National Shoe Travelers (NST)

What National Shoe Travelers (NST) does

National Shoe Travelers (NST) is a 501(c)-style non-profit membership association founded in 2006 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, that serves traveling sales representatives in the U.S. footwear industry. Members pay $130 in annual dues and receive a portfolio of benefits including group life insurance ($5,000-$30,000 depending on age), educational scholarships (up to $5,000 per year for up to four years), financial hardship assistance funded through an endowment at the Two Ten Footwear Foundation, legal services via retained General Counsel, resume writing reimbursement, a wellness program, a mentoring program, the NST Women's Forum, an international job bank, charitable outreach, and negotiated discounts on FedEx, Office Depot, Hertz, AT&T (8%), HotelEngine, and LegalshieldID.

The organization operates with a five-person staff supported by an elected volunteer board of directors (Ken Sollie, President for 2026-2027) and is led day-to-day by Executive Director Terry Bastis. Its technology footprint is limited to a Neon One CRM-powered website (mynst.org) and member portal; NST does not develop proprietary technology products. Revenue is generated almost exclusively through individual membership dues that auto-renew annually, with no disclosed enterprise contracts, sponsorships, or ancillary revenue streams. Go-to-market is community-led: new members are acquired through trade-show presence at events such as FFANY, MAGIC, MICAM Milano, and regional shoe markets, referrals within the footwear sales community, and industry partnerships with Two Ten Footwear Foundation and the National Shoe Retailers Association (NSRA). Geographic reach is primarily U.S.-based with international visibility via the job bank and show calendar.

Name

National Shoe Travelers (NST)

Legal name

National Shoe Travelers

Website

https://mynst.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

National Shoe Travelers (NST) is a U.S. non-profit membership association, founded in 2006 and based in Portland, Oregon, that provides traveling footwear sales representatives with life insurance, scholarships, hardship assistance, legal services, networking, and vendor discounts for $130 in annual dues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland, Oregon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: NST generates revenue through annual membership dues of $130 per year. Membership dues are for each calendar year from date of payment and are not transferable, refundable, or prorated. Membership automatically renews each year. Payments to NST are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes, though dues may be partially deductible under other provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

National Shoe Travelers (NST) is a non-profit membership association that sells annual memberships ($130/year) to traveling sales representatives in the U.S. footwear industry. The core offering is a bundled benefits package including group life insurance ($5,000-$30,000 by age), educational scholarships (up to $5,000/year for four years), financial hardship assistance via a Two Ten Foundation endowment, legal services, resume writing reimbursement, vendor discounts (FedEx, Office Depot, AT&T, Hertz, HotelEngine), networking forums, mentoring, a job bank, and a wellness program.

Product overview

National Shoe Travelers (NST) is a membership-based non-profit association for traveling sales representatives in the footwear and related goods industry. The organization does not offer a traditional technology product but provides a portfolio of member benefits including group life insurance (valued at $5,000-$30,000 based on age), educational scholarships (up to $5,000/year for four years), hardship fund assistance, legal services, resume writing reimbursement, retail math/P&L Excel templates, an international job bank, the NST Women's Forum networking community, mentoring program, wellness program, and charitable outreach initiatives. Members also receive vendor discounts on FedEx, Office Depot, Hertz, AT&T, and HotelEngine services. The member portal, powered by Neon One, enables membership management and engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual NST Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• Average member saves over $600 annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Two Ten Footwear FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwo Ten Footwear Foundation is NST's Industry Partner that has been supporting and uniting America's footwear industry since 1939. They serve a national workforce of 330,000 employees and their families with emergency financial assistance, natural disaster recovery counseling services, and educational scholarships. NST established an endowment fund through Two Ten Foundation to assist members in times of critical need and financial hardships.
• National Shoe Retailers Association (NSRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNSRA is a nonprofit organization representing independent shoe store owners throughout the United States and Canada. Their mission is to significantly improve the business performance of members through educational programs, cost-saving services, and networking. NSRA vendor partners include footwear manufacturers, distributors, and industry organizations. NSRA and NST collaborate on events including the NSRA Retail Workshop at Atlanta Shoe Market.
• Office DepotminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNST has partnered with Office Depot to provide exclusive member pricing. Members can shop at any Office Depot or Office Max store to receive special discounts on office supplies and services.
• FedExminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNST partnership provides significant savings on FedEx shipments, print and copy services for NST members. Partnership Direct (FEDEX Kinkos discount program) also available.
• HertzminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNST members can take advantage of discounted rates through Hertz Business Rewards program, providing car rental savings while traveling for business.
• AT&TminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNST provides members with an 8% discount on monthly AT&T mobile service, helping reduce costs for traveling representatives who need reliable communication.
• HotelEngineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHotelEngine partnership provides NST members with Travel Perk benefits to book, manage and save on all business travel accommodations.
• LegalshieldID / PerkspotminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNST offers LegalshieldID protection service available through Perkspot membership perks, providing legal protection services to members.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Retail Federation (NRF): NRF is the world's largest retail trade association, serving a wide spectrum of retailers including footwear. It is a broader incumbent with policy advocacy, events (Big Show), and educational programs comparable to NST's footwear-focused mission at much larger scale.
• Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA): RILA is the trade association for major US retailers, including footwear-focused chains. It is a broader incumbent operating across retail categories with policy and supply-chain initiatives relevant to footwear retail channels.
• American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA): AAFA is the national trade association representing apparel, footwear, and other sewn products companies. It is a broader incumbent than NST, with national advocacy, sustainability, and supply-chain programs that overlap with NST's footwear industry ecosystem.

Others

• SATRA Technology Centre: SATRA is an independent research and testing organization specializing in footwear and consumer products. While not a trade association, it is a long-standing footwear industry institution whose standards, testing, and membership programs make it adjacent to NST's footwear industry services.

Direct peers

• Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA): FDRA is the footwear industry's largest trade association, representing hundreds of footwear brands, retailers, and suppliers. It shares NST's footwear-industry focus and serves a broader but overlapping audience of footwear executives and sales channels.
• National Shoe Retailers Association (NSRA): NSRA is a nonprofit trade association representing independent shoe retailers across the US and Canada. It is a direct NST partner (co-hosts the NSRA Retail Workshop at Atlanta Shoe Market) and operates in the same footwear industry ecosystem with overlapping audiences and events.
• Two Ten Footwear Foundation: Two Ten Footwear Foundation, founded 1939, is the footwear industry's largest charitable foundation, serving 330,000 industry employees and families with emergency assistance and scholarships. NST has an endowment fund through Two Ten, making them mission-aligned partners serving overlapping footwear industry audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-shoe-travelers-nst

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Shoe Travelers (NST)