Point Man

On the run with Fleet Feet CEO Joey Pointer.

Joey Pointer loves everything about running. The physical and mental benefits, the camaraderie, and the shoes. And, like any runner (and retailer) worth their salt, he hates losing, which happened during a recent 5K race he entered with his 12-year-old son.

As the Pointer family story goes, the son had been talking trash leading up to race day, claiming to be the fastest in the household. So Dad planned to teach him a lesson, setting a killer pace at the gun—one he was sure would leave Junior in the dust. Alas, it didn’t turn out that way.

“We crossed mile one and he said, ‘Dad, I can’t keep this pace.’ And I thought, ‘Where’d he come from? You’re not supposed to keep this pace,’” Pointer recalls. “So I surged again with the intent to break him. Then, around mile two, I could hear his footsteps and a quarter mile later he just ran away from me. He never looked at me or said a word when he passed. He won the race.”

Pointer confesses he struggled initially to find joy in his son’s happiness. “I used every advantage I could; I even had better shoes on,” he says with a laugh. “His advantage was that he just had a better engine than mine.” Wounded ego aside, Pointer loves running with his three kids. “There’s something just magical about going for a run with your kids,” he says.

Pointer’s love of all things running is prob- ably one reason why he recently celebrated his 19th year at Fleet Feet. He enjoys all aspects of his job: the people, product, and Fleet Feet’s mission. “Our people make it fun, rewarding, and exciting,” he says. “I also love to try on new sneakers. It just never gets old. I have a closet full of them.”

Pointer never envisioned sticking around this long when he came aboard as Financial Manager, let alone being promoted to CFO in 2012 and then CEO five years later. When he joined, the chain included about 40 stores. It felt more like a start-up to Pointer, who had come from Ernst & Young and its 80,000 employees. “I thought I’d do it for a year or two,” he says. “Now I don’t know what would give me the same joy. It just never gets old.”

Not a bad career trajectory for a kid who grew up on a small North Carolina tobacco farm dreaming of not becoming a farmer. “It’s sun-up to sundown, six days a week. By the time you got done cutting the grass, you had to start over again,” Pointer says. He went to the University of North Carolina hoping it would be his ticket off the farm. It was, even though the farm hasn’t entirely left him. “There’s something peaceful about planting a crop, watching it grow, and harvesting,” he says, adding that it took him awhile to appreciate how well his father treated his employees. “It’s one of the reasons why I love Fleet Feet: We plant new stores and work hard to make them grow.” Pointer also credits his mother, a former extension agent who helped open a senior center in their local community, for influencing Fleet Feet. “She was selfless with her time and her energy, and I think that manifests in Fleet Feet. We sponsor many different community events.” for a balanced and profitable business in that they remain connected to the local markets while possessing the scale and wherewithal to consider other markets.”

Closing in on his 20th anniversary with no plans to retire, Pointer has Fleet Feet running through his veins. It’s been an incredible, sometimes humbling journey, he says. From the day Sally Edwards and Elizabeth Jansen opened the first Fleet Feet Sports store in an old Victorian house in downtown Sacramento to today’s 300-store (and counting) nationwide chain, it’s a remarkable story. “We do more sales in August than we did in an entire year when I first arrived,” Pointer says. “I’ve been fortunate to be a part of this journey, and I think our best days are yet to come.” —G.D.

Matt Powell, an advisor with Spurwink River, says running specialty is a high-touch, high-service business—and that’s where Fleet Feet excels. “While ecommerce has a place in this segment, the web cannot deliver that experience, and Fleet Feet’s greatest attributes are that they operate welltrained local retail backed by world class back of house,” he says.

Room To Run

The pandemic proved to be a boon for outdoor activities. Running and walking were no exceptions. According to one industry study, about 50 million Americans (15 percent of the population) ran or jogged in 2022. Layer on Americans who walked and went on light hikes (sans boots), and the number soars to around 200 million. Add on the millions who want comfortable running shoes to help get them through their hectic days, and the total figure includes just about the entire U.S. population. It’s easy to see why Pointer sees a “golden era” of opportunity in the years ahead.

