Marv Vaghetti : Building Lanx Shoes from the Fields Up - Episode 44

I’d seen Lancashire-based footwear brand Lanx pop up on the show circuit that we’re on with Hiho, and their boots have become firm favourites with the menfolk in my family, but I didn’t really know that much about the brand.So when I was thinking of people to interview for the Making Stuff Up channel I was presenting for Do Radio, Marv immediately came to mind. At the end of the 2025 show season, I sat down with Marv for a chat and it’s time to share it with you, our CWG Community.Marv’s path to creating Lank Shoes was far from conventional. Growing up in a family rooted in craftsmanship and entrepreneurship, he was surrounded by the sounds and sights of his father’s furniture-making business. This early exposure ignited a passion for creating and marketing products. Marv recalls spending summers helping his father in the workshop, which laid the groundwork for his appreciation of manufacturing and design. Although he initially leaned towards marketing, it was his experiences with local footwear brands that drew him into the shoe industry.It’s all too easy, especially when a brand is doing really well, to think that their journey to that point was a walk in the park. But when I sit down and have these chats with Founders, that’s never the case.There are always points where they nearly gave it all up, where they didn’t have the answers and where the sweetest of successes is preceded by a very rough time. But a bit of serendipity and a lot of tenacity usually sees them through the storm and they soldier on, learning to trust their own instincts as they go.We talk about the moment Marv nearly closed the business, why becoming comfortable in your own skin matters more than following someone else’s blueprint, and how LANX found its true identity by returning to its Lancashire roots.Huge thanks to Marv for joining me and to Do Radio for allowing me to share this with you.You can find Lanx hereYou can find Marv here As always, thank you for reading and thank you for listening,Join our growing Community of people who value building a business that fits your life, rather than a life that fits in round your business. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit countrywomansguide.substack.com