Former Crocs Exec and Avia Co-founder Joins “Barefoot” Start-up Xero Shoes
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Xero Shoes Named Winner of Three Top Colorado Companies Awards
(Broomfield, CO) June 22, 2018 – Feel the World, Inc. (dba Xero Shoes) maker of addictively comfortable shoes and sandals, has won three prestigious state and local awards: The Colorado Office of Economic Development’s Colorado Companies to Watch, Colorado Biz magazine’s 2018 Top Women-owned Business List, and Biz West magazine’s Mercury 100.Colorado Companies to Watch honors second-stage companies that develop valuable products and services, create quality jobs, enrich communities, and create new industries throughout Colorado. Xero Shoes was one of 50 companies selected out of over 1,100 nominated companies.Biz West’s Mercury 100 recognizes rapidly growing companies in Boulder and Broomfield counties. With 284% growth between 2015 - 2017, Xero Shoes was the 2nd fastest growing company with revenues between $3.7 and $8 million and 2nd fastest growing overall as well. This is the 3rd time Xero Shoes has made the Mercury 100 each time in a higher revenue category.Colorado Biz magazine honors the top women-owned businesses by revenue. With $5.53 million in revenue for 2017 Xero Shoes – ranked #46 and was also the 2nd fastest growing company on the list. Lena Phoenix co-founder, CFO, and majority owner say, “We’re so fortunate to have such a supportive community for women-owned businesses in Colorado and it’s really exciting to join this list of inspiring women business owners.”Phoenix’s husband co-founder and CEO Steven Sashen adds, “These awards give Lena and me a much-needed opportunity to step back and appreciate the results of our work together… and of course motivate us to rank even higher on all the lists next year.”The company expects to be listed on at least two more upcoming “top company” lists including the Inc. 5000 on which they were #1753 for 2017.ABOUT: Feel The World Inc. of Broomfield CO manufactures Xero Shoes® addictively comfortable lightweight performance and casual sandals and shoes built with a “foot-first” design. Durable stylish and affordable — Xero Shoes supply the fun and benefits of natural barefoot-inspired movement plus a layer of protection and comfort. FTWI launched in December 2009 and now has customers ages 1 to 91 in 97 countries who wear Xero Shoes for walking, hiking, yoga and gym-going, Crossfit, kayaking, rafting, paddle boarding, jogging, and even running hundred-mile ultra marathons.###
Xero Shoes Launches “Natural Movement” Running/Fitness Shoe
(Broomfield, CO) March 8, 2017 – Known for their best-selling Natural Movement sandals, Xero Shoes has just launched the Prio, a running and fitness shoe for men and women.CEO, Steven Sashen, says, “Your feet are supposed to bend, move, flex, and feel the world. The Prio lets your feet do what’s natural.”The Prio exemplifies Xero’s “Design by Nature” philosophy: Natural Fit wide toe boxes let your toes spread and relax; Natural Motion construction allows free movement; Natural Feel soles give you the feedback your brain and body need for optimal function. “Plus,” adds Sashen, “we use a ‘Xero-Drop’ sole – non-elevated for proper posture, low to the ground for balance and agility, and backed by our 5,000-mile sole warranty.”The Prio features design elements reminiscent of their sandals. An adjustable strap holds the heel in place, and novel instep straps secure the midfoot. All the straps are highly reflective.The Prio is also lightweight – a men’s 9 is 7.4 ounces; women’s 7 is 6.5 ounces. The shoe is flexible enough to roll into a ball and fit in your pack or pocket for travel, but durable enough for road and trail running.The Prio is available on the company’s website – www.XeroShoes.com – as well as retailers around the world, findable on the site’s store locator page. MSRP is $89.99.ABOUT: Feel The World, Inc., of Broomfield, CO, manufactures Xero Shoes®, lightweight, performance recreation footwear. Durable, stylish and affordable — Xero Shoes supply the fun and benefits of being barefoot, but with a layer of protection and comfort. Feel The World, Inc. launched in December 2009. Customers ages 2 to 92, in 94 countries wear Xero Shoes for walking, hiking, yoga and gym-going, Crossfit, kayaking, rafting, paddle boarding, jogging, slacklining, and even running hundred-mile ultra marathons.
