Sometimes you need to trust your gut over people smarter than you. . Before we even launched BRUNT, I sat down with a workwear industry legend. This guy had decades of experience and a massive track record. I laid out my vision for our Marin boot - an updated, ultra-comfortable take on the classic moc-toe wedge with newer performance, features, and technology than the outdated brands had. . He looked me dead in the eye and said, “Kid, don’t waste your time or money. You’ll barely sell any of those. You don’t know what you’re doing.” . That moment stopped me in my tracks. On paper, he knew way more than I did. But he didn’t know my buddies in the trades, and he wasn’t listening to the real guys on the job site every day like I was. . I decided to ignore the boot expert, trust my gut, and charge ahead anyway. . Today, I’m standing in front of this flagship showcasing a few of the 29 different variations of the Marin style boot that we now make. And that boot he told me would flop? We are now closing in on 2 million pairs sold. . You could say, this boot literally built the store behind me. . You could say, this boot helps support 120 employees and their families. . And most importantly, you could say this boot has changed millions of tradesmen and women’s lives all across the country. And, any of those statements are true. It’s become our signature style and a top seller for our retail partners nationwide. . The American Dream is alive and well, but you have to be willing to fight for it when you feel it in your soul. Don’t let someone else’s old way of thinking kill your vision. Keep building your dream, brick by f’ckn brick. 👊💥