Leslie Segan and Larry Schwartz of Aetrex

The Keys to Success – Chatting with Larry Schwartz from Aetrex

Right around the holidays, I had the wonderful pleasure of spending some time with Aetrex, CEO - Larry Schwartz. I figured since Julie was interviewing his assistant I might as well see if I can get him too. Lucky for me…he was up for it. The reason I wanted to speak with him was  because of the positive energy I felt coming from all of the people representing his company and also because they have not only been able to weather the current economic storm, but have been able to thrive in it. This doesn’t happen by mistake and I wanted to learn more about why Larry and his company are so different.  Also, I must mention, that Larry was kind enough to send me a pair of running shoes specifically made for my type of feet and they are amazing! They are definitely the most comfortable running shoes I personally have ever had in my life and I have been through a lot! I have very difficult feet to fit for running shoes and have just been so impressed. Thanks to Larry, running has once again become part of my daily routine so I will have him to thank for helping me get in shape this year!!

As I first said hello to Larry over the phone, I noticed right away that he was energetic and positive and knew immediately why his employees were the same. We chatted breifly about shoebizness.com (to which I was delighted to find out he is a fan) and how I met Faye. We then began to dive into the purpose of the call, which was to discuss the reasons why Larry being the head of the company, believes they are successful. Immediately, I heard a humble individual give credit to the people that support him. Not once did I hear I or me….but instead we and us. Basically he believes that their current success is attributed to three main points, innovative product, high company moral and building the business the “old fashioned way” where you lay a strong foundation, grow at a steady rate and always put your customer first.

My awesome Aetrex running shoes! I ran 25 miles in these bad boys this week!!

When it comes to their product, as I mentioned above, he doesn’t have to convince me that he has a good one. They originally made their mark in the medical field but have recently been making strides throughout the comfort and atheletic world as well. They sell primarily to independant specialty stores and with the introduction of their istep foot scanning technology being present throughout many of the stores they sell in, I can only imagine their business will continue to grow. Imagine being able to walk into a shoe store and not only have a sales person help you find the right shoe, but being able to learn about your feet specifically and when you make a purchase knowing it is custom made for your foot in order to prevent injuries and promote comfort. They also have several other products coming out that are far advanced in the market place. Product development and design are the main focus of their 9 person team and they are doing a fantastic job! It must feel good to be making a difference in the marketplace and getting people like me back to doing what they love!

As for their people, again as I mentioned above, they are great! It is always amazing to me how much of a difference having open minded, optimistic employees makes to a company. If your employee are not happy, they are not going to give their job 110%. Larry understands the importance of making his employees part of the “family” and their excitement and dedication shows. They believe in the company and want to be a part of the success. They see their role as a career not just a job, which is such an important factor. We didn’t talk quite as much about this point, but I didn’t have to….his team did it for him. I spent time on the phone with 3 of them who all equally sang the praises of the company and working for Larry and his family. I cannot wait for the opportunity to visit the Aetrex offices in the upcoming months and am excited to meet more wonderful people.

The final key to their success, building business the “old fashioned way” consists of in Larry’s own word, “being patient and taking a long term approach” to growth. Building a strong foundation through customer relationships, great product and knowing your market. They also have managed to keep their dept way down and since they hire and retain great talent they have kept the cost down in that department which helps as well. From my perspecitve, I can see that Aetrex found a niche, focused on it and then expanded intelligently into other areas without losing focus of their core business which is always a strategy of companies with staying power. This way your customers become your customers for life, through the good times and bad because they know exactly what they will get from you. Smart and if that is old fashioned, then I am taking notes, because it works. This is an ever changing industry and it’s great to see a company hold on to it’s roots while making great strides to impact the future.

I spoke with Larry about their goals for 2010 and they have some nice ones.  They are hoping to be the first company that sells over 1 million pairs of orthotics and shoes in the same year, launching a new line of inovative footwear using stretch materials and memory foam which in Larry’s words, “will take comfort to another level”, and continuing to grow their athletic business. They are doing great and I would think they are an inspiration to many out there! If you are struggling I would stop and evaluate this companies success and see what you are doing differently. All three points to why this company is rocking it, are points that can be focused on in any catagory and make total sense….in fact to people like me and Larry they seem to be kind of no-brainers, but I gues that they are not, so take note!

I truly enjoyed my time speaking with Larry and am really looking forward to spending more time with him and his team. They are great and  I wish them nothing but overwhelming success. Hard work, positive energy and smart thinking pay off and Larry and Aetrex are certainly proof of that!!

-Julia