Episode 1453: As Seen on Shark Tank: Steve Sashen, CEO of Xero Shoes episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 1, 2026 · 34 MIN

Episode 1453: As Seen on Shark Tank: Steve Sashen, CEO of Xero Shoes

from Business Leadership Series · host Business Leadership Series

In this week’s interview, Derek Champagne talks with Shark Tank veteran Steven Sashen. Steven talks with Derek about building an international business, stepping in the Shark Tank, and even his days of stand up comedy.Steven is the developer and CEO of Xero Shoes • Your Original Barefootware – www.XeroShoes.com. Steven and his wife, Lena Phoenix, started the “Barefoot… PLUS!” sandal business in late 2009; he had returned to sprinting 2 years earlier, at age 45, and experienced almost continuous injuries. An experiment with running barefoot cured the injuries and improved his times. Knowing about the Tarahumara indians in Mexico, who run hundreds of miles in sandals made of tire scraps lashed to their feet, Steven created a high-tech upgrade of that product and launched it online.With nothing but Search Engine Marketing and Social Media Marketing, Xero Shoes has become the best-selling running sandal in the world.Steven’s commitment is to making footwear that lets customers connect with the ground and “Feel The World,” fits perfectly, express wearer’s personalities, outlasts any other footwear, and uses fewer resources than any other footwear. He’s also committed to discovering and teaching the best techniques for teaching natural movement — for walking, hiking, and running.Prior to jumping into the sandal business, Steven was an internationally-known Internet marketing expert, Search Engine and Social Media marketing consultant, and software designer. He also co-hosted the Emmy award winning, internationally syndicated TV show, Disk Doctors.Steven is also a Masters All-American sprinter, one of the fastest 50+ year olds in the United States.Learn more at www.xeroshoes.comBusiness Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

In this week’s interview, Derek Champagne talks with Shark Tank veteran Steven Sashen. Steven talks with Derek about building an international business, stepping in the Shark Tank, and even his days of stand up comedy.Steven is the developer and CEO of Xero Shoes • Your Original Barefootware – www.XeroShoes.com. Steven and his wife, Lena Phoenix, started the “Barefoot… PLUS!” sandal business in late 2009; he had returned to sprinting 2 years earlier, at age 45, and experienced almost continuous injuries. An experiment with running barefoot cured the injuries and improved his times. Knowing about the Tarahumara indians in Mexico, who run hundreds of miles in sandals made of tire scraps lashed to their feet, Steven created a high-tech upgrade of that product and launched it online.With nothing but Search Engine Marketing and Social Media Marketing, Xero Shoes has become the best-selling running sandal in the world.Steven’s commitment is to making footwear that lets customers connect with the ground and “Feel The World,” fits perfectly, express wearer’s personalities, outlasts any other footwear, and uses fewer resources than any other footwear. He’s also committed to discovering and teaching the best techniques for teaching natural movement — for walking, hiking, and running.Prior to jumping into the sandal business, Steven was an internationally-known Internet marketing expert, Search Engine and Social Media marketing consultant, and software designer. He also co-hosted the Emmy award winning, internationally syndicated TV show, Disk Doctors.Steven is also a Masters All-American sprinter, one of the fastest 50+ year olds in the United States.Learn more at www.xeroshoes.comBusiness Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

NOW PLAYING

Episode 1453: As Seen on Shark Tank: Steve Sashen, CEO of Xero Shoes

0:00 34:22

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

French Your Way Jessica: Native French teacher founder of French Your Way Boost your French listening skills and test your comprehension with this one of a kind series of podcasts. Get the chance to listen to a real conversation between native speakers talking at normal speed AND customise your learning experience through carefully designed sets of questions (2 levels of difficulty) available for download at www.frenchvoicespodcast.com. All interviews also come with the transcript. French teacher Jessica interviews native speakers of French from around the world who share a bit of their life and passion. Where else would you meet in one same place a French yoga teacher based in Melbourne, a soap manufacturer from Provence, or a couple cycling around the world? The Small Business Startup School – Business Notes | Financial Literacy | Retail Psychology – For Professionals & Entrepreneurs The Small Business Startup School Inc. Starting or buying a small business? While personal circumstances may vary, business patterns remain timeless. On The Small Business Startup School, we explore strategies, insights, and practical solutions to help entrepreneurs confidently navigate their journey.Hosted by Ola Williams—a retail entrepreneur, fintech founder, and financial coach with over two decades of experience—this podcast marries financial awareness and retail psychology with optimism to deliver actionable takeaways.Join us to learn, grow, and connect as we uncover the keys to business success.Let’s continue to learn together and be encouraged to keep on connecting! LIGHTS, CAMERA, SMILE! Creatives Club Media Lights, Camera, Smile, is a podcast for anyone with a dream to share something with the world, out of the overflow of themselves - be it their mind, their heart, their personalities, and much more. Each of us are alive in this moment in time, with an innate ability to have ideas and create various things to benefit both ourselves and the people around us for a reason, and here, you will find the encouragement, the inspiration, and the motivation to do just that. Hosted by Cicily, founder of Creatives Club, she dives into various topics surrounding creativity and business. Exploring entrepreneurship for creatives in a corporate reality, sharing tips and tricks in a media centered company, answering questions regarding what a creative actually is are just a few of the things discussed on this podcast. Be encouraged to create for yourself as Cicily gets vulnerable by pivoting the camera to herself for the first time.To submit questions for Cicily to answer, or have her address certain t Solving for Change MOBIA Technology Innovations Solving for Change welcomes business and technology leaders to share stories of bold business transformation within complex organizations. In an era when technology and markets are changing around businesses, the key to staying competitive is to evolve in response to those changes.  MOBIA’s Mike Reeves and Marc LeBlanc investigate business transformation, deconstructing the challenges, ambitions, and market disruptions that drive companies to embark on transformation journeys, and exploring their unique approaches to achieving meaningful outcomes.  What sparks leaders to pursue business transformation? How do they overcome the challenges along the way? What are the keys to creating enduring change?  Through in-depth conversations with business and technology leaders, Mike and Marc answer these questions and explore how businesses evolve by pulling four key transformation levers: people, process, technology, and culture.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Business Leadership Series?

This episode is 34 minutes long.

When was this Business Leadership Series episode published?

This episode was published on February 1, 2026.

What is this episode about?

In this week’s interview, Derek Champagne talks with Shark Tank veteran Steven Sashen. Steven talks with Derek about building an international business, stepping in the Shark Tank, and even his days of stand up comedy.Steven is the developer and CEO...

Can I download this Business Leadership Series episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!