Watch the full conversation with Wayne Elsey and Reebok founder Joe Foster on entrepreneurship, the reuse economy, and what it takes to build a brand that lasts.
The founder stories for Joe Foster and me could not be more different. Joe built Reebok, which is one of the most recognized athletic brands in the world. I almost didn’t make it to my 18th birthday, but thankfully, a kind teacher said the words that resonated with me at a time of deep loss and insecurity in my teen years. In the end, we each had the opportunity to learn how to build a global brand.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Joe, who’s 91, still traveling the world and still showing up for Reebok. We’ve partnered together to share what it takes to build a global brand. The fact is that about half of companies fail, and in this highly competitive world, that stat may be on the low side. So, while a positive mindset is essential, it’s also vital to know founder stories, experiences, and lessons because something may help your company at the right moment.
You Don’t Have to Know Everything for a Global Brand, But You Have to Know People
Neither Joe nor I came up through elite business schools that taught us the theory of how to create a global brand, but we each did it. Joe came from a family of shoemakers who started making shoes by hand in the late 1800s. The family’s shoes were so well-made that Olympians wore them, so it’s easy to see how Joe understood the importance of a shoe product. But product alone doesn’t scale—people make that happen.
Like me, Joe’s someone who understands people. For one, he hired those who were better than him. It’s so easy, especially if you have early success, to think you know everything, but that’s simply not true, and it’s important to maintain humility. To get the best out of people, which is what any company needs, it’s essential to listen to them. You need to know the people, what makes them tick, and ensure a culture of trust and excellence.
Even in the AI world, where so much is tech-driven, it’s more essential than ever to have human judgment. Creating a global brand is an operational strategy that both Joe and I have used in our companies. When your team trusts you because they know you care about them, say hello and ask about their families, you’re ensuring they’re going to speak up with ideas, and when they see something’s off in the business, and that’s a competitive advantage.
Build for the Problem, Not the Comms
When I first started Funds2Orgs, I wasn’t thinking about how to build a global brand. I connected the dots and wanted to get U.S. partners to collect gently worn shoes to raise funds for their community causes, so we can ship them to our partners worldwide. By then, I knew that millions of people worldwide needed gently used shoes to sell to earn a living in the reuse economy.
I don’t think many businesspeople go into business thinking they’ll create a global business. It’s about identifying a market need or problem and determining a solution to address it. Joe created Reebok in much the same way when he saw the gap for better performance in the women’s market. U.K. brands wanted to enter the American market, but it wasn’t easy. Joe kept going back, and then he discovered an entry point.
In a chance chat in Los Angeles, Joe decided to pivot to women’s fitness when he learned about a colleague whose wife was raving about a new workout trend: aerobics. Joe decided to create a shoe just for women, and then it happened when Jane Fonda started wearing them in the aerobic videos she was developing for the market. Just like that, within 4 years, Reebok went from a $9 million company to one worth $900 million.
Reinvention Is Part of Every Brand
In our YouTube conversation, Joe and I discussed building something that leaves a legacy. In other words, a global business should be something that lasts and is sustainable beyond your leading it. Joe is no longer the CEO of Reebok, but he still actively supports the company because it’s the legacy he founded. It sets the tone for everyone that the next generations can reinterpret it as they and the market see fit.
But the reality is that reinvention is essential for every company today, given the fierce competition. That means that the next chapter is something that should be in the process of getting built, even when you’re still leading a global brand. So, what does that mean in practice? For one, it means today’s consumer gets bored and has little trust in what they don’t know, so it’s essential to reinterpret and refine your story continually.
Digital marketers understand that there have been significant changes in the space. Changes to how brands appear on Google AI Overviews and generative engines mean that teams have to continually iterate on how to get themselves across to leads and customers. It could be through podcasts or YouTube. Whatever it is, it’s a continuous learning curve that never ends and requires reinvention at all times, with ongoing upskilling, curiosity, and learning.
The Real Lesson for Global Brands
If you’re looking into how to build a global brand, there’s one takeaway you should remember. Always start with the problem you’re trying to solve. Once you have that set, recruit and partner with people who are smarter than you are and treat them like they matter, because they do. They’re your foundation. And as Joe said in the podcast, he continues because nobody told him to stop, and he gets to decide when he’s done.
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