From Concept to Commercialization - Without the Delays, Rework, and Factory Headaches

Let me help you fix your Footwear Development Bottlenecks Before They Cost You Six Figures

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Problems I Solve

Why Brands Bring Me In

  • I’ve seen what breaks at scale

  • I build systems to prevent it

  • I know how factories actually execute (not just design intent)

22+ years working in engineering and product development

One of the earliest team members at Altra. Held several leadership roles in over 10 years at the company

Former VP of Product Development at Xero Shoes

Experience across CAD, Tooling, Sourcing, and Engineering for high performance categories

Problems I Solve

Performance / Minimalist / Technical Footwear Brands Scaling Fast

You have momentum - but one wrong move could be disastrous

  • I help to avoid common pitfalls in footwear development, fit and materials engineering

  • Last Design, Adjustments and Strategic/Effective Fit & Wear Testing

  • Factory Upgrades - because sometimes getting your product built by more experienced hands makes all the difference.

  • Help to improve Calendar, Process and communication hurdles

Startups

Early product decisions carry real cost.

  • You have the idea but don’t have a factory

  • You need expert eyes to help verify the concept and ensure manufacturability

  • Help reviewing molds before pulling the trigger on such a large investment

  • Weak tech packs can be expensive and increase sample iterations

Established Brands

You don’t need more ideas—you need more capacity.

  • When your team is maxed out, you can still add those exciting new styles/categories to the line plan without having to beg for more headcount.

  • I provide more bandwidth for innovation pre-season testing without interrupting the inline team.

  • Help execute that “pull forward” of the shoe style concept that the CEO asked you for. Sometimes getting something to market faster means you need a temporary expansion of the team.

Offers

Basic Audit (Tier 1)

  • 1-2 week engagement

  • Review Current product + process

  • Deliver Actionable Fixes

  • Easy and low cost first step

“Project” Support (Tier 2)

  • I am involved from Concept to Prototyping through Commercialization

  • Tech Pack Reviews

  • Hands-on guidance with factory + Materials

  • Full sample tear-downs and change management

  • Help work through Construction methods and manufacturability

  • Quality standards and testing protocols

Fractional Head of Development (Top Tier)

  • 3-6 Month Retainer

  • VP Level Support

  • Long Term strategic roadmapping and innovation planning

  • Guidance on Processes, last library and quality standards

  • Assistance with Factory Transfer strategy and execution

My work delivers RESULTS…Here are some examples

  • I instituted a formalized & strategic wear test process for a brand that included utilizing 3D foot scan data to provide context around fit and performance feedback. I pushed to bring in a cloud-based wear test platform to build a reliable database of brand exclusive, sport specific testers. The new wear test process provided invaluable insight into each season’s new launches and helped the brand avoid product failure, chargebacks and damaging brand reputation.

  • One particular shoe style was showing high returns for a specific fit issue. I helped diagnose the problem, and with a small adjustment to the last, the problem was resolved and the return rate dropped significantly.

  • I helped a brand identify how one aspect of their outsole designs that they thought was helping provide structure to the shoe was actually promoting delamination between the upper and the outsole unit. After adjusting the mold and product geometry, the product failures disappeared.

  • Oftentimes the real magic of why a shoe works well comes from the “Coca Cola recipe” of materials and their properties. I understand what materials to use and when - how thick or thin to make them, and what performance standards they need to achieve. Consulting with me on your next high performance technical project can make all the difference in outperforming your competition.

“I had the pleasure of working with John on many innovative projects including the world’s first barefoot/minimalist basketball shoe. It required us to challenge quite a few traditional footwear conventions, and John was instrumental in helping translate bold ideas into practical, technically sound solutions that stayed true to the brand’s unique product DNA. His calm, solutions-oriented approach made him a trusted partner when navigating complex product challenges.”

-Josh Pichon, Senior Footwear Designer Xero Shoes

Senior product development support — without the cost or risk of a full-time hire.

Have a Product in Motion?

If you’re developing a line, navigating challenges, or need experienced support for a defined season or initiative, reach out!