Matt Taylor is the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Tracksmith. He recently stepped down from the CEO role, which he held since 2014, to return his focus to what drew him to the brand in the first place: its creative expression.
I recently sat down with Matt in Boston to trace the full arc of his journey, from a cold letter left at a hotel for IMG founder Mark McCormack, to embedding himself in top-tier college cross country programs for Chasing Tradition, to funding the early days of Tracksmith with an Usain Bolt iPhone game. We talked about how each of those pursuits helped shape the brand he eventually built, and also got into what has always set Tracksmith apart: narrative-driven storytelling, reverence for the history of the sport, and a refusal to be everything to everyone.
This is a wide-ranging conversation about creativity, craft, entrepreneurship, and what it means to build something with genuine staying power that I’ve been waiting to have for a long time, and it did not disappoint. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed having it.
Tracksmith: Website | Instagram
the morning shakeout: Instagram | Twitter
Mario Fraioli: Website | Strava | Instagram
This episode is brought to you by:
— Tracksmith, New Balance, and Precision Fuel & Hydration. All of these brands have missions I believe in and products that I trust and use myself on a regular basis. One of the best ways to support the morning shakeout is by patronizing the partners that help keep them going week in and week out. Check out this page some of the discount codes and special offers available exclusively to readers and listeners of the morning shakeout.
Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.
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