WEBVTT - A Bespoke Walk in the Snow

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<v Speaker 1>Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, radio News.

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<v Speaker 2>You're listening to Bloomberg Business Week with Carol Masser and

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<v Speaker 2>Tim Stenovek on Bloomberg Radio. From Utah to California, ski

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<v Speaker 2>resorts across the West to laid their opening days. This

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<v Speaker 2>due to a lack of natural snow as well as

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<v Speaker 2>temps that were too warm to make snow. So we're

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<v Speaker 2>talking about Jackson Hole and Wyoming Park City and Dear

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<v Speaker 2>Valley in Utah, Chweitzer Mountain Resort in Idaho, Heavenly and

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<v Speaker 2>North Star in California. They all opened later than originally planned.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm going to let you keep going because you've been

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<v Speaker 3>so excited about this.

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<v Speaker 2>This has serious economic implications in the towns and states

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<v Speaker 2>where these resorts operate. According to the Bureau of Economic Research,

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<v Speaker 2>it came out last year and it said that snow

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<v Speaker 2>activities in the economy for the US was a seven

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<v Speaker 2>point seven billion dollar business in twenty twenty three, and

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<v Speaker 2>that in Colorado, Utah, and California it was the quote

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<v Speaker 2>largest conventional activity.

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<v Speaker 4>It's a big deal.

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<v Speaker 2>It's a very big deal. Yeah, for more ski industry

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<v Speaker 2>and how this season is looking. We welcome Bob sha

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<v Speaker 2>he's founder and CEO of Surefoot. Surefoot is the biggest

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<v Speaker 2>custom ski boot company in the world. They've got twenty

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<v Speaker 2>nine locations in North America, Canada, and Europe. Bob joins

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<v Speaker 2>us here in the Bloomberg Interactive Broker's studio. Welcome, How

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<v Speaker 2>are you?

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<v Speaker 1>Thank you good? I'm really good.

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<v Speaker 2>So for people who aren't familiar having step foot into

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<v Speaker 2>a Surefoot, explain the process, because I think people understand

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<v Speaker 2>ski boots, but then Surefoot takes the shell and then

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<v Speaker 2>customizes it. What do you guys do?

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, basically, a person comes in the door and

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<v Speaker 1>then there's some conversation with them to find out their

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<v Speaker 1>history of skiing and how much they've skied, what level

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<v Speaker 1>they're at and everything, and then they're kind of evaluating.

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<v Speaker 1>But then the technical part starts. We put your foot

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<v Speaker 1>onto a three D imaging machine which makes an orthotic

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<v Speaker 1>for underneath your foot the first step in there, and

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<v Speaker 1>then we put you onto another image that takes a

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<v Speaker 1>scan of your foot. So really what we do with

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<v Speaker 1>that scan is we match that to the shell. So

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<v Speaker 1>we basically have a visual of your foot exactly and

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<v Speaker 1>we match it into we find the right shell for you.

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<v Speaker 1>So now that shell matches your ability, your history and skiing,

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<v Speaker 1>what you enjoy about the sport, and then we put

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<v Speaker 1>it together with a custom liner that we make, and

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<v Speaker 1>we have numerous different ones, about five or six one,

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<v Speaker 1>so we you know, looking at your foot to side

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<v Speaker 1>from there, which one's going to work best for you

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<v Speaker 1>in the sport. And that whole process, because we've sort

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<v Speaker 1>of packaged all together on the same roof, just takes

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<v Speaker 1>about an hour where we can go from you walking

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<v Speaker 1>in the door to walking out with a boot that's

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<v Speaker 1>totally custom fit for your foot, ready to ski in.

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<v Speaker 2>You've done this, yeah, I did this back in twenty

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<v Speaker 2>twenty one. I finally got my first pair of Surefoot boots.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean I've lived in places where Surefoot has had

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<v Speaker 2>locations and finally I was like, you know what, I'm

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<v Speaker 2>getting to my late thirties. I don't get ski boots

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<v Speaker 2>very much. It's time for me to have like a

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<v Speaker 2>really comfortable pair of boots. And I've wanted a pair

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<v Speaker 2>of surefoots.

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<v Speaker 4>And they haven't always been comfortable, No, they haven't.

