The Footwear Retailer

Pete Mohr
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Semiweekly

The Footwear Retailer Podcast is for independent shoe store owners and leaders who want a better business and a better life. Hosted by Pete Mohr, owner of two Shoetopia stores in Canada, this show shares practical strategies, honest conversations, and real-world insights on leadership, inventory, team growth, profitability, and long-term success. Proudly sponsored by the National Shoe Retailers Association, the podcast helps footwear retailers move from daily chaos to greater clarity, confidence, and freedom.

  1. 2d ago

    24/7 Help. Zero Payroll: How Mar-Lou Shoes Uses AI to Buy, Market, and Run the Business

    There’s a lot of talk about AI right now — some retailers are excited, some are nervous. In this episode, Pete Mohr sits down with Daniel Ungar, president of Mar-Lou Shoes, a family-owned footwear store in Lyndhurst, Ohio founded by his parents in 1958, to move past the hype and look at how one real footwear retailer is actually using AI day to day. Dan walks through rebuilding his open-to-buy buying system with ChatGPT ahead of the Spring/Summer 2027 market in Atlanta, running brand-level trend analysis, generating customer heat maps, training his longtime buyer Lana and marketing director Liz to use AI themselves, and even using it to revise Mar-Lou’s employee manual. Pete shares his own parallel example from Shoe Topia — having Claude audit 72 brand logos in his Google Drive overnight. Both share the same bottom line: AI hasn’t replaced their judgment, it’s multiplied it — and for the first time, independent retailers have the horsepower to compete with the big chains. 👤 ABOUT GUEST — DANIEL UNGAR Daniel “Dan” Ungar is the president of Mar-Lou Shoes, a third-generation, family-owned footwear retailer in Lyndhurst, Ohio (Cleveland). His parents founded Mar-Lou in 1958 after buying a closeout store in Cleveland’s Old Arcade building, focused on hard-to-find women’s sizes and widths. Dan joined the business full-time in 1989; the company has since consolidated to one 9,000-square-foot store on Cleveland’s east side, added men’s footwear, and run on the Rick’s retail system since 1994. Today Dan uses ChatGPT and Claude across buying, marketing, and operations, alongside his team members Lana (buyer, 30+ years) and Liz (director of marketing). 👤 ABOUT PETE Pete Mohr is a speaker, coach, podcaster, and author, and co-owner of Shoetopia. He hosts The Footwear Retailer Podcast, sponsored by the NSRA (National Association of Shoe Retailers), where he talks with independent footwear retailers about the strategies, technology, and mindset shifts driving their businesses. Running your business shouldn’t mean running yourself into the ground.The 10 Laws for Moving from Operator to Owner is a free downloadable guide to help you systemize your operations, empower your team, and actually enjoy the business you’ve worked so hard to build.Grab your free copy now at simplifyingentrepreneurship.com/laws. The shift starts here. This episode of The Footwear Retailer is proudly sponsored by the National Shoe Retailers Association. NSRA supports independent footwear retailers with tools, connections, education, and resources to help you run a stronger business.  To learn more about the benefits of membership or to sign up, visit: https://www.nsra.org/page/benefits Pete Mohr is a longtime footwear retailer, business coach, and owner of two Shoetopia stores in Ontario, Canada, helping business owners build stronger companies that support a better life.  To learn more about Pete's programs and coaching or to book a free initial chat about your business goals, visit: https://pete-mohr.com/

