2019-08-01_Men_s_Health_South_Africa

MH.CO.ZA/ August 2019 19

CAPE TOWN,

SOUTH AFRICA

OCCUPATION

ENTREPRENEUR;

FOUNDER OF VOSK SHOES

THE MAN

BY

THAAQIB

DANIELS

WESLEY VOS

CASEY

CRAFFORD

LOCATION

Whether you’re completing a stylish

outfit with a pair of sneakers, shining your classiest

pair of loafers for a business meeting or lacing up your

trainers for a morning jog, footwear is an everyday part

of most people’s lives.

It’s also big business. Brands have poured major

funds into collabs with athletes and celebs in order to

widen their audience and increase their market share.

There are some brands, however, that walk a

different line when it comes to making a profit – the

ones that aim to give back to those who have less. VOSK

shoes is one. Founder Wesley Vos has dedicated his local

brand to making a difference.

BODY, MIND & SOLE

“With every pair of VOSK sneakers purchased, we

give a new pair of shoes to a child in need. That’s our

philosophy,” says Vos. After studying marketing

at Stellenbosch University, the now-31-year-old

entrepreneur decided to create a business with a

greater purpose.

“Working for a ‘boss’ never sat right with me. I

knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I never knew

what my business would be,” he admits. “I stumbled

on the concept of leveraging a profitable business to

improve the lives of less fortunate people – the ‘buy

one, give one’ concept.”

The next step was settling on a product. Wesley’s

desire to give back and his love for sneakers became the

driving force behind VOSK. “I chose shoes. Who doesn’t

love shoes?”

It was the fulfilment of a longstanding dream to do

good in the world. “I vividly remember watching TV

in 2004 after the tsunami hit South-East Asia. The

devastation brought tears to my eyes,” he recalls. “I felt

utterly helpless, and all I wanted to do was help. That

feeling never really went away.”

Twelve years later, Wesley finally found a way to