Meet Caden Lowrie | Founder and Owner of C1 Kicks

We had the good fortune of connecting with Caden Lowrie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Caden, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have been into sneakers and sneaker culture since early middle and high school. At first, collecting and shopping for sneakers was a hobby of mine. I think there was a strong connection between playing sports and being into sneakers. I would go shopping weekly at local malls, looking for pairs to add to my collection. For the most part though I used online or apps to get access to more exclusive pairs. At that time it was mostly hoop shoes or pairs I knew no one else really had. I liked being able to express myself through that. Near the end of my senior year of high school, my classmates started asking me how I keep my shoes clean, then if I could clean theirs. I had some basic business knowledge from classes and planned to study in Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado but really didn’t know much. With what I knew at the time, I started cleaning sneakers for my peers and reselling anything from shoes to Travis Scott Reeses puffs out of the trunk of my car. Initially, it was a side hustle that I made an Instagram account. I posted before and after images of pairs I cleaned, sneaker history, and upcoming releases, etc. Growing up, I always looked up to people from places like LA, NY, and Chicago because of the influence they had on the culture. I felt like there was a lack of sneaker culture in Colorado, which I wanted to bring more people too. I wanted to also give young people like me someone they can look up to and follow from their home state. Giving them confidence that it doesn’t matter where you came from or what your background is. If you establish good habits and have a good work ethic the rest will follow. This led me to register an LLC for my business and take it to the next level, following my graduation from Longmont High School in 2021. My parents helped me a lot in the early stages getting things organized. There was a significant learning curve involved during the early stages of founding C1 Kicks. I designed my own logo, developed a slogan, created and designed our website, produced a variety of content from upcoming releases to newsletters, worked with a local merchandiser to handle the production and shipping of merchandise, as well as developed a process to manage inventory and organize requests for selling, buying, and cleaning sneakers. In all of this, my main focus was always to bring people together through sneaker culture. Through trial and error, I was constantly working to improve my process to ultimately reach as many people as possible and give them a community to be part of.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
C1 Kicks has a uniquely structured approach to our customer experience. We pride ourselves on having an intimate relationship with our customers by providing more than just a resell experience. Our customer relationship strategy has shifted over time. Through weekly newsletters, updated sneaker release calendar, social media merchandise, our goal has always been to develop a community of people who share a passion for sneakers, street wear, as well as fashion. You will primarily see us upload content on instagram @c1_kicks. At the end of the day, it’s about putting a smile on people’s faces and allowing people to express themselves in individual ways. Sneakers and clothing are a great way to bring people together from all types of backgrounds through a common interest. I am excited to work with other businesses and people in the community. I believe the more people who get involved, the greater the impact we can have on the local community. This process hasn’t been easy. I had to struggle to learn aspects of managing a business, putting out consistent, relevant, accurate information, organizing inquiries, updating the website, etc. Through a growth mindset, I was able to research, study, and learn from people around me. I wasn’t afraid to fail. I was willing to put in the work it took to create the business I wanted. A few things I learned were how to create a legally recognized business, how to manage finances, advertise, work with third parties, develop a customer base, operate a website and social media, make connections, and manage inventory, among other things. I want the world to know that if you have a dream or an idea, don’t be afraid to go for it. I think for me my life time dream would be to have my own signature shoe one day. That’s every kids dream and it never left me haha. I had no prior experience or education when it came to running a business but I did the research, had a growth mindset and was willing to accept constructive criticism along the way. If you can do those things and keep the people first, everything else will follow.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would first take them to my hometown of Longmont. I believe it’s important to remember where you came from. There are some nice fishing and kayaking places with beautiful views I go with my family that I would recommend visiting. We have some great parks near baseball or other sporting complex’s. I have a lot of great memories competing in athletics there. There’s also batting cages that are a good time. Of course we have great food as well. There is a number of local restaurants that offer the perfect meal for whatever you’re craving. I would definitely suggest Blue Corn Taco, The Roost or Pistachio Cafe Bakery. If you want a dessert go to Twisted Roots Frozen Yogurt. After that, we would definitely go to Boulder. That is where I spent my undergrad, and I loved it. You can shop on Pearl Street, hang out on The Hill, hike Chautauqua Park or walk around campus. Depending on the mood for food, I would recommend Bova’s, Pasta Jays or any local spot to eat. I loved my time as a student in the Leeds School of Business Program. I gained a lot of valuable connections and knowledge to prepare myself for my future. I also learned a lot about leadership through becoming a member of the Sigma Chi Beta Mu Chapter. I think Boulder has so much to offer, the people are great, and the scenery is beautiful. Who doesn’t love being at the base of the Flatirons? The last place I would have to take them would be Denver. I love the fact that you can be in the mountains or the city in an equal time. Denver has great shopping and restaurants you can enjoy before watching whichever professional team is playing at the time. They have some great day activities like the aquarium and things of that nature. I love to try new things, so visiting a new restaurant, shopping center, or outdoor area is perfect. This leads me to the last thing. I would take them to as many of the mountain towns as we could fit. I think it’s fun to walk around the great outdoors on a hike. If they visit in the winter we would have to ski or snowboard down the slopes. Mountain towns have a great energy and feel. Regardless of where they visit I know they would love the people, the food and the environment.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First, God has guided me during my life’s journey and allowed me to do some really cool things. He’s provided me a lot of opportunities, at times I only had faith and things definitely worked out. Next would be my family. They have always been supportive of me and my aspirations. They helped me navigate the process of acquiring an LLC, promoting and connecting me with people to get my feet off the ground. I couldn’t have accomplished what I have without their example and the support they provided. Additionally, my girlfriend and close friends have been huge supporters as well. They have encouraged me, and I value them for continually pushing me to be better every day. There have also been a lot of influential people who have helped me grow professionally and it’s been great surrounding myself with those type of people. My personal growth comes from surrounding myself with people who push me when I wouldn’t push myself, which has helped me improve in all areas.

Website: http://shopc1kicks.locothreads.com/

Instagram: @cadenlowrie

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caden-lowrie-c1

Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm14056521/