Footshop guests in our office

This week was great! Guys from Footshop came to our office in Chernivtsi. Such trips boost work efficiency significantly. We discussed a lot of technical issues, had presentations, went for city walks and had fun in the evenings.

We had a lovely conversation with Tomáš Mitana, the product owner, and he shared his working experience at Footshop with us.

The history behind Footshop started when student Peter was working on his school project. At the same time he had a job in the digital agency that cooperated with online marketing. He bought about 20 pairs of skateboard shoes and sold them successfully. Then he realized he could go further and make something more than just a school project. Tomáš shares: I suppose Peter didn’t expect such a success then”.

Now Peter Hajduček is the founder of Footshop – one of the biggest online shops that sells sneakers and apparel. They cooperate with famous brands such as Nike, Adidas, Reebok, Y3, Vans, Converse and Fila. He combined what he could do (skills in the digital marketing)  with what he liked (skateboarding and skateboard shoes).

Tomáš joined Footshop team three years ago. At that time there was just one store and about fifty people. Now, when the company is seven years old, the number of employees grew up to two hundred. And they continue to grow!

The company is expanding at an immense pace. And what you need to do is to keep up with this pace. Tomáš adds that the changes are happening all the time. Footshop is constantly launching new markets and introducing new brands. Their entire job entails incorporating something new, adding up-to date processes. 

Tomáš says that the best thing in his job is building trust in people because they are super smart in Footshop team. And this leads to making more acquaintances and establishing new friendships. What he values the most is the freedom they have. The process of achieving the result is as important as the result itself. In addition, the product they are working with is trendy. Young people nowadays are hyped with keds, sneakers, urban-style clothes.

“We are travelling a lot and it’s great to see and learn how the business is working in different countries. What is interesting is all the cultural differences that have an impact on the business processes,” – he says.

Now they came to Ukraine and it’s not the first time they are here. How do they like it? – Tomáš replies: “We like Ukraine and we like your city. The advantage of Chernivtsi is that you can reach everywhere by walking. Also thanks to the guys from SapientPro we already know some places where we can have a tasty meal and great time.”

As for the Footshop’s cooperation with SapientPro, Tomáš says he really enjoys it. “They are strong professionals and at the same time they are easy to communicate with. We can not only work, but also have some beer and chitchats with the boys”, describes Tomáš.

The cooperation involves video calls and stand-ups twice a week. Every Friday the teams have online meetings where they discuss the technical issues. “It’s all about communication,” adds Tomáš.

The lesson learned by Tomáš from Footshop story is to be at the right spot at the exact moment. That’s what happened to Peter. It was the time when sneaker’s culture was penetrating the lives of the youth. And he was ready for that. He could apply his knowledge and creativity, as a result created what we now know as Footshop. “He caught the right wave and that’s the recipe of any successful business”, says Tomáš. He advices to seize the opportunities that life offers. The society is moving, everything is changing so everyone has a chance.