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Behind the Scenes with Steve & Liam of Orthaheel

by on ‎06-05-2013 12:20 PM

Hey there!  This is Lauren, Footwear Buyer at QVC. 


My team and I (great group of girls) would like to introduce you to our new blog- In Her Shoes.  We are so excited to share our behind the scenes moments with you about our brands, guests, trends and just fun along the way that we have here at QVC, doing our jobs! 


First up I would like to introduce you to my good friends from Orthaheel, Steve Mabb and Liam Bourke.  Born and raised in Australia, they are really great guys to work with, who love helping people find shoes that make their feet feel better - and the Australian accents don’t hurt to listen to either!


 


Lauren & Liam


Liam & Myself


Last week I caught up with Steve and Liam and asked them a few questions about their lives outside of QVC, and their Australian roots.  Here’s what they had to say…


How Many Pairs of Shoes are In Your Closet?


Steve Mabb: 25 pairs.  That seems like a lot more than most guys probably have!


Liam Bourke: I have 32 pairs.


Steve's Shoe Rack


Steve's Shoe Rack


Liam's Closet


Liam's Closet


 


What do you do when you're not at QVC?


S:  I just started doing P90X which keeps me active, as well as chasing after my 3 kids (6 yrs, 4 yrs and 2 yrs).


L:  I started doing Bikram Yoga, and have been practicing for about 6 months now.


Liam doing Yoga


Liam doing Yoga




What is the biggest cultural difference you experience coming to the United States?


S: The language, as some words mean different things here than in Australia.  Sports are also very different here from the sports that we follow in Australia which are primarily Rugby and Cricket.


L:  Definitely the language and the way words are pronounced.  Tipping took me a little while to get used to, as well as driving on the opposite side of the car and road.




You'd be surprised to know ____ about me


SAbout 12 years ago Liam and I participated in a small mustache competition among our coworkers.  We both grew a beard and then shaved it into a unique mustache.  We ended up coming in 2nd and 3rd place and were awarded Certificates of Participation. 


Mustaches


 


LMy childhood home had a lot of land and we had horses growing up.  I learned to ride at the age of 5.




Something else you may not know about Steve and Liam is that they were friends long before they were coworkers at Orthaheel, in fact they have been friends for over 15 years! 


They first met in 1999 while working for a US-based footwear company.  Five years later Steve joined Orthaheel and shortly thereafter Liam made the transition to Orthaheel in 2005. 


Liam & Steve today


Liam & Steve today


 


Following our interview, Liam and Steve shared some more about their Australian roots.  Even though they live here permanently they still make it home to Austrailia, several times a year to see their families.  Here are some scenes from their time back home, my favorite are the kangaroos! 


Steve with son in Sydney


Steve with his son in Sydney


 


Kangaroos


Liam at age 6 in Austrailia                        Steve's son at the Austailia Zoo


 


Liam & his family


Liam & his family last year


 


Stay tuned for more behind the scenes moments from our team!


Lauren