Brian Beckstead on product innovation
From Altra Co-Founder Brian Beckstead on Brand Building and the All-New AltraFWD Experience · · BelieveintheRun
“We’re excited about the future of zero drop shoes, especially with the new models like the Lone Peak 8 and Olympus 2. We’re not trying to do a ton of new styles, but rather focus on quality and meeting consumer demand for options like 4mm drop shoes that stay true to our principles.”
On , Brian Beckstead, Founder & Chief Marketing Officer at VF Corp, spoke about product innovation during Altra Co-Founder Brian Beckstead on Brand Building and the All-New AltraFWD Experience on BelieveintheRun.
About Brian Beckstead
Brian Beckstead, co-founder of Altra, discussed the brand's history and direction in two interviews. In a 2023 interview, he described the company's founding in Orem, Utah, with Golden Harper and Jeremy Howe, and noted that he began working in a running store at age 16. He stated that the company's purpose after being acquired by VF Corporation was "unleashing human potential and inspiring the world to move naturally." Beckstead addressed the introduction of the 4 mm drop AltraFWD Experience, saying the brand had received consumer requests for a drop shoe for ten years and that the new line was a response to that demand. He said the company remained committed to its foot-shaped toe box and zero drop design, and that the 4 mm drop line would be a small, complementary addition. In a 2020 interview, Beckstead said that VF acquired Altra "because we're awesome, not because we suck" and that the partnership would improve operational aspects like factories, quality, and fulfillment. He noted that the company coined the term "zero drop" and was beginning to use "balanced cushioning" as an alternative descriptor. Beckstead described the founding process as a "toaster-oven, bandsaw, hack-the-heel kind of experiment" and said the brand's shoes were designed with biomechanics and health in mind. He stated that most Altra shoes were made to last three to five hundred miles.