By now you know that I am a sucker for shoes. Be it a classic black pump, a quality pair of boots or he perfect pair of boat shoes, I tend to look for shoes that are well made, comfortable and- most importantly- fashionable! That is why I am a loyal Category 5 Boat Shoes customer.
Not only are their boat shoes beautiful, but they are comfortable right out of the box and last longer than most. It has been a pleasure getting to know the men of Category 5 over the past year and they have continued to surprise and inspire me as they grow their brand and find their niche in the market.
I asked Jason, Founder and CEO of Category 5, if he would answer a few questions about the brand and what it was like launching a business before graduation. I hope Jason inspires you as much as he does me!
Don’t forget to check back later today for a fun giveaway.
Starting your own business is a daunting task. How did the idea for Category 5 come about?
The idea for Category 5 came about during my sophomore year of college at Miami. It was based on the fact that my best friends and I felt like boat shoes were a fundamentally flawed piece of footwear. Traditionally when you buy something new, you should look and feel great in it from day one. However, with boat shoes you lose that sense of confidence that first day when the blisters start coming and by the time the shoes were broken in, they were beaten up pretty badly from the active college lifestyle. Therefore, it was all about creating a more comfortable, durable boat shoe that allowed you to express yourself a little more.
What were your original goals for Category 5 when you first started out? How have they since evolved?
At the beginning Category 5 was focused on customization. Our goal was simple, we wanted to be the number one provider of custom embossed boat shoes to fraternities, country clubs, yacht clubs, private schools, and corporations. After graduating college we did some soul searching though and realized that our brand was about so much more than that. We’re passionate about supporting the positive aspects of the millennial mindset and we’re committed to operating differently. We look to do this by refining products and creating confident growth experiences for our customers. It starts with the design and distribution of casual men’s footwear and apparel, but more importantly its about unifying our customers based on a simple, yet common mindset for millennials. Follow your passion.
Simply put, we like to say that we’re aiming to be the casual wear version of Alex + Ani for the Millennial.
Category 5 has built its reputation on comfort, durability and design. How did you learn the art of shoe making?
It’s in my last name, Shuman. Just kidding. But seriously my family has been in the footwear industry for three generations. They’ve always been on the components side of the industry supplying the top footwear companies in the world with the pieces that make shoes complete.
As a result, we take great pride in every single component that goes into shoes. We take no short cuts and source our components from some of the best manufacturers all over the world. The outcome is a shoe that feels better than the competition the day you take it out of the box.
As far as design goes, we recently brought on a former senior designer from Sperry. We’re excited to combine his passion for design with our passion for comfort and functionality.
What is the biggest differentiation between Category 5 and other boat shoe brands?
From a product standpoint, it’s the comfort and functionality. We take great pride in our shoes feeling broken in from day one and lasting longer than the competition. We spray every pair down with a water and stain resistant treatment in the United States after quality control.
From a brand standpoint, it’s this idea that Category 5 is more than just a product, it’s a lifestyle. We want people to feel an inner confidence whenever they wear our product.
A Category 5 hurricane is cool, calm, and calculated at its core, but on the outside it’s disruptive to anything in its path and leaves something behind. That’s why every hurricane is named, it has a legacy. That’s how we see our brand.
Category 5 is sold almost exclusively online. Why was this decision made and do you see this decision changing in the future?
The decision was made initially for a few reasons. While our generation does a ton of shopping for footwear online, it also allows us to personalize the shopping experience and really control every customers interaction with the brand. When we work with retailers we’re very selective because we want them to learn about the product, market the product a certain way and stay true to the brand. As we continue to grow and expand in 2015 you’ll see us begin to work with more Mom & Pop shops that take a great deal of pride in their work like we do.
I know there are a few retail outlets where your products can be found in the Northeast. How did you decide on these specific places?
Reputation and relationships. E.A. Davis, Murray’s, Island Outfitters, Chatham Clothing Bar and Backwater Trading each have a great reputation with the customers that they serve and have taken a great deal of interest in making sure that we’re successful in growing Category 5.
What’s next for Category 5? Does the team have anything fun up their sleeve that we could learn a little more about?
We’re in the process of some major moves. Although I can only comment on some, I can tell you that we’ll be rolling out a lot of new styles in 2015 outside of boat shoes and we’re bringing on some really talented people.
As a business owner/entrepreneur, how do you achieve a work/life balance?
It’s not easy but starting the company in school certainly helped prepare me for it. Finding a hobby and passion outside of work is extremely important and make sure that you set goals outside of the office as well. For me it revolves around spending time with family and friends, working out and helping other young entrepreneurs.
What has been a defining moment of your career so far?
Getting our kickstarter successfully funded is definitely up there. My team worked their asses off and seeing us hit the mark was an incredible feeling that I’ll never forget.
Another one was being invited onto the University of Miami School of Business Advisory Board for Entrepreneurship.
Do you have any advice for our readers who might want to start their own businesses?
Just do it. It sounds cliche, but there will never be a better time than now. Make sure to leverage your network, surround yourself with smarter people than yourself and be confident in your decision making.