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Ever dreamed of designing your own footwear? D’Wayne Edwards, our guest on today’s episode of How Did You Get Into That? is a bit of an expert on the subject.
After winning a design competition at 17 years old, D’Wayne realized that drawing shoes was his passion. He started out filing papers at a shoe company, built connections and in less than a year was offered a design job. He got his foot in the door (pun intended!), learned useful tips and turned it into a career.
Today he is the creator of Pensole, a footwear design academy focused on a “learn by doing” curriculum rather than formal training. On this episode of How Did You Get Into That?, D’Wayne shares how he started working in the footwear industry, what it’s like to run a successful footwear design academy and key aspects that will help you achieve your career goals.
THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:
- How D’Wayne used a suggestion box to get a job.
- Why is it important to get your foot in the door?
- How do actions speak louder than words?
- Why you should meet with other professionals before sending your work out.
- How did D’Wayne build his brand?
- The problem with an instant gratification society.
- How Michael Jordan increased D’Wayne’s competitiveness!
BONUS MATERIAL:
- Why D’Wayne walked away from Air Jordan at the top of his game.
- The importance of understanding other designer’s processes.
If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear a few additional minutes of the interview, Click here to get the exclusive bonus material.
EPISODE RESOURCES
- D’Wayne Edwards’ web site
- Pensole Academy on Twitter
- Steal Like an Artist, by Austin Kleon
- Submit feedback on the show for a chance to win an Amazon gift card!
- Subscribe to the show on iTunes
- Subscribe to the show on Stitcher
- Email me with any questions, comments or guest suggestions at Grant@GrantBaldwin.com
