Made to Last Podcast

Omar Bailey goes from barely passing high school to Head of Innovation at Yeezy to founder of FCTRY LAb.In Episode 6 of Made to Last, Omar unpacks the stories behind his new autobiography, HEART & SOLE — from Jamaica to Detroit to India to Cody, Wyoming.In this deeply personal episode, Duane Lawrence puts Omar in the hot seat to unpack the stories behind the autobiography — from his family’s immigration journey from Jamaica to New York to South Florida, to the challenges that shaped him into one of footwear’s most respected innovators.Omar opens up about going from a high school student barely passing classes to earning acceptance into prestigious design schools, and the winding professional road that followed: being let go from Timberland, grinding through apprenticeships, trading design services for office space he was technically sleeping in, and even living and working in India while chasing the next opportunity.The conversation builds toward what Omar calls “the Super Bowl of opportunities” — his rise to becoming Head of Innovation at Yeezy.Along the way, he shares never-before-heard stories, including: • The call from Kanye asking him to move the Yeezy sample room to Cody, Wyoming • A painful lesson from underpricing himself on a major design project • The realities of betting on yourself before the world sees your value • How struggle, faith, and persistence shaped his design philosophyThis is a conversation about resilience, reinvention, and what it really means to build a life made to last.📘 HEART & SOLE available nowSee whats new at FCTRY LAb https://www.fctrylab.com20 Years Of Footwear Design Experience https://duanealawrence.com#MadeToLast #OmarBailey #HeartAndSole #Yeezy #FootwearDesign #SneakerPodcast #DesignLeadership #KanyeWest #CreativeJourney #InnovationMusic by Jonny Cool00:00 - Intro, 03:00 - All Star Weekend, 07:40 - Episode 5 with JJG Recap, 20:40 - Launch of Heart & Sole, 23:35 - First Trip to China, 26:45 - Moving Yeezy to Cody WY, 43:30 - Cowboy Engineering, 45:10 - The Downfall of Yeezy and Adidas, 50:05 - Pivoting from Yeezy to FCTRY LAb, 1:00:00 - Raising Venture Capital, 1:04:28 - How to Pitch to Venture Capitalists 1:07:02 - Charging for Design Services, 1:12:42 - The Path to Wealth, 1:15:00 - Picking a name for your business, 1:17:30 - The Future of FCTRY LAB, 1:21:00 - Get your copy of Heart & Sole!

Jonathan Johnsongriffin shares what it's like to work with Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Serena Williams throughout his 17 years at Nike. As the creator who spearheaded Black History Month sneaker collections, he speaks on leadership, work ethic, and the importance of being ready for the big moment. Now the VP of Brand Creative for Google, Johnsongriffin dives into the benefits of emerging AI tools and the fast pace of the tech industry.Jonathan, Omar and Duane's journeys all started in Detroit where they met and studied Industrial Design at the College for Creative Studies. "Detroit is the foundation... thats where grit was formed for us," Jonathan claims. The bond they formed there has proven formidable as they inspire each other to keep grinding today.Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/madetolastpod/Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/madetolastpodApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/made-to-last-podcast/id1870390533What's new at FCTRY LAB! https://www.fctrylab.com/20 Years of Footwear Design experience https://duanealawrence.com/Music by Jonny Cool

Omar and Duane share their experiences working with athletes, both independently and at major brands. Duane just came back from a meeting in Cleveland with HOLO brand ambassador Isaac Okoro, while Omar went to the Bay Area to see All-Pro Left Tackle Trent Williams of the 49ers. From professional athletes having to buy their own shoes, to what it would take for athletes to go independent, to what Steph Curry should do in this moment, the guys break it all down.See what's new at FCTRY LAb https://www.fctrylab.com/20 years of footwear design experience duanealawrence.comMusic by Jonny Cool

Omar and Duane sit down to talk about the mentors that shaped their footwear experience. Whether it was professional guidance, financial assistance or hands-on experience, it was all motivation! As two people with entrepreneurial mindsets, they dive into the sacrifice it takes to build independence in this industry. Where do you find your motivation?Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/HACIf6iTuoAListen on Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/made-to-last-podcast/id1870390533See what's new at FCTRY LAb. https://fctry.la20 years of footwear design experience https://duanealawrence.comMusic by Jonny Cool.

Dallas Stokes sits down to discuss his 31 years in footwear design, dating back to when he got his first start in high school all the way to present day working with Kyrie Irving. He gives advice on how to last in the shoe game, acknowledges his mentors and reminds designers, "you're only as good as your last shoe."Listen on Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/made-to-last-podcast/id1870390533Watch on Youtube https://youtu.be/IXkgTNgc7RgMusic by Jonny Cool.See what's new at FCTRY LAb. https://fctry.la20 years of footwear design experience https://duanealawrence.com

Omar Bailey and Duane Lawrence, longtime friends and shoe designers with a combined 40+ years of experience in the footwear industry, sit down to discuss designing for athletes, shoe deals, growing up in South Florida, design school and more! It's the first installment of the Made To Last discussion.Follow along on Instagram https://instagram.com/madetolastpod  See what's new at FCTRY LAb https://fctry.laOver 20 years of shoe design experience. https://duanealawrence.comMusic by Jonny Cool