Shopify Masters Meet the Designer Scaling Brands to $400M
Feb 3, 2026
Michael Petry, footwear designer and co-founder of Golden West Boots, left big brands to build authentic leather boots with Lainey Wilson. He discusses partnering with an artist whose story fits the brand. He talks timing country music’s rise, embodied branding by living the customer, rapid product launches, and building word-of-mouth through hands-on storytelling.
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Reach Country Fans Where They Live
- Market country artists differently because their audiences live more suburban and rural lives.
- Don’t rely solely on social; find channels that reach non-urban fans.
Living The Customer Persona
- Michael fully embodies the brand lifestyle, dressing and acting as the customer archetype.
- He believes living the persona makes product and brand decisions authentic.
From Soccer To Shoemaking
- Michael started in sports, broke his leg, then discovered footwear roles after a friend invited him to Adidas.
- He learned shoemaking on the job and accepted every opportunity to grow.