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<v Speaker 2>And you know the thing is is and you know

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<v Speaker 2>I had a scan done in like two thousand and

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<v Speaker 2>let's say two thousand and seven maybe for a pair

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<v Speaker 2>of orthotics for cycling shoes, and they were able to

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<v Speaker 2>tell when I went to the store that my foot

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<v Speaker 2>had actually changed. Yeah, since that so they had to

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<v Speaker 2>make a They did rescan and and do a new

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<v Speaker 2>pair of orthotics based on the new scan. Because I

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<v Speaker 2>guess that's what happens when you age.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, well, I think it's it's most feet do that,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, if you have some flexibility mobility in.

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<v Speaker 4>Your footwear too, right, Yeah, but go ahead.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, yeah, over time, it really you know, your foot's

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<v Speaker 1>going to change a bit, and the scans are extremely precise,

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<v Speaker 1>so it's you know, we can be talking to my

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<v Speaker 1>minute difference. But that minute difference is a big deal.

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<v Speaker 1>It's a big deal in biking shoes if you're really

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<v Speaker 1>into it, and it's a big deal in ski boots.

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<v Speaker 4>Bob, how did you get to this point?

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<v Speaker 3>Because it to me, it makes a lot of sense.

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<v Speaker 3>And I'll be honest with you, I wear orthotics in

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<v Speaker 3>just general and it just makes such a difference in

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<v Speaker 3>shoes and sneakers and what have you.

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<v Speaker 4>How did you get to this point?

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<v Speaker 1>You know, really it starts. I grew up skiing and

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<v Speaker 1>ski racing and boots always just killed my feet, Like really,

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<v Speaker 1>I have very wide fore foot and boots. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>when you're trying to jam into a ski racing boot,

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<v Speaker 1>it's just there's a lot of pain. And I really

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<v Speaker 1>took time off the slope. I couldn't stay out as

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<v Speaker 1>long as I wanted to as a kid, and so

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<v Speaker 1>over time it just started developing ways to make it

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<v Speaker 1>a little better. And then as I got done with

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<v Speaker 1>ski racing in college, I was like, I don't want

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<v Speaker 1>to leave this sport. I love the sport. I can

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<v Speaker 1>make a difference in it. So that was really the

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<v Speaker 1>impetus for it, you know, thinking about it. And then

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<v Speaker 1>then a lot of trial and error, I mean crazy

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<v Speaker 1>trial and error.

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<v Speaker 4>What was the tell us? What was some of the error?

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<v Speaker 1>I don't remember. One of my first employees is that

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<v Speaker 1>John Higgins was you know, he was on the US

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<v Speaker 1>ski team and collegiate ski racer, and we were together

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<v Speaker 1>were trying to make a pair of boots for me

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<v Speaker 1>with a new this foam material that we had found,

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<v Speaker 1>so we we injected into my foot and he gets

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<v Speaker 1>it all over his hands everything, and then I'm standing

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<v Speaker 1>there and it feels like it's going to break the

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<v Speaker 1>bones in my foot. I'm like, John, you you got

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<v Speaker 1>to get this off. You gotta get this off my foot.

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<v Speaker 1>It's breaking the bones. And a guy was walking by,

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<v Speaker 1>kind of through the back corner of the space that

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<v Speaker 1>we were in, and he was a chemic clean's journey.

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<v Speaker 1>He looks at John and goes, if you don't get

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<v Speaker 1>that off your hand in the next like thirty seconds,

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<v Speaker 1>it's never coming off. So now John takes off to

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<v Speaker 1>get that off his hands, and I've got this on

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<v Speaker 1>my foot. I think it's breaking the bones in my foot,

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<v Speaker 1>and I'm like, but luckily it didn't, and he got

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<v Speaker 1>it off his hand, and we probably took a step

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<v Speaker 1>back for a couple of years from that, but that's

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<v Speaker 1>really how it began.

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<v Speaker 2>So we're going to talk more about the origin story

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<v Speaker 2>in a few minutes, and before we get there, one

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<v Speaker 2>of the reasons we wanted to talk to you is

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<v Speaker 2>because you serve this higher end consumer, and we talk

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<v Speaker 2>a lot about what the economy looks like right now,

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<v Speaker 2>and just when you talk about skiing in general, you're

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<v Speaker 2>already talking about a segment of the consumer that can

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<v Speaker 2>afford to travel to a ski area, pay for expensive

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<v Speaker 2>lift ticket, oftentimes stay in an expensive area and then

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<v Speaker 2>do something that requires expensive equipment. Give us an idea.

