picture, Renaissance man) Sean Williams joins Matt and Sandi to explore his love of all things sneaker culture. From his start in Brooklyn to his days now helping support the amazing work of Pensole Lewis College, Sean is working all angles in support of this industry we love. Oh, and he launched a shoe podcast (Obsessive Sneaker Disorder) way back in 2007, so you have Sean to thank for inspiring Shoe-In. With special guest: Sean Williams, Engagement Manager, Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design

Donte and Ronald are joined by Cheresse Thornhill-Goldson (Design Director of Adidas S.E.E.D. and No Shoes Creative) and Liz Connelly (Co-founder and program manager of Adidas S.E.E.D.). The BRNDD duo get to chop it up with Liz and Cheresse about their history in design, forming the S.E.E.D. program and more!   Highlights: 5:50 - Introductions 17:29 - What is Adidas S.E.E.D.? 20:15 - Taking a Leap of Faith 25:58 - Creating a Comfortable Space 31:39 - The moment of Clarity 33:56 - Getting into Adidas S.E.E.D. 38:00 - Age Ain't Nothing but a Number 42:34 - Working at the Brooklyn Farm 50:05 - The Favorites 55:33 - The BRNDD 10 Check out Cheresse and Liz's BRNDD 10 Playlist on Spotify: Cheresse: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4fGt7Obz4cWRn1OBih90hh?si=Nob41-kURIy4f3KJx3F_Lg   Liz: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/78KPEK41I4YouHR77Esi3h?si=aVamPRkTS3y2FBLefOLe7w Visit http://brnddpodcast.com/ to subscribe to the podcast, listen to past episodes, and find out about future projects! Follow us: https://www.facebook.com/brnddpodcast https://www.instagram.com/brnddpodcast https://twitter.com/brnddpodcast

The Shoe-In Show BHM '22 series rolls on as Dr. D'Wayne Edwards joins Matt and Sabria to talk about the opening of the Pensole Lewis School of Business & Design in Detroit, his calling to empower black design students in all industries, and his continuation of the amazing and iconic legacy of Dr. Violet Lewis.

Since the Lewis College of Business closed in 2013, there hasn't been a single historically Black college or university in the whole of Michigan. That is until now. Shoe designer and entrepreneur, D'Wayne Edwards, is helping to bring back Lewis College under a new name and mission. On today's podcast episode, representation in design, opening doors, and maybe some broader lessons for higher education. GUEST:  D'Wayne Edwards, Founder of PENSOLE & PENSOLE Lewis College of Business & Design Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way. If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work. Stateside's theme music is by 14KT. Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hate ads as much as you. Get access to the ad-free version of every show: Patreon.com/TheBpDShow OR Patreon.com/LikeItOrNot10-15-21 | DJ XXXclusive's Reign of Power | Michigan HBCU | Coach Gruden the Bigot | Jelani Day

Seeing Sound takes you through a dimensional experience of sound, colour and designs - through the voice and words of Ahmad Fielder - a beat maker and colour designer who has worked with big names like Nike, Pensole and others. In this episode, sound produce hues and colour babbles. Check out works by Ahmad Fielder: Here If you love this podcast, please give it a 5 star rating and a review on Apple podcast, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcast. This podcast was created and produced by Drc. Jaèy(@jaeyalley on IG & Twitter), for the AMBC. The AMBC is an independent media & production body that's dedicated to producing world-class contents that competes, and promotes the amplification Black/African voices / narratives. For enquiries you can send us a maill: africanmbc@gmail.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/epsseries/message

In this episode we sit down with designer Chris Dixon who guides us through his journey between loving basketball and manifesting his destiny of being a footwear designer. From Fayetteville, NC to Portland, OR (and everywhere in between & beyond) Chris gives us his experiences from working with Serena Williams, winning design competitions, the tuteledge and guidance of design great Dwayne Edwards and his Pensole program, and the give back by way of his CnstntDvlpmnt (Constant Developement) brand! Check this one out and hear what it's like to never give up on your dream!   IG @therockandstockpodcast Twitter @therockandstockpod

