“Quality, meaning we want the most premium materials, but at a price-point that isn’t going to be the $900 that you may find with some of the other brands in a similar genre. We are also creating a line of shoes, where we have this luxe sole which is a thicker sole that kind of plays to that higher end high fashion,” said TCG CEO Kyle Cox.
“We have some designs that are pretty common in the shoe space but we also have some different designs and styles that we don’t see in this genre. You can wear these shoes in business but you can also wear these same shoes to the club if you felt like it. But the [overall] feel of these shoes is like a performance sneaker.”
The brand’s values of quality, comfort, and design are showcased in a variety of shoe sizes, styles and textures, including high tops, low tops, suede, pigskin leather, woven textiles, and much more! The company also sales shoe laces and socks made from environmentally friendly materials.
TCG footwear is a brand for the everyday businessmen, to the young graduate looking to land their first job, to the athletes off the court.
“We wanted to bring two worlds together. You can’t wear Jordans all the time but you still want to maintain a level of cool and comfort. [However,] you also want to be respected and mature. This [brand] is also for the guy who is an executive at a business who doesn’t want to wear hard bottoms,” said Kyle Cox.
Meet the Team
The world of business is nothing new for Los Angeles native, Kyle Cox, who has 15 years of experience as a “serial entrepreneur.”
Prior to becoming the CEO of TCG, he dropped out of law school to start his own marketing and management company.
“I represented a lot of DJ’s, athletes and entertainers in LA. I also represented a lot of brands, radio stations, and record labels doing concerts and promotions and things like that. Seeing the amount of money I was making for venues, I decided to invest in my first restaurant, a live music supper club,” he said.
After the 2008 economy crash, Kyle Cox had to start over. He decided to go into the military, where he would learn the ins and outs of technology. After completing six years in the navy, he decided to combine his skills and passion for technology, entertainment, and sports to create his own lifestyle media platform called Ballerz World.
Little did he know that the launch of Ballerz World would lead him to into the shoe industry.
“I didn’t come into the shoe business thinking I wanted to do shoes. I knew that we were going to have to get into this at some point and the opportunity presented itself to use our media platform [Ballerz World] to promote the brand TCG. That conversation became ‘instead of promoting it, why don’t we buy it? That way, we have our own products to sell on our own platform and kind of keep everything 360,’” said Kyle Cox.
He also saw purchasing the brand as opportunity to create generational wealth within his family.
“My family has always talked about doing stuff together and creating a legacy. I come from a family where people have done things that have been successful, but nobody has done anything legacy wise. That has always been important [to us] since day one. To do something where we have the option to leave something behind for our kids; so, that’s when I brought in my dad,” said Kyle Cox.
Today, the TCG team is made up of Kyle Cox, the “jack of all trades” and marketing connoisseur, his father and president of TCG, Kerry Cox, who is the detail-oriented member of the group and oversees the company’s finances and tracking of the invoices, and Ballerz World partner and TCG COO, Rob Purvy, the expert in the shoe industry. Purvy brings to the table resources, experience, and relationships.
“As the CEO, I kind of have to do everything, but they are better at it than I am at those specific things so they take the lead on it but I am always there helping in every aspect of the company,” said Kyle Cox.
Together, the dynamic trio have restructured the brand by altering the messaging of TCG and taking steps toward building a stronger online presence.
“Our plan was to come in and say ‘we have to really build out this direction toward e-commerce,’ that’s where everything is. People shop online and they want things delivered, but we also needed to find a balance. With shoes, people like to touch, feel, and try them on. So, we had to find a healthy balance between retail and online,” said Kyle Cox.
More than Just a Brand
Outside of the designing unconventional shoes, TCG prides itself in giving back to the community through mentorship.
“We want to inspire young people that look like us and come from similar backgrounds, that they can do anything. Two years ago, I didn’t know anything about shoes but by being passionate, determined, interested, and fearless, we were able to learn and thrive in a new industry,” said Kyle Cox.
What’s next for TCG?
A store front of course! Currently TCG has around 40 retailers, including: Brick and Mortar, Elektrik Boutique, and Kicks Kartel. However, the brand’s largest retail partner is Nordstrom, where they are the first ever Black-owned shoe company to hit the shelves.
The team also has plans to expand internationally in places like Brazil, the Middle East, and different parts of Europe. Additionally, TCG recently partnered with former professional basketball player and five-time NBA All-Star, Chris Webber, to create a big and tall line.
“We are also going to tap into the professional sports and college sports with a partnership for licensing with NBA teams and NCAA programs. So, we will come up with cool lifestyle shoes and products for specific teams and specific college programs. We are doing a lot of different things and just growing the brand online,” said Kyle Cox.
For the complete list of TCG retailers or to purchase online, please visit www.tcgfootwear.com and follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @tcgfootwear.
