A German philosopher once said, “Nothing great in this world has ever been accomplished without passion.”

This thought can find expression in the example of Joey Cuerdo, creator of the highly-successful Mojo sandals. Sixteen years ago, back in 1991, the greatness which then awaited him did not seem apparent. The mountaineering enthusiast from the University of the Philippines had sworn to start a new personal venture on his own college allowance - P200 to give a rough estimate - but it was very clear that he set about his small business because of something he was very passionate about.

“I didn’t have millions, not even thousands, to spend,” recalled Joey. “Researching a lot on footwear production and design, I tried to put together some sheets of rubber, mix them myself. Then I bought generic materials in the market; the pads and the slippers had no brand.”

It wasn’t out of some fun bit of whimsy that the idea of creating locally-produced outdoor footwear came to Joey. Having hailed from the province, Joey confessed that “I cannot not go out.” Indeed, he was very active in UP mountaineering, camping, and diving. Or anything that involved being actively outdoors. But of course, there were some inconveniences, not the least of which were concerns with footwear.

“At that time, there were no slippers meant for campsites. We had regular slippers like Beachwalk, but none of the specialized kind.” If there was a sharp rock somewhere, one risked foot injury. If the area was muddy, one risked slipping. Thus, Joey saw the need for functional outdoor sandals, the kind Filipino students and regular outdoor adventurers could afford.

“Merrell. Teva. Northface. These are all foreign brands that came locally in the last four years or so,” Joey said. “While we don’t see them as direct competitors (because we never made a high-level entry cost-wise), our vision then was to make a product different and cheaper from what was being sold in other countries.”

And with that, Mojo was born. “Free your sole,” cried its slogan.

Joey initially produced eight pairs and started selling at P185 a pop, a price that was a far cry from the expensive, imported brands which were hardly available in retail anyway. According to Joey, functionality, affordability and innovation were key strategies in the development of the product. He made sandals with sturdier soles and better traction. He designed a unique stabilizer strap which connected the forefoot and the ankle strap. He wanted fit to be adjustable.

“One simple pull and the whole sandal tightens up.”

To get the product around, Joey tapped many of his friends from the University of the Philippines Mountaineering (UPM) as well as members of the local outdoors community. They helped promote and directly sell Mojo. “We didn’t go straight to the retail stores,” he noted. “I told my friends that if we all wanted to continue climbling, here’s a product we could put to good use. I told them I’d give the sandals to them at a discount so they can earn extra money selling Mojos.”

The Filipinos, of course, enjoyed the practicality of it all, and the people welcomed the comfortable, slipper-like feel of a Mojo sandal. Now, sixteen years after Joey found himself in a seemingly mundane path to greatness, Mojo Enterprises continues to evolve.

“We’re focused on having a more business-minded approach,” revealed Joey, whose passion for the outdoors has not waned one bit. “To grow the business, to grow the product, and to continue contributing the industry, we are concentrating on better product research and development, wise marketing, greater innovation, and more community involvement.

“We’ll bank on the name Mojo has created, because we want to become more mainstream.”

Of course, evolution doesn’t mean the products Joey will be creating for Mojo will veer away from the vision he saw from the outset. The market may be different, and new local brands may emerge, but Mojo will continue to be what it has been since its inception: afforable (the price is only P450, one-thirds of how much the rest are selling for), dependable (soles sturdy as ever), and uniquely Pinoy.

Indeed, Joey Cuerdo has freed many soles. Working with sheets of rubber and at the same time stoking his embers of passion, he’s leading a great revolution and evolution for the outdoor footwear industry. - Action and Fitness (March-April 2007)

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