The 10 Best Jobs In Sneakers

Our dude Mache already broke it down so you could try it yourself, do you have what it takes? Custom kicks was the rage in 2012 and with some new blood already in the mix it doesn't look like the demand is slowing down in 2013 with everyone wanting exclusivity and their own visions created beyond an iD program. Your talent is your meal ticket and you have nothing else to fall back on, feast or famine — the world is yours.

Everyone hates about 98% of them but the select few that do it responsibly and do it fairly, get a great deal of respect. There's still a grey area of right and wrong when it comes to reselling but either way some of these dudes with extreme patience and great connects are making a butt-load of cash off of flipping sneakers. And usually they end up with first dibs on new products that they might actually want to keep — retailers love loyalty, especially in the form of money.

Okay, it might not be the most glamorous job or the highest-paying, but wouldn't you trade a desk gig for being able to chop it up with your peers about kicks on a daily basis and make sure they walk out the store laced in their favorite joints? Well, an entry-level desk gig anyway. It's a great starting point for teenagers and college students and with companies like Finish Line and Foot Locker you would be surprised how many company officers started out in the same spot a decade ago. Not to mention the chances for connects with people at actual brands. The streets suits is watching.

You're above selling pairs on the floor at a local retail joint but you still enjoy working with sneaker sales in general? You watched The Wire, you know whole-selling that raw around town is the way to go. This is the perfect career move and it's always interesting to see the different trends in different areas and build relationships with store managers that could really pay-off in the end, build the connects.

It's a little more than Jim Carey running suicides in The Cable Guy but not too far from using the sneakers in its environment and helping expose the weaknesses and point out the strengths of the product. We're guessing some bigger brands might let you take home a few pairs for helping test the performance of the shoe, which wasn't always the case.

A process that ties in with the actual designer — like the good people at Nike cooking things up in the Innovation Kitchen and testing and building things lighter, faster, and stronger. Determining the factors that will help the sneaker be successful and profitable during the construction stage. Figuring out how to balance what the company CAN do with what the company SHOULD do. These are the people responsible for helping execute some of the greatest ideas in footwear history.

It differs with each company and brand but the ultimate objective is spreading critical information internally and externally. Whether it is presenting information to executive teams regarding new initiatives, holding down the PR end of things, or social media strategy — it's a job that usually evolves and changes daily. Which means it stays interesting.

This one is going to take a strong background in Industrial Design or Architecture to get your foot in the door of the big brands but well worth it, they're doing well. Most people that have went down this road have always had a knack for sketching and seeing things visually from the start to end. Don't force it if it isn't you, but how dope would it be to point at an Olympian's shoes on the medal stand and say, "I designed those"?

Even at the most established companies, this is one of the key factors that separates the levels of success. Brand Marketing connects consumers through various channels of marketing and field reps to help tell the brand's story. This is a little more than e-mailing information pamphlets and an occasional commercial — these people are typically responsible for the portrayal of items through national campaigns and traveling to meet with other reps to spread the word.

Quite a few people actually get paid for this, at least 30 good ones that we know of. You love sneakers and already post about it a few dozen times on social media, you might as well let a strong publication know you have a way with words beyond hitting on that 38-year old barista around the corner. Having editors crush your confidence on a daily basis does kind of suck but you'll get over the first time you get a care package from your favorite sneaker company or get to meet your favorite athlete — and get paid for it.