Xero Shoes Launches “Natural Movement” Shoe for Women
(Broomfield, CO) February 8, 2017 – Following on the heels of their first closed-toe shoe for men, the Hana, Xero Shoes has just introduced a women’s casual canvas shoe, the Lena.CEO, Steven Sashen, says, “Your feet are supposed to bend, move, flex, and feel the world. The Lena lets you do that with casual style.” And since it’s their first shoe designed specifically for women, the company named it after its co-founder and owner, Sashen’s wife, Lena Phoenix.The Lena features Xero’s “Design by Nature” philosophy: Natural Fit wide toe boxes let your toes spread and relax; Natural Motion construction allows free movement; Natural Feel soles give you the feedback your brain and body need for optimal function. “Plus,” adds Sashen, “we use a ‘Xero-Drop’ sole – non-elevated for proper posture, low to the ground for balance and agility, and backed by our 5,000 mile sole warranty.”The Lena also features design elements reminiscent of their sandals. An adjustable strap holds the heel in place.The Lena comes in at 6 ounces for a size 7, and is flexible enough to roll into a ball and fit in your pack or pocket for travel. Even though it’s a casual shoe, the sole is durable enough for road and trail running.The Lena is available in 3 colorways and can be found on the company’s website – www.XeroShoes.com – as well as retailers around the world, findable on the site’s store locator page. MSRP is $89.99.###ABOUT: Feel The World, Inc., of Broomfield, CO, manufactures Xero Shoes®, lightweight, performance recreation footwear. Durable, stylish and affordable — Xero Shoes supply the fun and benefits of being barefoot, but with a layer of protection and comfort. Feel The World, Inc. launched in December 2009. Customers ages 2 to 92, in 94 countries wear Xero Shoes for walking, hiking, yoga and gym-going, Crossfit, kayaking, rafting, paddle boarding, jogging, slacklining, and even running hundred-mile ultra marathons.
Xero Shoes Expands Beyond Sandals with a New Closed-Toe Casual Shoe
(Broomfield, CO) October 14, 2016 – Xero Shoes, the company known for its lightweight performance recreation launched its first closed-toe casual shoe, the Ipari Hana. Says CEO, Steven Sashen, “For years, customers have told us they love our sandals and want something with the same feeling, fit, and performance, but with a closed-toe for work or colder weather.”The Hana’s base is the patented FeelTrue® rubber sole used in Xero’s best-selling sandals. The upper is canvas with Microfiber lining and exterior accents. A signature huarache-style lacing system adds to the Hana’s comfort, durability, and recognizable style. Even though the Hana is marketed as a casual shoe, early wearers have used the eight ounce (Men's size nine) shoe for hiking, camping, weight lifting, and trail running.Dennis Driscoll, Xero Shoe’s chief product designer, commented: “It’s a great looking casual shoe with natural movement. I am proud of the evolution of our image and brand.”Designed with the foot’s natural movement in mind, the Hana features a wide footprint and toe box to let the toes relax and spread. A low-to-the-ground, non-elevated, zero-drop sole allows for proper posture, balance, and agility. The FeelTrue® sole provides protection without compromising a foot's ability to bend and flex. Although the Hana was originally designed for men, women reported the wider base works well for their feet too. For both sexes with narrower feet, the women's version named the Lena will be launching in Spring 2017.The closed-toe shoe collection name, Ipari, was inspired by the Tarahumara Indian's endurance running ball game, rarajipari. The shoe name, Hana, comes from the Maui town name, which evokes the casual adventure feeling of the shoe. Also, in Hawaiian, "Hana" means "craft" which reflects the craftsmanship of Xero’s new shoe.The Hana is available in three colors: Black / Rust, Brown / Black, and Sand / Chocolate. MSRP is $79.99. The Hana and other Xero products are sold on the company's website (www.xeroshoes.com) and in 150+ US retail locations. For a complete list of stores, please visit http://www.xeroshoes.com/pages/stores.###ABOUT: As seen on ABC’s Shark Tank, Xero Shoes®, a Colorado-based woman-owned corporation, makes lightweight modern minimalist footwear designed to support natural foot movement and function. Since its inception in 2009, Xero has attracted over 120,000 customers in 94 countries who enjoy the company's footwear for walking, hiking, trail running, ultramarathons, backpacking, yoga, kayaking, rafting, stand up paddle boarding, family vacations at the beach, on cruise ships, and nights out on the town.
