6 Sneaker Business Success Stories [2023]
Experts estimate the current sneaker market at $2 billion and expect it will blow up to $30 billion in the next few years. Compared to other online businesses, the sneaker resale market has grown exponentially and become very profitable.
While the sneaker business is very profitable, competition is still very high, and it might take time for new sellers to establish a client base. If you are starting a sneaker business, you must immerse yourself in the sneakerhead culture, especially the sneaker collection.
Here are some real life success stories of starting a sneaker business:
1. B Street Shoes ($720K/year)
Blake Barash (from Newport Beach, CA, USA) started B Street Shoes ago.
My name is Blake Barash, owner of B Street Shoes. I’m a custom shoe painter located in Orange County, CA. People know me for my custom painted Nikes, Jordans, and football cleats for NFL players.
2. zapato FEROZ ($6M/year)
Laura Garcia Perdomo (from Paterna, España) started zapato FEROZ almost 7 years ago.
Hello, my name is Lau García and I am the shoemaker, co-founder, and CEO of Zapato FEROZ, a children's footwear company that respects children's feet. I and my partner Héctor, are at the forefront of this brand that seeks to offer the best footwear for babies and children so that their feet are protected, healthy and at the same time enjoying the sensation of going barefoot.
Learn more about starting a sneaker business:
Where to start?
-> How to start a sneaker business?
-> How much does it cost to start a sneaker business?
-> Pros and cons of a sneaker business
Need inspiration?
-> Examples of established sneaker business
-> Marketing ideas for a sneaker business
Other resources
4. Atlantis Shoes ($300K/year)
Tom Guo (from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) started Atlantis Shoes over 5 years ago.
My name is Tom Guo and I launched Atlantis Shoes, an ethically-made footwear brand inspired by the slow fashion movement and Australian coastal lifestyle.
5. Dropout SRL ($1.68M/year)
Kola Tytler (from Milano, Metropolitan City of Milan, Italy) started Dropout SRL over 4 years ago.
In the second part of the year, we will increase our focus in providing our vast traffic (over 500 thousand unique visitors have landed to dropoutmilano.com between December 2021 and February 2022) with dropout branded products to suit the taste of streetwear wearers.
Hey! 👋 I'm Pat Walls, the founder of Starter Story.
Get our 5-minute email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.

- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings