← 40 Rising Stars 40 & Under

SamantaJoseph_adj

By Sonja Mack | Published February 2, 2012 | Full size is 432 × 480 pixels

Samanta Joseph, 34 CEO SamantaShoes.com Changing the game in the retail shoe industry, Joseph runs a company that designs and retails stylish, comfortable shoes for women challenged to find footwear in their size. Her inspiration: the need to find durable comfort on city streets. “I ripped apart a pair of my very expensive shoes to see how they were made. I did some research and realized that they were made for women with high arches and insteps.” Joseph decided to design shoes that were more comfy for a wider market. Designing shoes has been a passion of Joseph’s since she was a child, and her business, launched in 2003, grossed approximately $1 million in 2010. Dream vacation: Petit Martinique, an island off of the island of Grenada. "The thing I love about the island is that there are no electronics--no TV, no telephones, no computers. So when you’re there, you’re just engulfed in the serenity of nature and can have some good old family time." Dream car: "Anything with a DVD player in it that will entertain my 4-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son!" Phone: Samsung Smiley Laptop: Lenovo X200 "It’s lightweight and compact and does everything I need it to do." Other tech tools: Canon Powershot SX210IS "I love this camera so much because it has the Powershot compactness but the operating system of an EOS, like the Canon Red Deluxe D. It has a super zoom and the digital quality of the pictures is so awesome." Favorite store: Crazy 8 "I shop mostly for my kids, so anywhere I can get quality at an affordable price is where I will live." Favorite beverage: "A natural, very tasty veggie fruit juice that my dad makes."

Samanta Joseph, 34

CEO

SamantaShoes.com

Changing the game in the retail shoe industry, Joseph runs a company that…