Damilola Adepoju has a unique, global perspective on his brand and business development. It's been built through an uncommon career path created at the intersection of his work as a mechanical engineer for a top airline in New York City, and his entrepreneurial experience from starting his fashion brand, Fini Shoes. Fini Shoes is a lifestyle shoe engineered and designed for maximum comfort and durability, without forgoing the luxury aesthetic. The company produces an innovative, multidimensional shoe that caters to all types of people and occasions, from day to night, weekdays to weekends. please visit: adepojudami.com or www.finishoes.com to learn more about Dami Adepoju and his work.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

Dami Adepoju is the creator of Fini Shoes. As a Nigerian/American designer, he has set out to change the shoe industry. Adepoju developed unprecedented design customization that allows consumers to completely transform the look of their shoes through a seamless and minimal zipper system. He graduated from college with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering and later earned his Master's in Sustainable Fashion at GCNYC. 

What inspired you to start your business?

Adepoju's business was inspired by the lack of true versatility in the footwear industry. The idea first came to him during his senior year of college when he was preparing for a spring break trip to Jamaica. He owns quite a few shoes, considering himself a "sneakerhead", and efficiently packing for trips has always been difficult.

While packing, Dami realized that not all of his shoes could fit in one bag and thus he had to make difficult decisions. This inconvenience inspired him to create a shoe that could be worn in multiple ways, transitioning looks to fit different occasions. The young designer found a gap in the footwear industry and combined his passions for engineering and fashion with his bachelor's degree in Engineering and a Masters in Sustainable Fashion to develop a truly innovative product through Fini Shoes. 

Where is your business based?

Fini Shoes are designed in New York City and produced in Portugal. 

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Dami utilizes social media guerrilla marketing and strategic influencer partnerships to increase his company's presence in the footwear market space. His team is focused on platforms like Instagram and Facebook which have already proved to give them the most site traffic. His team plans to increase presence on Pinterest as it’s also an effective platform for increasing awareness of consumer products.

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

Working to develop a sustainable shoe has been one of the biggest challenges Adepoju has worked to overcome. The fashion industry is the second most polluting industry globally, responsible for 10% of all carbon emissions. Many brands are huge contributors to global warming, a troubling fact unknown to the average consumer. Dami seeks to disrupt the wasteful standards of the industry by caring for the environment, meaning his customers can feel good about their purchases. While this takes time, a sustainable product is an ultimate reward.

How do you stay focused?

When asked how he stays focused, Adepoju laughed and said, "I don't". As a creative his mind is pulled a million different ways, but he likes it like that. He finds the beauty in chaos and attributes his unconventional approach to "focus" as the key to success when building his innovative Fini Shoes brand.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

Dami's business is unique because there is no other shoe trying to adapt to different occasions and offering attachments to do so in 1 purchase. Additionally, Dami has utilized his background in engineering to design and patent his shoe's model, ensuring no competitors can infringe on the copyright.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Adepoju has focused his efforts on growing a strong following on Instagram, working to connect with his consumers. By understanding consumer needs and creating trust he believes he can create a product that thrives in the sneaker space. Adepoju's team posts on Instagram consistently throughout the week, constantly engaging with followers in comments or direct messages. 

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

Dami started his business when he saw a gap in the footwear space in the form of versatility. He developed his idea for a multipurpose shoe and then asked for feedback from close friends, family, and classmates. His peers doubled as potential consumers thus he valued any feedback they provided. The first step he took in starting his own business was primary market research and worked to understand the target customer for this innovative business model.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Dami shares that the two habits every entrepreneur needs to be successful are: writing down goals, no matter how small and the other is taking action. From his experience, plenty of people can have a good idea but the magic lies in execution.

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

Dami's favorite blog/website is the BBC. He particularly enjoys this site because of the range of available segments and its global reach. It keeps him informed and is non-bias, a "true work of journalism" he notes. Specific to the fashion industry he works in, his favorite website is WWD for its cutting-edge coverage of fashion trends.

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

Google. The power of googling things is incredibly underrated in Dami's eyes. When he first started his brand, he had no formal fashion education thus he relied on researching the industry and teaching himself via Google. He utilized research reports from fashion scholars, institutions, and professionals all available for free. He mastered the art of googling and noted that "with the right keywords and patience you can find almost anything on the web".

Who is your business role model? Why?

Elon Musk and Kanye West are two business role models that inspire Dami daily. They are both creatives that stick with their visions, even when doubted by the public. The authenticity they show to themselves is the root of their success and how Dami inspires to be.

How do you balance work and life?

Dami writes down all of his goals and keeps an informal to-do list that he follows closely. He tends to keep his weekend's structure-free, away from any work-related tasks.

What's your favorite way to decompress?

Dami enjoys rewinding by sleeping, meditating, long walks, or a workout class. 

What do you have planned for the next six months?

Dami's next six months will center on the marketing rebrand plans for Fini Shoes. He was also recently appointed as the Creative Strategist for Herve Leger's first handbag and footwear line.

How can our readers connect with you?

Readers can connect with Dami via his personal Instagram "@badwine" or business account "@finishoes". Fini Shoes also sends out a weekly newsletter via 'info@finishoes.com' where subscribers can learn of upcoming shoe drops and earn promotional offers.

For more information, please visit: adepojudami.com or www.finishoes.com

Instagram: @badwine or @finishoes

LinkedIn: ​https://www.linkedin.com/in/damilolaadepoju