HEY DUDE, I WISH SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME ABOUT THESE SHOES EARLIER.

“I wish someone had told me” is a series of posts that tap into our curiosity at CN&CO. Each week, we hear from someone in our network about something interesting, surprising, or a lesson they’ve recently learned. These blogs are a way to pay it forward and align with CN&CO’s belief that the world can be a better place—and we all share the responsibility to make it so.

This post is by Blake Dyason.

“Have you seen the new shoes called Hey Dude?” my friend Marc Copson asked me.

Marc got me into running back in 2010 when he convinced me to join the Knysna Half Marathon. At the time, he was working for New Balance and eventually moved to Boston with them. Recently, Marc returned to South Africa, and that’s when he brought up Hey Dude.

My immediate reaction was, “I only wear slops unless I’m running.” But Marc invited me to the opening of their first store in South Africa at Canal Walk, and I was gifted a pair. Little did I know, I’d become obsessed.

Hey Dude was founded in Italy in 2008 by creators who wanted lightweight, comfortable, stylish, and affordable shoes to become the norm, not the exception. In 2021, Crocs acquired the brand for $2.5 billion.

So, why were they the fastest-growing shoe brand in the USA in 2022, and why do I now have a collection?

I love this story because it’s a great example of how a small business, with no major financing and minimal marketing, grew into a global shoe brand.

Here’s why I’m hooked on them:

They’re incredibly light, making them perfect for travel.
They’re unbelievably comfortable.
Slip on easy.
Easy to wash—just throw them in the washing machine.
Affordable.
Stylish—even though I’m not the most fashion-savvy, they come in so many styles and colours for any occasion.

Take a look at all the awesome Hey Dude styles and apparently there are more stores opening up around South Africa.