Andrew McDonald is an Australian master shoemaker and founder of A. McDonald Shoemaker, a bespoke footwear workshop based in Sydney's historic Strand Arcade. Since establishing his business in 1990, Andrew has spent more than three decades handcrafting custom shoes renowned for their exceptional fit, durability, and timeless design. A 1996 Churchill Fellow, he trained with master shoemakers in Britain and France before bringing traditional European techniques back to Australia.

Connect with Andrew McDonald!

https://andrewmcdonald.com.au

https://www.instagram.com/amdshoemaker

CHAPTERS:

0:00 – Introduction

1:18 – Meet Andrew McDonald

1:41 – Andrew's shoemaking workshop

3:33 – How custom shoe lasts are made to fit each customer's feet

5:16 – How Andrew turns foot measurements into a custom shoes

6:24 – Different toe shapes and how to choose the right style

7:25 – Why Andrew offers multiple shoe widths instead of more designs

8:38 – The story behind Andrew's sneaker-boot design

9:39 – What actually makes a shoe comfortable?

10:39 – Andrew shares which shoes last the longest

11:34 – Andrew's 7-year-old boots and building shoes to last for decades

12:52 – Why traditional shoes have raised toes

14:14 – Handmade leather bags and designing products that age beautifully

15:15 – How Andrew decides which products to create

16:08 – Where Andrew sources premium leather

18:33 – Andrew explains how leather is sourced from animals

19:57 – Andrew showcases a transparent kangaroo leather shoe

21:35 – Why premium shoes use leather instead of plastic supports

22:46 – Why leather soles outperform synthetic materials

24:31 – Why quality shoelaces matter more than people think

26:33 – Andrew talks about hand-dyeing leather and creating custom shoe colors

27:39 – How a shoe should actually fit your feet

28:42 – Why quality leather shoes need a break-in period

29:43 – What shoe support really means for your feet

30:30 – What impresses a master shoemaker when he sees someone else's shoes

32:08 – Why Andrew chose The Strand and his journey through Sydney retail

34:38 – Andrew talks about Sydney's emerging bespoke fashion districts

35:22 – Is custom shoemaking a dying industry?

35:49 – What has kept Andrew passionate after 35 years

36:52 – What Andrew's typical workday looks like

37:27 – Andrew talks about building a shoemaking team and training craftsmen

38:05 – How Matthew joined the business with no shoemaking experience

39:54 – Why running a shoemaking business is harder than making shoes

41:21 – Andrew's custom order backlog and 12-week production process

42:17 – Step-by-step: How a custom shoe is made

43:05 – How Andrew tracks every custom order

43:21 – Andrew measures and analyzes Andy's feet

52:27 – Andrew talks about the ready-to-wear shoes available in their store

53:02 – Wallets, bracelets, and other handmade leather goods

54:55 – Ready-to-wear vs. custom-made shoes

55:45 – Why Andrew manufactures his ready-to-wear shoes in Vietnam

56:58 – How AI could change custom footwear in the future

59:13 – Why the future of retail is all about customer experience

59:55 – Andrew talks about customer loyalty after more than 35 years in business

1:00:33 – Andrew talks about a loyal customer who reordered 16 pairs of shoes over 10 years

1:01:38 – Reordering custom shoes without another fitting

1:02:38 – Andrew's advice for entrepreneurs pursuing what they love

1:03:59 – Andrew shares the hardest years of building the business

1:05:04 – Andrew talks about hustling for orders during difficult times

1:05:43 – Why chasing rapid business growth is a mistake

1:06:03 – Will Andrew's children continue the family business?

1:07:14 – Outro