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Why We Cop Em And Rock Em With COPEMNROCKEM
75 Plays8 hours ago
This week I am joined by Tara aka Copemnrockem, we talk about her love for Jordan 11's. How she became copemnrockem, her ambition to own her own sneaker store. How cookies got her a job at Jordan Brand, being a Jordan Historian. Making the choice to bet on herself, and the brands she has worked with. Where her inspiration to be a go getter comes from and much more.
Where to find Tara:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/@copemnrockem
Twitter/X: https://x.com/CopEmNRockEm
Hometeam Talent: https://www.hometeamtalent.com/
Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/myfirstkicks
Music by The DoppleGangaz: https://thedoppelgangaz.bandcamp.com/
Chapters:
00:00 - The Cool Grey 11s Story
01:03 - Introduction to Tara and the Podcast
04:59 - Sneaker Culture Collaboration and Authenticity
07:11 - What's Your First Kicks? Tara's Story
12:38 - The Importance of Family Support
16:41 - Early Career and Tier Zero Boutiques
21:05 - Networking and Relationships in the Industry
26:05 - Complex Con and Brand Events
27:24 - Hustle and Family Inspiration
33:20 - Learning the Skill of Networking
38:30 - The Entitlement Issue in Social Media
45:00 - Crazy Sneaker Stories and Early Career Struggles
51:00 - Advice to Younger Self & Reflections on Success
Recommended
Transcript
Sneaker Passion and Support
00:00:00
Speaker
Like, mom, look, I am cop them and rock them online. but This is, I'm committed to this life. Like, i ah want, like, this, if I want to own my own shoe store and the career and the path that I want to go down on, like, I need these shoes. I can't not have the cool greys. And my mom's like, you know what?
00:00:23
Speaker
I got you. And she's like, I got you. Here's the money for the cool gray Like, You're good. And my like homegirl, you know, like had her like parent grandparents um credit card. And so we drove up to Chicago and she got us a hotel room.
00:00:41
Speaker
We went to the party. I secured my pair. How'd you get in the party? I mean, I was an intern there. So like, you know, like I didn't like the shoes were mine regardless. I don't know why I needed to do all the extra shit and go to the party. But like, was a part of the persona. right like yeah I'm cop them and rock them. I like told my mom, I'm cop them and rock them. Like I gotta go.
00:01:03
Speaker
What's good everyone?
Meet Sarah - Brand Architect
00:01:04
Speaker
Welcome back to My First Kicks. And this week I bring to you none other, and I'm going to say none other, because if you have watched or have not watched the Sneaky Leak episode with Tara, then you're missing out.
00:01:17
Speaker
But we can start here and then you can go to the next. But welcome to the podcast, Sarah. Thank you so much for being here. Do I gotta say your first and last name or should I just call you Cop'em and Rock'em? I like Cop'em and Rock'em. right, welcome to the podcast, Cop'em and Rock'em. Thank you so much for having me. Oh yeah, this is this is amazing. you um I don't know if you remember, we first met at ComplexCon.
00:01:36
Speaker
Jordan introduced us. Shout out Jordan Kaiser, man. Yes. Yeah, you were building that Trinidad James booth. No, you were when I met you, you were taking it down. I was going to say, did I have a drill in my hand? Probably. yeah i am a woman of many talents. Absolutely. um And I am never afraid to get my hands dirty.
00:01:54
Speaker
ah Just because you said that, how about you introduce yourself for people who are not familiar with you? Awesome. I am a brand architect. partnerships extraordinaire don't like that terminology but we're gonna go with it right now um um creative strategist and ah owner founder of a creative boutique creative agency called home team yeah and don't forget travel Oh, and we have ah a travel extension, a Away Team Travel. I love i love the names. This is fire. I hooped in college all throughout my life, right but played collegiate basketball and ah really wanted to, when i left Jordan Brandon, we'll get all to all of that, but really wanted to create
00:02:37
Speaker
um something that represented myself really well when coming up with a brand name and identity as a
Collaboration in Sneaker Culture
00:02:44
Speaker
marketer, right? Like what really makes sense and the identity of who I am really stems in sport. And I think I really grew up in sport and I think greatness happens when you can collaborate with other people. So everything that I like to do really stems in all of that. Yeah, that's that's my thing too. I feel like, and if you follow me, if I ranted about this the other day where just like,
00:03:07
Speaker
My biggest gripe is that in this space, we don't do enough collaboration. there's oh i feel like everybody always feels feels they are against somebody. Like, oh, you have a podcast too. like you know it's It's rare to see two podcasts come together or two you know creators come together and try to like push like talk about a specific sneaker.
00:03:28
Speaker
And so when people do it, it's like I feel it's more uplifting of what sneaker culture is. A thousand percent. I think there's room for everybody in the space. As long as you're authentically yourself, you're going to survive.
00:03:40
Speaker
yeah And I think the people who kind of battle with that are trying to fight and be in a space that they're trying to fit themselves in and they're not authentically like fit for.
00:03:52
Speaker
yeah um But if it's really true to who you are, there's room for everybody. Oh yeah, for sure. But that's the thing. Like for me, it's always about being inviting. Like, you know, I was just recently at family style flat fest and like food community is like everybody's just food is like one of those things where you can just constantly. a lotly Yeah, it's a lovely language. You can talk to people about it. You can talk to people while eating.
00:04:17
Speaker
i don't know. I wouldn't suggest that. but but but close your mouth Yeah. Yeah. Chew, chew with your mouth closed. But that was so dope to see how all these other creators, because in the food space, when you see food creators, they actually work together. Like Jake Echo, future guest, hopefully, you know, he's done collaborations. He's had his own like creators table or something like that. But we don't see yeah a lot of that in this or even in marketing or like, you know, like it.
00:04:45
Speaker
It's interesting because I want to build that, but it's like, okay, I know in my lifetime that like I can only push it a little bit, but it's all about who sees that as inspiration that's going to make it bigger.
00:04:57
Speaker
You know? Yeah, I mean, that's also kind of the thrill of the sneaker space, right? Is the sneaker Twitter wars. We were just like yeah we were just talking about before we started. It's an interesting space, but there's space for everybody. And I will, i am lying if I haven't been the person, you know, I'm an OG sneaker or Nike talk girl.