  2. Sep 15

    Ep 27: From Designing a Boot to Building a Brand with Jim Bosco

    Before there was Bosco & Co., there was a newly developed pillow boot — along with  a chance meeting in Italy that changed the course of Canadian footwear. Pete Mohr sits down with Jim Bosco, Founder and President of Bosco & Co., in his Burlington, Ontario showroom for a conversation spanning more than 55 years in the footwear business. Jim's path into the industry wasn't a straight line. He considered joining the Navy after his time in the Sea Cadets before instead joining the Bata Shoe Company as a management trainee — a decision that led to a factory training program in Batawa, Ontario and years spent traveling the world as an assistant to Bata chairman Tom Bata. In 1968, Jim joined the Saddlebar family's Susan Shoes, where a chance meeting with Bass Shoe Company founder George Bass in Florence, Italy eventually led to the Cougar Pillow Boot — a design inspired by a boot Bass built for aviator Charles Lindbergh. Paired with an unforgettable ad campaign built around a mascot called “The Coug,” Cougar became one of the most recognizable names in Canadian footwear. In 1979, Jim and his sons Kevin and Dean set out on their own, founding Bosco & Co. and building relationships with factories in Portugal that continue to this day. Bosco & Co. has been the Canadian distributor for Fly London for 47 years, and the business is now welcoming its third generation: Jim's grandson James. You'll hear about: → The Bata Shoe Company's factory training program and what it taught Jim about manufacturing → The chance café meeting in Florence that led to the Cougar Pillow Boot → How a boot built for Charles Lindbergh's transatlantic flight inspired the design → The story behind “The Coug” and Cougar's iconic ad campaign → Why Jim and his sons started Bosco & Co. in Portugal in 1979 → 47 years as Fly London's Canadian distributor → What it took to build a showroom and a sales team that has stayed for decades → Bringing a third generation, grandson James, into the business “Life will not always be easy. We will face adversity a number of times. What matters most, however, is how you respond to these adversities.” — Jim Bosco ABOUT JIM BOSCO Jim Bosco is the Founder and President of Bosco & Co., a family-run footwear company based in Burlington, Ontario. His career began with the Bata Shoe Company, where he trained in retail and manufacturing at the company's factory in Batawa, Ontario, and later traveled the world as an assistant to Bata chairman Tom Bata. In 1968, Jim joined the Saddlebar family's Susan Shoes, where he helped develop the Cougar boot line and its iconic advertising campaign. In 1979, Jim founded Bosco & Co. with his sons Kevin and Dean, building factory relationships in Portugal that continue today. Bosco & Co. is the longtime Canadian distributor for Fly London, and Jim's grandson James now represents the company's third generation. CONNECT WITH BOSCO & CO. Toll-free: 905-498-1754 Direct: 905-467-2808 Website: https://ca.bosandco.com/ ABOUT PETE MOHR Pete Mohr is an independent footwear retailer, business coach and host of The Footwear Retailer Podcast. Through conversations with retailers, brands and industry experts, Pete helps independent business owners build stronger businesses while creating more freedom in their lives. Running your business shouldn’t mean running yourself into the ground.The 10 Laws for Moving from Operator to Owner is a free downloadable guide to help you systemize your operations, empower your team, and actually enjoy the business you’ve worked so hard to build.Grab your free copy now at simplifyingentrepreneurship.com/laws. The shift starts here. This episode of The Footwear Retailer is proudly sponsored by the National Shoe Retailers Association. NSRA supports independent footwear retailers with tools, connections, education, and resources to help you run a stronger business.  To learn more about the benefits of membership or to sign up, visit: https://www.nsra.org/page/benefits Pete Mohr is a longtime footwear retailer, business coach, and owner of two Shoetopia stores in Ontario, Canada, helping business owners build stronger companies that support a better life.  To learn more about Pete's programs and coaching or to book a free initial chat about your business goals, visit: https://pete-mohr.com/

