Don’t give your client what they want. 

Read Time - 5 minutes

Most footwear designers are afraid.

They nod their heads in client meetings, diligently taking notes about exactly what the client wants. They play it safe with familiar designs, reliable factories, and proven materials. They avoid pushing boundaries or presenting ambitious ideas.

Why?

Because somewhere along the way, they bought into a dangerous myth: that giving clients exactly what they ask for is the path to success. But here's what 10+ years in the industry has taught me about this "safe" approach:

It's the fastest way to become irrelevant.

Look around. The most successful design firms aren't order takers – they're market makers. They don't just execute requests – they shape entire categories. And they certainly don't play it safe.

“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”

Starting out, everyone laughed at Henry Ford building a car. Why build automobiles if everyone rides horses? His vehicles weren’t great compared to the horse-drawn carriages. 

But if he focused on what customers wanted, we’d have missed decades of automobile innovation. 

Here’s the problem: your clients don’t always know what they want.

• Clients say they want "safe" but invest in bold

• They ask for "proven" but respect innovative

• They request "familiar" but remember revolutionary

In today's newsletter, I'm going to show you the exact framework we use to transform from order takers into innovation leaders. 

You'll learn:

• Why safe bets backfire

• The 3-Option Framework to get clients to trust Innovative ideas.

• Real Innovation requires Real risk

There's a reason why the top 1% of design firms control 90% of the industry's profits. 

By the end of this post, you'll know exactly how.

When a Safe Bet Backfires

Early in my career, we worked on a women’s casual footwear collection. The client gave us clear specifications: a minimal, sleek design in neutral tones. We delivered exactly what they requested.

The result? An interrogation of the design:

• "Can we add something to make it pop?"

• "This doesn’t feel fresh."

• "It feels uninspired."

The feedback loop was brutal. Tweaks and back-and-forth revisions dragged the timeline, and the design—despite following their brief to the letter—felt lifeless.

That’s when I realized: clients don’t want what they say they want. 

They want ideas that excite them.

The 3-Option Framework to get clients to trust Innovative ideas.

On the next project, we changed tactics. We didn’t just show what they asked for, instead we presented 3 options:

1. A commercial-safe option (what they wanted).

2. A boundary-pushing option (a step past their expectations).

3. An ambitious, surprise option (to spark curiosity).

This approach turned the process on its head.

When we designed the Hush Puppies’ Amelia boot program, the goal was to create timeless winter staples. But we didn’t stop there. Instead of sticking to the template, we incorporated water-resistant materials, work-friendly silhouettes, plus a lightweight EXTRALIGHT® outsole for top notch comfort.

The result?

• The Amelia lace up boot won Good Housekeeping’s “Best Work-Appropriate Winter Boot” award.

• It helped elevate the client’s brand credibility in comfort and style.

• We cut our design process time by 30%.

When we brought innovative ideas to the table, the conversation shifted.
Clients focused less on nitpicking and more on brainstorming with us. 

They started to trust our thought process, not just our execution.

Real Innovation Requires Risks

Too many designers stay trapped in what’s been done before. They discount their own ideas and expertise to play it safe. 

It’s not about being reckless.

It’s about taking calculated risks and embracing the discomfort that comes with pushing boundaries.

That’s where true growth lies.

Your Turn: Show your clients what’s possible.

Next time you’re designing, don’t just give the client what they ask for. Show them what’s possible.

• What’s the safe option?

• What’s the bold step forward?

• What’s the unexpected idea that could redefine the conversation?

You might just surprise yourself, and your clients.

See you next time!

Cheers!
Erin

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