Dan Cataldi Exclusive Interview - Success Begins Before You Feel Ready

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Dan Cataldi is the founder and CEO of Groov, a technology company transforming footwear by using smartphone scans to create personalised support inside every shoe. With a background in theoretical mathematics, poetry, and Division I wrestling, his entrepreneurial journey began after a life-changing moment that pushed him to leave corporate America and pursue his childhood dream of becoming an inventor. Inspired by a desire to make personalised footwear more accessible, Cataldi has reimagined an industry traditionally viewed as expensive and exclusive. Through Groov, he is proving that innovation begins with questioning assumptions—and that courage often comes before confidence.

Here is the Q&A session we had with Dan Cataldi.

Dan Cataldi As Cover Story Interview – July 2026 Magazine Edition

How do you introduce yourself?

I’m Dan Cataldi, founder and CEO of Groov. We build technology that personalizes the surface you stand on inside your shoes using a smartphone scan. Before Groov, I studied theoretical mathematics and poetry at Brown, competed as a Division I wrestler, and spent several years working in corporate America before deciding to build something of my own.

Struggle – What hardships have you gone through in life?

One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced wasn’t building a company. It was admitting I wanted to.

For a long time, I had what most people would consider a great career. I worked with great people, had opportunities I was grateful for, and everything looked good on paper. But it wasn’t what I wanted for myself, and I kept trying to ignore that feeling until I couldn’t anymore.

Eventually, that turned into a panic attack that landed me in the emergency room. Physically, I was fine. Mentally, I had a lot of work to do. I took six weeks away from work, spent time in therapy, and finally admitted that the thing I’d wanted to be since I was a kid, an inventor, was still there. That period completely changed the direction of my life.

What do people usually not know about you?

Probably that I studied poetry. Or that I once made rap music. Or that I enjoy stand-up comedy.

People usually expect founders to have one defining identity. I’ve always been curious about a lot of different things. I like building products, but I also love storytelling, music, woodworking, and surfing. I think all of those experiences make me better at what I do today.

What sets you apart from others?

I don’t think we started by asking how to build a better insole. We started by asking whether we’d been thinking about footwear the wrong way.

Growing up, my dad sold orthotics, and I wanted nothing to do with them. Years later, after throwing out my back and finally trying a pair that actually worked, I realized the problem wasn’t the idea. It was the experience. It felt expensive, clinical, and inaccessible. Groov came from asking how we could make that experience available to everyone with nothing more than a smartphone.

What are your upcoming major events?

Right now, we’re focused on continuing to grow Groov and helping more people discover personalized footwear. Every new partnership, product, and customer moves us closer to our mission of making something that was once slow, expensive, and reserved for a small group of people accessible to anyone with a smartphone.

What expert advice would you like to give?

I wish someone had told me it’s supposed to be scary.

For years, I thought successful entrepreneurs were simply more confident than I was. What I’ve learned is that confidence usually follows action, not the other way around. If you’re waiting until you feel completely ready, you might be waiting forever.

Your social media handles and website links?