00:05:19
Speaker
um was talking to you. I was building release date calendars before they ever existed. And I should have like built a platform on that. I'd be a million. Yeah, for real.
Elitism and Accessibility
00:05:28
Speaker
Billionaire. um But ah so I have also played my part in being like, oh, newbie, you don't know what you're talking about or this colorway means more whatever.
00:05:39
Speaker
um but there's room for all of us and every aspect of the space makes it what it is. It makes it great. Yeah, I always believe we all like when you when you're in sneakers or anything that deals with passion, you have an eli the elitist part of it. Some people have it longer than others. But trust me, I i was on my on my story today, like literally today talking about this because I was Nike SB do or a die. Like you talk Nike talk like that. I joined Nike talk, but I was a lurker and I was on Nike SB.org every day.
00:06:11
Speaker
Like I was a top poster, right? I was on there. i was disputing, talking like, oh this nice. Like, you you know, and that is the the difference of like, we don't have that now.
00:06:22
Speaker
So when people are like jumping into this, they're just kind of like, oh, I bought the, I spent the $500. I should be part of this. And you're just like, I don't know about that. And I think that's where like my battle of it was.
00:06:36
Speaker
Like I joined back on Foot Locker two for $89, $99 or $79, whatever the that was, the two for days. And so was very much a like GR release. And if you like sneakers and you had style and swag, like you had your own voice.
00:06:52
Speaker
Where now it's kind of like if I have money, I can buy a hot shoe and be cool. Go to Soho. Well, no, Bowery. You go to Bowery and now yeah you're getting in the Soho house.
00:07:02
Speaker
ah you just Exactly. But, you know, there's room for everybody. And it's just cool to see how mainstream it's all become. Yeah, for sure.
Impactful Sneaker Stories
00:07:10
Speaker
ah But you're here to answer the question that I ask everybody each week. And that question is, what's your first kicks? What's that first pair of sneakers you absolutely needed to have?
00:07:18
Speaker
So the first pair is tough to say, but I would say the, when you like briefed me, I was like, okay, what story am I going to tell? Like the most monumental, there's a few of them. um The Space Jams, when those re-released, what was that like 2011? Yeah.
00:07:37
Speaker
Yeah. 10, 2010. Everyone's 10, 2010. going to attack me if I got that wrong, but I really hope I was... the comments. In the comments. It was around that time. That's when I really like...
00:07:50
Speaker
was like, okay, this is, I really love this game. And it was like, I had been doing it for years, right? I have an older sister. I think I started collecting back in like 2004. And had always been in sports, so I'd always had a ton of sneakers. But when the Space Jams came out in, I'm from Iowa, born and raised. And so when the Space Jam came out in,
00:08:17
Speaker
I was working at Full Locker at the time. And it was like, people were like, no, I need them, I need them. And I was like, what is this? I was buying, you know, Flint 13s for $25 at finish line at my first job, like employee discount and sale. Like, I didn't really understand because I was the crazy girl who had all these Jordans. And so it really wasn't a thing. So when those came back out, I really understood the that sneaker culture was going to a different level because it had finally hit that impact in Iowa of like people wanting to wait out in line and like no can security guards let us into the mall to line up early was really something but then I would say Concords and I know they're both 11s don't attack me my favorite shoe
00:09:09
Speaker
is the ginger 16. So I am not that person, but these are just monumental moments of my life. The Concord 11s, when those came back out,
00:09:23
Speaker
Actually, wow, let me double back. It was actually the Cool Gray 11s. Cool Gray 11s. I was working, i had been working previously a- Big 11 head is all hearing right now. But I'm not. It's a crazy thing. like I never wear them.
00:09:37
Speaker
These are just like monumental moments. And I think it's the craze of the masses around the 11s that like have these moments for me. is the Concord 11s came out. I had been an intern at Success in Chicago after you know i was in college, went and interned at Success in Chicago, and then came back to finish my final year in college. And at the time, like Instagram came out when I was interning at Success, and I really like...
00:10:06
Speaker
Realize this is my lane. I wanted to own my own shoe store. I really wanted to pursue this
Support and Purpose
00:10:12
Speaker
career. yeah I'm a broke college student like I'm living at home like do I have enough money to go get this like few drinks out with my friends, you know that type of energy and The cool grays came out and they had a cool gray party and it was you know I was back in Iowa and I talked my friend and I was like success is having this crazy release party like we have to go i don't have money for them and i need them and i hit my mom i was like my mom was one of those moms like we didn't have a lot of money but like i always had everything that i wanted so like to the masses i looked like we probably had money but my mom just made things work right yeah and i really wanted them and my mom was like
00:10:57
Speaker
you why do you need these shoes i don't know like i was like mom look i am koppelman rockam online this is i'm committed to this life like i want like this if i want to own my own shoe store in the career in the path that i want to go down on like i need these shoes i can't not have the cool grays and my mom's like you know what I got you.
00:11:26
Speaker
And she's like, I got you. Here's the money for the cool gray Like, you're good. And my, like, homegirl, you know, like, had her, like, parent, grandparents' um credit card. And so we drove up to Chicago and she got us a hotel room.
00:11:42
Speaker
we went to the party. I secured my pair. How'd you get in the party? I mean, I was an intern there. So like, you know, like I didn't like the shoes were mine regardless I don't know why I needed to do all the extra shit and go to the party but like it was a part of the persona, right? like yeah I'm cop them and rock them, right? Like told my mom I'm cop them and rock them like I gotta to go You know, I got a post on Instagram that I went to Chicago to go to the party and like is an exclusive party that no one in Iowa is getting invited to so um And I was getting the shoes, you know, like they would have sent them to me how to ask for them. But I don't know. It's a whole thing. And so like that was a really big moment for me. And what I wanted to tell is like having my mom really believe in and and not only from Iowa, she believed in Coppola and Rockham and was like, I believe in what you're after and what your like heart and desire you're like setting yourself out to do
00:12:34
Speaker
So like, yeah, I'll buy those for you. So that pair really, really meant a lot. too That's beautiful, though. Like. You really think that you can keep watching this episode without like subscribing or leaving a comment? Come on, man. And also, if you've been listening to this episode, leave a review.
