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    Shoe news

    Dallas shoe brand gives heroes with prosthetics the freedom to wear flip-flops

    Stephanie Allmon Merry
    Dec 4, 2019 | 4:35 pm

    Dallas-based premium sandal company Hari Mari has launched a new initiative that fits perfectly with the brand's socially conscious ethos: providing U.S. military and first responders with flip-flops designed specifically for prosthetic legs.

    Called Freedom Flops, they're made with a removable backstrap, allowing wearers to keep the straps in tact to fit their prosthetic limbs.

    The first batch of 50 Freedom Flops was produced and given to amputees in Dallas-Fort Worth.

    While the special sandals are not yet available for purchase, anyone can use the website to register someone they know who could use a pair of Freedom Flops. A Hari Mari spokeswoman says they'll be placing a shipment soon for those who've been registered. There is no cost to the registrant or the recipient.

    The company plans to receive shipments quarterly, to start, and depending on how quickly the program takes off, they will look into additional deliveries and/or keeping them in stock permanently, she says.

    “It's beyond gratifying to do something for a group of incredibly brave men and women who have done so much for us and our country,” says Hari Mari founder Jeremy Stewart in a release. “We will never be able to convey our full gratitude and appreciation for their service and sacrifice, but my wife, Lila, and I hope Hari Mari's Freedom Flops initiative serves as a meaningful start.”

    Corporal Jacob Schick, CEO of 22Kill and an amputee, is serving as Hari Mari’s ambassador for the program. After a triple-stacked tank mine detonated below his vehicle in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, in 2004, Schick suffered fractures in his left arm and leg, skin and ligament bone losses, burns, partial loss of his left hand and arm, and amputation below the knee of his right leg.

    Before the incident, Schick wore flip-flops all the time, he says, but once he was fitted for his prosthetic leg, the veteran lost the freedom to wear flip-flops. His story served as the inspiration for Hari Mari's prosthetic-friendly product.

    “The Freedom Flops program has given me the freedom to wear flip-flops again," Schick says. "Hari Mari is the epitome of a company that’s proof you don’t have to wear a uniform to serve.”

    To kick off the program, the company recently hosted a cookout to honor the inaugural Freedom Flops recipients, more than 50 Dallas-Fort Worth-based veterans and first responders. Hari Mari presented them with their own pair of custom flops and aimed to spread awareness of the initiative, with the hope to locate future recipients.

    Stewart and his wife, Lila, launched Hari Mari in 2012. It quickly became known not only for its colorful and comfy flip-flops, but for its philanthropic mission. The company donates 1 percent of every pair of flip-flops sold to help those battling pediatric cancer, through the campaign Flops Fighting Cancer.

    In seven years, Hari Mari flip-flops have become a favorite of celebrities, vacationers, and everyday casual dressers.

    The Stewarts started the brand after spending time in Indonesia, where they both worked on projects that benefited children there. Jeremy made a documentary about helping hungry kids, while Lila volunteered in orphanages.

    Hari Mari means "of the sun, of the sea" in Indonesian and Latin, respectively.

    The innovative sandals give amputees the chance to wear flip-flops again.

    Hari Mari Freedom Flops
      
    Photo courtesy of Hari Mari
    The innovative sandals give amputees the chance to wear flip-flops again.
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    Women Rule

    Carrollton CEO makes list of fastest growing women businesses in U.S.

    Raven Jordan
    May 8, 2025 | 3:30 pm
    Buzzballs
    Buzzballs
    Buzzballs' Merrilee Kick

    A CEO based in Carrollton was recently named one of the fastest-growing women-led businesses in the United States: Merrilee Kick, founder of spherical cocktail brand BuzzBallz, made the top five on nonprofit Women President Organization's 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies list.

    BuzzBallz, which is in the fourth spot on the list, was founded by Kick in 2009 and acquired by spirits company Sazerac in 2024. Following a career as a high school teacher, Kick decided to create ready-to-drink cocktails, such as martinis and margaritas, served in a plastic can rather than a glass.

    To be considered for this list, businesses must operate under the leadership of a woman, and have a minimum of $500,000 in annual revenue for each of the previous five years. Plus, they must have sustained substantial year-over-year growth, demonstrating post-pandemic recovery in industries like travel and hospitality, health and wellness, manufacturing, and food and beverage.

    The top five include:

    1. Collette led by President and CEO Jaclyn Leibl-Cote, based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
    2. Unite Digital led by President and CEO Stacey Coopes, based in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
    3. Embark Beyond led by Co-founder and Managing Partner Julie Danziger, based in New York City, New York
    4. BuzzBallz (Southern Champion) led by CEO and Founder Merrilee Kick, based in Carrollton, Texas
    5. Cymbiotika led by CEO Durana Elmi, based in San Diego, California

    Kick joins two other Texas business owners on the list — both in Houston — including Pamela Chambers O'Rourke, founder and CEO of Icon Information Consultants, and Tara Harmon-Kramer, owner of Meltar Supply, at sixth and 23rd place on the list respectively.

    According to a release, businesses on this year’s list collectively generated more than $7 billion in gross revenue, and employed more than 15,000 people, in 2024.

    Most of the selected companies offer remote work arrangements and parental leave, and company milestones included major contracts secured and national retailer launches.

    “With a strong commitment to innovation, purpose, and people, these companies exemplify the essential role women-owned and led businesses play in building a more sustainable and inclusive economy," says CEO of the Women Presidents Organization Camille Burns in a statement. "This recognition is more than a milestone — it’s a powerful affirmation of the transformative influence women have in shaping modern business."

    The 50 Fastest list is sponsored by J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking, and participation was open to all qualifying businesses.

    A comprehensive evaluation process then ranked all eligible companies using a proprietary sales growth formula that factored in both percentage and absolute growth, finalizing the WPO’s selection of the top 50 performers for recognition.

    Honorees will be recognized during a ceremony at the WPO Entrepreneurial Excellence Forum at The Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort in San Antonio on May 8.

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