This 39-year-old quit 80-hour consulting weeks to make underwear for his struggling family business. He credits ‘sweaty feet’ for record profits

Lawson Glidden, 39, left a high-stress tech consulting career to return to his family's 100-year-old textile business in Ashland, New Hampshire. Glidden, president of Minus33, a maker of merino-wool base layers, underwear and socks, credits his "sweaty feet" for driving the company's record profits. Since joining the company in 2018, Glidden's profitability has quadrupled, and revenue has increased about 2.5 to three times.

The company, which previously operated with only three employees, has since returned to its peak production levels of a $50 million operation from the 1990s. Minus33 currently manufactures in the U.S., following Glidden's decision to invest in and program high-quality sock machines. He believes that proper design and fit are more important than aesthetics, as evidenced by his socks that fit like a "second skin." Glidden's advice to other founders is to use their product daily and fix issues as they arise.