Prompt Cast
Allyson Felix and Wes's Journey to Revolutionize Women's Footwear
TLDR Allyson Felix and her brother Wes founded Saysh, a shoe company that designs shoes specifically for women's feet, after facing challenges with Nike during pregnancy negotiations and realizing the lack of women-specific shoe designs in the market. They collaborated with former Nike developers and designers to create an iconic shoe for women, marking a significant milestone in their journey to provide women with innovative footwear options.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Allison Felix and her brother Wes founded Saysh, a shoe company that designs shoes specifically for women's feet, after Allison ran in the Tokyo Olympics without a shoe sponsor and decided to create her own brand.
05:10
Allison Felix signed a deal with Adidas to become a professional athlete, a decision that was controversial at the time, as she aimed to focus on the Olympics rather than collegiate athletics.
10:08
Wes transitioned from his running career to entrepreneurship, initially starting with an online women's fitness newsletter and later partnering with Allison to explore athlete representation, seeking guidance from Serena Williams' agent.
14:53
Wes and Allyson Felix focused on securing endorsements and partnerships with blue chip sponsors to build their business around Allyson's talent.
19:58
Wes and Allyson Felix navigated the world of sponsorships and faced a significant contract renewal offer from Nike that was 70% less than expected, leading to feelings of disbelief and disappointment.
25:18
Allyson Felix decided to prioritize her personal life and family aspirations over her athletic career after facing challenges with Nike during pregnancy negotiations.
30:43
Allyson Felix and her husband Wes fought for maternal protection and fair treatment for female athletes during pregnancy negotiations with Nike.
35:56
Allyson Felix and Wes decided to go public with their experience negotiating with Nike regarding pregnancy rights, leading to a pivotal moment that inspired them to start their own footwear company, Saysh.
41:12
Allyson Felix and Wes decided to create their own shoe company after Allyson's empowering experience with Athleta led them to question the need for traditional sponsors like Nike or Adidas, ultimately leading them to self-fund the production of a prototype shoe for Allyson to potentially wear in the Tokyo Olympics.
46:23
Allyson Felix and Wes faced financial uncertainty and challenges while realizing the lack of women-specific shoe designs in the market, leading them to discover the existing molds of women's feet for shoe production, highlighting a significant problem of women being overlooked by major footwear brands.
51:27
Allyson Felix and Wes collaborated with former Nike developers and designers to create an iconic shoe for women, marking a significant milestone in their journey to provide women with innovative footwear options.
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