Kizik - How a Simple Innovation Disrupted a $400B Market

The Story of a Brand

Ramon Vela

Business, Entrepreneurship

5 • 145 Ratings

🗓️ 21 May 2025

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Few brands impress me the way Kizik has when it comes to everyday innovation that people can use in their daily lives.

In this episode, I sit down with Elizabeth Drori, the Chief Marketing Officer leading the charge at Kizik, the brand redefining how we think about footwear. These aren’t just shoes; they’re hands-free, high-tech, and built for real life.

Whether you’re a parent juggling kids, an athlete on the go, or someone seeking comfort and ease, Kizik is changing the game. And yes, I’ve worn the same pair for four years — that’s how good they are.

Elizabeth shares the evolution of Kizik — from early tech innovation to a growing global brand — and how they’re making shoes that are stylish, comfortable, and built to move with you. We dive into marketing strategy, inclusive design, and why hands-free isn’t just a feature, it’s the future.

Here are just a few highlights:

* How Kizik is disrupting the footwear industry with hands-free technology

* Why their “no-sacrifice” approach balances performance, comfort, and design

* Scaling from DTC to retail with stores, Amazon, and international launches

* The role of inclusivity and lifestyle in their expanding product line

* Marketing to parents, athletes, older adults, and everyone in between

Join me, Ramon Vela, in listening to the episode and discovering why hands-free might be the only way forward regarding shoes.

For more on Kizik, visit: https://kizik.com/

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Use code "STORY OF A BRAND” and receive a complimentary market opportunity assessment of your e-commerce brand and marketplace positioning.

Transcript

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0:00.0	So Kizik, put simply, is the leader in hands-free shoes and really created the invention.
0:07.6	It was started by Mike Pat, who looks at the world with the founder eyes and ability to see solutions to problems that we didn't know we had.
0:17.9	And asked himself, why do we bend down to put shoes on? Why can't we just
0:23.2	simplify this much in the way that technology simplifies our life in other categories? And it's an
0:29.5	incredible footwear disruption. So with Kizek, you put on your shoes without using your hands,
0:35.5	you just step into them. And the technology is dynamic.
0:39.9	So it brings back and it stays securely onto your foot. And so it's not only incredibly easy and
0:46.9	convenient, but it's also an amazing experience. It gives you like a, we call it the aha moment
0:52.9	when you step into your shoes and it makes you feel
0:56.0	really good and it's sort of fun and multisensory. And also it's incredibly helpful for people who
1:02.4	have challenges and then just very, very easy for people who don't. Hey, everyone. This is Ramon Vela, and this is another episode of the story of a brand.
1:23.5	Like always, we have an amazing guest and brand that we're going to feature on today's show.
1:28.1	But before we do, hi, I speak to hundreds of founders and CEOs of consumer brands each year.
1:34.9	And they are facing unprecedented challenges.
1:38.4	That's why the story of a brand has worked with the Compass Rose team, my strategic partner, to provide relief.
1:46.7	We are offering a no-cost solution exclusively for consumer brand founders and CEOs
1:53.2	featured on the story of a brand show, as well as listeners.
1:58.3	Whether it's to help you map out your brand's growth trajectory or prepare your
2:03.7	brand in financials for investors or acquisition or more. Simply book a one-on-one call with Rose Hamilton,
2:11.0	the founder of the Compass Rose team. This is a $500 value. The calendar is limited, so book your time now.
2:20.1	Simply visit compassroseventures.com forward slash Ramone.
2:25.6	Compassroseventures.com forward slash Ramon.
	...

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