Innovation and inspiration can be found in all corners of the world. It just takes one person with one idea.
Dr. Evans Baiya met the founder of Because International, Kenton Lee, over 14 years ago when Kenton was newly graduated from Northwest Nazarene University. His use of innovation to grow his single idea into a thriving nonprofit organization that impacts children across the globe is a story that continues to inspire.
In 2007, Kenton had just returned from Nairobi, Kenya with a new idea. He had been working with a local orphanage when he noticed one of the little girls walking along the dirt road with shoes so small, she had cut the front so that her toes could stretch out.
It’s a common problem for children living in poverty—they grow so fast, keeping up with shoes that fit is impossible for many families. This leaves many at risk for soil-transmitted diseases and parasites, illness and discomfort, and missed school days.
And so, the idea for The Shoe That Grows™ was born. But for Kenton, innovation was a process. It took more than six years for the small Because International team to make the shoes a reality, and even 10 years later they are constantly re-evaluating their process and product.
Along the way, Kenton met many supporters, received endless feedback, faced challenges—and learned quite a bit about the innovation process. He has three lessons to share:
Lesson 1: Connection
Meeting Evans was a big deal for Kenton. Not only is every connection along the way important for success, but innovation is also not meant to be done alone.
“I remember Evans meeting with me when I was fresh out of college,” Kenton said. “Each time we would meet, he would give me a couple of things to work on or people to follow up with. He saw the glimmer of hope in this product instead of the 99 percent of darkness. I’m busy with the business today because of the time that Evans took to help me.”
Kenton sites this as the reason he responds to everyone who reaches out. And now, The Shoe That Grows™ has over 2,500 partners and distributors.
“We love working with these groups,” said Kenton. “They’re a huge piece of our revenue. We’re so fortunate that we don’t have to fundraise our entire budget, so we do a good job with following up with the people that reach out to us.”
Lesson 2: Feedback
From the start, Kenton knew that if The Shoe That Grows™ was going to make progress, they needed consistent feedback from those on the ground—the children wearing and adjusting the shoes each year.
The shoes are meant to last 3-4 years and grow up to 5 sizes. Over the evolution of the design, they changed out snaps for velcro, and, after noticing many children stepping on the backs of their shoes, added a removable back so that the shoe could be used as a slip-on.
“It’s important to us when someone reaches out on their own and gives us feedback—whether it’s positive or negative,” Kenton said. “It means a lot and factors into what we do to make it better. We want to give shoes to kids that need them. It doesn’t matter what my original ideas were, or if I need to start over. We love feedback. We love comments on social media videos, and love engaging in these conversations because the kids need these shoes.”
For Kenton and the team, listening to a variety of feedback is critical to the innovation process and helps the company improve and grow. It’s gotten them to where they are today.
Lesson 3: Persistence
Even after 10 years, The Shoe That Grows™ and Because International keep looking for ways to improve and help children living in poverty. Whether that’s analyzing the shoes that children have worn for years and engaging with communities and experts for product feedback or testing new products until they are absolutely ready to go, the company strives towards innovation.
“I wear these shoes every day and love them so much,” Kenton said. “My whole team knows I want them to be the best they can be. If leadership isn’t willing to innovate, no one is going to participate. And when I leave, that culture is going to continue. Because International is committed to innovation.”
To learn more about Because International and how you can help, visit www.becauseinternational.org.
