Conversations with Joshua Wall

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Wall.

Hi Joshua, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I will start my story at Winston-Salem State University where everything that is happening now flows from. So, I’m in my final year at the school and I begin to think about if I really want to do marketing in a cubicle my entire life. I think most of what I was realizing is that I didn’t want to work for someone else while doing marketing. While on this thought journey I googled the three things I was most passionate about at the time. Those things were God, basketball, and critical thinking(for some odd reason).

After searching for a little while I found something called Industrial Design and found out that many footwear designers came from that background. At that time, I remembered my dream of one day having my own signature shoe. My dream shifted a bit as I became closer to God at that time. I was going through some things that sort of nudged me to really take my walk with Christ seriously. So, my desire for my own signature shoe became a desire to have signature shoes for biblical characters. In doing it that way I would be presenting the stories of biblical characters whose stories show you Jesus! I became excited about the possibilities so I took a drawing class with my final elective at WSSU and I sucked!

But I used what I learned and came up with a portfolio using the above footwear idea for the meat of my application to NC State’s Design program. I was denied once, but was able to get in the second time which allowed me to be able to go to school for Industrial Design. How? I don’t know because my portfolio was not good. It couldn’t have been anything, but God. Fast forward from my freshman year of school to now I am now a footwear designer. I’m doing footwear design consulting and will be releasing my first shoe under my own brand Manumit(Man-u-mit) Cymbals in 2022.

I will be presenting the story of Stephen (Acts 6 and 7) through the detailing of the shoe. God is wild sometimes in how he gets you to where he wants you to be, but I’m appreciative. Shout out to my wife, my family, Guy Marshall, Melvin Melchor, NCSU COD class of 18′, Pensole Staff, and everyone else that helped me so far on my journey!

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?
No, it has not been a smooth road. I’ve failed many times to get to the point I am currently. I was one of the worse in my Industrial design program. As I said before I was denied the first time I applied to the ID program. I have millions of “unfortunately” emails. You know those emails that say, “Unfortunately, we have decided to go with someone else”.

I was denied entry into Pensole. Pensole, is a footwear design program that I was denied acceptance to two or three times before finally getting accepted. The biggest struggle was my self-doubt. I didn’t believe I was any good because to me compared to the best I wasn’t on their level.

You don’t have to be on their level for you to do what you’re supposed to do. You have to be on the level required for you to do what you’re purposed to do. It takes time. Trust in God.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a footwear designer. I do footwear design consulting. I’m most proud of having a healthy marriage. I’m most proud of my dope wife and beautiful daughter. I’m most proud of releasing my first shoe under my own brand. I’m most proud of being chosen.

I think if other people had to answer what sets me apart from others they would say sometimes I’m too honest. I don’t think that’s a thing, but to some maybe it is. They would say I’m the shoe guy and if you have questions about shoes or your feet are hurting ask Josh to see if he knows. I think I’m known to be a man of persistence and perseverance.

If you say I can’t do something and I actually want to do it I’m willing to stay on the ride (journey) until it gets done. My wife would probably say I’m known to be childish.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
According to my dad, I was always acting more mature than my actual age. I was very into sports, especially basketball. According to my dad, my best sport was baseball, but I loved basketball. I was focused, persistent, and entrepreneurial growing up. I would sell hats, CDs, and shoes, etc. I would actually sell my shoes (mostly Jordans at the time) for $80 (USD) and then use that money plus the money I earned from working for my other side hustles and buy the newly released Jordans.

I was very much into shoes. I’ve been into shoes my whole life. It’s crazy to see my brother and I both into shoes. He does shoe customization and I do shoe design.

The negatives I remember growing up was that I was very selfish. I didn’t really show emotion or allow myself to feel it seemed. Basketball was an idol. I played the role of a Christian, but in real life, there was no follow-through. Mouthy according to my mother. She would tell you I had a lot to say and still have a little smart mouth even now. Observant, but I didn’t really say a whole lot outside of my home (family) context. I was very much to myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.manumitcymbals.com
• Instagram: josh_manumitcymbals