In a candid and entrepreneurial memoir, Authentic: A Memoir by the Founder of Vans, Paul Van Doren (who passed away earlier this year) traverses his journey from being a high school dropout to becoming the founder of the renowned sneaker brand. Charting his time as a 16-year-old working at a local rubbery factory and learning how to canvas tennis shoes to opening the first stand-alone retail store for sneakers, Van Doren’s tale inspires and doesn’t shy away from the realities of bankruptcy and family turmoil. Authentic acts a deep look behind the creation of the pioneering brand and how it reimagined how people think about athletic shoes.
Authentic: A Memoir by the Founder of Vans
$28
