Hi, everyone. Welcome to another episode of Retail Refined. I'm Melissa Gonzales, and I am coming to you from Kizzix first ever pop up shop in New York City. It is truly an experiential moment for the brand, and I have the pleasure of sitting with both Monte Deere, who's the CEO of Kizzic, and Gretchen Wyman, who is chief merchandising officer. And we're gonna go into a little bit of a deeper dive, not just about the experience here in New York City, but about the brand and what the future holds. Sitting with me is Monte Deere, who is the CEO of Kizzic. And thank you so much for spending the time to talk with us today. It's a pleasure to be here, Melissa. And to be in we're a Utah based company. Yeah. To be here in New York, your country, to be in this beautiful pop up that, you and your team at MG two, helped us create. It's, it's a thrill. So can you tell the audience a little bit more about you and your role at the company? Sure. I've been the CEO at Kizzic for about five years now. Before that, oddly enough, I was our founder's, Mike Pratt's attorney and had fallen in love with Kizzick, the idea of hands free shoes. And, it was a time in the development of, the company at Kizzick where Mike needed a leader to run his company. And, I sat down and talked with Mike and said, I think I'd like to try something different in my career and we jumped in together and my goodness, it's been a ride of growth since then fortunately, for for us. Yeah. Well, we've been able I've been able to witness some of that and, be a small part of of supporting that. So it's been really exciting, and that's definitely we can do a whole other episode of that career transition. It's really inspirational. But the other thing that's made a transition is the brand, opening the first store in Utah. And since then, what's really being unveiled here in New York City is, is kind of an evolution of the brand, of the brand's personality kind of transforming the visuals that that we're seeing in the store today. So can you can you talk to us a little bit about what that journey has been like and what is Motion is Magic? I'll start by saying where we started, our founder envisioned a new way for shoes to work and that is to step in and be really the way shoes should always have been from the beginning. No need to touch with your hands, just step in. And so we have focused to date mostly on, I would say, functionality. Mhmm. And we are helping our, customer and our consumer see that it's more than just how shoes work. Motion is magic, in my view, is how wearing Kizzic hands free shoes make you feel. It opens a world of easy possibility that lets you go and do and see, and explore this entire world. Whether you're going around the block or around the world. Chizix are a feeling as much as they are a function. I love that. And it's, evident with the naming of your shoes. That's right. There's a global perspective built in there with the Lima and the Athens, the Sydney. And so so talk to us a little bit about how that shows up. We how this shows up in the store, but you also have an omnichannel strategy. So how does that that messaging kind of show up whether you're engaging with the brand digitally or physically? Yes. We've been predominantly e commerce for the last few years. In fact, even months ago, you could buy Kizzix online, but if you asked where can I go and try on a pair of shoes? We launched a test last year with Nordstrom and we opened our, first store ourselves. It wasn't until this year when we decided we are going to the world where we are taking Kizzix to the people. So, this year we'll open, we have a single store open, we'll open five more this year and we can talk about that. We also estimated that we would open a hundred or two hundred stores in other retailers when we open the gate to that they have come and said we want Kizzix in our store and and that's gonna blossom to more than five hundred, stores, this year. Five hundred doors. Yeah, so that's that's, a significant footprint. When you think about the opportunity of brick and mortar, a journey of a customer engaging with the brand, you know, what do you see as the opportunities? Because it's it's like you said, it's the function, it's the form, but there's also the community and lifestyle around the brand. There are some miraculous things about Kizzix product. When people come in, first of all, brick and mortar, both in our own stores and in the stores with our retail partners, give customers the opportunity to touch before and try before they buy. In fact, we sort of turn the retail journey, the customer journey on its head. Instead of a customer coming into the store and shopping first and looking for a style and a colorway they get to come in and often what we say is have you tried Kizzix? They don't know what we're talking about so we will drop a pair of shoes on the floor in their sides they will step in and their head goes up and and they have that moment. Our customers sort of interact with each other and they say Yes you've got to try that or you haven't ever tried Kizzix before? And it's wonderful to have customers selling to one another. But then there's another I mean, I said miraculous, I mean that's a big word, but often individuals will step into a pair of Kizzix, they'll look up, they'll see that surprise on their face, and then within a minute or two they'll think to themselves, I have I've gotta get my dad in here to try a pair of these. Yeah. Or my, sister who is expecting a baby. It's just amazing how it Kizzick shoes and the try on experience makes them think about somebody they care about. That creates community in itself. Yeah. So as you kind of educate one then you're creating this evangelist who's bringing in many to the brand. And it happens. It happens. Okay, Monty. So somebody who can't experience the pop up today, can you walk us through the journey from from the street all the way to the magic behind us? The pop up here in Soho is intended to represent the experience or the journey, as you say, of getting to know Kizzic. When you walk in, the journey begins by getting to know Kizzic. Right here at the front of the store, you get to step into a pair of Kizzics for the first time, experience that moment, see some of, the Kizzic styles and colorways, but in a representative way, that's only the beginning. Mhmm. After after learning about Kizzic, you get to move forward toward the back of the store where you walk through a light