How long have you been working at the company?

It has now been 5 years since I have joined the company full-time. However, if we consider all summer jobs helping out the company, it is possible to say that these 5 years can easily turn into 12 or 13 years.

Was working at the company a natural choice?

I cannot say that it was much of a natural choice or an easy one. On one hand, as the majority of management students', the original plan would have been to join a multinational company and, fortunately, I ended up having that experience while doing a curricular internship during the masters, having been invited to join the staff (which I turned down for the 'shoes'). On the other hand, having grown up in the world of footwear, and as an only son, I have always felt a bit obliged and motivated to, besides helping my father, commit to something 'of mine', where I could make my own decisions and apply my vision for the company's growth.

What fascinates you the most in the footwear sector?

What fascinates me the most (and also what gives me more headaches) in the sector are the constant daily challenges we are subject to, as we are an industry highly dependent on countless different companies. This dependence, combined with the current demand of our customers and consumers in general – who want everything in the shortest possible delivery time -, while maintaining excellent product quality, means that we have to ensure an internal planning (both at production level and samples) almost perfect to not fail with our commitments.

You have defended a master’s thesis on the industry, namely on the aligment of the companies’ strategic thinking with the FOOTURE goals. To which conclusions have you arrived?

On one hand, it was possible to notice that in points such as the importance of product design, the investment in modern machinery, the improvement of the companies internal image (namely, the showrooms) or the participation in international fairs, the vast majority of the companies already had a mindset in accordance with the axes proposed by APICCAPS, and valued them quite a lot.

On the other hand, and just to mention two “more general” topics, it was possible to conclude that the main failures of the companies were related to the difficulty of carrying-out the medium/long term strategic approach (having full awareness of the ups and downs of the sector) and the prosecution of a communication plan with clearer solutions to showcase their products to the customers.

Even so, I believe that regarding the failures appointed above, there is an increasingly growing awareness of the entrepreneurs in the sector to these pointers. In several cases, customer demand has been forcing the companies to grow in that path.

What do you think this new generation entering now into the sector has to offer?

I suppose we can offer greater flexibility and an organization and service closer to the customer, as we grew up amid a technological “boom” that allows us to use technology to manage diverse activities and processes that were formerly more time-consuming. In addition, it is unthinkable for my generation to take several days to answer an email or a simple WhatsApp text, which makes communication with the customers more fluid and natural, fostering a closer relationship. Obviously, at the beginning we have flaws, for example concerning a more technical knowledge at the production level, but, as in all professions and activities, we have to learn and evolve at the highest possible pace.

What advice would you give to a young person starting in the industry?

I would tell him to get ready to go on a roller-coaster, as a seemingly calm day can turn into a working night: for example, a customer might decide to place an urgent order for samples, or a problem can be found in the weekly scheduling, and it is up to you to find a solution. If he adds a good dose of patience to the desire to get on the roller-coaster… he is ready to join this “battle” that is the footwear sector.

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