William Coley is the CEO of Sole Service, an organization that focuses on secondary market sneaker acquisition. Footwear that aren’t out there at retail shops like Yeezys, Jordans and Nike Dunks are acquired via the corporate and are offered at a aggressive worth to customers and followers of these sneakers.
Coley spoke with rolling out about Sole Service and what it means to be a sneakerhead in 2023.
What impressed you to get into the sneaker enterprise?
I’ve been into sneakers since I used to be most likely about like 12 or 13 years outdated. At first, I wished to look good and have flashy sneakers similar to a child would. My mother informed me if I wished sneakers which might be $200, then I needed to give you the cash. I might reduce grass, assist folks with their groceries, wash vehicles, and shovel snow, simply to purchase some good sneakers. Then I began going to conventions like SneakerCon and my first one was in 2014. I noticed folks everywhere in the conference middle arrange their cubicles promoting their sneakers and I’m like, “Wow, individuals are truly getting cash from this.” I simply began to slowly however absolutely begin shopping for sneakers right here and there, and I might put on them for a bit of bit as a result of on the time I’m nonetheless flipping simply to purchase myself some extra stuff, so I purchased some sneakers to make a fast revenue again. At first, it began as a technique to improve my sneaker assortment going from like $100 sneakers to the purpose the place I used to be like 14 and I had $1,000 sneakers on my ft.
What are a few of the largest adjustments you’ve seen in sneaker tradition?
The main target of consideration on sneakers. Again within the day, stuff you wouldn’t essentially discover every single day can be the preferred. Now it’s all concerning the Nike Dunks, the Travis Scotts, and the SBs. For instance, everybody has the Panda Dunks. If you happen to truly take note of what individuals are carrying, you’ll most likely discover no less than 10 folks carrying some variant of a Panda Dunk and it’s loopy. It’s not the identical uniqueness that it was again after I was developing.
What’s your definition of a sneakerhead?
My definition of a real sneakerhead is somebody that enjoys sneakers and enjoys the tradition. I don’t suppose there are set necessities to be an actual sneakerhead. … If you happen to take pleasure in sneakers and also you benefit from the tradition, you’re a sneakerhead. Individuals have to know there are all kinds of completely different generations of sneakerheads too. There are some folks which might be older than me and so they say, “Have a look at this little younger child or this younger cat, he doesn’t find out about sneakers.” And naturally, folks in my age group are going to look down on youthful folks like that, so it’s actually only a domino impact. All of us need to say that concerning the subsequent technology however in actuality, in the event you benefit from the tradition, you’re a real sneakerhead.
