Episode 65 of the Sockjig Sneaker Podcast features an in-depth interview with Mbiyimoh Ghogomu, CEO and Co-founder of Tradeblock, a marketplace app for trading sneakers. Mbiyimoh discusses his personal journey from a sneaker-loving kid to a tech startup CEO, the inception and growth of Tradeblock, and the significance of running a Black-owned startup in the sneaker industry. We also talk about the challenges of having a startup that launched just before Covid-19, and also now the slowing sneaker economy. We also talk about what happened with the recent app UI changes and the strong customer feedback on those changes. Timestamps 00:00 - Intro 01:22 - Interview 07:18 - Becoming a Tech Cofounder 15:02 - Tech Startup During Covid 19:36 - Importance of Community 21:47 - Importance of Black Owned Startup in the Sneaker Industry 26:32 - Jason Mayden 33:10 - Tradeblock App 34:50 - Slowing Economy and Down Sneaker Market 39:58 - Recent Tradeblock UI Changes 48:42 - What's Next for Tradeblock 53:53 - Sneaker March Mania

This is special episode of The Sockjig Sneaker Podcast. I found a pilot episode of a sneaker podcast that I originally recorded on November 30th, 2017. I thought it was lost media but I just found it, cleaned it up and publishing for the first time ever. So let's go back to Nov 2017 when Nike Off White The Ten had just dropped, we used to cop Yeezys from EU sites in the middle of the night. A time many look back on now as a golden age. Timestamps 00:00 2024 Intro 01:15 What is a Sockjig? 02:36 2017 Sneaker Boom  05:11 Rundown 05:40 Nike Off-White The Ten Drop 11:40 Sean Wotherspoon: Need Supply Virginia Drop 15:11 Nike 2017 Year in Review 20:39 Nike Collaborators 20:43 Acronym 21:08 Tom Sachs 22:12 Vlone 23:07 PSNY 23:28 Travis Scott 24:05 Jordan Brand 25:55 New Balance  26:43 Fear of God 27:20 Big Baller Brand 27:30 Yeezys 31:17 adidas Ultraboost 33:23 Pharrell and 4D 33:46 4D 34:15 Outro Support the show! Buy socks at ⁠https://shop.sockjig.com/

In this episode I discuss bold predictions for sneakers in 2024: Send me your 2024 Bold Predictions. Click Send a voice message button here: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sockjig⁠ I also discuss the recent raid at the Project Blitz warehouse, the Stanley Cups hype and what's important about the Kith Loyalty program. I also look at the Nike and Tiger Woods split and why Nike is letting legends walk. I think talk about the challenges in digital media with recent layoffs at Sports Illustrated, Pitchfork and of course Buzzfeed being broke and content creation in this era. I also talk about my personal goals with content creation and have a retrospective on the podcast, creating best of the year and worst of the year lists. And finally talk about my personal year in sneakers: favourite pickups, misses, regrets and shoes I sold. The Best Sneakers of 2023 - 64 Tournament Bracket https://www.sockjig.com/bestof2023/ Top 20 Worst of the Year in the World of Sneakers https://twitter.com/sockjig/status/1744190809581494595 Timestamps 00:00 - Cold Open 00:19 - Intro 03:00 - On Feet / Pickups / Skips 04:43  - Bold Predictions For 2024 10:05 - Project Blitz Warehouse Raided 13:14 - Stanley Cup Hype 17:59 - Kith Loyalty Program 27:30 - Nike and Tiger Woods: Being the Big Dog 34:43 - Aside: Getting Paid More for Cartoon Dunk Concept Photoshops Than Working at Nike 36:22 - Digital Media and Buzzfeed's Debt Problem 45:16 - Content Creation as an Independant Content Creator 56:27 - Podcast Retrospective 01:05:53 - Sneaker of the Year Lists 01:09:42 - Personal Year in Sneakers 01:22:24 - Worst Of The Year In Sneakers List 01:29:05 - Outro Support the show! Buy socks at https://shop.sockjig.com/

Anthony Edwards, a star associated with the AE1 sneaker marketing, joins Travis Scott, famous for the Cactus Mac sneakers, along with newcomer JaeTips and established collaborator Jerry Lorenzo of Fear of God x adidas. They dive into disruptive marketing strategies that reshape how sneakers gain traction. JaeTips shares insights for new collaborators while Lorenzo contrasts his experiences in the industry. The discussion also touches on sneaker culture's dynamics and the balance between creativity and market expectations.

