From DIY Sandals to Global D2C: Steven Sashen on Focus, Friction, and Building What Lasts

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From DIY Sandals to Global D2C: Steven Sashen on Focus, Friction, and Building What Lasts

In this episode of GrowthFit, we sat down with Steven Sashen, co-founder of Xero Shoes, to trace the brand’s evolution from a garage-born DIY sandal kit to a performance footwear company selling across 97 countries.

Steven’s story is anything but conventional. What started as a solution to persistent injuries from traditional running shoes turned into a movement—and eventually a business—with a loyal, fast-growing customer base and a defining appearance on Shark Tank.

In a conversation packed with deeply practical insights, Steven takes us behind the scenes of his early growth tactics, content strategy, personalization philosophy, and hard-won lessons from scaling without losing soul.

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It Started With Pain—And Then Curiosity Took Over

Steven didn’t set out to build a shoe company. He was a sprinter recovering from injuries and experimenting with barefoot running at a friend’s suggestion.

“When you run barefoot, good form feels good—and bad form hurts.”

That shift in awareness led to improvement. And that improvement led to exploration. He made a pair of sandals based on a 10,000-year-old design. Then he made a few more. Word spread. Requests came in. Slowly but steadily, a brand began to form.

And when a friend offered to mention him in a book—if he had a website—Steven built one that night, despite his wife’s advice against it.

“She told me not to waste time. She went to bed, and I built the site anyway.”

That decision, made in 2009, set Xero Shoes on a path that would soon bring global recognition.

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The Shark Tank Effect: Revenue, Credibility, and a Wake-Up Call

Xero Shoes appeared on Shark Tank in early 2013. They turned down a $400,000 offer—and it ended up being one of their best decisions.

“We made three months of revenue in the week after the episode aired.”

But more than sales, the episode gave Steven and his team clarity. It forced them to take the business seriously. To recognize that this wasn’t just a side project—it was changing lives.

Today, reruns of that same episode continue to bring awareness and trust, especially with investors. In fact, Xero Shoes is now consistently featured in lists of companies the Sharks got wrong.

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Marketing in the Early Days: Content Over Channels

In 2009, there was little social media to lean on. So Steven focused on search visibility and video content.

He created how-to videos for making sandals and syndicated them across more than 25 video platforms—at a time when YouTube was just one of many. He also wrote content targeting specific keywords like “barefoot running”, “barefoot shoes”, and even contrarian phrases like “Are barefoot shoes bad for you?”

“You have to imagine yourself as someone sceptical. What are they typing in?”

The goal wasn’t just to drive traffic but to own the conversation, especially around a niche topic. At one point, Xero Shoes had over 30 of the top 50 Google results for relevant keywords.

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Personalization Then vs. Now: From Broad Intent to Subtle Cues

In the early days, personalization wasn’t even an option. Nor was it necessary.

“Our early audience was early adopters. Regardless of age or income, they were all thinking the same way.”

Today, with a broader catalog and customer base, Steven admits the complexity has grown. But his approach remains conservative.

He warns against personalization that feels forced or overly clever.

“If you show someone their name in lowercase, they’re gone. If it feels like you’re tracking them, you’ve already lost.”

Instead, his focus is on implicit personalization—nudging content based on what users voluntarily share. For example, asking a question like “Where are you in your barefoot journey?” and shaping the experience accordingly, without calling attention to it.

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The Right Way to Build Trust

Steven shares a refreshingly simple take on trust: be real.

Sometimes that means leaning into raw authenticity over polished design. Sometimes it’s about showing your face. For Xero Shoes, a large part of trust came from his own videos, where he appeared for just a few seconds before showing how to lace a sandal.

“People started recognizing me on the street. We realized being personal worked.”

Beyond that, trust came from:

• Reviews and testimonials, especially from recognized figures in the space
  
  
• Clear, honest copy, even if it broke “best practices”
  
  
• Transparency around who’s behind the brand and why it exists
  
  

Xero Shoes now proudly showcases over 81,000 5-star reviews. But Steven warns not to over-index on positive signals alone. He points out how savvy users look at 1- and 2-star reviews first, and how important it is to respond publicly and respectfully.

“If you don’t have any bad reviews, people will assume you’re lying.”

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Split Testing, Scarcity, and the Pricing Puzzle

Unlike other brands that rely on price-based A/B testing, Steven takes a cautious stance.

“You can’t split test pricing anymore. People talk. And when they find different prices, you get angry calls.”

Instead, Xero relies on category benchmarks, profitability constraints, and occasional small-scale tests. Their strategy is less about optimization and more about long-term trust and sustainable margins.

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Growth Tactics: Stay in the Conversation

Steven’s early marketing rule remains unchanged:

“Find out where your audience is talking—and get in the way.”

That means forums, communities, review sections, and even offline mentions. But his caution is clear: track impact rigorously, know what failure looks like, and don’t chase every shiny platform.

He also notes that many tools, including MarTech stacks, promise more than they deliver.

“Most tools assume you’ll find something that works and just replicate it. But if you keep replicating, you become boring.”

His advice is simple: track what matters, test with discipline, and be ready to move fast when something doesn’t work.

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Final Advice: Don’t Romanticize Your Idea

In closing, Steven offered one of the most direct pieces of advice we’ve heard on GrowthFit.

“Find the fastest, cheapest way to determine if your idea is bad.”

Most entrepreneurs, he says, are too in love with their vision. Instead of asking friends and family, he suggests running a paid test, even with no real product behind it, to see if strangers are willing to take action.

“We all love our babies. But most of our babies are ugly and stupid. The market will tell you.”

In a world of pitch decks, product launches, and scaling playbooks, Steven’s story reminds us that authenticity, listening, and long-term thinking still win. Whether you’re building a niche product or selling to the masses, the fundamentals haven’t changed.

Get out of the way of your customer. Let them experience the value. And don’t be afraid to turn down $400,000 if it means staying true to the mission.

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