Remember That Mini-Podcast Story We Told You?
One of the first StoriDot mini-podcasts in the Backstory Beginnings series MouthMedia Network produced for Northwood Retail featured Paul Hedrick, the founder of Tecovas, a handcrafted boot and accessories company. Tecovas boots are handmade in León, Mexico, where the leatherworking tradition goes back generations. On top of the traditional roots is a tech-forward brand, and that is now being acknowledged in a big way, as The Lead, which tracks growth in the fashion and retail tech space, has recognized Tecovas as one of its Foremost 50 of 2021.
The Tecovas Story
Paul founded Tecovas to create handmade boots with high-quality materials, world-class craftsmanship, and traditional styling. When Paul sat down with us to record his StoriDot audio story, he talked about how he built his company - making big bets and moving fast to open retail stores - all while creating a brand that does the right thing and makes human connections. You can listen to Paul’s compelling audio story here:
Storytelling With QR Codes and Podcasts
StoriDot — our proprietary location-based audio solution — brings immediate engagement for retail brands. A quick scan of a customizable StoriDot QR-code sign, placed on a retail storefront, leads to a customizable mobile web experience. The experience features a short fully-produced audio story, enhanced with up to 3 clickable links, to websites, videos, etc., and options for social sharing. A customer can listen to the brand’s founder story, learn more about the brand’s product assortment or sustainability goals, and even make a purchase - all through the StoriDot sign.
Brands can also release their StoriDot audio stories as podcast episodes on the major podcast platforms, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify. Distribution on the major podcast platforms creates opportunities for new audiences to discover the brand.
Backstory Beginnings
The Backstory Beginnings series, from Northwood Retail, features the incredible stories of homegrown creators, movers, and shakers, who are making their mark with meaningful missions, fresh fashions, and next-level sips and bites. In addition to Tecovas, the series features such brands as Faherty, Mizzen + Main, Grimaldi’s Pizzeria, Brilliant Earth, and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. Northwood Retail leases, manages, and markets a portfolio of community and mixed-use properties across the United States, with a concentration in Texas, Colorado, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
The Lead recently honored Tecovas in its Foremost 50 of 2021, its annual power list. The Lead Foremost 50 recognizes 50 high-growth D2C brands that are reinventing and redefining the future of the fashion, retail and consumer industries. Built for innovation, these brands embrace technology to transform their business. The honorees are recognized for their excellence along 6 categories - innovation, total addressable market, media buzz, teams, competition, and funding/investor value creation. See the full list here:
The Lead’s Foremost 50 of 2021 D2C Brands List
Leading D2C Stories
The Lead, a research-driven media company, bridges the fashion and retail industry with technology, empowering the industry’s transition to digital centricity. MouthMedia Network frequently partners with The Lead to spotlight emerging trends and innovative fashion and retail brands through our podcasts.