In this episode we welcome Lois Sakany, a Wall Street sneaker analyst and co-founder of women's streetwear blog, Snobette. We discuss the current challenges faced by big brands like Nike and Adidas, the state of women's streetwear. Lois offers an insightful analysis of the impact of marketing, design, and distribution on a brand's success. We also discuss Lois attending ComplexCon, what people are wearing in Erewhon, and the impressive rise of Emily Oberg's Sporty and Rich brand. Timestamps 0:00 - Cold Open 00:12 - Intro 02:39 - Interview with Lois Sakany 03:22 - James Whitner and The Foundation 11:41 - Attending ComplexCon 16:19 - Sneakers at Erewhon 23:39 - Sneaker Analyst for Wall Street 33:04 - What's Next for adidas and Nike? 47:33 - Snobette and Women's Streetwear Lois Sakany https://snobette.com/ https://snobette.substack.com/ @LoisSakany

In this episode, we delve into the current money laundering allegations against James Whitner of the Whitaker Group, owner of Social Status and A Ma Maniere. The podcast breaks down the possible scheme which allegedly involved selling Nike product to a Chinese buyer, with proceeds said to have been laundered and traced back to Whitner. We explore a possible timeline of events from 2017 to 2022, examine key players involved, and touch on the court documents. We also delve into past backdoor allegations against Whitner and also his growing influence at Nike and the uncertainty of his future in light of the scandal. Amidst all these revelations, we are reminded that allegations remain allegations until proven guilty in a court of law. Timestamps: 00:00 - Cold Open 04:12 - The Major Players 08:28 - The Scheme 14:00 - Axe to Fall: A Timeline 17:46 - Backdoor Allegations over the Years 19:56 - Influence at Jordan Brand 21:34 - What's Next 29:54 - Outro

In this episode, I take a deep-dive look into the future of sneaker retail amid the generational shift in what we buy, and the technological changes happening everyday. I look into recent store closures, the decline of big box retailers and malls and contemplate the long-term future of retail. Finally, I examine what retailers need to do to save brick-and-mortar retail, and what Nike can do to help going forward. I also talk about Kanye story in NYT, CPFM Flea 2, and Complex cancelling shows. Sockjig Socks in Elachi Green available now at shop.sockjig.com Timestamps 00:00 - George Cold Open 00:20 - Intro 01:45 - Sockjig Socks Available Now 03:58 - Pickups, Skips, Misses 06:34 - Kanye NYT Story 11:17 - CPFM Flea 2 23:28 - Complex and the Future of Digital Media 31:34 - The Future of Sneaker Retail 36:32 - Sneaker Retail Closures 40:13 - History of Retail 41:32 - Classic Retail Model 44:23 - Generations 47:45 - The Decline of Retailers 54:00 - Current State of Sneaker Retail 59:44 - Sneaker Brands and DTC 1:02:48 - Everything Online 1:07:39 - How to Save Retail 1:23:49 - What Nike Can Do To Help 1:29:23 - Summary Books Retail Therapy by Mark Pilkington The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket by Benjamin Lorr Links ⁠https://linktr.ee/sockjig⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://shop.sockjig.com/

In this episode, I recap my trip to Kith Toronto opening night party and the store open and talk about why I was there, how I got invited, and the people I met. I also talk about the Born x Raised Dunk SB drop. Timestamps 00:00 - Sneak Peek 00:06 - Intro 00:58 - On Feet 01:12 - Pickups 03:24 - Misses 04:20 - Nike dotSwoosh TINAJ 08:17 - Born x Raised Release 21:09 - Kith Toronto ⁠https://linktr.ee/sockjig⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://shop.sockjig.com/

In this episode I talk about early pairs and if they're stolen, fake, or backdoored. I also talk about Kool Kiy, Nightwing's fake apology to me, Tremaine leaving Supreme, and debut a new segment called Size 13 Takes. Timestamps 00:00 - Funkmaster Flex Cold Open 02:30 - On Feet 03:22 - Pickups / Skips / Misses 11:56 - Size 13 Takes 14:03 - Nike v. Kool Kiy Lawsuit Update 19:43 - Fake Apologies 33:47 - Tremaine Leaves Supreme 39:50 - Fake Sneakers 44:40 - Stolen Sneakers 48:43 - Backdoored Sneakers ⁠https://linktr.ee/sockjig⁠ ⁠https://shop.sockjig.com/

What's there to hate about StockX? Let me count the ways. This is The Hater's Guide to StockX Timestamps 00:00 - Cold Open - The Unofficial and Probably Incorrect Story of the Founding of StockX 04:55 - Intro 07:04 - Disclaimer 08:44 - What’s Good About StockX? 11:23 - Authentication 23:36 - Nike NFT Lawsuit 26:52 - Fakes on StockX 31:52 - Rapid Fire 34:13 - Voice Messages 38:56 - Buying on StockX 44:30 - Selling on StockX 52:36 - Customer Service 58:12 - Tech Fuck-ups 01:00:38 - Too Stupid or Too Cheap 01:03:26 - How StockX Has Changed Sneaker Culture Forever 01:06:49 - StockX is Spirit Airlines ⁠https://linktr.ee/sockjig⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://shop.sockjig.com/