Ako sa buduje globálny lovebrand bez kompromisov? Aj barefoot môže mať štýl (Mia Štepanovská, Shapen)

·48 min·4 clips

Mia Štěpanovská built a global barefoot shoe brand from her garage, now selling to over 85 countries.

The episode features an interview with Mia Štěpanovská, founder of the barefoot shoe brand Shapen. She explains how the brand started in 2019 after she struggled to find stylish barefoot shoes for herself and her daughter. Shapen quickly gained traction through the barefoot community, selling initially via Facebook before launching an e-shop. The brand expanded globally early on, now selling to over 85 countries with eight language mutations. Mia details how cultural differences affect marketing, such as creating spadrilkas for Spain and cowboy boots for America. She emphasizes balancing fashion with health benefits, using viral educational videos that show foot health differences. A crowdfunding campaign in 2022 raised 96,000 euros, exceeding its goal in under 24 hours, though she notes misjudging demand for vegan materials. The brand maintains a low return rate under 1% through quality control and customer education. Mia discusses the challenges of scaling, including delegating tasks after initial hands-on management. She received the E-commerce Women of the Year award in 2025, which increased her visibility. The episode concludes with advice for women entrepreneurs to prioritize authenticity, citing examples like Diana Rodriguez.

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