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<v Speaker 2>And you're a private company, so it's you know, we

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<v Speaker 2>don't have access to a ton of your own data.

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<v Speaker 2>But how how is the consumer you're dealing with right now?

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<v Speaker 2>How are sales? What are some numbers you can give us?

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, I think all of us are always a

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<v Speaker 1>little you know, you're just kind of have this tendency

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<v Speaker 1>when you're in business. You know you're a little worried.

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<v Speaker 1>But right now things are actually going along pretty well.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, we've business, we're up a little. But then

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<v Speaker 1>as you were talking around about just before how we

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<v Speaker 1>didn't have snow, we take a dip you know with

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<v Speaker 1>that when when it's early. But in general terms, we

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<v Speaker 1>see the consumer is fairly strong, you know, coming in

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<v Speaker 1>and you know, you know what's really happened to him.

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<v Speaker 1>I think that people recreation is just a bigger part

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<v Speaker 1>of our lives. We all have, you know, we want

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<v Speaker 1>to do that. We want to be out there and

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<v Speaker 1>luckily we're in the sport that people really love.

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<v Speaker 3>Bob, have you seen that coming off the pandemic of

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<v Speaker 3>people even like kind of that. Obviously after the pandemic,

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<v Speaker 3>it was like I got to get out in the

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<v Speaker 3>world because I couldn't for so long.

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<v Speaker 4>But do you see it kind of lasting.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I mean, honestly, I see it my own company.

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<v Speaker 1>How many people aren't in there. I think it became

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<v Speaker 1>more important for everybody. You know, it's like you're out

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<v Speaker 1>of the office a bit, you got outside and it

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<v Speaker 1>just it seems healthy and that's good to me. It

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<v Speaker 1>seems like half in to the mountains. We look at

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<v Speaker 1>it like it's a healthy place to be to exercise

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<v Speaker 1>and stuff, and so I think it's good for the

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<v Speaker 1>it's good for my business, good for the sport, my life.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, people in New York City know that you have

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<v Speaker 2>a store in New York City. But it's kind of

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<v Speaker 2>a unique store because it's it's not near a ski mountain.

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<v Speaker 2>Every I think every other store that you have, maybe

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<v Speaker 2>save for Vancouver or more London. Yeah, you know is

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<v Speaker 2>right at the base of a ski mountain is New York.

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<v Speaker 2>You're you're like the biggest location in terms of what

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<v Speaker 2>it does in sales.

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<v Speaker 1>It was the first it was the first city store.

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<v Speaker 1>It's not our biggest volume store. You know, we have

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<v Speaker 1>that in the mountains, but many of our stores are

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<v Speaker 1>very similar in size. But really why we put them

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<v Speaker 1>here is because you know, there's just people who want

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<v Speaker 1>to there's different percenalities. They want to get it done

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<v Speaker 1>before they go to you know, on their trip, and

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<v Speaker 1>those there and now you can get the exact same thing.

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<v Speaker 1>So really early season, our city stores flourish.

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<v Speaker 4>I mean, how busy are you right now? Is it crazy?

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<v Speaker 1>Really? Yeah? You know, honestly, it's the most fun part

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<v Speaker 1>of my job. I was in the New York store

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<v Speaker 1>this morning, for you know, and it's just I love

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<v Speaker 1>when it's just busy in there and everyone's talking about

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<v Speaker 1>sport and skiing and enjoying it.

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<v Speaker 2>Very briefly, you bought a company back in twenty twelve

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<v Speaker 2>that is not a winter company. Yeah, and now that's

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<v Speaker 2>attached to the store in New York City. In terms

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<v Speaker 2>of running, how big of a growth area is running

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<v Speaker 2>for you?

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<v Speaker 1>You know that that's I mean the reason we got

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<v Speaker 1>into running was because we were runners to stay in

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<v Speaker 1>shape for skiing. I mean, you know, we all run,

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<v Speaker 1>and you know, it's part part of it. And then

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<v Speaker 1>because of the orthotics that we make the custom you know,

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<v Speaker 1>the basis of the ski boot is used by so

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<v Speaker 1>many athletes and runners like Boston Marathon winners and so

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<v Speaker 1>many people. That's where came from, is that we knew

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<v Speaker 1>a lot about feet and running and what we could

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<v Speaker 1>do with that. It's great for us.