  3. Sep 8

    Ep 26: Thirty Years, One Family — Kitty Bolinger, President of Dansko

    What actually holds a growing company together, thirty years into an industry that's changed almost beyond recognition? Pete Mohr sits down with Kitty Bolinger, President of Dansko, for a conversation about culture, leadership, and the value of staying close to the retailers on the front lines. Kitty's path to the top of footwear wasn't conventional. She came up through a department-store buyer training program in the 1980s, moved into wholesale sales with Timberland, spent three years back in independent retail, and joined Dansko in 2010 as National Sales Manager before becoming president. In this conversation, Pete and Kitty examine what makes a company's culture hold up as it grows, why Kitty still gets out from behind her desk to visit independent retailers, and what separates a good sales floor from a great one. They also discuss how Dansko led its team through the 2025 tariff disruptions, why Dansko held a hard line on returning to the office, and why Kitty reminds her team on the hardest days that there's no such thing as a shoe emergency. You'll hear about: → Kitty's thirty-year path from department-store buyer to president of Dansko → Why Dansko became 100% employee-owned in 2012 — and what changed → Why Kitty still visits independent retailers to listen and learn → What separates a good sales floor from a great one → How Dansko built and leads a predominantly female leadership team → How Kitty led Dansko's team through the 2025 tariff disruptions → Why Dansko refocused its marketing on its heritage and origin story → What Kitty would focus on first if she reopened an independent store today Kitty also explains why she believes the willingness of footwear retailers to share ideas, experience and advice with one another remains one of the industry's greatest strengths. "It's so corny, but it's a family." — Kitty Bolinger Brought to you by the NSRA. Join the NSRA today: NSRA.org Connect with Mark Denkler: 📩 Email: mark@nsra.org 🌐 Website: NSRA.org Follow The Footwear Retailer Podcast for More Insights: 🔗 The Footwear Retailer 📲 LinkedIn: Pete Mohr 📩 Contact Pete Mohr: pete@simplifyingentrepreneurship.com ABOUT KITTY BOLINGER Kitty Bolinger is President of Dansko, the comfort footwear brand that became 100% employee-owned in 2012. Her three-decade career spans department-store buying, wholesale sales with Timberland, and several years as an independent retailer before she joined Dansko in 2010 as National Sales Manager. CONNECT WITH DANSKO Website: https://dansko.com ABOUT PETE MOHR Pete Mohr is an independent footwear retailer, business coach and host of The Footwear Retailer Podcast. Through conversations with retailers, brands and industry experts, Pete helps independent business owners build stronger businesses while creating more freedom in their lives. Running your business shouldn’t mean running yourself into the ground.The 10 Laws for Moving from Operator to Owner is a free downloadable guide to help you systemize your operations, empower your team, and actually enjoy the business you’ve worked so hard to build.Grab your free copy now at simplifyingentrepreneurship.com/laws. The shift starts here. This episode of The Footwear Retailer is proudly sponsored by the National Shoe Retailers Association. NSRA supports independent footwear retailers with tools, connections, education, and resources to help you run a stronger business.  To learn more about the benefits of membership or to sign up, visit: https://www.nsra.org/page/benefits Pete Mohr is a longtime footwear retailer, business coach, and owner of two Shoetopia stores in Ontario, Canada, helping business owners build stronger companies that support a better life.  To learn more about Pete's programs and coaching or to book a free initial chat about your business goals, visit: https://pete-mohr.com/

  4. Sep 1

    Ep 25: Improving Your Business with Mark Denkler of the NSRA

    Mark Denkler, President of the National Shoe Retailers Association (NSRA), joins host Pete Mohr to break down the shipping, card processing, and insurance costs independent shoe stores rarely renegotiate — and what it's actually worth to fix that. This episode marks the first show under the NSRA's new sponsorship of The Footwear Retailer Podcast. What you'll take away: why NSRA members ship at roughly half of published rates with no delivery or fuel surcharge, the exact sentence Mark uses to renegotiate card processing, what 7.7% of sales in lease costs means for your store, and why one member left $11,000 on the table over eleven months. Brought to you by the NSRA. Join the NSRA today: NSRA.org Connect with Mark Denkler: 📩 Email: mark@nsra.org 🌐 Website: NSRA.org Follow The Footwear Retailer Podcast for More Insights: 🔗 The Footwear Retailer 📲 LinkedIn: Pete Mohr 📩 Contact Pete Mohr: pete@simplifyingentrepreneurship.com 🔔 Subscribe & Hit the Notification Bell for Weekly Industry Insights! Running your business shouldn’t mean running yourself into the ground.The 10 Laws for Moving from Operator to Owner is a free downloadable guide to help you systemize your operations, empower your team, and actually enjoy the business you’ve worked so hard to build.Grab your free copy now at simplifyingentrepreneurship.com/laws. The shift starts here. This episode of The Footwear Retailer is proudly sponsored by the National Shoe Retailers Association. NSRA supports independent footwear retailers with tools, connections, education, and resources to help you run a stronger business.  To learn more about the benefits of membership or to sign up, visit: https://www.nsra.org/page/benefits Pete Mohr is a longtime footwear retailer, business coach, and owner of two Shoetopia stores in Ontario, Canada, helping business owners build stronger companies that support a better life.  To learn more about Pete's programs and coaching or to book a free initial chat about your business goals, visit: https://pete-mohr.com/

