I ask Nava why you should consider buying Enda when you can get mainstream brands like Nike or Adidas. She laughs and is happy to tell us why her shoes are distinct from their competitors.

“It’s always interesting that we get compared to Nike or Adidas. The top running shoe brands offer something different from what Nike or Adidas are offering. What sets us apart is our emphasis on midfoot strikes."

"Basically, this is the more natural style of running and we are trying to get people to think about how they are training and running so that they can fix their training schedule to be in tune with their bodies.” 

Even as Enda strives to change the way people approach running, its growth trajectory is promising. However, this has not been devoid of challenges. 

“Challenges are always there. There's pressure to make sure we always deliver to our customers which means we must have working capital to ensure things keep moving.” 

“Additionally, we are pushing for local production which means shifting the whole process locally. However, we have to make sure there is a demand to prove that the investment is worth it."

“Plus, the key question we keep asking ourselves is whether we are representing the Kenyan brand in the best way. Are we sharing the right message? Are people going to be proud of it? And so on."

At her level, it’s not lost on Nava that men still dominate leadership positions in sports management. Even so, she's never had the need to assert her gender because it’s purely about competence.

 

“I think it's male-dominated but I've never had the need to assert my gender. It’s all about deliverables. Are you in a position to do what you’re supposed to do or not? So I have to say that I haven’t experienced any gender-related challenges.”

“As far as lessons go, we have learnt that it takes time, it will cost you more than what you’ll initially make. Look for information and get people to help you do that. To top it all, you can’t do it alone so reach out to as many relevant people as possible.” 

As we wrapped up, Navalayo talked about Enda’s contribution to the community, as well as her future aspirations. 

“We give two per cent of our revenue to the Enda community who then decide how the money will be used. That’s about democratization and allowing people to be involved with the process of what they want to do.”

“It’s from our revenue and not profits because of our commitment to grow with the community as opposed to just doing (CSR) Corporate Social Responsibility as an afterthought.”

They say that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and Enda embodies every word of this statement. With what they've accomplished so far, the future could only be brighter. Here are Nava’s final words on Enda’s future aspirations.

“We are targeting to be a top three brand worldwide. A lot of newcomers in this industry do climb their way to the top and I see Enda being that newcomer.”