Bloomberg Businessweek: "A Bespoke Walk in the Snow"
Date: December 22, 2025
Hosts: Carol Massar & Tim Stenovec
Main Guest: Bob Shea, Founder and CEO of Surefoot
Episode Overview
This episode dives into the intersection of the changing ski season and economics, exploring how the ski industry is weathering delayed openings due to climate shifts and what it means for businesses that serve skiers. The conversation centers around Bob Shea of Surefoot—the world’s largest custom ski boot company—covering Surefoot’s bespoke approach to ski boots, innovations in foot health, the changing demands of modern consumers, and the nuances of running a quality-driven, family-owned company in a niche but lucrative market.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Importance of Snow & Its Economic Impact
- Overview: The episode opens with a discussion of late resort openings across the Western US due to lack of snow and unseasonably warm weather (02:24).
- Economic Context:
- Snow sports contribute $7.7 billion to the US economy (2023), especially in major states like Colorado, Utah, and California (02:47).
- Delays in resort openings have serious local economic repercussions.
- Quote:
"It’s a very big deal." — Bloomberg Host (03:09)
2. Inside Surefoot: Bespoke Ski Boot Fitting
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Surefoot’s Custom Boot Process:
- Customers receive a 3D scan of their feet to create a custom orthotic and match their foot to the best boot shell and liner for their needs (03:36).
- Entire personalized fitting takes about an hour.
- Quote:
"We put your foot onto a 3D imaging machine, which makes an orthotic for underneath your foot. ... Then we put you onto another image that takes a scan of your foot ... and we match it into ... the right shell for you."
— Bob Shea (03:36)
-
Personal Experience:
- Host recounts getting custom Surefoot boots, noting lasting comfort and the importance of periodic rescans because "most feet do that... your foot’s going to change a bit" as you age.
— Bob Shea (05:27)
- Host recounts getting custom Surefoot boots, noting lasting comfort and the importance of periodic rescans because "most feet do that... your foot’s going to change a bit" as you age.
-
Boot Origins and Early Prototyping:
- Shea’s journey began with painful ski racing boots as a kid, leading to ongoing trial and error—including hazardous early experiments with foam (06:44).
- Memorable Anecdote:
“He gets it all over his hands, everything. ... A guy was walking by ... and he was a chemical engineer, and he looks at John and goes, if you don't get that off your hands in the next 30 seconds, it’s never coming off... and I’ve got this on my foot.”
— Bob Shea (06:44)
3. Consumer Trends & Post-Pandemic Recreation Boom
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Resilience of the High-End Ski Consumer:
- Despite economic concerns and snow issues, Surefoot’s business remains strong, highlighting the continuing prioritization of leisure and recreation, especially post-pandemic (08:21, 09:12).
- Quote:
"We see the consumer is fairly strong... recreation is just a bigger part of our lives."
— Bob Shea (08:21) - Pandemic led to more people valuing outdoor activities as "healthy" pursuits.
-
City vs. Mountain Stores:
- Surefoot’s New York City store is unique, as most locations are at ski resorts. City stores thrive early-season as travelers prepare for ski trips (09:57).
4. Diversification & Expansion: From Running to Orthotics
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Expansion into Running:
- Surefoot entered the running segment by leveraging their custom orthotic expertise, serving athletes from Boston Marathon winners to everyday runners (10:49).
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Growth and Operations Choices:
- The company remains bootstrapped, avoids franchising to maintain quality, and prioritizes internal promotions and employee ownership (11:34).
- Quote:
"We wanted to have better quality control... and give our employees opportunity."
— Bob Shea (11:34)
5. Supply Chain and Employee Challenges
-
Supply Chain Strains:
- Not all components are US-made due to manufacturing limitations. Tariffs and rising costs continue to be a concern, but the company has navigated difficulties due to its scale (12:39).
-
Retaining Employees in Expensive Ski Towns:
- Surefoot is known for long-tenured employees and partly credits this to productivity-based compensation and providing employee housing, mostly for new hires (13:45, 14:15).
- Sustainable Growth Model:
- "If we're not going up, we're going out." Consistent expansion is needed to offer employees upward mobility (14:27).
6. The Future & Innovation in Foot Health
-
Room for Market Growth:
-
Insurance & Medical Market:
- Orthotics can be covered by insurance with a doctor’s prescription, but most consumer sales are direct (16:38).
7. Big Reveal: Surefoot's Proprietary Footwear Launch
- Breaking News:
- Surefoot is about to launch its own line of shoes, designed specifically to work with their custom orthotics—addressing a common challenge where standard shoes don’t accommodate custom insoles well (17:14).
- Launch includes styles for both men and women; product has already attracted attention from athletes at the World Cup.
- Quote:
"We’re about to introduce our own line of footwear... made specifically for orthotics, to fit your orthotics in it."
— Bob Shea (17:14)
"I think we’re breaking some news here, that’s pretty cool."
— Bloomberg Host (17:59) - Surefoot is independently developing this line, not as a collaboration (17:57).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|---------|-------| | 03:36 | Bob Shea | "We put your foot onto a 3D imaging machine... match it into the right shell for you." | | 06:44 | Bob Shea | "...he was a chemical engineer, and he looks at John and goes, if you don’t get that off your hands... it’s never coming off." | | 08:21 | Bob Shea | "We see the consumer is fairly strong... recreation is just a bigger part of our lives." | | 11:34 | Bob Shea | "We wanted to have better quality control... and give our employees opportunity." | | 14:27 | Bob Shea | "If we’re not going up, we’re going out. We have to go up to give employees opportunity..." | | 17:14 | Bob Shea | "We’re about to introduce our own line of footwear... made specifically for orthotics." | | 17:59 | Bloomberg Host | "I think we’re breaking some news here, that’s pretty cool." |
Key Timestamps for Important Segments
- 02:24: Introduction to delayed ski season and its economic implications
- 03:25–04:45: Bob Shea explains Surefoot’s custom boot process
- 06:44–07:44: Shea’s early challenges and a memorable foam disaster
- 08:21–09:12: State of the high-end ski consumer and post-pandemic changes
- 09:57: Value and growth of city-based Surefoot stores
- 11:34: Company values: avoiding franchising, focus on internal advancement
- 13:45–14:27: Employee retention strategies in high-cost resort towns
- 16:03: Surefoot as a leader in custom orthotics, but still a small part of the potential market
- 17:14–18:01: Announcement of Surefoot’s upcoming orthotics-compatible footwear line
Conclusion
This episode offers both a window into the hidden economics of the ski industry and an intimate, often humorous, look at what it takes to build and grow a bespoke, high-quality, family business in a competitive, weather-dependent market. Listeners learn about the passion and perseverance behind Surefoot, emerging trends in consumer recreation, and get the scoop on a major new product launch poised to shake up both the orthotics and shoe markets.