Pensole

I think we can all agree that Vans is one of the greatest footwear companies of all time. Tomorrow’s episode features one of world’s best young designers Adara Dillabough . Adara’s story, from being raised in Ottawa and Toronto, to her experience at Pensole , is a story I feel honored to share with you. If you want to know what it means to design for companies such as New Balance and Vans, this episode is for you.(www.edwardjoiner.com)Adara's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adara.dillabaugh/

Since he was a child, D'Wayne Edwards has had an incredible gift to draw what he sees. At age 17, he won a Reebok design competition, beating out professionals and college students nationwide. Since then, D'Wayne has built an incredible career and reputation as an elite designer and creative. In this episode, you'll hear D'Wayne's Water the Bamboo story about how he built his career and eventually launched his own design school during a sabbatical at Nike. Episode Highlights: 00:45 - How growing up in Inglewood, California shaped D'Wayne  02:31 - How one TV Guide magazine inspired his design career 07:46 - What happened when he entered into a design contest and won 09:29 - How to respond to “negaholics” and people who discourage 11:43 - The role his brothers played in his growth 18:21 - How loving your work is a “gift and a curse” 22:55 - What the design process is like 27:10 - How vision plays a role in creativity and design 31:24 - Letting things come to you 33:06 - Aha moment in the design community 37:02 - Advice to D'Wayne's younger self 42:51 - What D'Wayne is most proud of after launching Pensole 45:55 - Who inspires D'Wyane 50:45 - How one sabbatical from Nike turned into a design school Order the Water the Bamboo Book at https://amzn.to/3mPxcZu Order the What's Going Well? Book at https://amzn.to/3rBePLy  Guest at a Glance Dr. D'Wyane Edwards is a veteran shoe designer, and one of six designers ever to design an Air Jordan (21 and 22) in its 1st 23-year history. Edwards is also the founder of Pensole Footwear Design Academy. Learn more about D'Wayne Edwards   Learn more about Greg Bell More than just a motivational speaker, Greg Bell is a Portland, Oregon based thought leader, business consultant, and leadership coach. His popular books, What's Going Well? and Water The Bamboo: Unleashing The Potential Of Teams And Individuals, have inspired an array of organizations, from Fortune 500 companies like Nike, Disney, and Comcast, to the Portland Trail Blazers and Division I NCAA athletic teams like the Oregon Ducks Football and the Gonzaga Bulldogs Basketball.  Visit Greg's website. Connect with Greg LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

D’Wayne has a lot in common with Michael Jordan, his former boss. His appetite for excellence has propelled him to superlative success. D’Wayne turned his childhood passion for drawing sneakers into a high-flying design career, moving from L.A. Gear to Sketchers and then eventually landing his dream job at Nike’s Jordan Brand. D’Wayne’s designs have, in total, earned over $1.5 billion. But D’Wayne was determined to leave a mark on the footwear design world that couldn’t be measured in dollars. As one of very few Black leaders in his business, he saw an opportunity to create a pipeline for diverse designers. D’Wayne quit his job at Nike to launch Pensole Footwear Design Academy in order to build career pathways that didn’t exist when he was coming of age. Pensole is now an established force in footwear design education, providing a host of immersive programs in partnership with ArtCenter and other institutions. The results speak for themselves: Pensole had a hand in training over 500 footwear designers working today. In this debut episode of Change Lab’s new season investigating the future of education, D’Wayne reflects on the importance of mentorship, hard work, and hands-on learning in creating a more diverse and sustainable design education model. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are joined today by Cheresse Thornhill, Director of SEED School @ Adidas. Cheresse will be talking to us about Diversity in Design Education and how she is flipping the model of Design School on its head. We learn about her past with Jordan Brand & Nike, her experience with Magnet Schools, and finally all about S.E.E.D. School--a design program in partnership with Pensole at the Brooklyn Creator Farm supported by Pharrell Williams. If you would like to learn more you can email them at SEEDSCHOOL@ADIDAS.COM. Follow us on Instagram @explodedviewpodcast for more info and upcoming interviews.

