How Hoka Built a Billion-Dollar Shoe Brand

Episode notes

Why did a strange-looking running shoe with giant foam soles become a billion-dollar brand? This week on Ecommerce on Tap, Aaron Alpeter and Mark Riskowitz break down the story of Hoka - from its origins in the French Alps to becoming one of the fastest-growing footwear brands in the world. We cover: • Why Hoka ignored industry trends • The biomechanics behind running shoes • Manufacturing challenges most consumers never see • Why founders sometimes need to leave incumbents • How Deckers scaled Hoka into a powerhouse

• Why Rothy's Built the Factory Before They Built the Shoe69 / 100
• How Birkenstock Built a $1.6 Billion Footwear Empire
• Why Footwear Is Secretly One of the Hardest Industries in Consumer
• Why Unilever Bought Grüns for $1.2B
• The Future of Fragrance: From Luxury to Daily Ritual