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<v Speaker 2>So we talked about your story of you starting this

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<v Speaker 2>company with your brother. I mean, you've been doing this

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<v Speaker 2>for more than forty years at this point, completely bootstrapped,

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<v Speaker 2>no investors. You also don't franchise at all. I'm sure

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<v Speaker 2>this has come up when people have come, hey, you

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<v Speaker 2>should franchise this. Why not?

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<v Speaker 1>You know, we get asked once a week about the

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<v Speaker 1>franchising thing at least. But you know, it's just that

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<v Speaker 1>we wanted to have better quality control over it, and

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<v Speaker 1>we want to give our employees opportunity. And that's what

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<v Speaker 1>really comes down to is that we in order to

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<v Speaker 1>open more stores, we train people and when they're ready

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<v Speaker 1>to go to store. Like our most recent story, we

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<v Speaker 1>opened in Big Sky. Crisciardo, the manager there worked for

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<v Speaker 1>us a long long time and he wanted to move there.

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<v Speaker 1>We opened the store there.

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<v Speaker 2>That's pretty cool.

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<v Speaker 4>I think that's pretty cool.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, I'm also assuming that folks have reached out

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<v Speaker 3>to either invest in you buy you.

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<v Speaker 4>Up like, and you just you're you want to continue

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<v Speaker 4>to go it alone.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, you know, I think it's it's we've had you know,

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<v Speaker 1>we have my have had minority investors and stuff in there.

0:10:09.760 --> 0:10:12.960
<v Speaker 1>But we've also had some hard knocks with those. And

0:10:13.080 --> 0:10:15.440
<v Speaker 1>so as long as we control the business and we

0:10:15.559 --> 0:10:17.960
<v Speaker 1>enjoy what we're doing, and you know, we have my

0:10:18.200 --> 0:10:20.720
<v Speaker 1>daughter is in the business, my you know, we have

0:10:20.800 --> 0:10:22.719
<v Speaker 1>family in the business. I want to do it for

0:10:22.720 --> 0:10:24.520
<v Speaker 1>a long time. Please go ahead.

0:10:24.559 --> 0:10:25.560
<v Speaker 4>And what's your supply chain?

0:10:25.640 --> 0:10:25.720
<v Speaker 1>Like?

0:10:25.840 --> 0:10:27.680
<v Speaker 4>Is everything done in the you and I in the US?

0:10:27.880 --> 0:10:30.200
<v Speaker 1>You have to I wish it was all done in

0:10:30.240 --> 0:10:33.000
<v Speaker 1>the US. That's you know, it's I really wish that

0:10:33.080 --> 0:10:35.680
<v Speaker 1>it was done here, but we're not able to. There's

0:10:35.720 --> 0:10:38.600
<v Speaker 1>just things that or not. So, yeah, we've had challenges

0:10:38.640 --> 0:10:41.199
<v Speaker 1>with the supply chain right now, we try to mitigate them.

0:10:41.200 --> 0:10:42.920
<v Speaker 1>And the costs and and the.

0:10:42.920 --> 0:10:44.160
<v Speaker 4>Territory costs have gone up.

0:10:44.280 --> 0:10:46.920
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, yeah, I mean that's a tough It's been a

0:10:46.960 --> 0:10:49.439
<v Speaker 1>tough thing too. And I really think I look back

0:10:49.440 --> 0:10:51.280
<v Speaker 1>and say, wow, I was I'm glad this didn't happen

0:10:51.320 --> 0:10:53.800
<v Speaker 1>when we're in business five years or something. I don't

0:10:53.960 --> 0:10:55.960
<v Speaker 1>I don't know how a small business gets through it.

0:10:56.240 --> 0:10:58.199
<v Speaker 1>You know, we're a little able to manage it a

0:10:58.240 --> 0:10:58.800
<v Speaker 1>little better.