We are joined today by Cheresse Thornhill, Director of SEED School @ Adidas. Cheresse will be talking to us about Diversity in Design Education and how she is flipping the model of Design School on its head. We learn about her past with Jordan Brand & Nike, her experience with Magnet Schools, and finally all about S.E.E.D. School--a design program in partnership with Pensole at the Brooklyn Creator Farm supported by Pharrell Williams. If you would like to learn more you can email them at SEEDSCHOOL@ADIDAS.COM. Follow us on Instagram @explodedviewpodcast for more info and upcoming interviews.

On Episode 004, Dave hosts mega talented footwear designer Ari Montanez. In this conversation we discuss all the different steps Ari had to go through in his (very) young career to get to where he is at today. From getting in trouble at school, to taking Pensole design academy, to moving across the country not knowing anyone. This episode is inspiring for all creatives on what it takes to land a job to pursue your dreams.

Stephen Green is a an economist, speaker, startup advisor and “recovering” venture capitalist. By day he is the director of operations for Pensole, the world's only footwear design and development school based in Portland, Oregon. He has spent his career helping founders start, grow and prosper. His tireless advocacy for Black & Latinx founders has landed him on stages across the country speaking about the power of entrepreneurship. One of his projects “PitchBlack” is a national pitch event that connects ecosystems with talented black founders in cities across the country. Since 2015, competitors in the Portland event have gone on to raise over $32MM for their ideas. He is a husband to a brilliant wife and father to 3 wonderful children. Spreadsheets are his super power and sneakers are his kryptonite. Hear more of the conversation on Crowdcast or YouTube.

Ronald and Donte' reflect on the podcast up until the last released episode and what happened in life in between.    Highlights 2:50: The Pensole/Portland Experience 9:20: What's next for BRNDD? 12:03: Kaepernick vs. Trump 13:49: Because the Internet 13:35: Goals for BRNDD 19:20: Behind the process 24:54: Keys to Building for the Future 36:00: room for improvement 40:56: the Social Media Matrix 44:51: Cops and Drops 54:26: Favorite Podcast moments 56:45: Future Guest wishlist 59:53: The Favorites

Vince Lebon - Design Thinker & Founder, CEO & Designer at Rollie NationVince is one of the top shoe designers in Australia and is the founder, CEO, and designer at Rollie. Vince won the Pensole Scholarship at D'wayne Edwards' design academy and took out the Pensole x Footlocker x Asics ‘Future of Footwear' Competition. Vince has worked with Adidas to help set their design direction and vision, and his company Rollie has been named in Power Retail's top 150 online retailers and labeled as a brand to watch.Rollie shoes are sold in leading shoe stores around the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Italy, France, and the US.On today's episode of The Daily Talk Show, we discuss: - Starting Rollie- The Pensole Design Academy sabbatical - Lace Up: The Ultimate Sneaker Challenge- Building a global brand from Australia- Misconceptions starting a company in the US- Being vegetarian- How to get started in the industry- Fashion advice- Designing and manufacturing shoesVince on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vince_lebonRollie: https://www.rollienation.comWatch and listen to this episode of The Daily Talk Show at https://thedailytalkshow.com/495Email us: hi@thedailytalkshow.comSend us mail: PO BOX 400, Abbotsford VIC 3067The Daily Talk Show is an Australian talk show and daily podcast by Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen. Tommy and Josh chat about life, creativity, business, and relationships — big questions and banter. Regularly visited by guests and gronks! If you watch the show or listen to the podcast, you're part of the Gronk Squad.This podcast is produced by BIG MEDIA COMPANY. Find out more at https://bigmediacompany.com/

