We love spotlighting women in our community who are breaking barriers and making (HER)story in the sneaker space! We are chatting with our girl Sydnee T, also known as Syd. She is the first woman virtual co-creator for Dotswoosh and we are excited to “get to know '' her!
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Hey Syddddd! Thank you so much for chatting with us! Let’s hop right on in! I know most of the Kicks & Fros fam knows “Sneakerfreaksyd” but for those who don’t, tell us a little about yourself and where you’re from!
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“What's up, yall?! My name is Sydnee Thompson. I am an Agency CEO and multi-hyphenate storyteller. I live in Dallas, TX with my husband and daughter but I am originally from Savannah, GA. I graduated from the University of Georgia (aka Back-to-Back National Championship University) in 2014 with a degree in Advertising & New Media and have been a social & digital strategist in the marketing industry ever since. I've led the social media efforts for Dr Pepper, Bud Light, Avocados for Mexico, and DFW International Airport just to name a few.”
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What inspired you to create DIGITAL319 and what is one lesson you learned throughout your entrepreneurial journey ?
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“When the pandemic hit, I was a Director of Digital Media for an airport in Southern California and our state was one of the first to mandate office closures and working from home. I was recently engaged and decided to move back to Texas to be with my fiancé since we had been doing long distance for 2 years. Having time away from the corporate office routine and seeing how much more impactful I felt in my role and also for clients I was freelancing for sparked an epiphany. And that epiphany was that I had more than enough experience, expertise, skills, natural talent, and connections within the digital media space (email, social, web) to launch my own Digital Media Agency. *Insert the launch of Digital319 on 3.19.2021.* I am a cancer survivor of almost 20 years and at the age of 12, on March 19, 2004, I was pronounced cancer free from Hodgkin's Lymphoma. So that date, 3.19, lives on in the name of my company.
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I've learned many lessons over the last two years, but one that always sticks with me is rooted in the Maya Angelou quote, "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Since the launch of D319, no matter what social media content I've posted or what lead generation email funnels I set up or what masterclasses I've hosted, we've received most clients via word of mouth and referrals from past coworkers or clients at my previous jobs. Because of the relationships I made and impressions I left in the past, it has now afforded me to build a multi-six-figure company, with a growing team of 3 and a diversified client portfolio.”
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For those who don’t know, what is Dotswoosh and how you were chosen to be the 1st female virtual co-creator?
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“.SWOOSH is Nike's Official web3 virtual creation platform. In late January 2023, they launched a challenge on their Instagram for the .SWOOSH community to tell their story via a mood board. There would be four winners selected and each of them would (1) win $5,000 (2) work with the infamous Bryce Wong, @bbbrycewong, to design one of Nike's first digital collectible sneakers and (3) be the first non-signature athletes to earn royalties off of a co-creation with Nike. I submitted my entry and a week or so later, I was notified that I had been selected as a winner. It wasn't until they announced us the following week in the SNKRS App, did I find out that I was the only woman. Still surreal.”
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How was your experience at NIKE HQ and tell us about one unforgettable moment.
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“The entire Nike WHQ experience is still unfathomable. Yes, because we got to tour all the facilities on the amazing campus. Yes, because we got to reveal/present our .SWOOSH creations to each other and Nike Legends, like Wilson Smith. But mostly, because after working together for months only virtually it was so great to finally connect in person with the .SWOOSH team, my co-winners, and our families. The whole week felt like a family reunion.
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Hands down the most unforgettable moment was being able to visit DNA (Department of Nike Archives). Like, most employees don't ever get access to visit DNA. It was a dream to put on the white gloves and see the lineage of this amazing brand through its products, its marketing and even through photos of other artists and rappers and creators that stood in the same rigs we all stood in. Holding the Air Jordan 1 prototype that the AIR movie was about and being in the room with Bryce and seeing dunks & SBs he created (Lobsters, Chunky Dunkys, Run The Jewels, etc) up close are definitely two of my favorite sneaker moments.”
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Can you share with us the inspiration behind your design?
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“My design is titled after my mood board concept, Threads of Survival. And it is a visual embrace of the joys of surviving the experiences life throws at us. In my mood board, I included pictures of my family, my travels, my bout with cancer, some of my favorite quotes...all things that have inspired and motivated me to get through life's challenges. So I was able to work with the team to weave so many of these details into my shoe, from the inner sock liner having a quote from my great-grandma to the pull tab & dubree having my remission date and a symbolic hard candy to an unforeseen perf-less AF1 toebox to the only 5 perfs on the shoe representing my families (survival tribes) to the sole of the shoe being an actual photo from my camera roll and straight from #8 in my mood board entry. Even after breaking down all of that, there are still so many other details packed in.”
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What are some things we can look forward to from Dotswoosh in the future?
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“The beautiful thing about Nike's entrance into web3 via .SWOOSH is that their digital collectibles have a multitude of utilities. From gaming and AI filters to Mint Pass and Experiences. Seeing the sneaker and retail industries becoming "phygital" through avenues like digital collectibles (ex. everyone who owns my sneaker gets access to a physical Nike drop) is something I'd keep my eyes on.”
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Before you go, I have to ask, what is your grail & why?
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“I definitely have more than one lol. But if I did an eeny meeny miney mo, I'd say 2019 viotech dunks. I love a lot of color in my collection and low cut silhouettes so that pair just checks all the boxes.”
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Be sure to tap in with Sydnee on IG ( all three of them) @sneakerfreaksyd, @digital319, & @sydneejonquail for all things Dotswoosh, social media, sneakers, travel, wife & mommy life, and everything in between!
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- Jackie