00:12:49
Speaker
But back to the episode. to have, that's the hardest, I think the hardest, I don't know if if you're like this, but, but, because my mom's an immigrant and like she achieved all this, like, helped me, make you know, in my life. you She helped me have a better life is what was trying to say. yeah so like, when, if like I'm ever, ever to be like, hey, I could bought you a house whatever, like, that's like my goal, right?
00:13:12
Speaker
But, you know, for her to to put whatever she can in front of you in order to help you get to where you want to get, it's like, Like not a lot of people get that. And, you know, so or some people just take that for granted and be like, oh yeah, my mom got it. You know, like it's all about that perspective of like she believed in you.
00:13:29
Speaker
And now, you know, you can also pass that on to people that you believe in too. It doesn't have to just be your child, your child or something like that. Like that instills, you know, that like hope of like we need more or we can do more, you know? So. Absolutely. and I think that actually like stemmed some of like, what is your purpose in life? You know, I was working at Jordan brand and I wasn't happy and I, you know, I kind of talk about this on the sneaky leak pod.
00:13:55
Speaker
I actually got let go from there. um But I wasn't happy in the role. And I thought, you know, I got a jump man tattoo the day I turned 18. Like that was my destiny. Yeah. That this was pre the the cool grays. Like that was my destiny. And you cop him and rock him. I cop him and rock him, you know. um And I really like.
00:14:18
Speaker
realize that my purpose in life what i found most fulfilling was being able to help others yeah and i think that is part of it when my mom like really always whatever i wanted and my dad too my siblings like whatever i wanted you know i'm the youngest of three like i was kind of spoiled and i got what i wanted you know you're the third child i deserve that yeah best athlete like achiever but you know i really think that all of these things that they everyone did around me to support me like really instilled what my purpose was in life and that was always to give back and
00:14:58
Speaker
be a conduit to others to help them achieve what they were after. So, I mean, you you touched on it, but like at what point did you say, all right, this is what I'm going to pursue, like making that store. Was it the the internship or like was there just a moment where it just like clicked for you? Like, that's that's what I want to do.
Career Path and Networking
00:15:17
Speaker
So I worked at Finish Line and Foot Locker and I went to college like dead set on i want to own my own shoe store. I interned for Lavelle at Success and he was like, I don't know. Like, sure, if you can come to Magic and like you can – Shadow me for the weekend and we'll decide and the first day he was like, okay cool But you're he's like your goal is to own a shoe own shoe store. You're not gonna own your own shoes or I was like the fuck I'm sorry if I was swearing but like what do you mean? i mean um
00:15:53
Speaker
And he's like You're not gonna own your own shoe store. gonna work for Nike one day and I'm like I'm gonna prove him wrong. Okay, I'm stubborn Yeah, and then I started to run his store and run all the numbers and I was like, yeah, you're right I don't want to own my shoe store. There's too much money held up in inventory and there's all these rules, what you can get, what you can't get, and politics and like all this, that and the third. And also I like, I wanted to own own shoe store back in Iowa. Like, yeah, that's, that's tough.
00:16:20
Speaker
I mean, rent will be cheap, but you gotta, the foot traffic is probably the hardest part. And so like, I thought that was my be all. And then I ended up working for a Jordan brand, yeah right? Like, but how did that opportunity come from?
00:16:34
Speaker
Um, I actually, ah success was a tier zero boutique when I, uh, was assistant manager, assistant buyer, manager and assistant buyer actually. so I like, can you explain what a tier zero boutique is? Tier zero boutique back in the day was like what got all of the limited releases. Yeah.
00:16:55
Speaker
they're your neighborhood accounts, what they call them these days. so yeah they're, don't even know, social status. Yeah, social status. i'm in air Like those types of doors, undefeated. undefeated. ah Over here, it's, well, in New York, it's like all the right.
00:17:10
Speaker
um As it back in the day, it was like Dave's quality meets A life. Like that's what I grew up like knowing of what a tier zero account was. But yeah, they were getting all the limited edition stuff.
00:17:24
Speaker
Mm-hmm. and yeah they were getting all the limited edition stuff and i just realized like if they're going through all of this hell, like it's going to be really hard for them to want to give limited shoes to Iowa where there's not that like, everyone thinks I'm a weirdo with all of these shoes in Iowa, right? So i'm like, okay, there's not market for this. And ah because they were a tier zero account, we worked with Nike a lot. yeah And so I made those connects and I actually ended up leaving success for a while. I was like, what I wanted to implement, like wasn't getting implemented.
00:18:00
Speaker
um And I left and then I was baking cookies. I was like bored. And my then first boss was like, oh, you're baking cookies? I love cookies. I sent him cookies. And I was like, ah he's like, these are amazing. Can I have more? And I was like, I'll send you more cookies if I can learn more about what you do at Nike.
00:18:21
Speaker
Mm-hmm. And he was Nike basketball at the time. And I would just kept asking him questions. He's like, oh, yeah, we're working on Q4. And I was like, what's Q4 mean? And he's like, like, in the fiscal year. Oh, it was f y I was like, what's FY? FY15 or it was something and like that. and like, what's FY15? He's like, fiscal year 15. I was like, what's a fiscal year?
00:18:43
Speaker
Like, I went to business school and I don't know fiscal year. That's a whole nother problem. But yeah. um But anyways, it turns out then he got the Jordan brand job in Chicago and needed to hire somebody. And I then at that point went back to success. And he's like, look, I'm interviewing.
00:19:00
Speaker
Would you love to interview? I think you'd be a great candidate for my flight ambassador role as like his marketing specialist. And I'm like, can't do it to Val. Like I just came back. Can't do it. And then luckily, like it was delayed and I came to my senses and I'm like, you don't pass up.
00:19:17
Speaker
No, yeah. it don't matter. Like, no matter what the scenario is. You don't pass up to 23. You don't. You don't. And I went back and he's like, actually, that was put on pause, but we're going to the interview process. Great, you're in. You can interview. Uh-huh. But it was all off making these cookies. But I knew the space, right? I was working at the hottest sneaker boutique. I lived.
00:19:36
Speaker
i had a Jumpman tattoo. Like, that was my life. And then, like, I know all the key high school players. And so I ended up getting the job and it was great. that's how i That's how I made that transition from not wanting own my own shoe store, realizing so much money caught up into it to then working at Jordan. I think, though, I mean, you do gloss over like the cookies is the like you. Yeah.
