Matt Jacobs

Matt Jacobs co-founded Pedestrian Project, the natural foot care brand that champions a more walkable world. He appeared as a guest on the How I Built This podcast to share its origin story.

Matt Jacobs co-founded Pedestrian Project with a simple observation: most people take their feet for granted until something goes wrong. The natural foot care brand was built to change that, championing a more walkable world through products designed around the body's natural movement. On the How I Built This podcast, Jacobs shared the origin story behind the company, from early formulation challenges to the brand's mission of making foot care feel less clinical and more essential.

The brand's philosophy centers on the idea that healthy feet are the foundation of everything else. Pedestrian Project's products are formulated without harsh chemicals, using natural ingredients that work with the body rather than against it. Jacobs and his co-founder built the company by focusing on what consumers actually need: simple, effective products that fit into daily routines without fanfare.

By the time of his HIBT appearance, Pedestrian Project had moved beyond a direct-to-consumer experiment into a category-defining brand. The episode highlighted how Jacobs and his team turned a personal pain point into a growing business, and why they believe the future of personal care lies in products that respect the body's natural biology.