0:10:58.800 --> 0:11:02.080
<v Speaker 2>But yeah, there the biggest story in the ski industry

0:11:02.320 --> 0:11:06.280
<v Speaker 2>obviously is snow and making sure that people can actually

0:11:06.360 --> 0:11:09.360
<v Speaker 2>get on mountains. The second biggest story in pretty much

0:11:09.400 --> 0:11:11.640
<v Speaker 2>any ski town that you go to is the cost

0:11:11.679 --> 0:11:14.880
<v Speaker 2>of living. Yeah, and I'm wondering. You are known for

0:11:14.920 --> 0:11:18.280
<v Speaker 2>having these long tenured employees who live in the communities

0:11:18.720 --> 0:11:21.120
<v Speaker 2>where you have stores, and these are very transient communities

0:11:21.160 --> 0:11:23.720
<v Speaker 2>because they're ski areas where people come for the season

0:11:23.760 --> 0:11:26.839
<v Speaker 2>and then leave. How do you make sure that you

0:11:26.920 --> 0:11:30.800
<v Speaker 2>can have employees that can actually live somewhere like attracting

0:11:30.840 --> 0:11:32.839
<v Speaker 2>and retaining a long term employee in a place where

0:11:33.120 --> 0:11:35.000
<v Speaker 2>truly nobody can afford to live.

0:11:35.320 --> 0:11:37.800
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, it really has. I mean, you know, we talk

0:11:37.840 --> 0:11:40.560
<v Speaker 1>about it being so hard right now, but you know,

0:11:40.600 --> 0:11:43.240
<v Speaker 1>there's been many points where it has been. But are

0:11:43.600 --> 0:11:45.680
<v Speaker 1>What we've always tried to do is make our employees

0:11:45.720 --> 0:11:48.640
<v Speaker 1>really productive the whole system that they do, and then

0:11:48.679 --> 0:11:51.160
<v Speaker 1>pay them the best that we can in there. But

0:11:51.320 --> 0:11:53.440
<v Speaker 1>it is a challenge, you know, in there, and you

0:11:53.480 --> 0:11:56.040
<v Speaker 1>have to Yeah, we have to deal with that. I mean,

0:11:56.080 --> 0:12:00.000
<v Speaker 1>look at some of these markets are crazy, crazy expensive now,

0:12:00.400 --> 0:12:03.000
<v Speaker 1>so we have some employee housing, but the real thing

0:12:03.080 --> 0:12:05.839
<v Speaker 1>is how we keep people. Employee housing, yeah, yeah, we do.

0:12:06.280 --> 0:12:09.520
<v Speaker 1>We have employee housing all the big markets, but that's

0:12:09.559 --> 0:12:13.079
<v Speaker 1>more for new new employees that are you know, coming

0:12:13.120 --> 0:12:16.840
<v Speaker 1>into the company, to help them get settled and yeah, yeah,

0:12:17.080 --> 0:12:19.559
<v Speaker 1>you know, their first second year. But all of our

0:12:19.800 --> 0:12:22.320
<v Speaker 1>you know, management and everything, we've always wanted the company,

0:12:22.440 --> 0:12:24.120
<v Speaker 1>you know, I always say, if we're not going up,

0:12:24.120 --> 0:12:26.079
<v Speaker 1>we're going out. We have to go up to give

0:12:26.120 --> 0:12:29.840
<v Speaker 1>employees opportunity to keep growing, keep growing there. And that

0:12:29.840 --> 0:12:33.760
<v Speaker 1>gives employees opportunity their stores keep growing bigger. They can

0:12:33.800 --> 0:12:37.480
<v Speaker 1>be rewarded more for that and compensated. But no doubt,

0:12:37.559 --> 0:12:38.920
<v Speaker 1>it's it's a big challenge.

0:12:39.000 --> 0:12:40.319
<v Speaker 4>Where's the growth in your industry?

0:12:40.360 --> 0:12:42.080
<v Speaker 3>Like how do you think, I mean, forty years you've

0:12:42.120 --> 0:12:44.240
<v Speaker 3>been doing this, Like it sounds like you still look

0:12:44.280 --> 0:12:45.880
<v Speaker 3>for new opportunities constantly.

0:12:46.120 --> 0:12:47.719
<v Speaker 1>I mean, really, what it comes down to is we're

0:12:47.760 --> 0:12:50.440
<v Speaker 1>still a small percentage. You know, we're probably somewhere around

0:12:50.679 --> 0:12:53.520
<v Speaker 1>three or four percent of the dollar volume of ski

0:12:53.600 --> 0:12:55.840
<v Speaker 1>boots sold in the world, and so we have a

0:12:55.840 --> 0:12:56.960
<v Speaker 1>lot of room to grow in that.

