Founder Spotlight: Justin Schneider (Wolf & Shepherd)

Company name: Wolf & Shepherd

Company blurb: Developer of dress shoes that blend high-quality craftsmanship with the comfort of athletic shoes.

Company website: www.wolfandshepherd.com

Company headquarters: Los Angeles, CA

Founder’s hometown: Atlanta, GA

Founder fun fact:

I created over 130+ Botanical Illustrations for a research group in Madagascar called Mahery with funding from National Geographic and the World Wildlife Foundation.

Why did you decide to start your company?

In the last full-time role, I found myself wanting to contribute to the growth of the company I was working for in more ways than I was asked to. I became increasingly restless and the best outlet was to start a company around things I knew how to do, which was making sportswear products.

What is one thing that you want people to know about your company?

We have always been scrappy and hungry to be the best. The best way to prove you are a winning company is by “doing it” — by creating results. The more steps we take in becoming a successful brand, the more doors of opportunity that seem to open up.

When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up? Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

I wanted to be a race car driver. Then, I wanted to become a game designer. I guess starting a company and designing sportswear products are not too dissimilar to my childhood dreams.

What is one piece of advice you’d like to pass on to new founders?

If you don’t know the answer to something, go seek the answers. When you find answers to your questions, you can share these with others through the products you build for others. Basically, when you see an opportunity, go for it and don’t worry about it being perfect.