“Last year we served two-plus million customers in our stores and online, and our fastest-growing segment is people between the ages of 25 and 45,” Pointer says, citing a recent presentation by a CEO of one of Fleet Feet’s major footwear brands predicting that by 2026 more people in that age group will be running than ever before. Millions more consumers don’t have PRs in mind but might suffer from foot issues that can be addressed with a proper fitting aided by Fleet Feet’s Fit ID scanners. That’s why Fleet Feet does a lot of medical outreach with doctors’ offices and medical groups that can recommend their stores to patients. The overriding message? Fleet Feet welcomes all paces, ages, and body types. “Some people are chasing their grandkids around the playground, which is a type of running, and they need great footwear,” Pointer says. “While we spend a lot of time talking about running, there’s a big halo that includes customers seeking pain relief and comfort.”

Fleet Feet’s welcome-all approach is reflected in its new ad campaign: The Reasons We Run. It features real customers and leans into the individual reasons they took their first steps to reinforce the power of running. “Our goal is to continue to inspire people to lead a more healthy and active lifestyle,” Pointer says. “We believe there are a lot more people ahead for us to continue to inspire and bring into our stores.” Indeed, Pointer is “bullish” about the chain’s growth potential. For starters, fitness never really goes out of style and running has proven to be recession resistant. “It’s a relatively simple and affordable activity where a great pair of shoes is all you need,” he says. “We see a lot of white space where we can continue to add more Fleet Feet locations across the country.”

Powell concurs. “Many running shop owners are at the end of their careers, so more acquisitions are in the cards,” he says. “At the same time, there are only 700 or so running shops in the U.S. There are many cities and towns that do not have a shop or are underrepresented.”

A contributing factor helping Fleet Feet expand is its franchise program, according to Jim Van

Dine, director of specialty sales for Birkenstock. “They really help foster the American Dream for many,” he says, adding that Pointer’s willingness to dream big is another factor. “The purchase of Jack Rabbit could turn out to be a real coup; they certainly picked up some good locations.”

Speaking of that, Pointer cites two recent franchise openings in Canton, GA, and The Villages, FL. “Both are new franchisees and off to really strong first-year sales,” he reports. “We’re also opening company-owned stores and existing franchises are expanding.” Pointer considers the multi-pronged expansion approach a strong asset of Fleet Feet. “Our growth will come from a lot of different directions, which has served us well over the years,” he says, noting that the plan is to open 20 stores this year. “I think there are a lot of specialty running store owners who’ve made it through the pandemic and are now looking for exit strategies.”

Fleet Feet’s deep faith in brick-and-mortar runs contrary to prevailing retail wisdom. But Pointer believes the in-store experience, particularly from a running specialty perspective, still outpaces the online one. “Customers can experience the latest and the greatest by actually trying on product,” he says. “They can get advice from our outfitters on why a particular shoe might work for them or get the latest nutrition info if they’re training for a marathon. They can also attend our events, whether it’s training programs or fun runs, and meet with like-minded individuals.”

That’s not to say Fleet Feet isn’t working hard to improve its digital shopping experience. Pointer says the company has greatly improved its digital footprint, mainly because organizations like Amazon have set a very high bar. “You can shop on your phone in the comfort of your house, and your shoes may arrive literally that afternoon,” he says. “Competition makes everyone better.” The goal, he notes, is to incorporate Fleet Feet’s in-store experience into online shopping as much as possible. An example is matching the millions of foot scans it has gathered with shoe purchases. “We can make better product recommendations,” Pointer says. “You might be an 11.5 in the Hoka Bondi, but in the Saucony Ride you’re a size 12.” He adds, “Everyone is talking about AI, and we have a form of that already through our scans and purchase history. We’re figuring out how to best service that in a digital fashion. You’ll see more of that as we complete 2023, bringing the brick-and-mortar experience to digital and vice-versa.”

Digital currently accounts for 15 percent of Fleet Feet’s overall sales. And while it’s growing at a faster pace than brick-and-mortar, Pointer points out that it’s easier to grow at a higher percentage when you’re dealing with smaller numbers. Regardless, he believes the two channels shouldn’t be seen as robbing each other; rather, they work in concert.

