SELF MADE

Stevemadden Self made crew

Introduction

It's the life blood of Steve Madden. It's been ingrained in the spirit of our company since Steve founded it with $1100, twenty-eight years ago. Self Made started as an homage to our fearless leader and has evolved into a celebration of the self starter. We're proud of the men and women who are portraying their inspiring stories and representing our brand and we're excited to bring their stories to you.

Made by one’s own actions; especially, having achieved success or prominence by one’s own efforts. “He is a self made man”

Steve Madden Self Made - The Man

A true entrepreneur, Steve Madden, with a bold $1100 investment in 1990 has developed one of the most iconic brands in footwear. His successes are a testament to his unparalleled drive, one that has transformed a business he started with the help of his doorman, into a multi-billion dollar company. Authentic, innovative and truly inspirational, Steve is the definition of Self Made.

Steve Madden Self Made - The Man
Steve Madden Self Made - The Man

"Ask for help. get people to help you with your dream, because at some point you can't do it all."

"To be really successful you need focus and drive and singularness of purpose."

Steve Madden Self Made - The Man

"To be really successful you need focus and drive and singularness of purpose."

THE CREW

The men and women of Self Made have proven their entrepreneurship - just like Steve himself - through ambition, fearlessness and relentless dedication. By celebrating these self starters we hope to inspire you to believe in yourself and be Self Made.

STEVE MADDEN SELF MADE - TIM STEVE MADDEN SELF MADE - TIM

GET THE MOST OUT OF EACH DAY

NEW YORK, NY TIM-31 Founder, TOPBiT @TOPBITFOODS

Tim Galligan is the founder of TOPBiT. He graduated from Stony Brook University and after working in corporate America for eight years, realized he was an entrepreneur at heart with a passion for fitness and nutrition.  

How do you define Self Made?  Risking it all without a guaranteed outcome. What’s a normal day like? I wake up at 4:30am and start my day with prayer and meditation, work out for 60 minutes, shower, work until 6pm, eat dinner, and work until whatever time that night calls for. Rinse and repeat.

NEW YORK, NY ERIKA-31 Founder Glam+Go, & Prospr At Work @prospratwork

Erika started her career as a stand up comedian and digital series host (Spaces & HGTV). Experiencing fast backstage green-room styling led her to launch Glam+Go, so every woman could access professional top-quality beauty services on-the-go; and her most recent project is a SaaS platform, Prospr At Work.  

How do you define Self Made? Trusting your gut and standing resolute when you need to and remembering to say "Thank You" to all the people who got you to where you are, early and often. Favorite New York City spots? I love The Felix in Soho. Its always fun and the food is great. The park around the south tip of Manhattan is also one of my favorites places. Its on the water and so removed, you can sometimes forget you’re in NYC. Also, Chinatown for soup dumplings. 

STEVE MADDEN SELF MADE - ERIKA STEVE MADDEN SELF MADE - ERIKA

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GREAT IDEA, AND A GREAT SUCCESS IS ONLY EXECUTION.

WE ARE ALL PRACTICING. WE ARE ALL SHOWING UP IN THIS LIFE TRYING OUR BEST WITH A CERTAIN LEVEL OF AWARENESS AND IT’S CONSTANTLY SHIFTING AND CHANGING.

NEW YORK, NY BETH-36 YOGA TEACHER @bethcooke_flow

Beth revisited yoga after getting sober 6 years ago and immediately felt a strong pull to share the practice with others. Now, she is teaching throughout Manhattan,
Brooklyn, and sometimes LA and leading retreats all over the world.

How do you define Self Made? Self Made to me means listening to the whispers of your intentions and taking the actions to carry them through. Heart, Vision, Perseverance. What has been the highlight of your entrepreneurial career? Highlight of my career has been that I get to do what I love and help people feel more comfortable in their bodies. I get a chance to shift peoples perspectives and possibly their day.

NEW YORK, NY FRZY-33 Emmy Award-Winning Rapper @FRZY

Frzy is an Emmy Award-Winning Rapper from Pittsburgh, PA making waves in the music industry, while climbing quickly to become one of hip hop’s newest stars.


What has been the biggest challenge? Not compromising my musical integrity, and understanding the difference between popularity and success. What’s next for you? I have my eye set on a Grammy. I need to add the G to my collection, working further towards that EGOT. I’ll be touring this summer and continuing to use my platform and the power that comes with it, helping to change kids’ lives through my Frzy University program.

STEVE MADDEN SELF MADE - FRZY STEVE MADDEN SELF MADE - FRZY

MY TALENT HAS OPENED DOORS,
BUT MY CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY.

STEVE MADDEN SELF MADE - TAYLOR STEVE MADDEN SELF MADE - TAYLOR

CONTINUE WORKING HARD– THERE REALLY ISN’T ANY OTHER WAY TO CONTINUE TO SUCCEED AND GROW.

NEW YORK, NY TAYLOR-35 CEO and Creative Director @taylor_spellman

As CEO and Creative Director of Taylor Spellman New York, Taylor’s client centric focus is bold and eclectic, showcasing the personality of the inhabitants of the spaces she creates. At any given moment, Taylor has upwards of fifty million dollars of real estate interior architecture and design under her direction.

What has been the highlight of your entrepreneurial career?  Being in a position to empower other women. Watching my star intern who is now an amazing employee gain confidence in her talents is literally the best thing I have ever had the privilege of witnessing.  What does NYC mean to you? New York City is everything to me. It is the epicenter of my world and an oasis for any creative experience one wishes to have.  From the moment I arrived, I knew this would be my forever home.

BE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR CONCEPT/PRODUCT, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE TIMES IN WHICH IT IS THE ONLY THING KEEPING YOU GOING DURING ALL THE UNEXPECTED CHALLENGES.

NEW YORK, NY CARLO-36 Chief Finance Officer, AMBROS Banana
Whiskey @cpiccirillo

Carlo was born in Queens to immigrant parents. He was trained as a CPA and bought into a franchise after leaving KPMG which failed miserably.  He believes in family first - espresso & pizza second, and infusing happiness into souls with AMBROS Banana Whiskey

Where do you feel most inspired? When I am traveling. There is tremendous value for me in immersing myself in different cultures, meeting people with a wide variety of experiences and viewpoints, learning history hands on, and exposing myself to the various foods that comprise a culture’s identity. It is both therapeutic and educational, and where I find myself most inspired professionally and personally.   What does NYC mean to you? NYC is a city of hustle, street smarts, blunt opinions, daily grinds, and attitude.  It is also a city of passion, pride, compassion, diversity, openness, and acceptance.  It is the tough parent that pisses you off because of how hard they are on you, yet you love more than life itself because of everything they have done for you. NYC is the essence of an entrepreneur and it is partly why we used the Freedom Tower as a basis for the design of our AMBROS bottle.






#SelfMade