June 11, 2018
Control what you can and let others control what they can. Sounds simple enough to think it’s obvious? It’s true. It’s a very simple piece of advice that’s so obvious on a granular level that it can be easy to forget. In fact, it cost me more than a million dollars to learn this lesson. The best advice isn’t always the flashiest, newest tip; it’s the most practical. Without it I wouldn’t be here today as CEO and Chairman of OrthoLite, the insole technology found in billions of fashion, casual and athletic shoes.
When I entered the footwear business nearly three and a half decades ago, I was on a quick path to success. My career began with a company called G2 where rubber soles were the name of the game. I manufactured and imported them across the globe and then sold them back to clients in the U.S. My clientele roster was impressive; I worked closely with Clarks and Timberland. On paper I was successful, which prompted me to make the decision to sell G2 and accept the role of footwear division president for a competing organization. A year in, I realized the role wasn’t entrepreneurial enough for me and made the decision to found my next business called Onshore Productions.
