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BROOMFIELD - Lena Phoenix of Broomfield really wanted her bare-foot-running husband to put on some shoes.
Her wish for Steve Sashen, a Masters All-American sprinter and former All-American gymnast, resulted in one of Northern Colorados fastest growing companies, Xero Shoes, the trade name for Feel the World Inc., minimalist shoe manufacturer.
Less is more in the context of foot-wear, (but) there was not a whole lot available, said Phoenix, cofounder, president and board chairwoman of Xero Shoes in Broomfield.
Sashen had dispatched with his traditional running shoes, inspired by reading Christopher McDougalls best-seller Born To Run, to try to address his constant running-induced injuries and improve his running form. He crafted his own huaraches running sandals from hi-tech rubber sole material and some cords, then he made a few more pairs for the Boulder Barefoot Running Club, where hes a member.
To make more of the shoes, Sashen needed a wholesale account with a distributor to get the needed materials. He and Phoenix also saw that others were interested in what they were doing and realized they had a business, so they cofounded Invisible Shoes in December 2009, later changing the name to Xero Shoes.
Because the book was popular, other people were lookingfor footwear of the minimalist variety, Phoenix said. At first it was a very niche thing. It was a lot of ultra-runners and early adopters.
Phoenix and Sashen brought their two skill sets together to operate their company. Sashen, chief executive officer and a board director, has a background in marketing and design and Phoenix in finance and operations, plus shed founded two other companies, a private management corporation called Garuda Management Services Inc., in Boulder, and Preferred Capital LLC, a mortgage company in Eugene, Oregon. Phoenix held a number of roles at Xero Shoes, including four different positions at once, that of chief financial officer, chief operating officer,...