Sneaker Brand Development by Daniel Spencer

I’ve spent the last 24 years in brand building—starting with Chile’s first skateboarding label at just 23 years old. 

After losing everything in the 2008 financial crisis, I moved to China with only $3,000 and rebuilt from scratch. In 2009, I founded Brands & Develop, and spent the next decade living in Dongguan, where I built a business from the ground up—overseeing everything from design and molds to full-scale production.

By the time I relocated to Los Angeles, I had developed a system that would generate over $120 million in global retail value and manufacture more than 2 million pairs of shoes—many of which are sold under third-party brands in over 15 countries.

But numbers are only part of the story. 

Throughout my career, I’ve consistently created concepts years before they hit the mainstream, showcasing my expertise in footwear innovation: 

I 3D-printed sneakers at home in 2017—long before Nike and Adidas adopted the tech. 

I launched a skateboarding subscription box in 2012, years before the subscription economy exploded. 

I integrated QR-based mobile activations into packaging back in 2012—before it became an industry norm. 

I developed a slip-on heel-entry system in 2017, now mirrored by billion-dollar campaigns from global brands. 

I built digital avatar branding in 2022—before it became standard in fashion NFT launches. 

I don’t claim to have invented the world. 

But I’ve often built it—quietly and ahead of the curve. 

Today, I operate between Los Angeles and China through my companies Foxing Tape Corp and Brands & Develop, helping distributors, licensing partners, and entrepreneurs turn real ideas into market-ready product lines. I don’t seek hype, I seek sustainable RESULTS as a sneaker architect. 

This is not theory. 

This is lived experience—and footwear is still my obsession.