Each time she takes a measurement, Natasha Norie Standard, founder and CEO of Eqwal Footing and NORIE SHOE company, says she’s reminded of her military service. During her time in the Army, she jumped out of planes delivering supplies in war zones, including in the Iraq War.

“Jumping out of a plane is the funnest thing I have ever done in my life,” Standard said.

However, behind the missions, Standard said she endured physical pain due to the combat boots she wore. She claims the boots provided by the military were not designed for women’s feet, leading to blisters and intense discomfort.

“On the scale of one to 10, I would say it is like a 20,” Standard said. “Just imagine you have a flesh wound and it rubs against a piece of fabric or leather, and it’s not being allowed to heal.”

Standard noted that many of her female Army peers experienced career setbacks because of performance issues linked to their ill-fitting footwear.

“I know so many great female leaders that were kind of sidelined and did not get the opportunity to lead because they had injuries, and it was pretty much because their equipment didn’t fit,” Standard said.

After leaving the Army in 2004, Standard founded Eqwal Footing, a brand specializing in military boots tailored for women. A grant from New York University helped her relocate to New York City in 2020.

Combining her love of fashion and service, Standard has spent the last four years designing dress shoes and donating a pair of combat boots for each purchase to a woman in the U.S. military.

“We have a registrar of 500 women,” Standard said, adding that she has given away dozens of boots so far.

Recently, Standard received a $20,000 grant from the city to support her business growth. She’s now working to gain approval as a vendor for the U.S. military.

“I feel like I am passing the torch so that women can be their best selves. I want to be the facilitator of that,” Standard said.