80 shoe boxes, 94 pairs of shoes total (Not pictured: gym shoes, waterproof shoes, bowling shoes, etc.)
Growing up, my family was rich…
…in love.
At the beginning of every school year, my mother would buy me two pairs of kicks
– some “play shoes” and a nice, crisp pair of sneakers, which had to last all year.
I loved her for it, but as a 13-year-old future cool kid, I wasn’t having it. I needed more shoes.
But there was one colossal problem…I had no moolah. So how does a preteen, with no job, get money?
You find a street corner and hold up a “Will work for shoes” sign? Nah. You hustle.
Cut lawns. Rake leaves. Shovel snow. Clean gutters. Wash cars. Wash trash cans. Anything.
And that’s what I did.
The result? 31 Converse Chuck Taylors in two and a half years.
Vintage Converse Chuck Taylor “Comic Strip”
Getting Chuck Taylors was easy because they were cheap. But as I entered into high school, my love for shoes got more expensive.
And that meant…getting a job. I started my first part-time gig at 15, and have worked every year since.
The result? A whole, whole lot of shoes.
Puma RS-100 “Animal Party Croc”
Converse II Leather Chuck Taylor “Black History Month”
Gucci “Black Tiger Princetown” Slippers
Now you’re probably wondering, how does a copywriter afford Gucci slippers?
You cut back. Bike year-round, bring lunch to work, cancel that 24 Hour Fitness gym membership.
And most importantly, you hustle.
There are many different types of hustlers in this world, all grinding for different reasons. For me, the reason is simple.
It’s so that I never have to find a street corner and hold a “Will work for shoes” sign.