00:19:58
Speaker
Yeah. yeah Beyond that, but the relationship building, Relationships are everything. And relationships are everything that I do now, right? So Jordan Brand left, started my own agency. I wouldn't be able to start my own agency if it weren't for relationships I had. And, you know, when I originally started the agency, it was to provide these opportunities and resources for...
00:20:20
Speaker
the up and coming creatives and be that like conduit to talk to brand and speak their language. And it's all about relationships and everything that I do, um the clients I have now are all from relationships and like that's all that matters. We can be a smart, like the smartest person ever, but if you're an asshole, like no one wants to work with you. that's the that's the That's the toughest part for some people to realize. Like, I mean, my my whole thing is just, I'm,
00:20:47
Speaker
I've said, like, yo, you're ah only as good as your network, and but how do you nurture your network? like you know Some people look at it as just being like, oh, yeah, I'm networking because I got to get to the next thing. like But it's like, hey, you never know when you... Because when you work in corporate America, you meet the same faces a lot.
00:21:05
Speaker
like And you never know when somebody who's an assistant for somebody is going to be the boss of your next job. like you know So I always move with that in mind. And... Anybody that has ever asked me for a advice or something that's what I say. I'm just like, you have to treat everybody as an equal because you never know when they will be and you never know when they'll be in front of you.
00:21:24
Speaker
Like and because you give that person a chance, they will give you a chance whenever they get the chance to give people chances. And I think that's why I'm seeing the success I'm seeing today. Like, you know, I jumped in and evolved to you know, working with talent and now that I'm working back with brands, like everyone that I'm working with at the brands was at my level or lower when I was at Jordan brand. And so if I,
00:21:49
Speaker
was worried about their boss, where would I be now? Like their boss is in bed with another agency, you know? And because I always treated everybody as equal and cared and everyone lower than me, it was like, how can I help you? How can I support you? They're now in positions to be able to give me those favors back or or like, no, I trust you and I want to give you this money that I am now in power of because I know you know what you're talking about. Yeah. Also, I mean, you share your vision.
00:22:18
Speaker
Like, I mean, you did ah you posted a video that I was like, oh, yeah, you are dope as hell. You did a ah window for it was a lids or no. It was. Oh, hat club. Hat club. Yeah. bad Yeah.
00:22:31
Speaker
And I was like, oh, yeah, you you you like the the way you built that window. i was like, oh, yeah, you nice as hell. Like, because cause yeah that's my thing where where it comes to being creative. Like, this is my creative output. Like the stuff that I make for this or like, you know, whatever graphics I do for this or this, this conversation. Like, to me, that's stimulating my creativity. But I can't look at something like a window and be like, this is what we could do. And then you were like, but let me show you how to be like, you're like putting like gold stuff. And and like, I was like, yo, I don't know how you saw that to make this.
00:23:05
Speaker
I mean, it's just being creative, but I think like more so what I'd like to touch on that is the fact that I got that account is from a mentee who looked up to me. Shout out Lucy, who's like, I don't call her, meant like is at my level ah for sure or beyond, like doing amazing work. Her and Geza do phenomenal stuff, but I have that i got that account and that opportunity because...
00:23:34
Speaker
I look at everyone around me as an equal and like, how can I support you? How can I do great work together? Yeah. I mean, we got we need more people like that. You know, it's tough. like Yeah. Those two are some real ones. So shoutout shout out. Shout out. It's it's I just think it's it's it's wild to see, you know, I think.
ComplexCon and Community
00:23:55
Speaker
Where we're at from 2020 in sneakers and now is such a drastic difference because of everybody going outside. Now we're seeing a lot of community events. Like I got invited to one today or to it's actually tomorrow, but I can't make it because it's in Jersey and I don't have a car. It's track. Yeah.
00:24:12
Speaker
But shout out Mike Packer. But yeah. Legend. Yeah, for real. um Which is crazy to even say. ah But like that, we're seeing a lot of that happen and you know you've been able to be part of different activations. Like what had what what is more exciting for you now that you've seen you like being part of it? Like for me, Complex Calm is always a great time and that that's to me like a culmination of everybody meeting up. But like you've been to a lot of events. So yeah.
00:24:40
Speaker
And put on your own, so. ComplexCon, I've done 21 booths at this point. So I've done so many things, but yeah, you saw a drill in my hand. I've built and been a part of, I haven't built all 21, but I've been a part of 21 booths. The only ComplexCon I haven't been a part of was this last year in Hong Kong. I did the first year um in Hong Kong last year.
00:25:04
Speaker
um I think that's an amazing event. Neil and... Shout out Neil, man. ah Christine and Liz and everyone who puts that on does such a phenomenal job. I think for me, the best part of everything is seeing friends win. And I think that's why i do really love ComplexCon is because everyone is there in every aspect, whether you have a booth or you're there. So even supporting a friend and you're creating content,
00:25:33
Speaker
Or whatever, like there's everyone is winning on that sales floor. And it's just like there's nothing like it. But yeah, to see friends and people win, even people who aren't friends, like get creative ideas off or like, you know, up and coming brands be able to, you know, put their pennies together. ComplexCon is not cheap. It's not cheap.
00:25:56
Speaker
Yeah. um Even if, you know, back in the day when they would give some free booths out, like it still costs a pretty penny to show up and do that. um Those are that's what it's all about. Like the brand events are great. You know, I've worked with every brand under the sun from doing stuff at Jordan brand in-house to.
00:26:16
Speaker
Doing you know Demon Slayer Crocs and all these full go-to-market strategies and launches and comic cons and causing all these frenzies like nothing is like complex con and seeing these independent brands really get the platform to like show all their hard work off and then Everyone around them and all their communities coming together to celebrate them and and win in their own rights. Right. Like you see people like Jamerson. I love to watch him flourish right now. Right now is like he's really, you know, stepping in his own and owning like.
00:26:50
Speaker
his talents and yes he has he has leader quality and like hopefully we see that as a booth too but like you also see him show up in in you know the nba booth and doing all these amazing things like you see so many people win in so many different ways i was gluing pool noodles for salahi at 4 a.m m and like missing the club with my friends like Those things are really cool to see. Like everyone's blood, sweat, and tears come to life and see like the general masses. Really good to enjoy them. Yeah. Where where does the your hustle come from?
