The Jordan 1, as you might assume, is Michael Jordan's first ever signature shoe. The shoe was first released in 1985 and was both the catalyst for the greatest legacy in the history of footwear and is credited with changing the sneaker industry forever.

At the time of its release, the shoe landscape consisted of unimaginative white shoes with the occasional black accent. When Mike started wearing his black and red (known as the "bred colorway" in sneaker terms) Jordan 1's, the NBA was so furious about the rookie's brash shoe choice that they began fining him $5,000 for every game he wore the shoes on the court.

Nike saw the opportunity as a better advertisement than one they could've ever come up with on their own. They started paying Michael's fines and created a brilliant ad (see it here) based on what's known now as the "banned" Jordan 1's. While the shoes started selling well among basketball players and NBA fans, the shoes really didn't become mainstream until years later.

When the shoe was re-released (or "retroed" in sneaker terminology) in 1994, there was little excitement. After all, MJ was already on his 9th signature shoe and technology had developed exponentially over that period. The sneakers sat on shelves and eventually hit the sale rack - many pairs reportedly going for as low as $19...

...Until the skateboarders and streetwear culture makers discovered a cheap shoe that was durable enough to withstand a beating on the skateboard or the streets and still look good. Once it was adopted by the streets, the shoe blew up in popularity and went mainstream. Those $19 shoes now go for thousands of dollars on eBay and Jordan brand continues to make a killing on re-releases of the shoes. The "Royal" colorway just retroed last Saturday and sold out everywhere within minutes.

Here at SlideBelts, one of the quickest ways to never getting invited back for another interview is being too cocky. This can come across in many different ways through different people, (you have the guy who’s draped over the couch a little too loosely and forgets to use appropriate language/ the person who constantly belittles their previous employer/ the person who comes straight out of the gate with multiple observations on how they could improve the business from the inside out.)

The bottom line is, we tend to hire humble people.

We will continue to do this, but to be honest it comes with some challenges of its own. Naturally humble people tend to be overly critical of themselves, not speak up about their personal accomplishments, and can constantly second guess their decisions.

So how do you walk the fine line between confidence and cockiness? Glad you asked.

I’ve noticed that it’s all about attitudes in interviews. Observe two statements that tell me the same information, with two very different tones:

 - “My last employer never took my suggestions. We never saw eye to eye. I was happy to leave; I need something different."

 - “I’m looking for a place where I can make an impact..A place where inclusion thrives and every voice is heard. I haven’t felt that in the past, but I know I can make a difference if given the chance.”

So how do you apply this to your job today? Give yourself a dose of the confidence you deserve by not being afraid to share your accomplishments(with the right attitude)

  - “This project took me all day. Look how awesome of a job I did on it” Sounds a lot different than..

 - “I’m really excited about the progress I’ve been making and skills I’ve been learning from this project”

Now I have come to terms with my name in a variety of situations. I am older now and the confusion and anger I felt around my name has subsided.

I am midway through college and I begin my search for a "real" job. I get my resume together and begin to send it out. My name splashed across the top "NERY SOLANO"; eagerly waiting, I received very little in response. (You may be thinking I was just under-qualified. This was my initial response, too).

I went to one of the interviews that I had landed and was met with, "Wow, you look nothing like I expected."
Which reminded me of the uniqueness of my name, at least around here.

I decided to give the same jobs I had not received a call from a second shot, but with the name SAM. The emails began to come in. Although I was happy, that confusion crept back into my mind as I had to grapple with my name even as I began transitioning into adulthood.

To be continued.....

(P.S. this was way before I applied here and this does not reflect on the hiring practices of SlideBelts.)