0:12:57.280 --> 0:12:59.680
<v Speaker 2>Would you ever consider making your own skiboot? Just to

0:12:59.720 --> 0:13:03.480
<v Speaker 2>remind everybody, the shell, you buy the shell from a

0:13:03.520 --> 0:13:05.160
<v Speaker 2>company that makes the ski boot, and then you do

0:13:05.240 --> 0:13:07.280
<v Speaker 2>the liner and kind of everything else. But would you

0:13:07.320 --> 0:13:09.360
<v Speaker 2>ever make an actual surefoot ski boot?

0:13:09.480 --> 0:13:11.240
<v Speaker 1>Yeah? I mean we have right now. We have three

0:13:11.320 --> 0:13:14.520
<v Speaker 1>D technology that we're working on and with boots and everything.

0:13:14.679 --> 0:13:17.160
<v Speaker 1>But I think as long as we can get the

0:13:17.200 --> 0:13:19.560
<v Speaker 1>shell that we think is really great for a customer

0:13:19.600 --> 0:13:22.120
<v Speaker 1>in the market, then we'll keep doing that. So what

0:13:22.160 --> 0:13:25.000
<v Speaker 1>we really do is we buy the shell without the liner,

0:13:25.120 --> 0:13:27.800
<v Speaker 1>so it saves the consumer money and then we have

0:13:27.880 --> 0:13:31.080
<v Speaker 1>a great shell in the outside and the interior we've made.

0:13:31.760 --> 0:13:34.920
<v Speaker 1>But we are always working on so if I come

0:13:35.000 --> 0:13:37.240
<v Speaker 1>up with a great idea about a shell, you'll see it.

0:13:38.360 --> 0:13:38.840
<v Speaker 1>I like that.

0:13:39.040 --> 0:13:41.199
<v Speaker 3>But in terms of growth, like, okay, no offense, but

0:13:41.240 --> 0:13:43.640
<v Speaker 3>I'm like thinking, we I got our thoughtics, but these sound.

0:13:43.400 --> 0:13:44.520
<v Speaker 4>Better, like can you?

0:13:45.080 --> 0:13:47.520
<v Speaker 3>In terms of the medical market, are people who go

0:13:47.559 --> 0:13:51.240
<v Speaker 3>to foot doctors? What's the percentage like through your machine

0:13:51.320 --> 0:13:52.040
<v Speaker 3>like that.

0:13:51.960 --> 0:13:55.600
<v Speaker 1>You have, It's a percentage even in that it's small. Yeah,

0:13:55.640 --> 0:13:58.080
<v Speaker 1>we're small, even we're one of the largest makers of

0:13:58.080 --> 0:14:01.240
<v Speaker 1>ourthotics in the United States, like, actually kind of a

0:14:01.240 --> 0:14:03.640
<v Speaker 1>long shot, we are, but we make so many in

0:14:03.679 --> 0:14:05.640
<v Speaker 1>our stores. If you combine what we do in our

0:14:05.679 --> 0:14:07.920
<v Speaker 1>stores and what we do in our factory, we're by

0:14:08.040 --> 0:14:10.760
<v Speaker 1>far the largest. But there's lots of room because a

0:14:10.800 --> 0:14:13.360
<v Speaker 1>lot of people don't really know how beneficial they are

0:14:13.400 --> 0:14:16.000
<v Speaker 1>to you. So if something happens to you, if all

0:14:16.040 --> 0:14:19.960
<v Speaker 1>Sydney have planner fasciitis, your foot's hurting, you're aching from running,

0:14:20.440 --> 0:14:22.280
<v Speaker 1>that's when you start seeking us out.

0:14:22.440 --> 0:14:23.320
<v Speaker 4>So, Bob, if.

0:14:23.160 --> 0:14:26.640
<v Speaker 3>Somebody comes in and gets an orthotic through you, I mean,

0:14:26.720 --> 0:14:28.560
<v Speaker 3>is it covered by insurance?

0:14:29.000 --> 0:14:30.880
<v Speaker 1>It is if a doctor, you know, if they have

0:14:30.920 --> 0:14:34.800
<v Speaker 1>a prescription for it. Majority of what we sell are not.

