LESSONS LEARNED OVER DECADES IN THE SHOE BUSINESS

Running a shoe store isn’t just about stocking shelves and ringing up sales—it’s a craft, a science, and a lifetime of learning. Over the course of more than forty years in the retail shoe business, I’ve experienced the full spectrum: successes that felt effortless, challenges that stretched me to my limits, and lessons that could only be learned the hard way. Each step of the journey, from hiring and training employees to negotiating with vendors and balancing the books, has left behind insights worth sharing.

The shoe business, like many retail industries, has changed dramatically over the decades. Technology has reshaped how customers shop, vendors have adjusted how they sell, and retailers have had to adapt to survive. Yet certain principles remain constant—treating customers with respect, managing cash flow with discipline, and staying nimble when the market shifts. My own experience has reinforced the value of these fundamentals time and again.

This section of my website is dedicated to the lessons I’ve carried forward, often paid for with time, effort, and sometimes painful mistakes. I share them here not as rules carved in stone, but as guideposts—real-world insights to help current and future shoe retailers avoid common pitfalls, seize opportunities, and build businesses that last. Whether you’re just starting out or decades into your own journey, these lessons come from the trenches of retail life and are intended to be practical, honest, and immediately useful.