I have been meaning to post this for a while now. I recieved this email from our fan Gus Martinez and simply was so excited to have made a difference in someone’s life and career through this outlet. Ken emailed me a couple weeks ago and it seems he has become quite the mentor to Gus which is amazing! I hope that this happens more and more as we continue to grow and while Gus was inspired by Ken and Shoebizness…. I am inspired by him! It takes a strong person to make such a dramatic change and  I simply am so excited to see what he is able to accomplish. Thank you so much for sharing Gus and perhaps you will be able to help someone the way Ken is helping you in the near future! Love it!!   Watch out for Gus’s launch in Spring 11…we will definitely be keeping our eye on him!!

Hello Julia,

First off I wanted to say I am a BIG fan of your website. I check it weekly for fashion tips, new trends, and new stories. The reason why I am writing is to introduce myself and say thank you for the amazing site.

My story goes back to last winter after a tough day at work. I was having dinner with my fiancée and she noticed I was very quiet. She asked me what was wrong. My response to her was ” I am not happy with what I am doing… I have no passion.” It was a scary moment for me as I was 24 years old and wondered if I was going to be one of those people feeling stuck and dread waking up because it meant another day of working at a place I have no passion. Quickly, she asked what would make me happy and I always knew I wanted my own business. Moments later it hit me, if there is one thing I knew more about than most people, loved with a passion, and more importantly could see myself successful in… it was shoes. Now being a marketing major grad I knew I needed a niche, unique product and living in Chicago I also knew I could take advantage of a very large and diversified market. What I came up with is creating a shoe line that focuses and caters to men only.

I spent the coming months researching my ideas and learning more about the industry. This is how I stumbled upon your website. It was exactly what I was looking for. A place where I can learn from other people’s experiences, a place to bounces ideas with and know there are people who share a passion about shoes. I read an article from Ken Proctor and knew I had to introduce myself to him. Ken has been huge at helping me make my dream come true. I consider myself a very bright and logical thinker but I knew I needed advice about the industry as it is one thing to read about it and another to actually experience it.

I am still in the early stages but with my planned trip to Leon, Mexico next month and all my drawings I am hopeful. I have targeted launching in Spring 2011. Thank you again for your site; it has meant a lot to me.

-Gus Martinez

still in the beginning stages but here is my website; please take a look see once I have my products.

www.eightyfourshoes.com