0:14:34.920 --> 0:14:38.280
<v Speaker 1>That's not really true. In our medical division, it's mostly prescription,

0:14:38.680 --> 0:14:41.840
<v Speaker 1>and then in our consumer it's not. But you know,

0:14:41.920 --> 0:14:44.600
<v Speaker 1>they are covered and they're the same scan, so we

0:14:44.680 --> 0:14:46.800
<v Speaker 1>can make we can do anything with that.

0:14:46.920 --> 0:14:48.760
<v Speaker 4>You know this it just seems like a mass market,

0:14:48.920 --> 0:14:50.080
<v Speaker 4>like it's major.

0:14:50.520 --> 0:14:51.360
<v Speaker 1>It is a big market.

0:14:51.680 --> 0:14:53.360
<v Speaker 2>Well, the reason you have that market is because you

0:14:53.400 --> 0:14:57.040
<v Speaker 2>bought this company and fit the Orthotics Company based in Vancouver, Washington,

0:14:57.120 --> 0:15:00.000
<v Speaker 2>back in twenty twenty three. You bought super Runner shops

0:15:00.080 --> 0:15:04.000
<v Speaker 2>back in twenty twelve. Any more acquisitions on the horizon.

0:15:04.360 --> 0:15:06.440
<v Speaker 1>You know, right now we're doing something really big that

0:15:06.480 --> 0:15:09.400
<v Speaker 1>we're about to introduce our own line of footwear. And

0:15:09.440 --> 0:15:13.720
<v Speaker 1>the footwear is made specifically for orthotics to fit your

0:15:13.800 --> 0:15:17.040
<v Speaker 1>orthotics in it, so you have a perfect platform. Like

0:15:17.120 --> 0:15:19.440
<v Speaker 1>right now in ski boots, you have a perfect platform

0:15:19.440 --> 0:15:22.200
<v Speaker 1>when we make the boot whole thing so you're standing

0:15:22.240 --> 0:15:23.120
<v Speaker 1>totally aligned.

0:15:23.160 --> 0:15:24.640
<v Speaker 2>But a pair of shoes you pull out the insul,

0:15:24.680 --> 0:15:26.360
<v Speaker 2>the athotic's going to be bigger than the insula.

0:15:26.360 --> 0:15:28.760
<v Speaker 1>It doesn't doesn't fit quite right, and you can't get it,

0:15:29.080 --> 0:15:32.360
<v Speaker 1>you know, in there. So we are late in a

0:15:32.400 --> 0:15:34.960
<v Speaker 1>few weeks, we're about to introduce a line of shoes

0:15:35.280 --> 0:15:37.840
<v Speaker 1>that is just for that. So when you get a

0:15:37.920 --> 0:15:41.080
<v Speaker 1>line scan your body's put into alignment. You put it

0:15:41.200 --> 0:15:44.280
<v Speaker 1>to our shoes, You're going to stand in a very balanced,

0:15:44.280 --> 0:15:45.080
<v Speaker 1>comfortable position.

0:15:45.200 --> 0:15:46.560
<v Speaker 4>You guys are doing this on your own or is

0:15:46.600 --> 0:15:47.240
<v Speaker 4>it a collaboration?

0:15:47.680 --> 0:15:48.720
<v Speaker 1>We're doing on our own.

0:15:48.840 --> 0:15:51.760
<v Speaker 2>I think we're breaking some news here, you know.

0:15:51.800 --> 0:15:55.600
<v Speaker 1>I've debated whether I should even say say the sun here.

0:15:55.720 --> 0:15:57.720
<v Speaker 1>But it's a big deal. We've been working on it

0:15:57.760 --> 0:16:01.160
<v Speaker 1>for years and it's really cool. I have some. I

0:16:01.200 --> 0:16:03.160
<v Speaker 1>was just at the World Cup and Veil and I

0:16:03.200 --> 0:16:05.440
<v Speaker 1>had on a pair of the winter boots and I

0:16:05.440 --> 0:16:07.560
<v Speaker 1>had like four or five people asked me about them.

0:16:07.600 --> 0:16:10.040
<v Speaker 1>What are those? Where are they? Like? Oh? Nice. We

0:16:10.080 --> 0:16:12.920
<v Speaker 1>have a little little luck here with the product men

0:16:12.960 --> 0:16:15.480
<v Speaker 1>and women. Yeah, we have men and women. Yeah, of

0:16:15.480 --> 0:16:18.040
<v Speaker 1>course we have men and women's tea, run everything,