  5. Mar 9

    Overcoming Procrastination

    Everyone procrastinates, but it's important to avoid it as much as possible. In this episode, Pete explains why procrastination happens and how it can be overcome. Here are a few things Pete covers: Understanding the root cause of procrastinationRecognizing your triggers for procrastinationReframing your thinking to focus on the benefits of completing a taskBreaking down tasks into smaller, manageable piecesCreating a plan to avoid procrastination triggers in the futureIt’s time to take action: Now that you've learned about procrastination, it's time to take action. Start by identifying the underlying issue that causes you to procrastinate. Then, create a plan to avoid these triggers and make progress toward your goals. The procrastination worksheet mentioned in the episode can be found at www.simplifyingentrepreneurship.com/pro This episode of The Footwear Retailer is proudly sponsored by the National Shoe Retailers Association. NSRA supports independent footwear retailers with tools, connections, education, and resources to help you run a stronger business.  To learn more about the benefits of membership or to sign up, visit: https://www.nsra.org/page/benefits Pete Mohr is a longtime footwear retailer, business coach, and owner of two Shoetopia stores in Ontario, Canada, helping business owners build stronger companies that support a better life.  To learn more about Pete's programs and coaching or to book a free initial chat about your business goals, visit: https://pete-mohr.com/

  6. Jan 23

    Empowering Your Team: The Key to Business Growth

    In this episode, Pete Mohr discusses the importance of letting go of control in business to foster growth and empower teams. He emphasizes that many small business owners struggle with releasing control, which limits both their business's potential and their team's capabilities. The conversation covers the mindset that creates bottlenecks, the framework for empowering teams, and the transformative results of delegation. Mohr provides actionable steps for business owners to shift from micromanagement to coaching, ultimately leading to a more scalable and valuable business. Takeaways Letting go of control is essential for business growth. Many owners struggle with releasing control due to mindset. Micromanagement creates bottlenecks and stifles teams. Empowering teams leads to better performance and job satisfaction. A clear promise guides decision-making in business. Processes and systems are crucial for team empowerment. Shift your role from operator to coach for better results. Delegation should include granting authority, not just tasks. Regular check-ins are important for accountability. Letting go creates a business that works without you. Sound bites "You limit your business's growth." "Letting go of control is critical." "Empowerment doesn't mean abandonment." Chapters 00:00 The Challenge of Letting Go 00:57 Mindset and Bottlenecks in Business 02:43 Framework for Empowerment 04:29 Shifting Roles: From Operator to Coach 05:49 Transformative Results of Delegation 08:07 Action Steps for Business Owners This episode of The Footwear Retailer is proudly sponsored by the National Shoe Retailers Association. NSRA supports independent footwear retailers with tools, connections, education, and resources to help you run a stronger business.  To learn more about the benefits of membership or to sign up, visit: https://www.nsra.org/page/benefits Pete Mohr is a longtime footwear retailer, business coach, and owner of two Shoetopia stores in Ontario, Canada, helping business owners build stronger companies that support a better life.  To learn more about Pete's programs and coaching or to book a free initial chat about your business goals, visit: https://pete-mohr.com/