Miranda Woods is following her dream of designing sneakers in innovative, unconventional, and socially conscious ways. On this episode, she talks about being named the 2019 Pensole x New Balance Co-Op Footwear Brand Design Winner, why she hopes to induce more authentic African America elements into American sneaker culture, and more. Featured Majors & Minors:  Architecture, Brand Design Featured Study Abroad Program: Design-Build in Ghana Featured Organizations: African Students' Union Music: “Only Knows” by Broke For Free

The second ever African American Footwear Forum is taking place in Portland this weekend as a part of Sneaker Week. Industry professionals, athletes, designers, and others will gather to talk about the challenges of an industry that markets to people of color, but doesn’t include very many people of color. Stephen Green is the director of operations at the footwear design school Pensole. Bimma Williams is the co-founder of Claima, and a former Adidas employee.

Miranda Woods, an upcoming footwear designer with a plan, drops by Shoe-In to talk about her journey from Washington, DC to the halls of Pensole, New Balance, Ghana and back! She is a rising female footwear designer, so make sure you get to know her now. Jasmine jumps in with her Fashion Footwear in Focus segment as she discusses the use of turf and other unique materials on footwear uppers.

In the second installment of Shoe-In Show's African American Footwear Series, footwear designer extraordinaire and PENSOLE Footwear Design Academy founder D'Wayne Edwards is back to continue exploring effective ways to drive diversity throughout the footwear industry. Jasmine jumps in for her Fashion Footwear in Focus segment to explore the influences of stylist and designer Ade Samuel and her meteoric rise.

In the first installment of Shoe-In Show's African American Footwear Series, footwear designer extraordinaire and PENSOLE Footwear Design Academy founder D'Wayne Edwards walks Matt, Andy and Jasmine through his inspiring story from his younger days as a kid from Inglewood to the peak of his career at NIKE to the launch of PENSOLE in Portland. D'Wayne is just getting started as he works to provide greater opportunity for youth and speaks out on the need to drive diversity within the footwear industry.

Precious Hannah (from episode 12) is back to talk to us about her creative process and where her inspiration comes from when she is designing a shoe. A footwear designer at Jordan/Nike, the lessons Hannah shares are on point and relatable to any creative on their journey.   Links Mentioned: Pensole Academy   Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play   Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): https://funnybrowngirl.libsyn.com/rss Announcements If you’re looking for a community of supportive creatives to elevate your journey to the next level, join me here: http://funnybrowngirl.com/subscribe Social Media Info Precious Hannah website: precious-hannah.com    Connect on Facebook:   Shereen Kassam Facebook Connect on Instagram:   Precious Hannah - @preshush FunnyBrownGirl – @funnybrowngirl Connect on Twitter:   FunnyBrownGirl – @funnybrowngirl   #CreativeBreakthroughPodcast    

Precious Hannah is currently a Footwear Designer for the Jordan Brand. She started her career at Nike as an intern and worked her way to footwear design – her passion and her goal. She is also a Pensole alum, a design academy that educates and challenges the next generation of product creators to be successful in the industry through classes and competition.   In Hannah’s words, “Don’t tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon”. Tell her she can’t do it- challenge accepted. Her teachers introduced her to sleepless nights at the age of 15 paired with an understanding what hard work is and where hard work will get you if you’re persistent. She was pretty certain I wanted to change the world at the age of 16. Now a mom of a little one and if anyone has pushed her in my career he’s been one of her biggest motivators.   Key Questions answered by Precious: How to build a network and utilize it Advice for people who want to be a shoe designer Advice for women in the workplace   Precious Discusses: When did her creative journey begin Adjusting to different environments How you can change/be impactful in someone’s life Importance of having a supportive network Being pregnant in the workplace Dealing with the challenges of being a woman of color in Corporate America Links mentioned in this episode: Counterintuitive by Lou Ann Daly Human Being: Creating Your Life From Inside Out by Lou Ann Daly   Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play   Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): https://funnybrowngirl.libsyn.com/rss Announcements If you’re looking for a community of supportive creatives to elevate your journey to the next level, join me here: http://funnybrowngirl.com/subscribe Social Media Info Precious Hannah website: precious-hannah.com    Connect on Facebook:   Shereen Kassam Facebook Connect on Instagram:   Precious Hannah - @preshush FunnyBrownGirl – @funnybrowngirl Connect on Twitter: FunnyBrownGirl – @funnybrowngirl   #CreativeBreakthroughPodcast      