portal, that opens a new world. And as you step into the world of Kizzik, there is an interactive light display, so that when you move, you create motion in a new way that we would say is magic. This interactive light display suggests that any moment, big or small, when you're wearing Kizzix, open a world of possibilities. I love that. Yeah. And what I think so smart the way in which it you know ties together too is you're allowing people to experience that even if they just tried on but didn't yet purchase. So it's also further illustrating the possibility of it too. Right? You took a micro step. You engaged with us a little further. You learned a little bit more. Come feel what the rest could feel like. Exactly. And we hope to see, a lot of people here and let them have exactly that experience. So, let's talk a little bit, about the future too. Right? You you gave a little bit. You're gonna open stores, but the future is much longer tail than just what's happening this year. That's right. So as you think about Kizzic and the future, can you just share a little bit of some of the things you're excited about? When you think about the world, and we do think about the world, imagine the cultural possibilities for our friends in other countries, where every time you walk into your home or even into an office, you take off your shoes and you put them back on. We think this is, there's opportunity for expansion, across the entire world. We will grow quickly over the next couple of years, in the United States, But we've also recently signed a distribution agreement with our friends at Unified Brand Partners in the UK. We're on the brink of signing in Taiwan, Southeast Asia and Japan. So, we look we look forward to being a global brand soon, but also expanding first year in the United States. Yeah, that's so exciting. And to think of that that global aspect of it. Well, I think that, it's gonna be exciting to see the reception in New York. We also had a multi pronged strategy here too because even on the streets of New York, you're you're seeing posters and everything of Kizzic. So, it's a nice little tease, I think. I think the the city is gonna ask you to come back. That's what I have to say on that one. But, but before we go, anything, you know, we could leave the audience with, I mean, mean, again, you're sitting at such an interesting place where, like you said, you you started in your relationship with the founder. Now you're kind of stewarding with your leadership team, the future of Kizzic. And when you think about not just the brand, but the consumer and the evolution of the consumer and how they engage with brands, and the opportunity of digital in in that mix with physical, I mean, anything else like that's kind of either keeps you up in a good way when you when you think about the future. I look forward to seeing how ecommerce and physical retail, wrap into one another and and lift one another. We've not yet seen what happens to our e commerce performance when we create a physical presence, and and frankly vice versa. We we've had so many e commerce customers ask before, so where can I go to try on a pair of shoes? Yeah. But also you know it won't we won't be able to I mean we're expanding quickly with our number of SKUs we won't be able to get, every one of our SKUs every one of our colorways in a physical store, so they can pop right back to our Kizzic dot com site. And, I I I see people interacting at at both places, learning about the brand together. That's gonna be a new, a new thing for Kizzic. It's an exciting time for sure. And seeing even some of the discovery that just happened in the store here today, it's fun to see those moments happen. And to your point, just understanding more deeply the value proposition that the brand brings to the consumer when they have the opportunity to have that interaction. So excited to continue to to to watch and also, you know, work with you on on the future. Thank you so much for sitting with us today to share a little bit more about Kizzic and and the brand today and also your future. Really a thrill and to be here with you. Thank you, Melissa. Thank you. I am sitting here today with Gretchen Wyman, who is Chief Merchandising Officer at Kizzic, and we are having a little bit of a conversation today live from your first ever pop up in New York City. So welcome. Thank you. Very exciting to be here. Yeah. Thank you so much for sitting with me and from this beautiful store that we had the opportunity to work on with you guys. I gave a high level by saying chief merchandising officer, but can you tell the audience a little bit more about your role at Kizzick and and what you're working really closely, with the brand to do? Yeah. So I am chief merchandising officer, as you said. I'm also overseeing product. So what that means at this amazing phase in our development is that the brand and the positioning and the product all working together. So it's it's super important when you are creating product that you know exactly who you are as a brand and and where you're going. So it's, it's been a great year for me so far. Yeah. And a lot of evolution in the year that I could say that I personally witnessed with the evolution of the product and, it's also been in line with the brand's repositioning, as you continue to kinda mature as a brand and, and reimagine that. So can you talk a little bit about what Motion is Magic is and that brand positioning and how you've been incorporating that with the evolution of the product? Yeah. I mean, motion is magic. It the way I think about it, and coming from a performance brand, I was at HOKA before this, movement and motion to Kizzic is like performance to another brand. It's ownable. It speaks to our technology, it speaks to, you know, anything you can do in the product. So it's it's it's our currency, essentially. And it's really cool to have, again, new brand positioning, creating new products, and just seeing the brand sort of take off. Yeah. So tell us a little bit about, the brand names as well and what that represents from the global position of the brand. Yeah. It's it's I think it's brilliant. And it started before I got here, but naming the product after cities, global cities, US cities, it kind of takes you to another place. And that's kind of the concept, you know, because it takes you around the world, around the corner, it gets you out the door, and it, you know, it's inspiring possibilities. So it's all coming