An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
Build something people can connect with — We’re more than just a company selling shoes. We really believe in the power of community and the goodness of others. We’re open and honest in all that we do. I’ve told my own struggles to our customer base on the deep difficulties I face with mental health. I think because we’re so open to our TAFT family, they really feel like we’re real…. not just a brand that is trying to sell them something. Putting faces and stories behind the brand can really make people rally behind you.
As part of our series about how to create a trusted, believable, and beloved brand, I had the pleasure to interview Kory Stevens.
Kory Stevens is the founder and CEO of TAFT, a men’s footwear business. Kory is originally from Burbank, CA and currently resides in Utah with his wife and three children.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
In college, I studied Linguistics with the hopes of getting into management consulting. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a job offer out of school and my wife was pregnant — so I knew I had to do something quick. Thankfully, we had the idea to start a men’s no-show sock company and did so via Kickstarter. About a year and half later, we transitioned into shoes and haven’t looked back.
Can you share a story about the funniest marketing mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
At the very beginning we were so hesitant to spend money (like a lot of young brands). We relied a lot on our organic efforts for growth. We sent an email for our very best customers with a gift card to show appreciation for all the support they had given us and accidentally made the code public & tripled the offer on the back end. It ended up getting circled around and we had so much volume and lost so much money. BUT we gained more customers in the end! So, not a horrible mistake and we honored the code to make up for it. People were stoked.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
I think it’s all about the product and our relationship with our customers. We make product that you just can’t find anywhere else in the footwear industry. When someone is wearing TAFT, you know it pretty much immediately. Secondly, and probably more important, is our relationship with our customers. Since the beginning, we have always been very personal and transparent and real with our customers. We operate like the little mom and pop shop on the corner that you used to go to as a kid. I want to make sure we keep that feel forever.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
We are working on a made-to-order shoe customizer tool that we are very excited about. No other brands are really doing a good job at it in the dress shoe category and we believe we can do it very well. I feel like this is a huge opportunity to really add something special to our offerings as a brand.
Ok let’s now jump to the core part of our interview. In a nutshell, how would you define the difference between brand marketing (branding) and product marketing (advertising)? Can you explain?
I recently heard it like this …advertising is like asking someone out on a date — branding is the reason why they say yes. I really liked this example. For me, advertising is very practical, tactical, and measured. Branding is everyting — the angle of the photo, the grammar in the caption, the outfit on the model, the packaging of our boxes. It’s everything. For me, I think much more about branding than I do advertising. I think advertising is a lot more objective where branding is more subjective and emotional.
Can you explain to our readers why it is important to invest resources and energy into building a brand, in addition to the general marketing and advertising efforts?
I remember early on I struggled to spend money on the brand. I just thought that every dollar would be better spent on a channel that is more measurable and a bit more straightforward. Branding is just a total question mark with spend. You don’t necessarily know what you are going to get out of it. BUT, I will say — you can tell when brands don’t spend on brand at all. For me, it’s kind of like those overseas businesses that advertise like crazy on Facebook and Instagram but clearly don’t have a brand. They have products. You can sell products. But you’ll never be something truly special unless you build a brand, and that requires risk and experimental spend sometimes.
Can you share 5 strategies that a company should be doing to build a trusted and believable brand? Please tell us a story or example for each.
1: Build something people can connect with — We’re more than just a company selling shoes. We really believe in the power of community and the goodness of others. We’re open and honest in all that we do. I’ve told my own struggles to our customer base on the deep difficulties I face with mental health. I think because we’re so open to our TAFT family, they really feel like we’re real…. not just a brand that is trying to sell them something. Putting faces and stories behind the brand can really make people rally behind you.
2: Hire the right people around you — Hire good, kind people that align with your vision for the company’s success and values. Just because someone is talented, does not mean they are the right fit. The right people will help you push the brand to new heights and keep the core values and integrity close to heart.
3: Think differently — This may sound vague, but don’t do what everyone else is doing. Ask your customers what they want and deliver it in a beautifully unique way.
4: Focus on what matters most — I say this to my team all the time. We’re about boots, shoes, and most importantly PEOPLE. Provide a great workplace for your team and an even greater customer experience. Go out of your way to show people supporting you and your brand how much it really means to you. I handwrite notes to our most loyal customers and talk to them on a personal level. Be present and listen.
5: Make experiences not just products — I want each person that buys a pair of TAFT to feel something special the second they open the box. I want them to feel unique and one-of-a-kind every time they wear our shoes. That feeling is what we’re aiming for and what sets us apart from other footwear brands.
In your opinion, what is an example of a company that has done a fantastic job building a believable and beloved brand. What specifically impresses you? What can one do to replicate that?
I love Aime Leon Dore. They use real people in their advertising and make it look so beautiful and eye-catching. Every product feels handpicked and so purposeful. They also have exceptional customer service!
In advertising, one generally measures success by the number of sales. How does one measure the success of a brand building campaign? Is it similar, is it different?
It is so different! Brand building is something that is often difficult to measure. There are obviously a lot of technical ways to track success, but for me real success is hearing from our customers. When we launch a new product or campaign and we get a lot of emails, calls, and inquiries, I know we’ve done something right.
What role does social media play in your branding efforts?
We actually started on reddit, so I’d say imperative. We got started on our social media efforts really early and focused really hard on great content. It’s helped us grow to where we are today.
What advice would you give to other marketers or business leaders to thrive and avoid burnout?
One of the most helpful things for me has been exercise. I have a strict morning routine that I follow that really helps me stay level-headed and remember what’s really important in life. Burnout happens when your work becomes the most important thing in your life … that just should never be the case. It’s okay that work isn’t the most important thing. When you work at TAFT, I actively encourage and remind the team that shoes are not that important, especially these days. Make sure that you have a life outside of work and remember that work isn’t the most important thing all the time.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
For me, the most important thing in life is to be kind. That’s my main goal each day. If we all acted like that each day, this world would be a special place. I don’t know if that’s some big movement or anything, but that’s my main goal in this life. Not money. Not business success. Just to be kind. If I reach the end of my life and my wife and children and loved ones remember how kind I was, that’s a successful life to me.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle”. This has been a very powerful quote for me over the years. I often let comparison ruin my day and dampen my successes and progress. I will have a record-setting day at TAFT and immediately start thinking about how Amazon does that much in revenue in a few minutes. I look at brands that I love and admire and get down on myself that I’m not there yet. But it’s not a fair comparison because time and stage play an important role. All businesses are different. All leaders are different. Don’t let comparison steal your joy. Don’t get lost in that stuff — it only leaves you feeling bummed out.
We are blessed that very prominent leaders in business and entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world with whom you would like to have a lunch or breakfast with? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Absolutely. For me, it would be Jerry Lorenzo or Rhuigi Villasenor. Let’s connect!!
How can our readers follow you on social media?
You can find me on Instagram and LinkedIn. I kinda try to stay behind-the-scenes but I’m there if you wanna chat 🙂
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.
Kory Stevens of TAFT: Five Things You Need To Build A Trusted And Beloved Brand was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
