Designing shoes for women's feet with Wes and Allyson Felix of Saysh (2023)

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: Allison and Wes Felix recount how Allison’s frustration with a low Nike offer and pregnancy discrimination led them to challenge athletic-industry norms, write a New York Times op-ed, and ultimately cofound Seish, a shoe brand designed for women’s feet. The episode traces their transition from athlete endorsements to product innovation, highlighting gender bias in footwear and their mission to build for women holistically.

Main Topics: Sibling partnership and early track careers (Priority: 4/5): Wes and Allison describe growing up in track and field, their shared competitive foundation, and how Allison eventually surpassed Wes in prominence as an athlete. Allison’s professional rise and Olympic success (Priority: 5/5): Allison explains choosing to turn pro in high school, competing in multiple Olympics, and winning medals while balancing school and elite athletics. Wes’s move into athlete representation (Priority: 5/5): After his own running career ended, Wes built experience in business and became Allison’s agent, learning negotiation and sponsorship strategy from veteran agent Jill Smoller. Nike renegotiation and pregnancy discrimination (Priority: 5/5): A low renewal offer from Nike, followed by concerns over pregnancy penalties, became the catalyst for public advocacy and a turning point in the siblings’ business strategy. From endorsements to product creation (Priority: 5/5): The pair shifted from representing Allison through sponsorships to building a physical product after realizing women’s shoes were often built on men’s foot molds. Building Seish and the women-centered mission (Priority: 4/5): They launched Seish, raised funding, and began designing shoes specifically for women’s feet, with policies and product decisions intended to support women across life stages.

Key Arguments: Turning pro early was a strategic choice for Allison because it let her focus on one event and peak for the 200 meters rather than split attention across collegiate competition. Wes’s role as agent was to secure fair value, not just deals; information and comparison pricing were essential to avoid being exploited as "Allison Felix's brother." Nike’s offer and maternity-related contract structure showed that corporate support for women athletes can be superficial when confronted with pregnancy and age. The op-ed was necessary because the issue was larger than one contract; it reflected a systemic problem affecting women athletes and future generations. The footwear industry had been designing from men’s lasts and merely marketing products as women’s shoes, meaning women were buying products not truly made for them. Seish’s advantage is that it is built around women’s actual needs, both in product shape and in policies like maternity returns, allowing the company to scale beyond Allison’s athletic career.

Data Points: Allison’s historical status: Most decorated American track and field athlete of all time - Used to frame her prominence and credibility as an athlete and business founder Allison’s Olympic medal in 2004: Silver - 2004 Athens Olympics, 200 meters Allison’s Olympic medal in 2008: Silver - Beijing Olympics, 200 meters Allison’s Olympic results in 2016: 2 gold medals and 1 silver medal - Referenced as part of her continued dominance before Nike renegotiation Nike renewal reduction: 70% less than previous contract - Initial lowball renewal offer to Allison in 2017 Adjusted Nike offer after negotiation: 60% less than previous contract - Wes says they negotiated from a 70% reduction to 60% reduction Pregnancy timing: 32 weeks - Allison gave birth to daughter Cameron at 32 weeks due to preeclampsia Return-to-training benchmark: 30-minute walk - First workout back postpartum on a treadmill Op-ed publication date: May 22, 2019 - New York Times op-ed about Nike and maternity discrimination Seish funding round: $8 million Series A - Used to scale the shoe brand Launch timing: 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021) - Allison wore Seish’s Olympic spike during the Games

Pivotal Quotes: "I think this is the first step. And then one step ten times." — Wes Felix: Explaining how he approached building a shoe company from scratch "Shoes are not made for women." — Tiffany Beers: Revealing that women's footwear is often based on men's lasts, which redirected the business vision "It was just very hurtful." — Allison Felix: Describing Nike’s low renewal offer and how it felt after years of loyalty and performance

Implications: The episode shows how athlete advocacy can reshape industry norms, expose hidden gender bias, and create new companies. For listeners and founders, it’s a lesson in turning injustice into product innovation and building with a mission beyond one person.