Interview with naBOSo founder Andrea Součková

Read our interview with Andrea Součková, founder of naBOSo. You’ll find out how she discovered barefoot shoes and what the early days of naBOSo were like.

A common question you might be asking: are barefoot shoes right for me?

These days it’s quite normal to see people wearing shoes with a flat sole and no heel, and general awareness of what barefoot shoes actually are has grown too. When I was thinking about which topic you’d be most interested in, it was exactly this: ‘Are they for me?’ And I remembered what the founder of the naBOSo shop, Andrea Kůstková, once told me:

‘When I was doing an internship in 2014 in a university laboratory in Edmonton, Canada, I started doing a lot of sport. And very often, after a longer run, my knees would start to hurt. I couldn’t understand why — I was only twenty-five at the time! When I got back, instead of going to an orthopaedic doctor, I tried my first pair of barefoot shoes. And the problems stopped. Since then, I don’t walk or run in anything else.’

So I went to interview her about what happened next — how and why these shoes helped her personally. And if you’re interested in what’s worth considering when you’re thinking about buying barefoot shoes yourself, we’ll go through that in another article. Maybe it’ll inspire you to leave a comment.

Andrea Kůstková

She was born in Zlín, so she really does have shoes in her blood. Her grandmother worked in the Baťa skyscraper as a designer. Andrea studied at the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, specialising in Food Technology with a focus on food microbiology. She is currently studying a postgraduate programme focused on beneficial probiotic bacteria.

After studying in Canada, she came up with the idea of a barefoot shoe shop in the Czech Republic while travelling around Asia (Vietnam and Cambodia). It opened on 5. 5. 2015, so at the beginning of May this year, the naBOSo shop will celebrate four years in business.

1. How and when did you get the idea to open a barefoot shoe shop, Andrea?

The idea quite literally came out of the blue — when my ego was on holiday. It was during our travels around South East Asia with my then partner Petr Mühlhans, and after a 50-kilometre run almost barefoot or in barefoot sandals. It happened in the largest temple complex in the world, Angkor Wat, where the thought came to me that we could open a shop with all the ‘barefoot’ brands.

Right after that, we started looking for new brands to bring to the Czech Republic. Just five months later, on 5. 5. 2015, we opened naBOSo — the first multi-brand shop in Prague 6, Dejvice.

The beginnings weren’t easy. We put everything we had into the business, and at the start we even slept in the back room of the shop. We truly poured our hearts into it and devoted our whole lives to it at the time. It often happened that we worked until two in the morning. But it was worth it. Alongside the brick-and-mortar shop in Dejvice, we also run an e-shop and a wholesale business.

Barefoot shoes helped me, and I believe they’ll help others too. That personal experience gives me energy that always drives me forward. naBOSo isn’t just a shop — it’s our mission.

2. Your shop is called naBOSo — do you go barefoot yourself? And in which season? On what kind of terrain — city, forest, sea, mountains?

Of course — going barefoot ‘recharges’ me. I love walking on fresh grass, by the sea, basically anywhere in nature. There’s scientific research behind it too (so-called earthing) suggesting that walking barefoot really can ‘charge’ our bodies positively through free electrons and ground us. But I’m not that extreme — for walking in the city, I wear barefoot shoes.

3. Do you now wear barefoot shoes only and exclusively?

Yes — they’re the most comfortable shoes for me. Only for a ball or an important social event (about once every three months) do I put on heels, but after about 30 minutes I give up and take them off. Most of those shoes feel too narrow for me now — it’s a huge difference compared to comfortable barefoot shoes.

But I did have to change the way I walk compared to the habitual pattern from conventional shoes. And I had to train my feet a bit too.

4. Do you run in barefoot shoes as well?

Yes, it does me good. People often ask us: is it good to run in barefoot footwear too? I say yes — but you need to adapt your running technique, and sometimes change it quite significantly.