On this week's episode of the Spirit of 608 podcast, we hear from a FEST founder who witnessed a fashion manufacturer's shocking environmental damage early on in her career at one of top brands of the day. What she saw was something she never forgot. Fast forward through leaving corporate fashion to start her own ecommerce brand and arriving at today, and she's joined with other fashion industry insiders to create the change she wants to see in the world. Here's what that looks like: leveraging her background in the industry to manufacture a made-in-California, environmentally-conscious shoe with a low carbon footprint, then crowdfunding it to success. But not only that: her commitment to changing how footwear is made goes far beyond her own brand, as evidenced in a new Ethical Footwear Design Course she's helped to create in partnership with PENSOLE - the first training for designers of its kind. Meet this week's guest, Mary Sue Papale, co-founder of Ashbury Skies + The BENDY.   What you'll learn Mary Sue Papale was working at one of the biggest brands of the 80’s and was enjoying a successful career in fashion when she suddenly witnessed something that changed her life forever. She saw firsthand the damage that the fashion industry levies on the environment - and more specifically, an entire lake. Find out how that experience has shaped her career - and future businesses on the show.  How you'll be inspired For so many entrepreneurs, the biggest challenge is not doing all the things - but really just trying to stick to one. If that's you, you'll draw essentialism inspo from listening to Mary Sue talk about the value of niching down to focus on one very special product. Hear why Mary Sue and her team chose this direction - and why it's working for them - on the episode.  What you'll tell your friends OMG, I was listening to the Spirit of 608 podcast today, and the woman on the show was talking about a lavendar lake, like from fashion industry dye runoff. I know it happens, but can you imagine just standing there looking at an entire lake that essentially became a chemical dumping ground so we can have cool looking handbags? It's crazy. But it led her to change the direction of her career and pioneer change - so inspiring!  Resource of the week One Million By One Million Mary Sue recommends this global online accelerator program as a place for mission-based entrepreneurs to head, thanks to its goal of nurturing one million founders to reach a million in annual revenue.  Connect with Mary Sue Papale Website: ashburyskies.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AshburySkies/ Instagram: @ashburyskies Twitter: @ashburyskies Mentioned in this episode: Esprit Nordstrom Facebook Google Ads Amazon Nasty Gal Modcloth Magic eBay Walmart.com One Million By One Million Medium Facebook Ads   T-shirt motto: Ask me about the Bendy, a modern comfort shoe.   Find more episodes featuring women at the forefront of FEST online at www.Spiritof608.com.

This episode of the Sole Searching is special as we talk with one of the creators of the Sneaker podcast Sean Williams!!! We get a lot of gems from talking GR releases, the Pensole academy, how to help boutiques out and the new generation of sneakerheads. We hope you guys enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed giving it to you! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The amazing D'Wayne Edwards joins Tim today to talk about education, motivation, and providing kids unique opportunities that engage them in learning. D'Wayne is the former lead designer at Nike, and has now founded the Pensole Academy in Portland for footwear design. In today's episode, he shares his own story (2:30), talks about the how and why of starting Pensole (5:15), and introduces his new Sneakerhead of State footwear design competition (13:00).    Resources and Links Sneakerhead of State Competition D'Wayne's Bio Learn More About Pensole Check Out D'Wayne's TED Talk Here Watch This Jobs Unlisted Episode with D'Wayne and Pensole  