Xero Shoes Slashes Weight and Bulk out of Sport Sandals with New Z-Trek
(Broomfield, CO) March 9, 2015 – For decades, sports sandals like Chaco, Teva, and Keen have been de rigeur for outdoor enthusiasts. Their downside? A brick-like weight and stiffness, with a suitcase-filling thickness.The new Amuri Z-Trek, by Colorado-based Xero Shoes, eliminates to 70% of the weight and almost all of the bulk of the familiar sport sandal. The Z-Trek is flexible enough to roll into a 2.5" packable tube, and a men's size 9 weighs just 6 ounces (a similar Chaco is over a pound).Z-Trek, like all the company's products, is a lightweight, performance recreation sandal, that's as likely to be seen during a walk on the beach as it is on a hike in the woods, or even in a 256k ultra marathon across Madagascar.Comparatively, wearing the Z-Trek feels almost barefoot, but the FeelTrue® outsole — developed with former lead designers from Nike and Reebok — adds a secure sense of protection. Secure enough that it comes with the company's unmatched 5,000 mile warranty.Xero Shoes' co-founders, and husband and wife team, Steven Sashen and Lena Phoenix appeared on the ABC hit show Shark Tank. “Some of the Sharks called the products we had back then ‘Just rubber and string,’” says Sashen. “The Z-Trek is clearly much more than that.”The company started with do-it-yourself "barefoot sandal" making kits, selling over 35,000 to people in 90+ countries. With the help of their Chief Product Officer, Dennis Driscoll, they introduced ready-to-wear/ready-to-play sandals the Amuri Cloud and Venture.The Cloud and Venture feature a patent-pending lacing system that includes a flip-flopish toe post. "Even though our lacing system makes the toe post much more comfortable than a flip flop," adds COO and co-founder, Lena Phoenix, "we know there are lots of people who just don't want something in between their toes. The Z-Trek solves that problem." MSRP is also lightweight at only $59.99, less than half of some competitors’ products. Just 48 hours after announcing Z-Trek on the company website at www.XeroShoes.com, customers purchased over 752 pairs.Visit www.XeroShoes.com to learn more about the minimalist sandal company and its barefoot-style products.###ABOUT: Feel The World, Inc. of Broomfield, CO, manufactures Xero Shoes®, lightweight, performance recreation sandals. Durable, stylish and affordable — Xero Shoes supply the fun and benefits of being barefoot, but with a layer of protection. Feel The World, Inc. launched in December 2009. To date, over 70,000 customers, ages 1 to 91, in more than 92 countries wear Xero Shoes for walking, hiking, yoga and gym-going, Crossfit, kayaking, jogging, and even running hundred-mile ultra marathons.
Former Crocs Exec and Avia Co-founder Joins “Barefoot” Start-up Xero Shoes
Boulder, CO, October 2, 2012 – Dennis Driscoll, a 35-year footwear industry veteran who co-founded Avia Footwear and most recently worked as Global Design Director for Crocs, has joined Boulder-based barefoot running shoe start-up, Feel The World, Inc., the makers of Xero Shoes • Original Barefootware.Driscoll's roll at the bestselling "barefoot sandal" manufacturer is Chief Development Officer. Asked what attracted him to the product, he answers, "Xero Shoes are genuine, legitimate. We don't have to create ways to differentiate our product, because it is actually different."Regarding the company, and its co-founders, Steven Sashen and wife Lena Phoenix, Driscoll adds, "They are a smart team who've already proven themselves and their business. I like that my experience with all aspects of the footwear business can have a big impact here."Sashen and Phoenix reciprocate the admiration. "It’s highly unusual for someone of Dennis’s skills and caliber to work for a company at our stage. We're thrilled to have Dennis help take our product, and our company, to the levels we know they can attain."Dennis Driscoll started in the footwear business in 1978 with Osaga Athletic Footwear as the Director of Product Development. In 1981 he co-founded Avia Athletic Footwear as the VP of Product. Ten years later Dennis joined Wilson Sporting Goods as the Global Business Unit Director of Footwear. After a 7-year stint at Converse in senior product roles, Driscoll took a position at Doc Martens Footwear and moved to London as the Global Director of Product. In 2010, he went to work for Crocs as Global Design Director where he had a fourteen-member design team in the US office and design centers in Padova, Italy and Tokyo, Japan.Visit www.XeroShoes.com to learn more about the minimalist sandal company and its barefoot-style products.###ABOUT: Feel The World, Inc. of Boulder, CO, manufactures Xero Shoes®, a high-tech upgrade on the traditional huaraches running sandal of the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico. Durable, stylish and affordable — Xero Shoes supply the fun and benefits of being barefoot, but with a layer of protection. Feel The World, Inc. launched in December 2009. To date, over 25,000 customers, ages 1 to 91, in more than 73 countries wear Xero Shoes for walking, hiking, yoga and gym-going, Crossfit, kayaking, jogging, and even running hundred-mile ultra marathons. #
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