Slingin' Shoes

Enlightenment comes from many places and people. On this episode we get it from Joe Foster, the founder of Reebok, who tells the story of how the prize he won in a race as an eight-year-old helped inspire the Reebok name and helped create footwear history. Foster and Sneakers4Good founder Wayne Elsey talk about their backgrounds in the business and their new book "From Reebok to Reuse: Build Brand and Scaling Impact." We are also joined by Daniel Razin, the founder of RunOps, an AI operating platform built for specialty retail, and Toni Jumper of Fleet Feet Columbia...

Philadelphia Runner Owner Ross Martinson shares the lessons learned from 20+ years in business, including the differences between running urban and suburban stores and what he wishes he knew two decades ago. We are also joined by Dan Sullivan and Tony Macey of Skechers who discuss the brand's new super shoe and new athlete endorsers. 

Andy Kimerling of Westchester Road Runner tells tales of his 40+ years in the business and how his basement full of shoes allows him to keep his customers coming back for more. On the brand side, we are joined by Kevin McHale,

VP Sales, Run Specialty & Omnichannel, ASICS America, who discusses the brand's collaboration with Bandit Running, its work with run club and how ASICS balances growth with a strong commitment to run specialty.

Joe Rubio of Running Warehouse talks about Chinese brands, his journey in the business and what he sees for the future. Abigail Hollie discusses The Running Industry Diversity Coalition's new career event taking place in Philadelphia in October. And our listeners sound off with their Chafes of the Week about how to cope with special discounts. We promise a provocative and entertaining episode. 

Marathon Sports CEO Ben Cooke and store designer Holly Weise of 3 Dots Design talk about the recently opened trail centric store in North Conway, NH. The pair talk about the vision to bring the look and feel of famous UTMB (Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc) to a run store. And the challenges in doing that: building a giant rock wall, working with brand partners and getting the kegerator to work. Ben also pulls back the curtain on Marathon's new branding and the store's goal to be " the trusted guide to run culture" in the Northeast. 

Two great perspectives on what makes run specialty work. From Tokyo, we are joined by CEO of ASICS America Kodama-san. He expounds on the brand's commitment to run specialty and discusses the changing running landscape in the United States and around the world. Our retail guest is Aleighsha Nichols, GM of Running Lab in Michigan, the reigning store of the Year. Aleighsha recounts her career journey and her adventures in retail. Listen in for her inspiring, entertaining tale. And as a bonus, we are joined by Bobby Rossi, CEO of the Runningman Festival who talks about his event and...

Mark and Chris deliver their hot take on the annual Best Running Stores List. And are joined by Genae Salinas and Emma Galeckas of TRE who explain how the list was developed and how they have adapted the criteria over the past two years. We also get into how business can be better for run stores in a candid discussion with Josh Higgins of OS1st. How can stores drive more traffic, increase frequency of visits and boost the average units per transaction. Listen in for our ideas. 

Part 2 of our retailer interviews from the Altra spring/summer meeting. Matt Chandler of Run As You Are in Vancouver, BC talks about the store's innovative membership program,  and Chris Winter, GM of Reno Running in Nevada expounds on the critical topic of staffing. Chris shares his ideas on recruitment, training and what to do when it doesn't work out. All that, plus the chafe of the week. 

This episode features two wonderful retailers: Dom Zambrano, 19 months into his ownership at Running Wild, and John Gignac, a store manager for Red Coyote Running and Fitness in OKC. Sandwiched in between these two retailers is Jen McLaren, president of Altra, who shares the strategy behind the brand's surging growth and its commitment to run specialty. Co-Host Chris Farley lets loose on his "Chafe of the Week:" too many great shoes all at once. An action packed, informational episode. 

This episode includes two insightful interviews on careers in the running business. We hear from Dan Schade, GM of the Americas for On, who oversees the brand's business across the U.S., Canada,
Brazil, Latin America and the Caribbean. He traces his career journey from slingin shoes at Fleet Feet San Francisco to joining On and contributing to the brand's growth. Dan shares how his experience at retail helped shape his skills and attitudes toward shaping a culture and building a team.

We are also joined by Slinger extraordinaire Luke Palmer of Palmetto Running Co. in...

Join us for a true Daily Double of an episode featuring James Batey of Flostate Running in Vashon Island, Washington and Dan Sullivan of Skechers. James has won more than $500,000 as a contestant on game shows and is hoping his next win is with a new running store on a small island outside of Seattle. Dan provides our listeners with an update on Skechers' growing commitment to performance. The brand has signed 20 MLB players, five NBA stars and is sponsoring two major race series: Wicked Wine and Hot Chocolate. Drink it all in on our latest episode. 

They say you could write a book about run retailing. Well Mike Cosentino did. The founder of Big Peach Running Co. does a deep dive on his Peach Partners growth plan and why language and terminology are essential to his stores' culture. We also hear from Deanthony White, director of Charm City Mobile, about how this innovative program literally meets customers where they are. And we get up close with Eric Contreras of Runners Plus in Dayton, the new president of the Running Industry Association. 

