283: Bennett Collen & Ben Jones On Combining NFTs With Sneakers And Experiences

Joe and Tom are joined by Bennett Collen, Cofounder and CEO of Endstate, and Benjamin Jones, Director of Growth at Endstate. An active principal in the Blockchain space for several years, Bennett discusses how he co-founded the sneaker and apparel brand in Endstate, where they incorporate NFTs into the product ownership experience. He elaborates on the value of integrating the physical, digital, and experiential to usher the consumers into the future of product ownership. They also explain how NFTs authenticate sneakers and can eventually foster incredible customer experiences with athletes, artists, and entrepreneurs. Bennett also talks about their first-ever athlete collaboration with the NFL star DeVonta Smith and his signature sneaker line. He also shares his insights on the consumer's mindset in the collectibles market while pointing out how they envision Endstate's user experience leveraging AR and VR technologies. You do not want to miss out on this engaging and insightful episode on The CUSP show. The CUSP Show is a production by the faculty of Sports Management at Columbia University. You can get in touch with the program on Twitter @CU_SPS_Sports. The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR). The show is produced by Yash Agarwal ’22 (@yashagarwal655), Sam Marks ’22, and Connor O’Neill ’22, with Jillian Quinn ’22 (@JillianMQuinn) and Dominique Smith ’22 managing social media efforts.