00:27:27
Speaker
Like... you toggle You touch a little bit on it, but like I want to know what keeps you like
Family Influence and Humility
00:27:32
Speaker
driven. My dad owned his own business. or Well, he just gave it to my brother, but he owned his own business while working a full-time job. My mom worked two jobs growing up. My sister was like is like my biggest inspiration ever. She's actually how I got into sneakers. Oh, okay.
00:27:51
Speaker
um she was like in that era of like you can't ever wear air force ones more than twice like camo air force ones like yeah you know like air force ones are what really got me into the game she's checking you hey how many wears like yeah really was she was like okay yeah you can't do that here's a new pair um but she was a true hustler um in every sense of the word we won't dive in too deep but all right bra but she she yeah she really like went after it and went and got it and you know back against the wall had a kid and like hustled even harder and she really taught me what it meant to like grind and really make a living for yourself
00:28:33
Speaker
Yeah, that's that's amazing. Like, you know, especially like feeding off of that energy from your family and then them also believing in you, too. Like, yeah, that's we need more of that. I don't know. like i I feel like I've said that again. but yeah Ask them what I do, though. They won't be able to really tell you. but also my sister is the most humble person ever. She's like, everyone's like, oh, what she do? She she does. She's like, I do logistics and I live back in Iowa.
00:28:59
Speaker
Do you know who she does logistics for? Who? Pharrell. What? she She routed Beyonce's tour. like She does all the eagles. My sister is a legend. that is crazy. But she'd be like, oh yeah, I just work at home and I find somebody a black car. Who? Pharrell? Pusha?
00:29:14
Speaker
My sister a legend. She'll just call him like, yeah, car's here. right, let me go back. She don't even do that. She's like, the car people call them. she She negotiate all of it. you know she's like She called me one day. She's like, do you know where I get car seats in Paris? like Pharrell wants to take the twins to Paris for the first time. I'm like,
00:29:34
Speaker
It's just really interesting how humble she is and it's like, she's like, oh yeah, I'm just back living a boring life in Iowa doing all of Pharrell's traveling. What we talking about? Hey, the McMansion is probably nice.
00:29:49
Speaker
The humble brag also does exist. so Maybe this is where I get like not speaking like loudly enough on what I do. I'm like, let me be super humble. it might be my sister also. I mean, but so then as a marketer or a person in marketing, how do you get in front of other people?
00:30:07
Speaker
Like if you're not talking about it so loudly, I'm really bad on And I was just talking to um my coordinator. I just hired Sam. I was like, I got to get really got to get a lot better at this. cause She's like, the way you talk about your life is so nonchalant. Like, oh, yeah, I'm just going to dinner with push or I'm doing this or like whatever.
00:30:26
Speaker
um is so nonchalant. Like, I'm really bad at talking my shit. Kari will also say you got you gotta to spit your shit some more. mean, yeah, you got um i' also I'm with you on there, too, because I'll i'll give you example. Sorry to cut you off. No, yeah. But um I was – so New York Nico.
00:30:45
Speaker
I met New York Nico. Shout out to Nico. And – He's like, oh, I was like, oh, can I get a follow? But for jokes, I was saying it for jokes. And he was just like, I was just like, you know, yeah, I just have a podcast. And, you know, just talk sneakers with people. And he's just like, he's like, let me see your podcast.
00:31:01
Speaker
And he looks at like, dude, what are you talking about? And yeah he's and he's like, what was this episode? Two hundred and eighty nine. i don't know what you said. It was a lot. Yeah, this is episode 222. 221. And lots of followers, lots of views, and you're really doing it, right? Yeah, but that's my thing, though. It's just like I play it under, and then hopefully that makes people be like, oh But it does backfire. Yeah, I've always been a if you know, you know, because especially when I was doing brand partnerships and finding money for all these up-and-coming creatives, I didn't want more people asking me to find them money. it was like, if you know, you
Actions Over Talk in Networking
00:31:38
Speaker
know.
00:31:38
Speaker
And if you don't pay attention to me in room or you don't care to talk to me, play yourself kind type thing, right? um So I'm really bad at that. and If you know, you know type of person.
00:31:51
Speaker
But I just find myself a lot better in the networking spaces. If you see me um getting my hands dirty, you see me in action, you're like, oh, she's a hustler.
00:32:02
Speaker
What do you really do? Yeah. Like if you're paying attention to me, then I want to work with you. If you're overlooking me, like I don't want to work with you. Like I bring a lot to the table and i don't want to work with people who like overlook hard work and things like people can chat all day. Yeah.
00:32:19
Speaker
pretty Yo, there's we can talk about this. big pattern People will sell you the world in 15 seconds. Like they'll be like, I got this. I can hook you up with this and do this.
00:32:30
Speaker
I got all this for you. Comes to let's get a follow up email. Send me an email. Send me an email. Let's do it. Nothing. Not a thing. Crickets. Not a thing. And then you see them out. You're like, they're like, oh, yeah, I owe you an email. They're like, why didn't I ever hear back from you? like, because you sent me an email three weeks after you owed me the email. And like, if you're really doing what you're doing, like. And sure, some things happen in like.
00:32:55
Speaker
But we can all kind of see through the bullshit, right? There's certain people like that are really busy. And like, honestly, like I owe people some emails too. But like I owe somebody an email right now. You just remind me. like, it's like, you know, you got to kind of read between the lines. yeah So that people do love to chat. Yeah, the maneuvering in this space, that's is definitely an art, you know, like working in this for five years or whatever, like once you start being in the stores and like talking to people, going to events and stuff like that, it does become like the skill you have to learn. But there's nobody teaching you the skill.
00:33:29
Speaker
So like, how did you learn the skill? odd Trial and error. um Not a fake it till you make it, because that was not the case. It was literally just like, try, fail, learn, evolve.
00:33:46
Speaker
Try, fail, learn, evolve. Over and over and over and over and over again. and like,
00:33:53
Speaker
persistence I think that's my biggest skill set is I can be told no a million times but I'm still going to keep trying I'm still going to knock down that door and I think that's what I also wanted to say about people be chatting but don't follow through like sometimes it's just not in the cards and they know the right people but the timing's not right and the budgets aren't right with this brand or their objectives don't align like
00:34:20
Speaker
You won have to take everything into consideration. yeah And I think like perseverance and, you know, staying on top of things and just continuing to not say no or come with different creative ideas and like really saying and showing proof like I tried, but this didn't work. Let's go this way. And showing tenacity also like...