All sessions were recorded at the recent RIA Summit in Atlanta. 

As their store celebrates its 50th anniversary, Jon and Betsy Hughes of Track Shack in Orlando discuss how the business is moving on to its next generation of ownership through their son Christopher. The Hughes family shares the practical, personal and legal challenges involved in this transition and offer their lessons and advice for any store that is going through this process or considering it. 

One guest. Dozens of stories and insights. Olympian Jenny Simpson dishes on her new role as Chief Running Officer at Fleet Feet and recalls getting her first pair of shoes at Track Shack in Orlando, where she was "raised on running." She also sheds light on her year-long cross-country road trip where she and her husband Jason ran with thousands of runners from Colorado and North Carolina. Jenny also reveals what she got wrong about super shoes and how better gear, fueling and recovery will continue to help runners break records. 

Join Mark and Chris and four guests as we do a deep dive on sustainability and the running business in advance of Earth Day. Hear from Wayne Elsey, founder of Sneakers4Good, about how his organization helps shoes find a productive second life; Gain some wisdom and insight from Alicia Chin about her role with Altra, Smartwool and Icebreaker. Caspar Coppetti, one of the founders of On Running, shares how living in Switzerland has shaped his personal and business perspective on sustainability. And Laura Bolgen discusses ASICS' ambitious Nimbus Mirai shoe.

From the mountains of Switzerland to the hills of Texas, Slingin' Shoes features two uplifting conversations. Garrett Sage, owner of Irun Texas,  tells Mark and Chris what he learned managing an Amazon warehouse and why he walked away to work for Fleet Feet and eventually buy his own store.

Our brand interview is with Caspar Coppetti, one of the founders of On, who recently assumed the co-CEO title with another founder David Allemann. Caspar discusses product innovation, channel segmentation and how On works to stay entrepreneurial at $4 billion in annual sales. 

We celebrate Women's History Month with two women who are leaving their mark on the run business: Kathy Dalby of Pacers Running and Burke Beck of Red Coyote Running. The pair share what prompted them to launch the Empowerun Retreat and reveal how the event is an important forum to discuss the challenges women face not only in the business, but in their work and home relationships. Tune in for a candid, inspiring conversation. 

Dave Zimmer shares some of his greatest hits from 30 years as owner of the Fleet Feet Chicago franchise. He also talks about his plans to open a 10th store and the relationships, community, charitable giving and customers that keep him motivated. Spoiler alert: Dave also reveals who really developed the phrase "Running Changes Everything." Tune in and find out. 

Mark and Chris explore two very different stores: The Loop Running Supply in Austin, Texas and Whirlaway Sports in Methuen, Massachusetts.

Ryan Hess from The Loop discusses his "new age running store," which blends the style and innovation of a fashion sneaker boutique with the community outreach and customer service of a running store. Ryan gives the scoop on the store's brand collaboration strategy and how he has pioneered brands such as Satisfy and Pleasures.

Ryan Kowal is a second-generation slinger who has worked at Whirlaway Sports for 22 years. He shares his tips on product...

Co-hosts Mark Sullivan and Chris Farley battle the elements to bring you an interview with store owner Karen Roberts and Social Media Marketing Manager Erica Barrera of Get Fit in Amarillo,  Texas. The duo discusses how their social media marketing has helped grow the store to $3 million in annual sales. And Karen shares her plans to open a second store this month. Tune in for an educational, entertaining listen.  

Eric Fruth, co-owner of Columbus Running Company, shares his three-leg stool philosophy: Retail, Races and Social and Training programs, and how they work together to drive business in his six stores.  Eric also discusses CRC's innovative Grasshopper youth running club program and how it builds customers of the future and boosts the store's youth footwear sales.

A great start to 2026!

Captured live at The Running Event, we sit with Tom Taylor of Altra, who discusses how his brand comes to market at retail. Camila Siqueira from SportBrazil talks about how TRE helped her and her same named sister-in-law build their business. And Adam White of RC Outfitters in Peoria shares his very personal story of how he overcame his struggles with alcohol and regain control of his business and his life.

Co-Host Chris Farley of Pacers shares his top 5 tips for getting the most out of TRE and some of them will surprise you. Elle Cheung of Gazelle Sports, winner of a Running Industry Diversity Coalition Scholarship to TRE, discusses how her store translates DEI philosophies into action. And Stephen Pifer of Skechers reflects on his 20-year career in the running business and his goal of running a sub-four minute mile in the same race as his son Jameson.

Family connections run through Episode 10 of Slingin’ Shoes which features interviews with Genie Beaver of West Stride in Atlanta and one of the founders of Altra, Brian Beckstead who remains an ambassador for the brand. Genie has a powerful connection to the running business through her uncle John McDonnell, who coached the University of Arkansas to 40 national titles and shares the story of attending her first TRE with a six-week-old baby. She also name drops the many women who have been supportive of her as she has built her business: Barbara Gubbins, Cathy Puglsey, Lea Gallardo, and Rebecca Hohenstein.

