If I had to guess... I think our limited (with a capital "L") success had more to do with the "how" we did what we did, vs the "what" we were making. There are a lot of talented people out there making stuff outta leather, and many more 'crafting kicks, so the "why" anyone would ever choose to spend their hard earned money with us vs. somewhere else was never lost on us. 'Till the very end... how we managed to build so much support for our messy lil' passion project was truly a confusing and confounding dream. I think perceived authenticity had a little more than something to do with it though. 

So, please believe me when I say... it was never my intent to tell half truths.

When Jules and I first started this thing back in the Spring of 2010, we were sooooo damn green. Despite being the son and daughter of entrepreneurs and our complimentary backgrounds as artist and accountant, we honestly didn't know shit about shit. Everything we eventually came to know about business, shoe making, and life outside of business and shoemaking, we learned as we went. And to be expected, we made a lot of mistakes along the way. 

The old adage "ignorance is bliss" is no lie. If we knew then what we know now, or knew how difficult the journey was going to be to get where we eventually landed, would we have even considered taking the first step? I think I can safely speak for the both of us, when I say... fuck no. However, at the same time, I have zero regrets. Making mistakes and learning hard lessons is all part of the process, and I'm extremely grateful for the truly unique and unexpected life Love Jules has afforded me. On this point, I unfortunately can't and won't speak for Jules. 

Running a business as a couple is not easy, especially when you co-exist in survival mode as long as we did. And though every relationship inevitably brings baggage to the table, if you're not able or willing to devote the necessary time and energy to work through your collective mess together, because you're so singularly focused on your forever messy baby of a business... often by the time the blinders come off and you realize you've hit a point of no return... it's too late. For us, that was May 2020. 

After much needed time and space apart, we eventually dusted ourselves off and tried to move forward with running the business as a team, but we just couldn't. There were too many things that had gone unsaid for too long. The peace we'd kept for all those years, came at the devil's bargain of unreconcilable blame. Jules chose to leave, and I... wasn't ready to say goodbye yet. I thought we had too much potential. I thought we'd sacrificed too much and come too far to simply give up because of our own personal mess. I also couldn't in good conscience walk away from all the commitments and obligations we'd taken on. So sometime over the next six months, unbeknownst to anyone but close friends and family, we dissolved the partnership relatively amicably (as these things go), and I became the sole owner and operator of Love Jules. 

Now talk about a communication challenge. Forever, we'd been a duo - with complimentary skills and talents - truly two separate and defined halves. In hindsight our visions and dreams for Love Jules never truly aligned, which was a problem obviously, but as far as partnerships go - we completed each other. Losing either half would have been tricky, but losing the shoe making namesake I always put in front of the camera (despite her protests)... was downright scary. Would people still want to support me without "we"? 

I'd always intended on rebranding at some point - Jules never even liked the name funny enough. But the transition from a team of two to solo dolo was a lot to manage - wearing all the hats was full-on, especially while battling the demons that presented themselves post break-up. It was never my plan to simply keep-on-keeping on indefinitely. But I felt like, for a minute at least, I had to lean on the foundation we'd already built, while I got my legs under me. And just to set any records straight - we'd dissolved the partnership in a way that it was my choice to make. 

I think I'll leave the chapter that followed - the trials of pivoting the production model - for another day. Today I wanted to finally let you all in on exactly what happened all those years ago, because it never truly felt genuine, and though I don't necessarily owe you this kind of transparency, I think you deserve it. We were never anything if not true and authentic. Authentically messy. 

Thanks for everything. 

- Josh