Agostinho Marques, born and raised in Guimarães, Portugal's birthplace, is also known for its vast textile and footwear tradition. Agostinho graduated in marketing and began his career in the marketing department of a recognized Portuguese school. However, that period was short because his roots and passion were always in the footwear industry. As the third generation of one of the most recognized men's footwear factory - Dura Shoemakers - he soon started working full-time in his family factory as a commercial director. It was an intense and productive experience, collaborating with great footwear brands for dozens of markets across Europe and the world . At the same time, in 2011, he co-founded Exceed Shoe Thinkers with Pedro Caria, a leading contemporary Portuguese footwear brand. In 2024, he joined Shaping Brands, a footwear production agency working with notable brands.

Pedro Caria, born and raised in São João da Madeira, known as the cradle of Portugal's footwear industry, graduated in marketing and began his career at a major communication agency in Porto. Driven by a lifelong passion for the footwear industry, he transitioned to roles as marketing director and commercial manager at the footwear brand Harlot, which was, at that time, one of the most renowned Portuguese footwear brands. Pedro later joined the Portuguese Footwear Technological Center as a consultant in marketing and internationalization, contributing to the creation and development of several footwear and accessories brands. At the same time, in 2008, he established Shaping Brands, focused on consultancy services, and started sourcing services for footwear production. In 2011, he co-founded, with Agostinho Marques, Exceed Shoe Thinkers, a leading contemporary Portuguese footwear brand.