  7. 10/14/2025

    Financial Clarity That Builds Real Business Value with Dorothy Zubel

    Most entrepreneurs think finance is about numbers—it’s really about decisions. In this episode, Pete Mohr talks with Dorothy Zubel, Co-Founder of The Finance Group, about the power of fractional finance and why clarity in your books directly impacts confidence, growth, and exit value. Dorothy shares how her team supports businesses with CFO-level insight, KPIs, and financial strategy without the full-time cost. Learn how clean financial records, proper reporting, and strategic forecasting can turn stress into momentum. You’ll Learn: → What fractional finance is and why it matters → How to use KPIs to guide smarter decisions → The difference between a bookkeeper, controller, and CFO → Why clean financials boost your exit valuation → How to find and work with the right finance partner  Connect with Dorothy Zubel: Email: dorothy.zubel@thefinancegroup-global.com Website: www.thefinancegroup-global.com Connect with Pete Mohr: Website: simplifyingentrepreneurship.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/petemohr Podcast: thefootwearretailer.com Running your business shouldn’t mean running yourself into the ground.The 10 Laws for Moving from Operator to Owner is a free downloadable guide to help you systemize your operations, empower your team, and actually enjoy the business you’ve worked so hard to build.Grab your free copy now at simplifyingentrepreneurship.com/laws. The shift starts here. This episode of The Footwear Retailer is proudly sponsored by the National Shoe Retailers Association. NSRA supports independent footwear retailers with tools, connections, education, and resources to help you run a stronger business.  To learn more about the benefits of membership or to sign up, visit: https://www.nsra.org/page/benefits Pete Mohr is a longtime footwear retailer, business coach, and owner of two Shoetopia stores in Ontario, Canada, helping business owners build stronger companies that support a better life.  To learn more about Pete's programs and coaching or to book a free initial chat about your business goals, visit: https://pete-mohr.com/

    Financial Clarity That Builds Real Business Value with Dorothy Zubel

  8. 09/23/2025

    Graceful Goodbyes: Releasing Key Team Members

    Letting go of a longtime team member is one of the toughest leadership challenges a business owner will ever face. In this episode, Pete Mohr explains why misalignment happens, how to recognize it, and the respectful steps you can take to transition employees without breaking culture or trust. You’ll discover a 5-step framework for releasing employees gracefully:  → Acknowledge misalignment  → Communicate with honesty and empathy  → Offer support during the transition  → Plan a smooth handoff for your team  → Realign and inspire the future This episode will leave you with the clarity and courage to make tough calls while protecting both your business and your people. Connect with Pete Mohr: Website: simplifyingentrepreneurship.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/petemohr Podcast: thefootwearretailer.com This episode of The Footwear Retailer is proudly sponsored by the National Shoe Retailers Association. NSRA supports independent footwear retailers with tools, connections, education, and resources to help you run a stronger business.  To learn more about the benefits of membership or to sign up, visit: https://www.nsra.org/page/benefits Pete Mohr is a longtime footwear retailer, business coach, and owner of two Shoetopia stores in Ontario, Canada, helping business owners build stronger companies that support a better life.  To learn more about Pete's programs and coaching or to book a free initial chat about your business goals, visit: https://pete-mohr.com/

    Graceful Goodbyes: Releasing Key Team Members
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Footwear Retailer Podcast is for independent shoe store owners and leaders who want a better business and a better life. Hosted by Pete Mohr, owner of two Shoetopia stores in Canada, this show shares practical strategies, honest conversations, and real-world insights on leadership, inventory, team growth, profitability, and long-term success. Proudly sponsored by the National Shoe Retailers Association, the podcast helps footwear retailers move from daily chaos to greater clarity, confidence, and freedom.

Information

  • Creator
    Pete Mohr
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Footwear Retailer
  • Show Website
    The Footwear Retailer

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