From Here to Nfinity

I met Amy Broadhead some years back when she was at adidas. Now the Basketball Brand Manager for Nfinity, she recently hooked me up with my first pair. They're the real deal, and the lightest hightops I've ever laced up. I had to find out more... by Lori Lobenstine

Not too many readers will be familiar with Nfinity, a fast-growing company that’s focusing on performance footwear for women.  Can you tell us more about it, what inspired it, and what it’s focusing on?

Nfinity is the first woman’s performance team sport footwear company. While other companies adapt men’s products for the women’s market, Nfinity focuses on engineering innovations designed to alleviate injuries specific to a woman’s physiology, while delivering superior style, comfort, and performance.

It is Nfinity’s goal to make a profound difference in the lives of female athletes by providing footwear specifically designed for their physiology. Tate Chalk, the CEO, started this 5-year-old company by being the first to invest time and effort in designing a shoe for a group of athletes who struggle to get the recognition they deserve. We champion the level of athleticism and sacrifice that our athletes put into their sport by providing them with high performance product designed for their specific needs.

How did Nfinity decide to begin with cheerleading, basketball and volleyball?

Nfinity started out in the cheerleading market five years ago when we introduced the world’s first spring floor cheer shoe. This year at the World All-Star Cheerleading Competition approximately 75% of the competitors—and more than 90% of the winners—wore Nfinity shoes. With market share that strong, it was time for Nfinity to expand.

Basketball and volleyball are the two leading non-cleated girls team sports, and shockingly no existing company was producing shoes made for these female athletes. All other companies were taking a men’s shoe and catering it to the girls’ market. The decision was easy.

What are your roles at Nfinity?  It sounds like as Brand Manager at a small company, you get to do a little (or a lot!) of everything. To use a sports analogy, I am required to play every position.  It makes it challenging and I am learning a ton.  What’s it like going from one of the biggest footwear companies in the world, adidas, to a small start up? What are the challenges and rewards? It has been quite a change, but mostly for the better.  We can make decisions quickly, we are nimble and there are fewer barriers.  I feel as though we have the ability to truly service our athletes based on what is best for them.  There are things I do miss about being part of a bigger company—the biggest challenge is getting distribution being the new guy.  At adidas we had an established list of customers, now we are trying to figure out where we can go. [Right now you can buy Nfinity shoes at________ help me out here!]

Nfinity is debuting a BioniQ technology to fight ACL tears. Can you tell us more about that?

BioniQ™ technology is designed 100% for the female athlete. The supportive and naturally aligning midsole features sequenced cushioning to keep the foot in an ergonomic performance enhancing position. BioniQ™ addresses the pronounced Q Angle (the angle between the hip and knee, which increases the likelihood of ACL injuries) found in women. The technology conserves the energy needed to keep the foot aligned and helps protect when an athlete becomes fatigued.

How is Nfinity marketing its new kicks to girls playing basketball across the country?

Over the summer we traveled to as many AAU basketball tournaments as we could.  We had prototypes that the kids and coaches could try on and test out.  We offered many different incentives for players to try on the shoes.  We also sent out over 400 pairs to seed to coaches, players and magazines.  Finally, we utilized the WNBA in terms of players and team sponsorships to help us spread the word.  Tully Bevilaqua from the Indiana Fever and Nikki Blue from the Washington Mystics have been wearing our shoes all season, and Shannon Bobbitt of the LA Sparks spoke on our behalf at a recent basketball forum.

What personal passions do you bring to this work—as a basketball player, athlete, sneaker lover? 

I feel that as a former basketball player and a huge fan of the women’s game, it definitely adds to the job satisfaction.  I love my job creating product that people love and are passionate about, and it definitely helps that I am passionate about it as well! 

Tully Belivacqua and Amy Broadhead

How to find Nfinity online and in stores.