Hear the story of how slinging bottles of Black Velvet in 7-11 led to Harry Chandler joining the run specialty business and ascending to leadership roles at Charlotte Running Company, the Running Industry Association, and the Running Industry Diversity Coalition. Harry also talks about the Charlotte Run Hub and how it serves his store’s community. We’re also joined by Kristy Morris of Sneakers4Good, who shares information on how run stores can work with her business to support its’ efforts in 20+ countries. And Mark and Chris discuss The Rally Shoe in Seattle.

Episode 8 Under is a special golf celebration where we discuss The Skechers World Champions Cup, an international team competition featuring senior golfers from Europe, Asia and the United States.  Our guests include PGA Golfer Peter Jacobsen, sports marketing executive Charlie Besser, the founder of Intersport, and Ben Stewart, VP of Performance Footwear at Skechers. Jake Morrow of Golf magazine helps with co-hosting duties.

Jacobsen talks about his career as a golfer, the lead singer of Jake Trout and the Flounders and the role he’ll play at the Skechers World Champions Cup in December. Besser discusses how the...

How much bigger can run specialty get?

We entertain two points of view. Industry analyst Matt Powell of Spurwink River caused a ruckus recently with comments on LinkedIn saying the run channel was not growing because it caters only to “elites.” Co-hosts Chris Farley and Mark Sullivan press Powell on what he really meant and discuss why the channel’s growth has slowed after a decade of robust expansion.

Our sponsor guest all the way from Japan is Koichiro Kodama, CEO of ASICS America. Kodoma-san talks about his life traveling between two continents, his love of spe...

On this episode, Christi Beth Adams of Fleet Feet Nashville shares her journey from employee to owner of six stores. She takes us through the tears and triumphs of her 19 years in the business and talks about what could be next for her. We are also joined by Matt Baum of Mizuno, who may manage the biggest sales region in the country. Matt pulls back the curtain on what he’s hearing as he visits stores around the country and offers his insight on what stores should expect from sales reps.  And our slinger of the week, Eli Reed of...

Every run store owner will tell you how crucial their employees are to their success. That begs the question then, how do you attract good employees and retain them? Kris Hartner, owner of Naperville Running helps us attack the thorny issue of employee compensation. In a world where there is no “one size fits all” approach (just like shoes!), Hartner and co-host Chris Farley share what works for them.

On the sponsor side, we sit down with Bill Sternoff of BodyGlide, the man with the smoothest pipes in the business. Bill tells the story of how he got...

The conversations on Slingin’ Shoes Episode 5 run the gamut from the deeply personal to the outer limits of Artificial Intelligence. Co-host Chris Farley shares a story of a random encounter with a shopper that resonated deeply with him. Steve DeMoss of Big Peach Running talks about how his fascination with Artificial Intelligence is being put to use in the store, and Ben Stewart , VP of Tech Performance at Skechers, pulls back the curtain on how the brand is working to become more meaningful in run specialty.

On Episode 4, Mark and Chris analyze the annual Best Stores list: what well known stores didn’t make it, what’s the deal behind one of the Best Stores conspiracy theories and how did the list grow from 50 to 60+ stores.

We also discuss the ASICS resurgence with Kevin McHale and learn how he started his career as a shoe slinger at Potomac River Running.

And we spend time with an up and coming Slinger, Naim Bell of Charlotte Running Co.

On Episode 3, we take a deep dive with Bob Dyer and Jennifer Henderson, who share the story of their hands-on approach to opening a run store in the competitive market of Saint Louis. The couple shares both the personal and business issues they faced and how eight years later, Running Niche is a perennial selection to The Best Running Stores List.

On the brand side, Chris Brewer and Drew Magaha of Mizuno USA discuss the brand’s considered focus on the specialty channel and how their “smooth” approach to product is building momentum.

On Episode 2, we’re Slingin’ Shoes across the USA, starting with Jenni Peters from Varsity Sports in Baton Rouge, LA who discusses her real estate strategy and how she is rolling up her sleeves to help her community develop a trail network. Then from Fleet Feet Montclair, NJ by way of Brooklyn, we interview Axel Arroyo, shoe slinger extraordinaire, who shares how his experience and street smarts allow him to send customers home happy. And Josh Higgins of OS1st offers ideas on how to boost sock sales at run specialty by announcing a contest for stores to boost thei...

Josh Levinson, founder of CEO of Charm City Run, with 8 stores in the Baltimore area, pulls back the curtain on a topic many store owners think about but don’t always act on: succession planning. Josh discusses what steps he has taken to sell equity to top members of his team and what the future holds for him, them and Charm City.

This episode also includes an interview with Joe Toth, head of sales for Altra Running. He talks about the brand’s (and its parent company’s) promise to specialty and the opportunities he see...