In barefoot shoes, your cadence should be much higher, meaning you need to take shorter, quicker steps. Your foot strike should be consistently through the forefoot to the whole foot — you definitely shouldn’t run with a heel strike. My favourite brands for running right now are New Ballance and Merrell.

You see, Andrea, I like ‘Merrells’ too — they’re great, light and comfortable. However, I don’t run in them; they’ve been well tested for walking in nature. I use them instead of light hiking boots, and I even take them cycling.

5. Has your health (in any way) changed since you started wearing only barefoot shoes? And is it connected to changing your footwear?

The human body is a perfect creation — we’re the ones who ‘damage’ it by using it in the wrong way. For example, the foot contains up to 200,000 nerve endings, 33 muscles, 28 bones and 19 tendons. We’re born barefoot, so we don’t need a thick sole for proper walking, nor do we need to squeeze our feet into stiff shoes. Up to 70% of the information the brain receives about movement comes from nerve endings in the foot. Our body can naturally adapt and adjust to the terrain — in shoes, it can’t work like that!

So the answer is: yes, absolutely! I used to have flat feet and also the beginnings of a bunion (hallux valgus). Now I have neither. I think I also have bigger calf muscles and a different overall posture. Feet are amazingly adaptable — and if you strengthen them, they change, just like the whole body.

6. What else changed for you compared to when you wore conventional shoes? Do you live differently now?

Yes — thanks to barefoot shoes, I think I even think differently. For example, I try to eat healthily. For a while I was even vegan (about half a year), but it didn’t suit my body. I don’t buy much meat for home, though, and if I have a choice, I’ll go for the organic option. Our professor always said the golden middle way is best — everything in moderation; no extreme is good. Of course, I also like supporting skilled Czech makers, so I choose Czech foods. We also sort our waste and so on. Everything is connected, and I like a healthy lifestyle.

7. How is the naBOSo shop doing? What kind of customers do you see most — children, young people, or older customers?

We try to do it as well as we can. We get children, for whom proper footwear is really important for healthy foot development. Interestingly, a recent study measured children in nurseries and found that up to 70% of children wear shoes that are too small!

We also see middle-aged customers, athletes and older people — though they usually come with some kind of issue. Either they suffer from back or knee pain, have bunions, flat feet and so on. But it makes me sad that parents often come in with their children, buy shoes for them, but not for themselves — as if they weren’t important too? It’s also a shame that some adults, often those with foot problems, still give in to fashion and don’t prioritise their health.

8. What are the most common questions people ask, and what issues do they usually discuss with your assistants?

We always start by asking where they’ll be wearing the shoes — whether they want them for the city or for nature. Based on that, we recommend a suitable type of shoe. People ask a lot about materials, waterproofing, washing in the washing machine and so on.

Then we deal with sizing. Barefoot shoes should usually be one size bigger, and there should be an allowance of about 1 cm inside the shoe — up to 1.2 cm for children. That way the foot has space to work, strengthen and spread. We often also talk about bunions, little toes, knee pain, back pain, flat feet, heel spurs and so on.

9. I know you don’t just sell barefoot shoes — you also organise various events. I’ve given a talk at your place a few times about the anatomy and function of the feet. What else do you offer or plan for the public — talks, lessons, workshops or other awareness activities?

Our wonderful mission is mainly to educate society. We organise talks with Lukáš Klimpera — a physiotherapist, shoe maker and the owner of the Ahinsa brand. We also work with physiotherapist Lucie Alblová, who focuses primarily on caring for children and their feet.

We don’t just talk about feet, shoes and walking — we practise everything straight away and actually do it. We run a clinic: massage, running and walking, where in lessons we teach people the right habits. And over the summer we also run workshops making traditional huarache sandals, inspired by Indigenous peoples. And we start already in spring.

We break down prejudices and support changing habits out in the real world too — anyone can now try what it’s like to walk barefoot in the city on different natural surfaces.

With the support of Prague 6, we built a barefoot trail for the public in Max van der Stoel Park.

