In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Brett Stapper interviews Steven Sashen, founder and Chief Barefoot Officer of Xero Shoes. Steven built a multi-million dollar footwear company from a simple DIY sandal kit after discovering barefoot running transformed his athletic performance. Starting with basic SEO tactics in 2009, Xero Shoes has grown into a 60-product line worn by everyone from casual walkers to NBA and WNBA players. Steven’s journey from Internet marketing veteran to footwear entrepreneur showcases how authentic product experiences, contrarian marketing tactics, and specialized talent acquisition can build a category-defining brand in a crowded market.

Topics Discussed:

• Building a brand around authentic product experiences and word-of-mouth growth

• Leveraging early SEO mastery to dominate niche keywords before competition arrived

• Creating guerrilla marketing campaigns that break conventional “best practices”

• Developing product lines through direct customer feedback and demand signals

• Assembling high-performing marketing teams through specialized freelancers vs agencies

• Using content marketing to educate consumers on barefoot running benefits

• Converting book publicity into brand awareness through strategic partnerships

Lessons For Consumer Marketers:

Reject “Best Practices” for Contrarian Messaging

Steven deliberately hires copywriters who can create headlines that sound counterintuitive, like “do not buy these shoes” or “my wife will leave me if I wear these.” His philosophy: by the time something becomes a best practice, it’s already ineffective. This contrarian approach helps Xero Shoes stand out in a crowded footwear market where everyone sounds the same.

Build SEO Dominance Before Competition Arrives

In 2009, Steven owned all relevant barefoot running keywords within six weeks using aggressive content marketing across 25+ video platforms. He created educational content about natural movement, participated in relevant online communities, and built a sophisticated email capture system. The key was moving fast in an emerging category before competitors understood the opportunity.

Turn Customer Demands Into Product Roadmaps

Rather than guessing what products to develop, Steven let customers tell him exactly what they needed. Starting with sandals, customers asked for winter options, office shoes, gym shoes – each request became a new product line. This demand-driven approach ensured product-market fit and eliminated the risk of developing unwanted products.

Execute Memorable Guerrilla Marketing Stunts

Steven’s tactics included printing 50,000 bookmarks for customers to place in “Born to Run” books at bookstores, sending Joe Rogan 15 left shoes with a note saying “if you want the right ones, let me know,” and creating content that deliberately breaks marketing conventions. These stunts generated disproportionate attention and word-of-mouth at minimal cost.

Prioritize Product Experience Over Marketing Spend

The primary driver of Xero Shoes’ growth wasn’t marketing but the transformative experience customers had switching to natural footwear. Steven focused on creating shoes that delivered genuine functional benefits, knowing that authentic product experiences would drive organic word-of-mouth better than any advertising campaign.

Build Specialized Marketing Teams, Not Agencies

Steven avoids full-service agencies, instead hiring individual specialists who are top performers in narrow disciplines. He looks for people who want to “fire all their other clients” and can offer the “friends and family rate” because he’s the easiest client to work with. This approach gets access to elite talent that agencies can’t provide.

Use Content Marketing to Educate Rather Than Sell

Steven created extensive educational content about the science of natural movement, foot anatomy, and barefoot running benefits. By focusing on education rather than product promotion, he built trust and authority in the barefoot running community, positioning Xero Shoes as the logical solution once people understood the problem.