00:34:42
Speaker
has there's a lot to say about that too. Like, i don't I don't know how I learned it. You just try and you learn. and No, it's just you explained it. Yeah, first of all. It's just the the way, um I don't know how to, because we were talking about this before before we got on here, but the way that people talk about sneakers now, right?
00:35:02
Speaker
it It feels like a lot of people think that they've done some of the things that we've done and been able to be like, oh yeah, you can do it. I can do this. You just got to do, you got to add this and this. And you know, timelines is what what we were talking about, right? Like, for example, um I talked about before we jumped on here, i talked about how it took me three years to get It's The Real or it took me three years to get Pumi and Pete. Like, you know, per perseverance and patience is like,
00:35:29
Speaker
a big thing that has been wearing down within social media. Like everybody thinks that, oh, I just gotta to be popping enough. And so I just deserve me, me, me. Yeah. So how do you navigate that? Because you touched on people just reaching out for money. But like, you know, now we're in this like, ah people just reaching out be like, yo,
00:35:47
Speaker
Work with me. I got or ah what um Bima recently made a post. It was just like collab with me in the DMs or something like that. but Let's work. spin dema be um as I don't know. It's just kind of that's a that's a tough one. It's like.
00:36:07
Speaker
You're never owed anything. I think that was the biggest lesson I learned when i got let go from Jordan. I thought like, oh, I'm doing all these things. Yeah, I need to be seated that. Like you're never owed anything and it's hard work. You've got to earn everything. And like also just not everything is meant for you at that time. yeah We talk about we that's what we talked about is
Aligning Opportunities and Values
00:36:31
Speaker
like.
00:36:31
Speaker
While you may think like I have the best idea and like why wouldn't FedEx want to partner with me because this makes all the sense in the world. That's not FedEx's priority right now. So like is it UPS's?
00:36:44
Speaker
Does it make sense? And trying to like find your in and like. not getting butt hurt over it and not going to sneaker twitter and being like oh I deserve this and do-dadada all like that is my biggest pet peeve yeah it's like you win some you lose some yeah on to the next another idea is there you know like and just I don't keep trying to figure it out i don't know yeah I really don't know how to like teach the secret sauce. It just kind of kind of is, but it goes back to relationships, knowledge, being strategic, and listening to you know what's out there and figuring out
00:37:25
Speaker
where those worlds collide. And I think that's where I've found a lot of my success in my magic is being able to collide worlds, the brand world with the creative world. So doing partnerships with Cole Bennett, with, you know, the ice spice Chia Pet, like she wanted nostalgia.
00:37:43
Speaker
Chia Pet needed to sell more product and become relevant. Those things, bringing those things together, right? Like, Finding. that go viral? Yes, it did. ah Finding these key moments to bring it together, right? Like yeah you have this cool idea, but that might not make sense to the brand you're trying to pitch it. What is the brand trying to do? Okay, that might not be what I want to stand for. While that might not be your favorite brand, if you're willing to, the competitor might make sense. you know like
00:38:15
Speaker
Stop trying to fit puzzle pieces together that don't. Don't fit. Yeah, it's it's crazy. I think that a lot of people are complaining more. Right. Like this whole i don't know where this came from. And i and I don't maybe you can expand on this, but I feel like there's overcome this sense of like everybody owes me something.
00:38:38
Speaker
And the eye roll con confirms it like crazy. like yeah But I don't understand where it came from. I really don't. um If we think about like people who get seated currently, right? Or like people who are in the zeitgeist of like the top sneaker names.
00:38:53
Speaker
Like I don't think they've ever given off a, yeah, they should be sending to me. So then... Why are people thinking, yeah, these people should be sending me, I spend money with them, they should be sending me something. like where does Where does it come from? I'm just curious if you've maybe seen something. Everyone living in their own world and not and only worried about self-serving. And I feel like the moment I found success was when I served others.
00:39:22
Speaker
And so when I think that's really where it comes from and I'm not trying to make this about me.
Selfless Success
00:39:28
Speaker
is like No, this is about you. when When you're like me, me, me me me yeah you're not going to see success. It's like, how can I help you? What can I do?
00:39:37
Speaker
How many times have we had, you know, you you met with somebody and you networked with somebody who's like, how can I help you? yeah And you did something for them. Did it come back tenfold? Whether it's coming back from that person, the universe pays attention to these things and they bring things back around. Yeah. Right.
00:39:52
Speaker
And, you know, i it's really interesting because as somebody previously was servicing a lot of talent, trying to find brand deals and everything, I'm now on the opposite side as like agency of record for, you know, your foot lockers or ah Crocs for influencers. And people are constantly coming to me be like, work with my talent. They're perfect for you. And I'm like.
00:40:13
Speaker
why Why is the runner perfect for Crocs? Like it's not a performance shoe. Like they love to work out. i'm like Crocs isn't a running shoe. You know, like it's like, what can I do for you? What, you know, when you start to live in a servient world,
00:40:29
Speaker
and not expect anything in return, the universe will return these things. um So I think it comes from everyone just being like worried about themselves. yeah um And while they continue to worry about themselves, they're never gonna get anywhere.
00:40:43
Speaker
Yeah, that's, I mean, it's, so And the people who are getting seated, right? Like they never, you said they never asked ask for this or like have that mentality. And they're always posting about these other brands or they're posting about what they're going to without being paid for because they know if I post this great content, to...
00:41:02
Speaker
to ah you know, the packer pop up, social status might see it and might hire me for something because they saw how good of a content I did and I produced that. Once you start thinking that way, success will come and those packages start to come.
00:41:20
Speaker
and If you listen into this, you please, please take that advice. yeah yeah actually Wait, what? I said spare us all actually. oh yeah Don't come ask me, see, i did this. can Can I have this? No. Like, oh, I saw you did this. How can I support? Yeah.
00:41:38
Speaker
selfless Selfless acts. like it need We need a lot more of that. The universe rewards it yeah you know whatever What you do behind closed doors is seen and saw amongst everything. I really truly believe that.
00:41:54
Speaker
Random question. What is your craziest sneaker story?
