Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sean Williams. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Sean, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry? Any stories or anecdotes that illustrate why this matters?
The global sneaker industry is on pace to reach 100 billion dollars and in annual revenue very soon. Even with such astounding numbers, the sneaker industries hiring practices are still behind the curve when it comes to workplace representation by people of color and women.
Sean, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m a born and raised Brooklynite who fell in love with sneakers at the age of 13. I have owned thousands of pairs of sneakers over the span of 39 years.
In 2007, OSD (Obsessive Sneaker Disorder) was founded by long time friend Dee Wells and I was asked to become a part of the historical movement. As a business partner in OSD, LLC. My love of sneakers has transformed into a mission for the company that has 3 words “Appreciate, Educate, Elevate”. These days, those 3 words are a part of everything I do in regard to the world of sneakers. I’ve accepted the personal mission of making sure that the younger generation knows the potential that exists for them in the athletic footwear business as not only consumers, but as the future professionals in the industry. Sean has been featured in various noteworthy TV shows, publications and web sites such as NBC’s “The Today Show”, Maxim magazine, Slate.com, and Sneaker Freaker just to name a few. In 2012, my partner Dee and I made the list of “50 Most Influential People in Sneakers Right Now” published by Complex magazine. In 2018, I became a Rankin Scholar at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. The first such honor ever bestowed upon someone in sneaker culture. In 2019, I once again made history as Co-curator of the first Hip-Hop apparel and sneaker exhibition at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City. In 88 days of residency the exhibition amassed foot traffic and exposure to 9.8 million people. In 2020, Business Insider added me to the “Power List: 28 Most Outstanding People of Color Transforming the Sneaker Industry”. In 2023, I became the Co-Founder of the newly established SOLEcial Studies CommUNITY Academy (SSCA) in the DUMBO section of Brooklyn. So far in 2024 I’m a recipient of the Anthem Award for his SOLEcial Studies program in Paris.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
My business partner and SOLE brother Dee Wells and I met in the early 2000s. We both had a mutual friend who Dee grew up with in the U.S. Virgin Island and I ended up with the same friend living in my native Brooklyn. Our friend Mateo Mulcare (RIP) would talk to Dee about me and vice versa. It was through another friend of ours (also into sneakers) that we finally go to meet in person around 2005. At that point, Dee was transitioning from his current business interest with another sneaker related business and he asked me to join him in what is now 16 years of Obsessive Sneaker Disorder, and 13 years of SOLEcial Studies.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Being the first to create a sneaker talk show/podcast after already being established players and veterans in the sneaker space went a long way. People expect and trust our honesty about the industry. They expect us to be the loudest voice for their interest. We also give sneaker lovers a place to use their own voices.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://solecialstudies.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/solecialstudies.ssca
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanowilliams/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SSCA_Brooklyn
Image Credits
Hip-Hop closet Photo by Eurila Cave.