together. It's really exciting. Yeah. So, as you further develop as well, you have men's, women's, and kids. So can you talk a little bit about that too and and your lens as you're thinking about those different, demographics Mhmm. And the evolution of the product. Yeah. I mean, I think it's first of all, we're focused on a muse now. And our muse is a time empowered optimist. So someone who's active, who plans life, is, into style more than anything else. And for us, that, you know, speaking to that muse of gets us a broader base. So we're excited to have that muse, and that muse speaks to men and women. So, we will continue to develop product for both men and women, and historically, we've done that with unisex sizing. Now we're breaking that apart so we can speak more directly to the consumer who's buying the product. You know, colors for women, colors for men, different silhouettes for each gender. So that's kind of, it's a new sort of way of doing things for Kizzick. When you think about, bringing that to market, Kizzick has a multi prong approach, multi channel approach Mhmm. With wholesale, with owned stores Right. Continuing to, you know, you're gonna expand that footprint and digital. So, so tell us a little bit about about that approach too and, how you see that play out, you know, as the brand continues to grow. Yeah. It's a great time for the brand to introduce itself to the wider world in stores because I think maybe Monte mentioned it, but it is experiential. Mhmm. And we've done incredibly well online, but imagine what we can do in store. Like, getting people to step in our shoes. I think the the statistic is seventy percent of the people who try it on buy the shoes. Yeah. Well, I mean, it is truly an moment. People use the term all the time. We've got moments of but it I witness it. You know, it happens and people are believers. And one of the things Monty was talking about too is it doesn't just unlock a believer, it unlocks an ambassador for brands as well. Right. He was saying earlier that, often times when he is giving shoes to a family member or friend, they're like, oh, and I think I'm gonna get one for Mhmm. Someone else. So it is, it's kind of a it's like wildfire. Once you once you try the shoes, you buy the shoes, you experience it, you're like, I know so many people who would like this. Yeah. And when we think of the shoes too, and I think of the evolution of the product line, you're also having more diversity in the offering what is your vision for that and how that is gonna become more of a holistic, it feels like lifestyle brand, whether you're walking walking or running or whatever you're doing. I mean, we're careful not to say that we're, to say we're a performance brand. We are a lifestyle brand, but we bring something really unique to the market. We were the first to create hands free shoes. We have over two hundred patents. We will continue to innovate and evolve, but not necessarily in performance. So really more lifestyle, more active consumers who don't necessarily raise their hand and go, I'm a runner. Yeah. But like comfort, like, you know, athletic styling. Mhmm. So, as you are signing, what Monty talked about, some relationships on a more global perspective as well. Can you share a little bit about that kind of as you think of the product on a more global standpoint? Well, we're convinced that this product is for everyone. And, you you could think about different cultures around the world and you can think about Asia where they traditionally take their shoes off when they enter someone's house. It's it's a great concept for that market. We are starting in the UK Mhmm. With a partner there, but we are very quickly moving into Southeast Asia. So it's exciting. What keeps you up in a good way? What gets keeps you excited when you think about the opportunity of the consumer, and and the and the Kizzic brand? Not getting out here fast enough in the retail space. Mhmm. It's super important. Again, from my experience at other brands, it helps grow awareness, build awareness, and I think that's what the brand needs right now to kinda get it up, you know, to another level of growth. Well, with that, we are sitting in New York City, which is a gateway from a global perspective. So can so what makes you excited about being here in New York City? Why is this important to you and the brand? Yeah. I mean, it's a great test for the brand to be in a city like this where, you know, people have different levels of style and different product needs and desires, probably more desires, for us to put ourselves out here in this market and, again, bringing eyes to the brand that wouldn't necessarily see it. Yeah. And what are you what are you hoping to learn from from being in the city in this experience? That we're correct. That we're right. The people most people, many people will adopt the brand. Yeah. I think that I've already witnessed it and doors aren't open. Right. People trying to come in and just give it a try on the shoe and really intrigued by the step in experience. The multi channel approach that you have. Right? A lot of different ways you're dealing with the consumer, engaging with the consumer. Wholesale's been on a pretty big growth trajectory this year. Yes. It has. So can you talk a little bit about that? And and also because education is such a critical part of your introduction to the brand, you know, how are you making sure that's happening with those wholesale partnerships? We've, created a strategy that that brings the brand to the best specialty retailers across the country. And there are a few here in New York. There are few I mean, they're they're everywhere. And I've worked with a lot of them before, and they very quickly adopted the brand. They're very excited about it. And what we're trying to do is in store use video as much as we can. So when someone walks up to a table or a wall that, you know, has Kizzic on it, they can see the motion of the product and how it works and then try it on. But we wanna catch their attention at point sale. Yeah. Right away. And the most important, thing that has to happen is they step in. Right. And then from there Yes. The relationship is perfect. Yes. It's magic. Well, Gretchen, thank you so much for taking the time to sitting with me from your first ever location here in New York City. We appreciate your insights, and we'll continue to watch as new product comes to market. Great. Thanks for having me. Thank you.
