Sito Luis spent more than two decades at Camper before an idea born during the pandemic eventually brought him together with Kílian Jornet to launch NNormal. Now, as CEO, he’s helping build a trail running brand around authenticity, durability, and a genuine connection to the sport.

Sito joins the show to talk about how NNormal came to be, why Kilian’s role as a co-founder goes far beyond having a famous athlete attached to the brand, and what he’s learned about building a company from the ground up. He explains why NNormal hires people who actually run trails, how the brand approaches growth without chasing demand too quickly, and why run specialty stores have played such an important role in its expansion.

They also get into the growing crossover between technical outdoor products and fashion, the differences between trail running consumers in the U.S. and Europe, using AI for demand forecasting, and NNormal’s decision to prioritize shoes that last longer rather than simply using materials that sound more sustainable.

Sito also shares his thoughts on the rapid growth of trail running, why brands can’t fake belonging to the community, and how the sport can welcome more people without losing what makes it special.

Stay connected:

Sito on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sito-luis-salas-15255b/

NNormal Website: https://www.nnormal.com/it_IT

Support our sponsors:

Halo: Racing is easy. Getting there is not. Halo is a hospitality platform built by runners that turns race weekend lodging into a branded clubhouse where your athletes and community actually stay together. Whether you are a brand, an event organizer, or just heading to a race yourself, visit poweredbyhalo.com or reach out and tell them you heard about it on Long Run Labs.

Popfly: If you're a brand trying to reach outdoor, travel, and adventure audiences, Popfly is where to do it. It connects you with the largest communities of adventure creators and handles the entire process from start to finish. Creators click here: https://popf.ly/longrunlabscreators. Brands click here: https://popf.ly/longrunlabsbrands