I’m Going Full-Time as a Creator in 2026
After 20+ years building for others, I'm building for myself in 2026.
I’ve been writing this newsletter since 2020 without really thinking about making money from it. It was just something I did because I loved it... sharing stories from 20 years in the sneaker industry, connecting what people wear to who they are, writing about the stuff that matters beyond hype cycles.
1,030+ of you signed up just because you liked what I was writing.
That’s pretty damn humbling. Thank you.
But here’s what’s changing.
After two decades in this industry… employee #9 at StockX, building Complex Sneakers, leading content at Finish Line and Stadium Goods, hosting the Sneaker History podcast for six years…
I’m going all-in on content creation in 2026.
Writing becomes the priority. This newsletter. The YouTube channel I’m building. The stories I’ve been sitting on for years. Projects I can’t announce yet but am really fucking excited about.
I’ll still take on select consulting opportunities when they make sense. But for the first time in my career, content creation becomes the main thing, not the side hustle.
To make that leap, I need to know this community can support it.
So I’m doing something I should have done a long time ago... I’m asking.
Founding Member Pricing (Until January 1st)
Starting today, paid subscriptions are live.
If you join before January 1st, you lock in Founding Member pricing:
$7/month or $70/year (save $14)
(Work in sneakers, footwear, content, or marketing? This is easily expensed as industry research. You’re probably already paying more for trade pubs with less insider access.)
Your rate never increases. Ever.
After January 1st, new subscribers pay:
$10/month or $99/year
That’s $36/year in savings for everyone who joins now. And more importantly, you’re locked in at that rate for life, while everyone else who waits pays more.
What You Get as a Founding Member
3 exclusive posts per week (plus one free post everyone gets)
Sunday Long Reads — 2,500+ word deep dives into sneaker history and industry stories. The kind of stuff I couldn’t publish at Complex or Finish Line because it didn’t fit the mold.
“From the Vault” archive — Complete access to insider stories from Sole Collector, Eastbay, StockX, Complex, Finish Line, and Stadium Goods. Twenty years of behind-the-scenes moments, failures, wins, and lessons.
Monthly AMAs — Ask me anything about the industry, building StockX from nine employees to what it became, why signature shoes don’t work anymore, Detroit’s sneaker history, whatever you want to know.
Discord community access — Connect with other Founding Members. We’re building something here.
Your name in every YouTube video — I’m growing the YouTube channel in 2026. Every video I publish will credit Founding Members in the end credits.
Free subscribers still get weekly posts... but the best stuff, the stories that matter, the deep analysis… that’s for people who are committed to this.
Why I’m Doing This
I’ve spent my entire career helping other people build their platforms.
I helped Eastbay transition from catalog to digital. I signed up for the Complex Sneakers accounts as we built the channels. I was there when StockX was nine people in a room, trying to figure out how to make it work. I led content at Stadium Goods through acquisition and growth. I’ve consulted for Foot Locker, KEEN, Guess, and others.
Every time, I was building someone else’s thing.
2026 is different. I’m building mine.
But I can’t do it alone. I need a community that values this kind of storytelling... that wants more than just product drops and hype coverage... that actually cares about this stuff.
If that’s you, this is your moment.
What Happens Next
Starting next week, I’m publishing on a consistent schedule:
Tuesday: Industry analysis (free)
Thursday: “From the Vault” story (paid)
Friday: Exclusive update or bonus content (paid)
Sunday: Long Read deep dive (paid)
Plus YouTube videos every Saturday… an ode to when sneaker releases actually mattered on Saturdays. That old “Saturdays are for sneakers” energy. If you’re a Founding Member, your name gets credited in every video.
Four posts per week. Every week. No exceptions.
Paid subscribers get three of those four. Free subscribers get one.
I’m committing to showing up. The question is: will you commit with me?
42 Days Left
Founding Member pricing ends January 1st, 2025.
After that, it’s $10/month for everyone new.
If you’ve been reading for free, getting value, waiting for the right moment... this is it.
Six weeks to lock in $7/month forever.
One More Thing
Group subscriptions are available (3+ people get 15% off, making it $5.95/month per person). If you’ve got a sneaker group chat or friends who’d be into this, gift them a subscription at the Founding Member rate. After January 1st, they’ll be paying full price.
For companies: If you lead a marketing team, content team, or work in footwear, consider a group subscription for your department. Real industry intelligence from someone who’s been inside StockX, Complex, Finish Line, and Stadium Goods. It’s the kind of insight you can’t get from trade publications, and your team will actually read it.
Thanks for being here. Thanks for reading. Thanks for caring about this stuff as much as I do.
Let’s build something real in 2026.
-Nick