Made to Last Podcast

​  @madetolastpod  Before Kanye West took the stage at SoFi Stadium on April 3, 2026, Omar and Duane sat down to unpack one of the most overlooked aspects of Kanye's creative genius—his obsession with the circle. What begins as a conversation about stage design quickly becomes a deep dive into the environments, architecture, and creative processes that shaped one of the most influential design...

On Episode 008 of Made to Last, Omar joins Duane for a deep conversation on innovation, risk, storytelling, and the realities of building products that actually move culture forward. Omar breaks down what it took to make over 150 investor pitches for FCTRY LAB — and how nearly every room said yes. He talks about learning the language of venture capital, building alongside co-founders with VC exper...

#sportstech #golfgloves #footwearindustry #scienceandtechnology In this episode of Made to Last, we’re joined by Paul Farah, who sits down alongside his brother Jo Farah to break down a breakthrough in performance technology: Zyntech Nanocell. Built at the intersection of science, sport, and product innovation, Zyntech is designed to enhance performance across multiple categories — from footwear t...

Jo Farah, CEO of The Lab, joins Made to Last for a conversation on how probiotic science is changing sneaker care and sustainability. Jo shares his journey from guerilla marketing in South Africa to building campaigns for adidas and Puma, where he developed a deep fascination with the psychology of what makes people buy. That marketing mindset eventually helped him spot a massive whitespace in foo...

Omar Bailey goes from barely passing high school to Head of Innovation at Yeezy to founder of FCTRY LAb. In Episode 6 of Made to Last, Omar unpacks the stories behind his new autobiography, HEART & SOLE — from Jamaica to Detroit to India to Cody, Wyoming. In this deeply personal episode, Duane Lawrence puts Omar in the hot seat to unpack the stories behind the autobiography — from his family’s...

Jonathan Johnsongriffin shares what it's like to work with Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Serena Williams throughout his 17 years at Nike. As the creator who spearheaded Black History Month sneaker collections, he speaks on leadership, work ethic, and the importance of being ready for the big moment. Now the VP of Brand Creative for Google, Johnsongriffin dives into the benefits o...

Omar and Duane share their experiences working with athletes, both independently and at major brands. Duane just came back from a meeting in Cleveland with HOLO brand ambassador Isaac Okoro, while Omar went to the Bay Area to see All-Pro Left Tackle Trent Williams of the 49ers. From professional athletes having to buy their own shoes, to what it would take for athletes to go independent, to what S...

Omar and Duane sit down to talk about the mentors that shaped their footwear experience. Whether it was professional guidance, financial assistance or hands-on experience, it was all motivation! As two people with entrepreneurial mindsets, they dive into the sacrifice it takes to build independence in this industry. Where do you find your motivation? Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/HACIf6iTuoALi...

Dallas Stokes sits down to discuss his 31 years in footwear design, dating back to when he got his first start in high school all the way to present day working with Kyrie Irving. He gives advice on how to last in the shoe game, acknowledges his mentors and reminds designers, "you're only as good as your last shoe."Listen on Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/made-to-last-podcast/...

Omar Bailey and Duane Lawrence, longtime friends and shoe designers with a combined 40+ years of experience in the footwear industry, sit down to discuss designing for athletes, shoe deals, growing up in South Florida, design school and more! It's the first installment of the Made To Last discussion. Follow along on Instagram https://instagram.com/madetolastpod   See what's new at FCTRY LAb https:...