Vince Lebon is one of the most creative and astute minds in the footwear industry. In 2012, inspired by his flight attendant wife—Kat, aka Rollie—the Melbourne-based designer founded Rollie Nation, a collection of stylish, lightweight, travel-friendly footwear. In our interview, Vince tells the story of how he sold his first 500 pairs of shoes—his entire inventory—in just four weeks, and from there grew Rollie to become one of Australia’s most popular footwear brands. To personally spearhead Rollie’s introduction into the US market, Vince recently moved his family to Brooklyn, New York. Shortly after arriving in the States, Vince won a scholarship to Brooklyn’s prestigious Pensole Academy, which subsequently served as the set for the YouTube original series, Lace Up: The Ultimate Sneaker Challenge. Vince was cast into the show and ended up winning it all after designing a shoe that was personally selected by NBA star James Harden. The victory landed Vince a job at Adidas, where he now creates top-secret future footwear concepts at the brand’s secretive Brooklyn Creator Farm. He also just put out a limited-edition sneaker for Asics—an opportunity earned during his time at Pensole’s Fueling The Future Of Footwear master class. In this interview, Vince and I discuss his creative process, as well as how he is able to juggle several projects at once. We talk about exactly what he did to grow his first brand, and how–through social media, pop-up activations, and collaborations with others—he was able to scale the business internationally. Persistence is a major theme in this conversation, and Vince recounts specifically how certain roadblocks that he’s encountered have ultimately contributed to his success in the industry. The father of two young kids, Vince also talks about how he and Kat—who has since left the airline world for fashion—make time for family while working full-time to grow their own brands in a new market. And, of course, we talk sneaker culture. From future trends and cutting-edge innovations that are furthering the game, to the dark world of resellers, Vince talks about the powerful influence of footwear design on our culture, and the responsibility that comes with that. Few people are as qualified to talk about this industry as Vince, so it’s a real honor to have him on the show. It’s been a pleasure to get to know Vince over time, and as it turns out, we’re actually neighbors. I hope you enjoy this episode and take as much of it to heart as I have. -------------------------------------- This episode is brought to you by iFIT NOURISH. iFIT NOURISH delivers personalized nutrition to your door—with protein, vitamins, and minerals to support your individual needs. When you go to iFITNOURISH.com, you’ll fill out a quick questionnaire with basic information, like your gender, age, height, and weight, before providing insights into your lifestyle, like your typical energy levels, daily sun exposure, whether or not you’re a smoker, how often you exercise, the kinds of exercise you do, and—of course—your goals. In the dietary section, you’ll input how much fruit and vegetables you get through your diet, any dietary preferences—like if you prefer a vegan or vegetarian mix—food allergies, how often you plan to drink the shakes, and whether you intend to use them as meal replacements or supplements. You can also pick your favorite flavor. Whether you’re looking to build muscle, lose weight, increase your endurance, improve energy levels or athletic performance, or even just maintain, iFIT NOURISH was created to arm you with the nutrition you need to go after your goals while also providing a solid daily nutritional foundation. Your first personalized order is free. Just pay $5 shipping, and you’ll get a free shaker bottle. Try it for yourself today at iFITNOURISH.com.

Today's guest is the Founder of Pensole Footwear Design Academy and former Creative Director of Brand Jordan. He shares his story of how he used his passion for sport + drawing to create his dream job. This is so inspiring, you won't want to miss it!