“When we open in new markets, our ecommerce expands because we increase brand awareness,” he explains. “Each feeds the other, and when the two are done thoughtfully together, that’s a powerful fly wheel that just spins faster and faster.”

Lighting The Way

Fleet Feet’s journey has many chapters yet to be written. And while the story remains essentially the same—to inspire people of all ages to stay active and healthy—it’s a constantly evolving pursuit that requires tireless persistence, much like longdistance running.

“I’ve always said that retail is not for the faint of heart,” Pointer says. “Like anything in life, you have to continue to adapt and advance, which we’ve been doing since 1976. We’re continually evolving our retail theater as a reason to come into our stores. The technology is the assist that makes our outfitters even better.”

What is Pointer most proud of in terms of Fleet Feet? Overall, it’s the journey. But if he had to pick a particular moment, it’s when the company introduced its new torch logo in 2018. “The logo is more digitally native and rooted in our vision and mission,” he explains. “The bottom of the torch is the spark to get people moving, while the top represents our mission: to empower anyone who runs and walks. It’s fanning the flames of commitment.”

The new logo reminds Pointer of Fleet Feet’s rich history and what’s to come—like the new loyalty program. The goal is to reinvent the concept and give customers a reason to engage with Fleet Feet at a deeper level. People at every level of the company as well as a handful of outside agencies are involved in the effort. “It’s our evolve, launch, refine, and repeat process, and I believe we’ll create a meaningful rewards program that’s more than just a spend and get,” Pointer says.

Fleet Feet’s long and winding journey continues. It’s already beyond Pointer’s wildest dreams. “When I started, there were maybe six employees in our corporate office, and we only had two rules then: You answered the phone by the second ring and you took your trash out because we didn’t have a cleaning service.” Pointer believes those rules are embedded in Fleet Feet’s DNA of local ownership and empowerment. “At some levels, we’re a completely different company, and at others we’re exactly the same,” he says. “Our people are still the secret sauce; we’re just a lot bigger.” •

Helping Hands

Fleet Feet CEO Joey Pointer give the lowdown on the challenges of staffing up.

Is it hard to find good help these days?

Like everyone, we’re struggling to be fully staffed at every level. Every day you have to recruit, from the corporate level down, to ensure that we have the right support team members to support our growth plans in stores and digitally. So, you go to a coffee shop and have a great experience...you’re just always recruiting at every level. The day you stop is the day you’re going to be in big trouble.

Does the fact that Fleet Feet is seeking a level of expertise spanning product, sports, nutrition, and local communities make staffing more difficult?

Absolutely. But we start with the basics and then provide a lot of training and education around leadership. One of our board members, who was COO of Golden Corral, once told me: “We don’t hire dishwashers; we hire future business owners.” That quote has always resonated with me, and I think we have the same philosophy. We don’t hire outfitters; we hire future business owners. They may not own a Fleet Feet store one day, but they’re going to go on to do something amazing in their lives. For example, about a month ago, we had 250 outfitters attend a virtual leadership training session, where in addition to teaching the technical side of the business, it was about how to make them better leaders. What will be your legacy as an employee and an individual.

Is it easy to find these future business leaders?

I’d say it’s a lot easier than it was two years ago. Before the pandemic, we had a wide range of employees including people who were retired and wanted to work 20 hours a week and stayat-home parents who wanted something to do while their kids were in school. Those employee bases disappeared. Now that the pandemic has subsided, people aren’t as fearful. I don’t think manpower will be the obstacle to our growth.

Are Fleet Feet’s pay and benefits competitive? That’s a question for our employees, but I hope the answer is yes. We offer the complete package: competitive pay and benefits, a great work culture, the opportunity to serve the local community, and room for advancement within Fleet Feet as well as the industry. Coming out of school, there’s no better place to start than with Fleet Feet if you want to work in the running industry. We’ve had numerous employees who’ve gone on to serve at all levels. Another job perk: Our employees love the product and get to be first adopters.

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