About The Founder
Early Life & Passion for Basketball
My name is Ethan Chan, and I am the founder of Project Step Again. I grew up in Hong Kong, China and have always been passionate about basketball. Over the years, I served as team captain in different basketball teams. I learned how to lead with confidence, work with others toward a common goal, and find creative solutions under pressure, lessons that continue to shape the person I am today.
The Spark Behind the Idea
The idea for Project Step Again started from a very personal place. I began playing basketball at the age of three. Since then, basketball has always been a part of my life. I have joined more than ten different teams across Hong Kong, Mainland China, and Canada, and I continue to play today. With basketball came the constant cycle of shoes. Because children and teenagers grow fast, I went through pair after pair of basketball shoes every year. Some were thrown away, while others ended up stored in my closet, too worn for me but too big or unsuitable for my sister.
A Family Inspiration
My younger sister has a different relationship with basketball. For a long time, she was not interested in the sport the way I was. But recently, she joined the HTS Hawks, a primary school team in Ontario, Canada. Watching her experience what I went through as a kid brought back memories. She now goes through about two pairs of shoes every year because of her rapid growth. The shoes she outgrows are often still in excellent condition. This inspired me to think differently: instead of throwing these shoes away, what if we gave them a second life? What if they could help another student who cannot afford proper shoes?
From Basketball to Snowboarding
Basketball was not my only sport. At the age of nine, I also discovered snowboarding. I loved it so much that I looked forward to it every year. But snowboarding equipment, especially the boots, was very expensive, often costing several hundred U.S. dollars per pair. Because my family lived in Asia, we could only snowboard less than ten days each season. That meant when the season ended, my boots were still almost brand new. Yet, as I grew, I had to buy new ones again and again. Over the years, I went through at least three pairs, and if not for the COVID-19 break, it could have been five. Once again, I realized how much high-quality footwear goes to waste simply because kids like me outgrow them too quickly.
Understanding the Need
My perspective changed further after joining some charity work. I became more aware of underprivileged communities, where children often go without essentials that many of us take for granted. Something as simple as a pair of shoes can make the difference between attending school safely or not. Combining this with my personal experiences, I felt the urge to act.
My Passion for Technology
Another important influence came from my academic journey. I attended John Hopkin’s CTY (Center for Talented Youth), where I discovered a strong interest in computer science. I studied Python, Java, and web design, achieving my first lifetime A+ in Python and continuing with A+ in Java and web design. Later, I explored machine learning and game design at the University of Toronto, and data science at the University of Chicago. These experiences built both my skills and my confidence in solving problems through technology and design.
Turning Ideas Into Action
In the summer of 2025, I started applying these skills in real life. I began selling shoes part-time on Facebook Marketplace, combining my hobby with some entrepreneurial spirit. To my surprise, I received traffic and made some sales. That small success sparked a bigger idea: instead of just selling shoes for profit, what if I used my skills, my background in basketball and snowboarding, and my awareness of social issues to build something meaningful and scalable?
That is how Project Step Again was born.
At its core, Project Step Again is simple:
We collect gently-used shoes, refurbish them, and deliver them to underprivileged students, funded by sales and community donations.
It is a project that connects my love of sports, my personal experiences with shoes, my leadership skills from basketball, and my growing passion for technology and entrepreneurship. But most importantly, it is a project with a purpose: to ensure that shoes which still have life left in them are not wasted, but instead given to children who truly need them.
Every pair tells a story. And with Project Step Again, we are writing a new one — one step at a time.