All Heather had was her security badge picture, but I don't think it is "dorky" like she said. I have seen much much worse!

Heather Brady is Brown Shoe Companies, Talent Acquisition Specialist, based in NYC. Heather is a talented recruiter with an amazing, fun attitude and great sense of humor. She is new to the footwear industry starting with Brown, but is already attracting amazing talent to the Brown family. I asked Heather to send me her 5 favorite things about the footwear industry so far. Also, if you are a truly amazing talent, and I mean truly amazing, you can email Heather your resume at: hbrady@brownshoe.com. Welcome to the industry Heather and thanks for your contribution!

My 5 Faves about the Footwear Industry……through the eyes of a newcomer 1. The Product-
I cannot tell a lie… I LOVE SHOES! I fell in love with shoes at a very young age. My first loves were without a doubt my ballet slippers, followed by my pointe shoes (not exactly the kind of product you find at FFANY or WSA),  but outside of that I was obsessed with wearing Dr. Scholl’s as soon as I could fit into them so I could be just like my mom. Then came the ubiquitous jellies, 80s Reeboks and Kaepas with fluorescent shoelaces, and (thankfully) much better fashion sense with adulthood. To me a shoe is truly an object of art, which has the added bonus of serving a practical purpose… which means I can buy more!
2.  The People-
It is a delight to interact with people in the footwear industry. I am continually impressed by how willing people are to network, to offer assistance, support, encouragement, and to share their knowledge and time with me.
3. The Passion-
I am so impressed with the zeal and energy of the people I have encountered- from candidates to designers to salespeople to “shoedogs.” It is contagious and inspiring. People may leave the industry for a little while – but as I have been told many times, they always come back. It gets in their blood and they become “lifers.”
4. The Perks –
I love networking with people at events… I love getting to see the new fashions before any of my friends get to, and I *really* love when my size 6.5/7 beat up ballet feet squeeze into a size 6 sample shoe somehow, and I can actually walk in them and make it work! Thank you, cruel pointe shoes- it was great training!
5. The Possibilities -
It is exciting to be part of an industry that attracts such loyalty and tenacity.  I also think that having an organization like the TwoTen Footwear Foundation that is dedicated to serving those in the industry speaks volumes about the kind of people in the biz. I’ll spare you the sole/soul homonym game, but I’ll close by saying I am excited to put my “best foot forward.”  Sorry- I couldn’t resist.  :)