Business Daily Business Daily meets: Tim Brown, co-founder of Allbirds
Nov 7, 2025
Tim Brown, co-founder of Allbirds and former New Zealand footballer, shares his fascinating journey from sports to sustainable footwear. He dives into his passion for design, sparked during an entrepreneurship class, and how he tackled industry challenges while reviving New Zealand's wool sector. Tim discusses the hurdles of launching on Kickstarter, the importance of measuring carbon footprints, and Allbirds' commitment to sustainability. He also reflects on navigating the complexities of business growth and the realities of global supply chains.
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From Football To Shoe Design
- Tim Brown combined studying design with a pro soccer career and always knew he wanted to design shoes.
- He used college and early career experiences to learn craft and chase both passions simultaneously.
Wool Idea Sparked A Kickstarter
- Tim read about the decline of New Zealand wool and thought shoes could help revive the industry using merino wool.
- He returned to study, honed the idea, and launched a Kickstarter that sold $125,000 in four days.
Test Ideas Publicly Before Scaling
- Follow challenges as experiments: Tim's professor told him to test his idea on Kickstarter to fail fast or proceed.
- Tim acted on that advice and validated demand before scaling production.