Herbert Smith, Marketing Designer and Director at Pensole Footwear Design Academy, drops by Shoe-In at FN PLATFORM in Las Vegas to peel back the layers on the history and purpose of the esteemed footwear design academy. Jasmine brings back her amazing Fashion Footwear in Focus segment as she reviews some of the latest and greatest shoe collaborations now in the footwear marketplace. Pensole/Adidas/Harden Collaboration  LeBron James/Kith/NIKE Custom AF1 and Jack 

“The Internet is a great tool but you can only learn so much. Actually going to a place physically where you have someone that has [designed] at the highest level, you learn so much more…that experience is invaluable.” FYI: Sneakers are a passion of mine. It's no secret. This episode is quite nerdy on the sneaker talk. Xavier Jones, footwear designer at Reebok, joined the podcast to discuss the footwear design industry and his path to designing for athletes like Shaq and Allen Iverson. Xavier's story begins in the Michigan basketball mecca of Flint. He let's us in on his story and how SLAM Magazine, And One and Ballislife inspired and led him to pursue a dream of designing sneakers for a living. We chat about some of our favorite kicks, discuss the evolution of the Jordan Brand, reminisce about the prime of the And One Mixtape and discuss how sport influences mainstream culture and hence sneaker culture. Xavier and I also discuss the unfortunate topic of violence which often happens at rare sneaker releases and how scarcity mindset and poverty effect the violent aspect of these events. Xavier also chats about some of the design processes as a sneaker designer; including what software designers use, why attending Pensole is vital, the collaboration dynamics of teams working on footwear products & more. Mentions Include: Xavier Jones on Instagram Pensole Footwear Design Academy D'Wayne Edwards, Pensole Footwear Design Academy Jason Mayden, Co-Founder, SuperHeroic Jordan XXI commmercial by W+K Wieden + Kennedy Bob's Classic Kicks Kith NYC Ronnie Fieg, founder of Kith And One Mixtapes Alex Bogusky, Crispin Porter + Bogusky Hot Sauce, And 1 Lace Up: The Ultimate Sneaker Challenge Suzette Henry, Pensole Reebok Classic Rbk Aliens Project the Reebok S. Carter My next guest is Chris Do, founder and CEO of Blind Studio, a brand strategy and motion design firm and TheFutur, an online business education platform for designers. Sign up for the weekly email newsletter for updates, discounts on future products and exclusive content for subscribers. You can also show your support for the podcast by joining the community and keeping it sponsor-free. Did you enjoy this episode? Then please rate and/or write a review of the show on iTunes. Also, be sure to follow show host, @TAdamMartin and @MakersofSport on twitter and Dribbble.

D'Wayne Edwards is the founder of Pensole Footwear Design Academy, located in Portland, OR. He's spent over 30 years in the industry, from working with Tupac and Biggie at Karl Kani to working with the GOAT, Michael Jordan. After spending 10 years working at Jordan, D'Wayne decided to start a school for footwear designers to help the next generation and has established one of the top schools in the world for Footwear Design. Donte' not only got to learn under him but interview him for the podcast. Listen as Donte' and D'Wayne talk about the journey that led D'Wayne to Portland.    Highlights:  0:30: The Beginnings 3:58: Baseball Cards to Sneakers 5:10: the Reebok Design Competition 7:30: Fast food to Footwear 12:05: Footwear meets Hip-Hop 15:33: The Advent of Sity and Skechers 16:58: The Transition to Nike/Jordan 20:41: Meeting Jordan 23:33: The Nu Retro II 24:21: Melo and the .5 Series 29:33: Designing Signature Jordans 31:29: Innovation and “The Experience” 37:11: Founding Pensole 45:28: How to Attend Pensole 47:30: The Future of Pensole 51:53: Bringing Industry Technology to Pensole 54:07: The Favorites   Pensole's  Website: http://www.pensole.com/ Instagram: pensole_academy Twitter: @pensole_academy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pensole.footwear.design.academy/    BRNDD Podcast: Website: debonairmaterial.com E-Mail: brndd@debonairmaterial.com Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/brnddpodcast Twitter: @BRNDDPodcast Instagram: @brnddpodcast facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brnddpodcast/   Ronald James' Twitter and Instagram: @whoisronjames