Gordon's Path

When I first started SneakersCanada, I knew that reselling shoes was only part of the equation building a brand people could trust and connect with was where the real longevity lived. And to do that, I had to think bigger than just the product. I had to build a community.

Step 1: Turn Every Customer Into a Follower

From day one, every person who bought sneakers from me got one extra ask: follow my Instagram page. I made it clear if you liked what you got, that’s where you’d see the next hot drop. And if they referred three friends, they’d get 15% off their next order. Simple, effective, and personal. That small tactic quickly snowballed word started spreading, my clients felt like insiders, and my audience grew.

By the time I hit 300 followers, I introduced the next layer.

Step 2: Giveaways That Blew Up the Page

I launched interactive giveaways where the rules were always the same:
Tag 3 friends + share to your story.

This created instant engagement loops. Every time I posted a new pair or giveaway, the reach doubled or tripled. The page exploded. So many people were messaging about pairs and sizing questions that I had to bring on 4 people to help manage DMs and logistics.

At that point, I realized something big: I wasn’t just selling sneakers anymore. I was building an experience.

Step 3: Hide and Seek With Hype

Inspired by Ben Kicks and YeezyBusta, I launched what became one of my most viral campaigns: Sneaker Hide & Seek.

I’d take a brand new pair of shoes, hide them somewhere around Simcoe, snap a photo of the location, and post it on Instagram. The caption would just say:
“First to find them, keeps them. Go.”

By the time I dropped the third pair that day, there were over 100 high school students sprinting through town trying to find sneakers. It was wild. Energy was electric. People were talking. Word spread fast and soon, the buzz reached beyond Simcoe into the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). My following shot up. The brand had officially made its mark.

Looking Back

The marketing behind SneakersCanada wasn’t built on a massive ad budget it was built on community, creativity, and connection. Every strategy had the customer at the center, and every campaign made them part of the story.

This experience taught me that great marketing isn’t about shouting the loudest it’s about inviting people in and giving them something to be a part of.

And that’s how I turned an idea I had at 13 into a movement that reached hundreds across the province.