Do you ever wonder what your shoes say about you? Who would’ve guessed that the way we dress our feet could reveal so much about who we are? Well, it turns out that they do! Your shoe style can tell us a lot more than just how much time you spend at the gym or if you’re into fashion trends. 

So why are shoes so meaningful? Well for starters, they can be used as an outlet for self-expression. From glittery stilettos to sneakers and everything in between—shoes can help tell others about your personality or mood depending on what kind of shoe or sandal you choose to wear on any given day.

The Yalo Tribe is known for its Soul but now let’s look at their Soles. Here are the results from our recent favorite shoe poll:

Leading the pack for the sports and outdoors category is our own CEO Arnold Huffman with his custom Yalo kicks.

Eric, Rachel, and Brian are all on the sports and outdoors train

Tim, Giselle, and Jeff… bike, skate, and jump

Nick, Kate, and Robert are kicking it up a notch

Lance, Kenny, and Brandon are brand loyalists repping Nike

Denise and EJ are our resident Business Fashionistas

So what are your favorite pair of shoes? Here is some musical inspiration to help you decide!

Blue Suede Shoes – Elvis
Dancing Shoes – Arctic Monkeys
Old Brown Shoe – The Beatles
No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem – Kenny C
Boot Scootin’ Boogie – Brooks & Dunn
Head Over Boots – Jon Pardi
Nike’s On My feet – Mac Miller
Nikes – Frank Ocean
Just Kickin’ It – Xscape

As you can tell by how we bare our soles, we’re not the typical creative design and marketing agency. We’re full of outside-the-shoebox ideas, and we use them to make our clients more successful every day. From marketing communications and branding to website design & development and video & animation, we’re unde-feeted when it comes to design and delivery. Scroll down a bit and contact us – let’s have a conversation and rock the world together.

I ran my first marathon in February. During the pandemic I started running just to get out of the house. Fast forward 10 months and I am on the starting line for the Florida Marathon.

At the starting line, I had in mind, the perfect plan to reach my racing goal. Over the next four hours, I was dealt some serious, unexpected roadblocks that jeopardized me reaching the finish line. The more I reflected on what happened, the more I related my experience to the day in and outs as a project manager at Yalo. 

Before starting a project with a new or existing client, there is always a plan in place for resources, timelines, and smooth processes. However, obstacles and bumps in the road are commonplace, especially over a long-term project. Things happen and will.

I believe preparation is key in life. Not just in sports, but in all that we do personally or professionally. I certainly thought I was prepared for the race. I had a game plan from nutrition to run times per mile. I knew I was going to reach a certain time at the end of the race. 

As with anything, the perfect plan does not exist. I started out the gates just great, thinking I am going to rock this thing! However, my plan was tossed…no, completely thrown out the window! 

First came really bad thunderstorms. Then the physical pain hit hard. I started cramping for miles, which I had not experienced before. But, like the obstacles we face in life and work, finding a way to the end goal is non-negotiable. We have to think quickly, adapt, put a plan in place and set small goals to accomplish the end objective. Inch by inch and half mile by half mile I kept going. I was way past my goal time, but at this point I was driven to finish. 

In the end, it’s about delivering a great product for our clients. This all depends on how quickly the team can pivot and work efficiently as a team to reach the goal. It’s critical to have an agile team that can be flexible enough to figure out a way to deliver on deadline. 

When s**t hits the fan, how can you get back on the road to reach a successful completion:

1. Identify the problem: thunderstorms, timing, design disconnects (oh my!)
2. Re-group and re-align with your team 
3. Keep the team positive, hydrated and focused
4. Keep the road to resolving an issue clear and simple
5. Over-communicate and move in unison towards the objective 

Just like I’ve had time to reflect on the race, a post-mortem is also important. Identify the failures and successes to improve for the future. For running, I reflected on what caused my setbacks and asked myself some tough questions. With work projects, it’s important to reflect on how you can improve communication and planning to deliver a great product. In the end, be agile and always keep going…you will have great success!