Dedication and Sacrifice in Sneaker Culture
00:42:01
Speaker
Craziest sneaker store, like give me an example. I mean, I waited, i don't know if this is my craziest, oh, i have I don't know if I can admit one of them actually. What? so Well, one of my craziest. You were in Memphis with the train heist, that one? No, no, no, no, no
00:42:25
Speaker
um So the other story, ah i I camped out 24 hours for the Dornbecker 4s. Okay. That's it. Yeah.
00:42:38
Speaker
In the 95s, I also got in. In Iowa? I'm outside. I was in Chicago the time. Okay. Okay. um Oh, that sounds dangerous. and I mean, it was though the cops came. They dispersed us millions of times, millions of times, like five.
00:42:51
Speaker
They were everywhere. The cops were everywhere and we couldn't stay outside. And everyone was like hiding around the corner. And then you go back and line up. And, you know, this is Windy City Soul era. Do they still exist? I don't think so. No?
00:43:04
Speaker
don't think so. Yeah, Pete was his name. He was had like 20 deep. He owned every first 20 of every line ever existed in Chicago. um That was a pretty legendary moment because it was also the only time I ever waited outside for shoes. Yeah.
00:43:20
Speaker
Because I was in Iowa where no one ever wanted them when I first started collecting. Right, just walked Yeah. um to then working at the stores like my pair were secured when they came in the shipment two weeks before they dropped um that was the first time i ever waited outside um another one i'll tell this story okay i don't think he'll watch the whole thing which might be why i had the legend of summer oh one okay And i I wasn't working for months and I had to get off living on my friend's couch. yeah my first
00:43:58
Speaker
I finally had my, I was living on my friend's couch, not eating dinner, going to sleep instead of eating because it was easier, cheaper. That's crazy. I mean, it's better than smoking cigarettes to curb appetite. Oh yeah, no, I just went to bed. I just went to bed. I was like, yeah, we're going to go to bed today. instead of eat dinner.
00:44:16
Speaker
um I like had no money and so I was selling shoes to get by to pay rent and I wasn't paying around I was living on my friend's couch but you know like having enough money to literally overdrafted my account taking the Adidas rep to get coffee and then the next day I got a call and it was to run a pop-up.
00:44:37
Speaker
um I can't tell you what the pop-up was, is what they said, just like, it's in Portland, you you lived in Portland, like, I think you can do this. And I was like, cool, I got you.
00:44:48
Speaker
He's like, you know, it'll be like this old times, like Roman font, I'll send it to you, but like, you need to do some vinyls, and like, I just can't really say anything right now, like, you just print and don't talk The vague is vague.
00:45:02
Speaker
Don't talk to anybody. So I got this check. It was to run Life of Pablo Pop-Ups. Wow. Okay. And um so that I was like, I'm lit. I'm good. I got a check. i can I can get an apartment now.
00:45:15
Speaker
But I was a little short. So I had to sell the legend of Summers. Not even going to go on record for what I sold them for because the internet will roast me alive. Oh, no. But I got my apartment. Hey. And then I started the company. And, you know, we're good. We're here today.
00:45:31
Speaker
See, that's that's the start of something beautiful. yeah that may be That's the legend of your summer. That is the legend of my summer, yes. Yes, sorry Reggie, I did sell those. i know like you know He's actually a big fan. Times were tough. yeah he Okay, he will watch it.
00:45:47
Speaker
i I only met I met him at Compass Con. don't think I gave him a thing. I gave him the when I was doing I don't know if you saw I could tap. I have a tap card. Yeah. yeah And so I did that for him. he was like, I'm gonna check it out. gonna check it out. i was like So I don't know if you're listening, but shout out to you, Reggie. And sorry. He's a great guy. i'm very sorry. But like I did Thanksgiving with Reggie. Like that's that's my dog.
00:46:09
Speaker
Yeah. the i mean, that's crazy. thats One, that's crazy. I mean, i somebody yeah forgot somebody asked me, ah but i one of my regrets is um change selling pair Syracuse SBs. o And now they're just insane right now.
00:46:25
Speaker
so But I had to pay my next tell bill. See? You needed to chirp someone that bad. Wait, you didn't even have to pay to chirp, did you? You didn't have to pay to chirp. You got to pay for, this was minutes. You to pay for minutes. You just chirp, bro.
00:46:38
Speaker
yeah Keep the shoes, just chirp. I wish I did. I wish I did. And then um and it's funny because ah yeah this is the craziest part about like when you buy some when you were with eBay, the eBay hunting, like there are moments where you see somebody who's a seller and you're like, you know, bought from you before. So then you just hit him with the message on side like, yo,
00:46:59
Speaker
You know, I bought from you before. i know you're in New York. You know, slide me off. You know, yeah, it was good. Right. So this dude was a professor NYU and he was like, I see that you're selling the Syracuses on eBay.
00:47:14
Speaker
I'll cop them off you right now, right now. And I think I sold them for like 110 or 150. think like last time I saw them size 13, by the way. think it's like last time i saw them size thirteen by the way I think it was like either 900 or so like 1500. I mean, how much does a legend a summer?
00:47:32
Speaker
Ah, maybe. I think those go for last time I checked. Well, because they went viral, I made a video of them. And the last time they went viral, I think they were at 40K or something like that.
00:47:50
Speaker
Yeah. But I don't know what they are now because the recession. I sold them for $3,500. Oh, my God. This was like 2016. Right. Yeah. But you can't. You can't. And this was.
00:48:03
Speaker
Yeah. It was really dumb move. But whatever. No. But you wouldn't. You wouldn't. You wouldn't know that in like 10 years people were going to be like, oh, my God, there is these random pairs. And worn them like 70 times. Like dogged them shits out. Like, I don't know. Like i have frags and my frags are my beaters. Like.
00:48:19
Speaker
Excuse me. So I'd i'd be dogging my shoes out. Excuse me, that's crazy. but I had somebody on my pocket on an episode and he talked about seeing somebody get stabbed for a pair of frags, like on the line, because over here we had, um what it was like it was a and was the addition to foot action.
00:48:43
Speaker
It was like 23, I forgot the name of it, but there was they did the opening and they re re-released everything, ah or not everything, but they had frags there. It was the Jumpman. Jumpman. Yeah, yeah, yeah. and I was one of four that created the concept.
