It's A New Day For Outside The Box
Nick Engvall, here.
Over the last few years, Outside The Box Podcast evolved through a few different iterations. From the beginning, with Brandon Edler, Jacques Slade, and myself discussing a wide range of sneaker news, to a video version a couple of years ago with Tiffany Beers, Jacques Slade, and myself taking on more focused footwear industry topics.
I’ve been on all sides of the content spectrum in the sneaker world, from writing for sneaker blogs like Nice Kicks over 12 years ago to building the first editorial blog for Eastbay over a decade ago, a member of the Sole Collector team back when the magazine was still in print, helping to establish Complex Sneakers as a leading voice in the space, establishing a digital presence, product seeding, and user-generated content for Finish Line, to becoming one of the first handful of employees at a startup you might have heard of called StockX. Not to mention, starting my own site and podcast, Sneaker History in the midst of all that.
Although I’m incredibly proud of my personal resume, the work I’ve done behind the scenes for even more companies is much more important to me. Even more so, the opportunities I’ve been able to create for others looking to turn their passion for sneakers into something bigger.
The goal for me in creating the podcast back in 2015 was always to bring light to the stories in the footwear business and sneaker culture that didn’t get much exposure in the world of corporate-backed sneaker blogs. Big ad dollars bring big problems when it comes to content, especially in sneakers. That’s why I have always tried to support smaller businesses in the footwear world. There’s a ton of opportunity out there and I believe that now more than ever, individual voices, the forgotten mom and pop shops, the local boutiques, and the community, have the chance to become an indelible piece in the story of sneakers.
As of now, at least for now, the podcast is no longer, but the importance of the topics we discussed, the opinions we shared, and the debates we had, will now have a new place to live.
Starting November 9th, Outside The Box will have a new life in the form of a weekly email newsletter here on Substack. I will be sharing my thoughts and opinions, shining a light onto things other outlets don’t, and hopefully introducing you to new people and opportunities to turn your passion for sneakers into something more than a pile of boxes in the closet.
Sign up now so you don’t miss the first issue.
-Nick
In the meantime, tell your friends!