Two times in his life — possibly more — shoe designer George Vlagos ignored his family’s advice. The first time was fresh out of college when he told his father that he wanted to follow him in the shoe business. George’s father told him that he didn’t work all those years to put him through school to work with his hands.
The second time was when George told his close family he was launching his own line of boots fashioned from leather made right in his own home town of Chicago. Again, his family thought him nuts.
Family isn’t always right.
In this episode of Human, Oak Street Bootmaker creator George Vlagos discusses the heritage of fine shoemaking, a dying art form, and how it’s always better to listen to your gut than those who really do have your best interest in mind.
NEXT: This Guy Is Single-Handedly Keeping A Dying Art Form Alive, One Amazing Pen Stroke At A Time