Shoes have changed the trajectory of Chad Taylor’s career more than once. When the owner and founder of Sock Tips spoke to 1 Million Cups Columbia, he related a story of arriving for an interview sans dress shoes and wearing his tennis shoes with his suit. He didn’t get the job. Now he’s building a business in athletic wear with Sock Tips, a shoe supplement product of his own design and pending patent. 

Sock Tips fit over the toe of a regular sock to add additional comfort, padding, and sweat-wicking to the shoe. A connection in the hosiery supply chain has made the Sock Tips dream a reality and Taylor is out hustling for more strategic partnerships. Marketing was the challenge he brought to 1MC Columbia. The 1MC community suggested he hold events for professional equipment managers, partner with a variety of sports teams, and consider getting a celebrity athlete to endorse the product. 

Every week at Richland Library on Assembly Street (9 a.m.) the 1 Million Cups Columbia community meets to offer support, advice, and fellowship to entrepreneurs. Join us next week when we’ll hear from COLA Today, an online media outlet covering the Midlands.