It’s not a secret that everyone loves to own a pair or more of original sneakers. The internet is filled with thousands of cool sneakers, but not all marketplaces sell genuine products.

After being scammed when buying sneakers online, Daishin Sugano and his friend Eddy Lu decided to revolutionize how people buy sneakers online. Deciding to Quit their boring corporate jobs, the duo from UC Berkeley had an excellent idea to start a platform where people can buy and sell authentic footwear.

GOAT is one of the best online platforms when it comes to selling both used and new sneakers online with over 7 million frequent buyers and sellers. The company works with the most popular companies such as Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, Kappa, and more.

So how did two graduates from Berkeley decide to create such a platform where people can buy only high-quality, genuine sneakers, both used and new?

This is the story of Eddy and Daishin and their journey to revolutionizing the online sneakers marketplace like never before.

From Cream Puffs to Sneakers

The entrepreneurial story of Eddy Lu and Daishin Sugano starts long before GOAT was even conceived. Eddy always wanted to own a company ever since he was young. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Eddy started his career along with Daishin by working in a few corporations.

In 2007, the two decided to quit their corporate jobs in pursuit of fulfilling their entrepreneurial dreams. The path was threaded with hits and a lot of misses, but that didn’t deter the duo from pursuing their dreams, that would one day lead them to the groundbreaking GOAT.

The idea on Eddy’s mind was GrubWithUS, a site that arranges meals between strangers in the greater Chicago area. Eddy’s concept was innovative: reserve a seat at a restaurant for a meal up to the clients taste. Sadly, the app didn’t meet the expectations and never managed to achieve the projected success.

Meanwhile, Daishin was one of the co-founders of Superb, a platform that people can use to remember places more easily. Unlike his business partner, Daishin was a bit luckier and is still active in Superb to this day.

Soon after, Eddy with his friend Daishin from UC Berkeley decided to do something new and more challenging. All it took was a pair of fake sneakers bought from eBay, to give these two friends the idea that would change it all.

What Led to GOAT

At the age of 10, Daishin received his first pair of Air Jordan 5 Grapes, the same shoes that Michael Jordan wore while playing for the Chicago Bulls. Daishin ordered the 2013 re-release version of the primary model from a seller on eBay, thinking he’s buying genuine sneakers. After sharing his disappointment with Eddy Lu, the two came to the idea of creating an online platform where users could shop without worrying about scams.

GOAT’s mission was to provide a safe platform for sellers and buyers, with protocols for checking the authenticity of the product. The name of the company was suggested by Daishin, as an homage to his idol Michael Jordan - the GOAT of basketball.

In July 2015, GOAT was launched, and it quickly lived up to its name, the ‘Greatest of all time.’ Not even a year after GOAT went online, they were stunned by his web page’s success and interest. As months went by, there were hundreds of people arriving at the website in search of high-quality sneakers.

The site enjoyed massive success in the first months following its release, and there was no other way but up!

First Customers - The Lucky Ones

For any business venture to be successful, it must attract customers from every direction. Eddy knew that all people love to own an authentic pair of sneakers, which was the ideal business for him and Daishin. As soon as GOAT went online in 2015, hundreds of new customers arrived on the site to see the latest innovative marketplace for authentic sneakers.

The first GOAT customers wasted no time and grabbed a pair of the retro Air Jordan 5 Grapes, a model that continues to be famous today. The first buyers and sellers at GOAT were more than satisfied as this platform made it easier to connect both subjects in the shopping process.

Not only that, but GOAT has several ways to verify the authenticity of the resellers, to avoid any unwanted scams. Another reason why so many customers flock to the site.

As time went on, more and more users arrived at GOAT to order their ideal pair of sneakers.

Eddy’s idea was to offer only the best possible service and provide customers with a pair of shoes from credible top-sellers.

What makes GOAT so unique is that it offers two sneakers options for buying. The customers can choose whether to buy a new pair of sneakers or they can purchase a used authentic model at a lower yet reasonable price. This feature was something unheard of, as most trading platforms would only sell new and unused sneakers.

Additionally, the site was curated in a unique way with users having the option to shop by collections, colors, and even materials. As expected by the duo, GOAT quickly gathered around seven million frequent customers and sellers, a fine example of how to manage a simple yet effective sneaker trading online platform!

Only Top Brands

Even before the idea of GOAT was set in motion, Eddy wanted to work with nothing more than top sneakers brands. The duo decided to make an online trading platform where people can purchase high-quality sneakers first hand, with fast shipments to the customer’s address.

For this to be possible, Eddy and Daishin raised around $100 million in fundings, and today the company is backed by one of the most known sportswear chains Foot Locker. Throughout the years since GOAT was launched, some of the most popular companies have started to collaborate with GOAT.

Eddy and his partner decided to go one step further and went public with the IPO, but there is no information on when GOAT went public. Along with top brand sales on the site, GOAT is now one of the largest sneaker platforms on the internet, and it's no wonder why so many known retailers want to invest in it!

Where is GOAT Today

Today, Eddy Lu is still serving as one of the CEOs for GOAT, along with this long-time friend Daishin as the Chief Product Officer. Eddy’s company has enjoyed rapid success in the past six years, and with GOAT going public in 2021, this success is expected to grow even further. Currently, GOAT has brought Eddy and Daishin around $200 million, which is spectacular, taking into consideration how the business first started.

Aside from the initial ordeal with footwear, GOAT now sells authentic clothes and accessories to appeal to anyone’s taste. Today, Eddy and Daishin’s GOAT is in cooperation with top-notch brands like Nike, Adidas, Puma, Kappa, Under Armour, and many more.

GOAT now has a dedicated Android and iOS app where users can order their favorite piece of footwear or clothes through their mobile phones.

Today, GOAT continues to be one of the leaders in the entire sneakers industry with over 7 million frequent users, and this trend is expected to grow even more in the coming years - the GOAT is not going anywhere any time soon!