We also support sport for charity — we organise running races in barefoot shoes, for example this year’s edition together with the distributors of leguano shoes, the Exnar couple. The start is on 2 June at 14:00. This year it will be a relay run lasting 24 hours, and instead of passing a baton, runners will pass a barefoot shoe.

The run will support a good cause: for every lap completed (the lap is 300 metres), the Šestý smysl Foundation Fund will receive seven crowns. The race will also run through the night and ends at the moment when there is no runner on the track able to complete a lap in under 3 minutes. Come and give it a go!

We also develop ourselves and ‘toughen up’ — for example with activities like glasswalking or firewalking. While we organise walking on broken glass ourselves at various events, walking through fire or on glowing coals (firewalking) we usually leave to a specialist, David Mrhač from Bosá turistika. We also often travel to different events such as Design Market, Vegefest and other festivals connected with a healthy lifestyle. Our goal is for as many people as possible to learn about barefoot shoes.

10. Since you mentioned those different exercise lessons — what’s your view on exercising the feet and arches? Would you recommend it — did it help you? Which group of your customers could it help?

I can’t imagine it without exercise at all. Movement in general is important. We’re born to move. Exercise can reshape the body and mind and heal. I’m an example myself. I managed to lose 10 kg and keep the weight off — thanks to regular sport and healthier eating.

And thanks to exercise, my feet really changed too! So I know that foot exercises and using different tools is genuinely very important. I feel much better now than I did in the past.

11. That’s probably why you approached me, and I run a short session at your place once a month…

Yes — I’d really recommend your Classic Mondays! Once a month, our clients (and not only them — actually anyone) can meet you in person at naBOSo: you show the public your well-thought-out and effective self-massage for the feet and exercises for the feet.

Anyone who can’t come, or would rather care for their feet more smartly and effectively from the comfort of home, can also get the online course cvikypronohy.cz.

I use it myself, because it includes clear videos that guide you towards actively addressing the problem. 10 minutes a day — our feet, which carry us our whole lives, really deserve that. I saw a client — a woman scheduled for bunion surgery (hallux valgus) — who trained for three months, improved her balance and confidence when walking. And she managed it without surgery.

12. What are your plans for the near future?

We’ve now secured distribution for a great American brand: Xero Shoes. The owner is a former professional runner who struggled with injury issues. After reading the book Born to Run, he made his first barefoot sandals. People kept asking him for more and more, until he founded a company. He and his wife now run a family business: they focus on shoes for nature, for running, and now also sporty-smart models. We want to support this brand.

Then I’d also like to focus on my second project — probiotics. I tried to use my ten years of study and scientific career at UCT Prague to create the best probiotic product. It’s called Slimbiose. It contains concentrated probiotics with strains that have been verified by clinical studies and work very well.

13. And what are your long-term visions and wishes?

My goal for this year is also to finish my dissertation and defend it.

Because I love sport, I’d like to devote more time to it. I really enjoy triathlon; last year I completed a race in the Beskydy Mountains here at home: ‘Valachy man’. I’d like to keep improving in all disciplines (swimming, cycling, running), but unfortunately there isn’t much time for it.

I love the mountains, so in winter I spend my free time on the ski slopes, and I’d also like to try ski mountaineering. I’m drawn to travelling, combined with diving. And in the future, I’m really looking forward to starting a family — and maybe another dog.

14. What would you like to say to our readers?

My message is: may your feet take you wherever you long to go.

Thank you, Andrea, for the interview. And I wish you that all your plans and visions come true.

And that’s all for today, dear readers. Perhaps you already have some personal experience with these shoes too. If you’d like to ask anything or share your good experience — or the not-so-good one — I’d be delighted if you used the comments below the article or the Facebook page Are your feet smiling?

Or send me a message directly. I’ll be happy to address questions such as: what’s worth considering when you’re deciding whether barefoot shoes are right for you — or whether they’re not for you at all.