Hey there, I'm Brent Meredith, founder of ONDAY, the world’s first barefoot minimalist shoe with an optional built-in toe spacer system. This isn’t just another footwear brand. ONDAY was born out of a deeply personal journey; one that changed how I think about health, movement, and the very foundation we stand on: our feet.
It Started With a Feeling: Something Was Off
As a kid, I remember trips to the shoe store where no matter what I tried on... sneakers, cleats, you name it ... the shoes always felt too narrow. They’d squeeze the sides of my feet like a vise but I was told it was “normal” and that I just needed to “break them in.” After hours of schoolyard play and soccer practice, my feet and legs would ache and my parents and coaches would chalk it up to "growing pains". Well I stopped growing around 18 and those same foot and leg aches persisted.
Turns out, it wasn’t me breaking the shoes in. The shoes were breaking me in.
When the Barefoot Movement First Sparked My Curiosity
Fast forward to my early adult years, Vibram FiveFingers hit the scene. You know, the “toe shoes” that look like gloves for your feet? Around the same time, the book Born to Run landed in my hands. It blew the lid off everything I thought I knew about shoes, detailing how conventional footwear might be at the heart of one of the most widespread, silent health crises of our time.
So I gave Vibram a shot. At first, I liked them but they looked odd, didn’t feel quite right, and honestly... I didn’t notice a huge improvement in my foot or leg aches. Eventually, I stopped using them, not really understanding why it hadn’t worked for me like it had for so many others.
A Broken Wrist Opened My Eyes
Years later, I broke my wrist and had it immobilized in a cast. When the cast came off, I was stunned, I could think about moving my wrist, but it simply wouldn’t move. The muscles had atrophied. The nerves had forgotten. All in just three months.
That’s when it hit me: What if the same thing had happened to my feet?
The Rabbit Hole: Discovering Natural Feet
I started digging into foot rehab and came across photos of people who had never worn shoes. Their toes were beautifully splayed, open, stable, functional. When I compared those feet to mine? Let’s just say it was like comparing hands to mittens. My toes had molded to the shape of every narrow, confining shoe I'd ever worn. The realization was stark: the shoes had reshaped my feet.
That’s when I found toe spacers. These silicone tools gently separate your toes, encouraging them to return to their natural alignment, kind of like braces, but for your feet.
Toe Spacers: A Grounded Awakening
The first time I put them on, it was surreal. My toes started spreading and gripping the ground beneath me. I felt rooted. Balanced. Even tried a pistol squat, something I’d never been able to do, and nailed it on the first try.
That’s when I understood: just wearing barefoot shoes wasn’t enough. My feet had spent decades in tight shoes. I needed more than freedom. I needed rehabilitation.
Toe spacers were the missing link.
But There Was One Problem…
Toe spacers are great, until they start slipping out of your shoes during a walk, run, or workout. I didn't just want to wear toe spacers around the house, I wanted to wear them all day, everyday. That’s when the idea hit me like a lightning bolt:
Why isn’t there a shoe with built-in toe spacers that don’t slip and are anchored directly to the insole? I couldn't find anyone anywhere with such a product.
So I sketched it out on a flashcard I had nearby...that napkin sketch is still taped to my computer as a reminder of where we started and that’s how ONDAY was born.
A New Way Forward, One Step at a Time
ONDAY isn’t just about shoes. It’s about liberating your feet, reclaiming your balance, and walking through life on solid, natural ground.
Here’s to soles that don’t conform and feet that won’t quit.
—
Brent Meredith
Founder, ONDAY
