You can tell a great deal about a man by the shoe he wears.
– Joshua Rozario
I interviewed Joshia Rozario, founder of J.Rozario, a men’s footwear brand, focused on bold designs and quality craftsmanship. Josh is also a creative brand marketing professional who has worked with over 250 brands globally.
The first 30 minutes is all about shoes and styling tips. Men: don’t miss it!
In the second half, Josh breaks down exactly how he went from 0 → 1 to launch his shoe business.
Show Notes
00:00 Intro
02:04 Josh's shoe story
07:02 Josh’s favorite shoe types
07:50 What most men don’t know about shoes
08:48 Photography tip relating to shoes
14:09 Shoes every man should own
20:39 How Josh gained his shoe insights
25:08 Why men should not try to look like a GQ model
26:59 Creating a unique shoe brand in a saturated market
29:40 Challenges of running a physical brand
31:51 How to start a physical brand
36:06 “Pad Man”
42:01 Focusing on sales vs marketing vs product
43:16 The creator syndrome
46:35 Why everyone needs a coach
48:12 The “Mom” test
49:10 Bootstrapping vs. seeking capital
50:00 Marketing tips
50:57 Mastering time management as an entrepreneur
53:37 Time-blocking
54:08 Marketing tips for an engineer
1:00:48 How to create valuable relationships
More Joshua Rozario quotes from the interview
“You can tell a great deal about a man by the shoe he wears.”
– Joshua Rozario
“I realized that a shoe was a representation of who I am and expressed my personality.”
– Joshua Rozario
“The biggest mistake men make with shoes is not keeping them polished and clean.”
– Joshua Rozario
“Innovate at every level of your business, not just the product.”
– Joshua Rozario
“Don't get obsessed with looking like a GQ model; stay authentic to yourself.”
– Joshua Rozario
“You want to be able to create value for others before you expect them to create value for you.”
– Joshua Rozario
“Sometimes the best marketing ideas come from borrowing concepts from other industries.”
– Joshua Rozario
“When you're close to your product, it's hard to see it objectively. Get feedback from others.”
– Joshua Rozario
“Being well-dressed can make you more influential and confident.”
– Joshua Rozario
“Be careful not to look like you're just taking value from others; offer genuine help first.”
– Joshua Rozario
People Mentioned
Sumukh Setty
Rajesh Setty
Russell Fields
Alberto Suastes
David Embrick
