For some entrepreneurs, there’s no requirement to be a professional in their field. Hundreds of now-successful companies started simply with a person and a single idea. And for Paul Hedrick, that’s how he began his cowboy boot brand, Tecovas.
Under Hedrick’s supervision, western culture is getting a makeover. Despite the century-old company’s influence over western-inspired style, an unlikely entrepreneur is looking to reinvent the category to become mainstream — not just exclusive to the Texan plains.
The difference between Hedrick’s company and other cowboy-centric brands is his direct-to-consumer approach focused on designing superior quality footwear at affordable prices, all packaged together with a unique customer service experience. Of course, that sounds like a great idea. But for Hedrick, it took a little more effort to turn his idea into a reality.
A Texan Through and Through …
The idea for Tecovas began with Hedrick’s passion for Western culture and style. But as Hedrick grew up, quality and affordable cowboy boots became a rare commodity. “The only real options for buying Western boots at the time were unpredictable,” Hedrick tells Input Magazine.
For most of his life, Hedrick’s memory of buying cowboy boots consisted of big-box stores, messy grocery-like aisles, expensive price tags, and very few boot experts to assist him in his purchase.
“There are hundreds of boots on the shelves. Some brands are $50 and some are $5,000 and they’re right next to each other … You feel like you can’t navigate it yourself. It’s just confusing and not super approachable.”
And after noticing an overwhelming lack of online and retail stores where one could buy a pair of cowboy boots, Hedrick saw a perfect opportunity to shake up the industry with a new and easier way to purchase cowboy boots. He decided to combine his entrepreneurial spirit and his love for the traditional footwear to make the product more widely available.
“I am not a classically trained designer. But I wanted to do this. I wanted to put this together,” comments Hedrick. But with no design experience, Hedrick needed help maintaining the time-honored craftsmanship that went into creating the classic shoe.
High Standards for Quality, Fit, Comfort, and Design
A Harvard graduate, Hedrick doesn’t consider himself the most creatively inclined person. Though he enjoyed taking art classes as a child, he never had any professional art training before deciding to design cowboy boots.
Fortunately, Tecovas gave him the opportunity to get back into his childhood love of art and design. For the first few years of his business, Hedrick designed all of his own products but quickly learned that he needed more hands with higher expertise.
In 2014, Hedrick drew up some sketches, put together a PowerPoint presentation, and booked a trip to the shoe capital of North America in León, Mexico. After securing a deal with some local boot-makers, Hedrick could now blend his vision with authentic craftsmanship.
Today, to make a single Tecovas’ boot, it takes over 200 steps and a team of skilled artisans implementing handmade techniques such as cording, stitching, lining, and hammering. Then, a painstaking inspection process is completed to ensure each and every boot is approved before being put up for sale.
While this might sound like an overly meticulous process, Tecovas’ hand-made techniques and extreme attention to detail are what sets the brand apart from its competition.
Charging Ahead of the Herd
For Hedrick, the mission of Tecovas wasn’t to broaden the market, but rather fill the gaps amongst the industry. Cowboy boots were already such a signature piece of footwear, so Hedrick had no trouble getting his product discovered. Plus, traditional western-style has had its own comeback into pop culture — from cowboy boots being strutted on high-end fashion runways to celebrities and musical artists revolutionizing Western culture.
“Cowboy boots are worn in so many different ways today and not just for their original purpose,” Hedrick tells Shopify. “The fact that they’ve been around for so long and evolved over time is amazing.”
Since their launch, Tecovas has boomed beyond just an online business, opening 17 retail locations along the Western U.S. Selling hundreds of thousands of pairs of cowboy boots each year, Tecovas is expanding to include non-Western shoe styles, bags and accessories, and a clothing line for both men and women.
Now, Tecovas looks forward to collaborations with other designers for the first time. During the first few years of the company, Hedrick’s focus was solely on creating and selling his products on his own. But now, in the midst of a sales surge, Hedrick thinks Tecovas is ready to introduce new products through collaboration.
Hedrick and his team also expressed interest in launching a limited-edition line of boots, which is a great way to introduce a business to new audiences. “It’s a really important part of building connectivity with people who want to be different, who don’t necessarily want the boot that everyone else has or that’s always for sale,” comments Hedrick.
And that’s part of Tecovas’ goal — making unique products that make people feel special.
Strapping In for the Long Haul
Much of Tecovas’ success can be attributed to their commitment to their product. Hedrick saw a gap amongst his competitors and took the opportunity to create a better, higher-quality, and more affordable version of one of the most traditional pieces of footwear.
What started with one person and an exclusively online business turned into opening 17 retail U.S. locations and over 200 people. And while Tecovas is still growing, Hedrick still has influence over every single boot his company produces.
But Hedrick and his team of artisans know their journey is far from over. “You get out what you put in, and starting a brand from scratch is a long journey,” he said. “Probably longer and harder than I ever really realized from day one.”