00:48:57
Speaker
Oh, my God. What? we We're a team of four and we like, ah in war rooms, like what does the store look like? What's the consumer experience? yeah You know how you the bag walked around to you and like handed to you? like That was my touch. the The DNA storytelling in the store, that was my touch. I was spending hours and hours. This is before Robbie's career like existed in in DNA archives. like I was going over there and spending hours with those guys. That's crazy.
00:49:29
Speaker
Like what can we pull from the vault? Can I get this WB stuff and like put it in display in like a closed box and like what do we have to, like what type of insurance do we have to pull out?
00:49:42
Speaker
The 166 Flatbush stuff was like really what started it was like i pulled all of the shoes from the Jumpman ah lobby, from the jordan the Jordan building lobby and was like, let's fly them to to New York and put them in the store. Like no one's ever seen that before. Let's do it.
Retail Innovation and Reflective Advice
00:50:03
Speaker
um So like those things, but yeah, it was like a um four to five of us really created what those those doors were. And that was a really special moment in retail. It was. like I remember, that's what I was saying, but like,
00:50:16
Speaker
they drop You drop the fragments there and somebody got stabbed on the line. And everybody just like, yo, chill, chill, chill, chill. He was just like, we're not trying to break up this line. We're here. we We all want the frags. We all want the frags. It was crazy.
00:50:30
Speaker
Did the guy go to the hospital or did he stay and get his frags? What was the end of the story? I think that it just ended with my friend getting the the frags. okay So the line didn't disperse. But I know that like...
00:50:44
Speaker
and Hopefully he made it to the house. That's all yeah yeah all that matters. That man's okay. Please. Hopefully you're okay. yeah ah But we're towards the end of the podcast and I want you to, to, uh, visualize, you know, it well, this question deals with a little visualization. sorry I fumbled on myself.
00:51:03
Speaker
But it deals with you about to get those pair of cool Gary Levens, right? Now, you're you now, transported back in time. What would you tell your younger self as they open that box?
00:51:18
Speaker
the start of something special. Yeah. I get chills saying that, honestly. I might kind of cry. No. No, it really was the start of something special. Like, keep believing in yourself. um You're not crazy. Sneakers are ah thing and your passions do matter.
00:51:36
Speaker
and
00:51:39
Speaker
Living in your passion matters most. So follow your dreams. Anything is possible if you work hard enough. um And never let anyone tell you no. and if the door is closed, try the eight others. The 10th might be open. Yeah, that's that's valuable lessons for anybody listening because I think this world is, ah I mean, not to be super grim about it, but like, or cynical about it, but ah this world is totally built to show you there's many ways that you're going to fail.
00:52:12
Speaker
And, you know, it always stops you at one point, but you have to push forward to get to where you want to be. And it's okay to accept failure.
00:52:24
Speaker
Failure is the best thing that can happen to you actually, not to cut you off, but like failure is gonna teach you be present in failure. yeah Observe, learn, take accountability in failure.
00:52:36
Speaker
Like that is one of the most important things I can ever tell anybody. If I didn't take accountability in failure, i wouldn't be where I am today. All of us wouldn't be where we are today. Like the moment you see yourself passing blame, stop yourself.
00:52:53
Speaker
No matter what somebody else did wrong, you could have done something better to avoid that situation. Yeah. um No matter the craziness of the situation. Could you have communicated a little better?
00:53:06
Speaker
Could you there's there's a million things. Somebody could do something completely wrong. There's something that you did that you could have changed a little bit to make it not as bad. Yeah. And i think like learning from your failures and being present and all of that is what will take somebody to the next level. Absolutely. And learning from it like that. learning I did have one more question that just popped up in my head again. Sorry. i wanted to ask it before the my final question. um but how So i was thinking about my career over the past like bunch of years. But hearing your career actually brought in the same question I've asked myself before that like when I was reflecting.
00:53:45
Speaker
But how does it feel to actually work in your dream job, like your dream jobs. Like you set out to be like, I want to make a, I want to do a store.
00:53:56
Speaker
Now you're working in the store. You've tasted what it felt to run a store. Then you're like, Oh, I want to be, you know, I want to be with the brands. Now you're with the brands. Now you're like, Hey, I'm going to my own shit.
00:54:07
Speaker
And now you're doing your own ship. So how does that feel? It's crazy. i And I don't know if you ever reflected back on that. I do here and there. um i i really don't know how to like put it in words like To say that I'm driving creative strategy for some of the Fortune biggest companies in the world, Fortune 500 companies from Crocs to Diageo to Uber to you know Foot Locker.
00:54:42
Speaker
I've done some stuff with Puma. like It's really crazy. don't know. I really don't, I have no words. Like, I'm very thankful. Yeah. Very thankful um that, like, I get a play for a living, really. And, like, life isn't serious. And if I fail, I can try again. and like, we don't always have to hit home runs. And,
00:55:07
Speaker
Small wins matter and I'm trying to learn how to celebrate those small wins. yeah But yeah, I'm just truly blessed and honored and at a loss for words that this is what my life is. I always tell people it's it's when you're climbing up your mountain, it's OK to look back.
00:55:22
Speaker
Yeah. Got it Seriously. You got to see how you climb. That view is beautiful. Yeah. It is. Got But let everybody know where to find you. ah Follow me on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, everything. Cop them and rock them. C-O-P-E-M-N-R-O-C-K-E-M.
00:55:40
Speaker
And the your businesses? Oh, and the businesses, you can find them also on those. But um home team dot talent is our Instagram and then away team dot travel.
00:55:51
Speaker
um Hopefully more to come with that. We've been really busy with home team um as of the last year with reannouncing the direction. um But brands out there, if you want curated travel hospitality at these like cultural moments of all-star etc and the hottest parties i'm your girl i'll get you into them the best cocktail bars the best food immaculate taste like i'd love to start doing more with i'll be getting very jealous very jealous of those pages no i'll take you to singapore tokyo where do you want to go we got the best
00:56:25
Speaker
yeah and then there's gonna be a you i'm gonna be in the stowaway you know just like trying to or youll put them in my uh carry on yeah exactly ah you know where to find me i am who is hasa on social medias follow the podcast at my first kicks pod if you've been listening to this we're on youtube youtube.com slash at my first kicks um yo it's been honor it's been a huge honor i learned a lot i learned Absolutely a lot. Like this is crazy.
00:56:53
Speaker
um But thank you for pulling up. And you know what we say each week? Wear your kicks. Peace.