Lindsay Housman was floored when she learned that women are considered “a confounding variable” when it comes to scientific and athletic research. That is to say that women are rarely researched because they are more “complicated.”

This is especially true in the athletic footwear industry where most research has been done exclusively on men and then applied to women as a “smaller version of men.”

Learning this was a lightbulb moment for this entrepreneur with two twin daughters (who also happen to run). Hettas, performance running shoes for women, was born. 

Truth be told, there are multiple differences between males and females in this area as it pertains to anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics and, today, Hettas is leading this charge in female specific research and design, thanks to their relationship with Dr. Chris Napier. Chris is a clinical assistant professor at the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of British Columbia. He is also a member of the Minerva research group at Simon Fraser University. His research interests include running biomechanics and injury prevention, particularly through the use of wearable technology. 

Lindsay and Chris unpack their process from idea to full fledged running shoe. 

They discuss:

• The many anatomical, physiological, and biomechanics differences between male and female athletes 
• How hormonal changes in women could affect training and footwear choices 
• The detailed research studies they conducted to determine what women actually need
• The three shoe types and why they chose the specific materials and design
• The power of building community and receiving feedback from female runners
• Their plan for growth and product expansion
• Their dream research projects 

Not only are they providing a practical product to help women perform better, but Hetta’s is also mission driven to lead the way in women’s research, encourage female business leadership, and close the confidence gap between males and females in the athletic industry. 

And, according to Lindsay, Chris, and the entire Hetta’s team, there is no better way to serve young girls and women- especially their own daughters.