Rising Stars: Meet Audrey Niebes of Boulder

Today we’d like to introduce you to Audrey Niebes.

Hi Audrey, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I earned a degree in Fashion Merchandising and Marketing while also playing Division 1 soccer. After graduating from Kent State University, I began working for an athletic apparel company based in the Cleveland, Ohio. A mutual friend introduced me to the owner of Lems, which at the time was a [very] small operation of just two people—himself and one other employee. He had big plans to relocate Lems from Pennsylvania to Colorado and grow the company, so I made the bold decision to quit my job, pack up my apartment in just two weeks, and move to Boulder—a place I’d never even been before. This was nearly ten years ago!

I’ve been with Lems ever since, and it’s been an incredible journey. I’ve loved being part of the company’s growth, its strategic positioning, and helping build the brand into what it is today. During my time in Colorado, I stayed in touch with a former fling in Ohio, and after over two years of long-distance, I moved back to Ohio to take the next steps. Thankfully, I was able to keep my role at Lems and I still am lucky enough to travel back and forth from Ohio to Colorado multiple times a year.

Since then, my now husband and I have purchased a house, have an American Bulldog named Bruce, and now have an 11-month-old son! It’s been an exciting ride in both my personal life and career, and despite the twists and turns, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’d be lying if I said the road has been smooth 100% of the time. Life is full of ups and downs—though, I think that’s what makes it exciting, right? Well, most of the time, at least! In both my personal and professional life, there have always been forks in the road and tough decisions to make. But I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason.

In business, my day-to-day is still filled with difficult choices. Working in startup means that everything up until this point has been trial and error. Some things work, others don’t—and I’ve had to face the consequences, no matter the outcome, good or bad! I genuinely love what I do, and as much as I hate to admit it, being wrong sometimes has been one of my greatest teachers. Whether it was a questionable social media post, a material or color choice for a new shoe style, or a new marketing venture —obstacles have always been part of the journey, and I’ve done my best to learn and grow from them.

In my personal life, I’ve also faced some of those tough decisions. After the pandemic, I found myself torn between prioritizing my personal life or my career. Thankfully, I was able to balance both, and looking back, I’m certain it was the best decision I could have made. Not only do I have a beautiful family I adore, but I also get to keep doing the work I love for a company that I love. I couldn’t be happier.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
If you’re not familiar with Lems, we’re a minimalist footwear company based in Boulder, Colorado. The company was founded by Andrew Rademacher, a former decathlete who once wore ten different pairs of shoes for each of his events. Frustrated by why each event required a different shoe and how uncomfortable they all were, Andrew reached a turning point in both his athletic career and his search for footwear that truly matched the natural shape of the foot. After dissecting his favorite running shoes and removing unnecessary material, he delved into the art of shoemaking. Andrew taught himself about shoe fitting, last construction, and pattern making to craft shoes that offered an unmatched fit.

Soon, Andrew realized that the major shoe brands had it all wrong. Shoes should be designed around the natural shape of the foot, not the other way around. This meant shoes needed to be widest at the toes and forefoot, allowing for full flexibility and movement. With this insight, and after countless hours of research, prototyping, and design, Lems was born.

I’m currently the Marketing Director at Lems, and I’ve been with the company for nearly ten years. My role spans marketing, social media, strategic partnerships, product releases, and much more. Over the past decade, we’ve seen incredible growth, all while operating with just TEN employees. Yes, you read that right—ten! Despite being a global organization, we remain small and nimble, with each of us wearing multiple hats and doing whatever it takes to get the job done.

And did I mention we’re 100% family-owned? There are no shareholders or board of directors—our owner holds full ownership of the company. I truly believe these two factors have played a big role in setting us apart from the rest of the industry. We may be small, but we are mighty—and definitely a force to be reckoned with. Like any business, we have ups and downs, but at the end of the day, we all share the same goal: to spread the word of healthy footwear, grow the business to the best of our ability, and have the most fun while doing it!

It’s been such a rewarding experience working for a small company and watching it grow from just three employees with no one knowing what Lems was, to being recognized not only across the country but around the world. I remember when I used to tell friends or new connections that I worked for Lems, and they’d ask, “What’s that?” Now, it’s more like, “Wow, you work for Lems!”.

I’ll never forget the first time I saw someone wearing our shoes in public—it was such a cool moment, especially when it was a pair I helped choose the color or material for. It was like, “Wow, I was part of that! And now someone has the shoes on their feet”. It’s still cool to see when I’m traveling at the airport and can spot people wearing Lems from a mile away, all across the country. Going from nobody knowing about the brand to seeing it out in public nearly every day—it’s really an incredible feeling and I’ve loved being a part of the process from nearly the beginning.

Working at Lems has been and I think always will be a rewarding, yet challenging experience. Every day presents something different, and no two days are ever alike. I can definitely say I’m never bored!

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
The overall lifestyle of the Boulder/Denver area is what truly makes it special. Having grown up in the Midwest, moving to Colorado has been one of the best experiences of my life. The people are active and passionate about being outdoors. What’s even more amazing is that you’re just a short hop, skip, and jump from the mountains—whether you want to hike, bike, or ski. It’s something you just can’t find nearly anywhere else!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lemsshoes.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/lemsshoes
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/lemsshoes
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7eYYeMhWKAGXVmfLfkJq9A?view_as=subscriber