51. Tolos Bare Footwear | Evan Ritt

“I'm trying to act brave and inspire other people too,” explains Evan Ritt, Owner and Founder of Tolos. After playing hockey in France and England and experiencing consistent sports-related injuries, Evan became very interested in his health. This passion led him to start a barefoot footwear brand, where his holistic designs enhance both podiatric health and athletic performance.   After a five-year journey, Evan has finally launched Tolos shoes. Highly driven, Evan wants his business to improve people’s lives through their feet. However, he also understands that most barefoot products are unattractive, a barrier to entry into the mass market. With his brand, Evan ensures that his shoes are aesthetically pleasing and something people would realistically wear. Once you switch to barefoot styles, you will be surprised at how comfortable they are and what a difference they make to your daily life. But style matters, which many companies fail to grasp. Understanding his greater mission, Evan strives to make barefoot footwear approachable, hoping to contribute to a healthier world.   We need to make barefoot footwear more desirable. One method for doing so would be to target athletes. If athletes try on this shoe and see its benefits, they will be more inclined to spread the message. Although athletic lifestyle brands like Nike and Adidas will be challenging to beat, Evan will find ways to champion the movement and inspire others to do the same.   Quotes • “My goal is that the more time you spend in my shoe, it's going to be the better for you.” (11:54-11:59 | Evan) • “We can lower as many barriers as possible. And the biggest barrier in the barefoot world right now is the aesthetics of it.” (27:04-27:10 | Evan)  • “If I can make this a company for the people and by the people, I think it will resonate with many more people too, and that just lowers another barrier.” (29:31-29:44 | Evan)  • “If you truly want to maximize your human potential, you need to get yourself in physical, mental, and spiritual alignment. Those are separate boxes, and all encompassed under the laws of nature.” (34:13-34:31 | Evan)  • “If I can get my shoes in as many locker rooms as possible, athletes start to see them, feel the benefits, and preach and spread the message. And once athletes are wearing it, then that's when the movement happens.” (42:54-43:11 | Evan)  • “I'm trying to act brave and inspire other people too.” (50:18-50:22 | Evan)   Links Connect with Evan Ritt: Website | https://weartolos.com/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/tolos/ TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@evanaritt   Connect with Physio Room:  Website | ​​https://physioroomco.com/  Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/physioroomco/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/physioroomco Andrew’s Personal Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dr.andrewfix/  Andrew’s Personal Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/andrew.fix.9/   Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm