Outdoor Biz Podcast

Your gear is waiting. Rachelle Snyder and Ross Richmond from Arrive Outdoors are flipping the script on outdoor gear ownership and renting.   Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE   Show Notes First Exposure to the Outdoors Ross- I think for me it was a summertime. Most of my family is up in New Hampshire on Lake Winnipesaukee. My mother's the oldest of eight in a big Catholic family and we would spend the summers together and go on to a little island on Lake Winnipesaukee and do a lot of hiking and camping. That was the culture that I was born into. Rachelle- I grew up in northern Indiana and ever since I was a baby, my mom would take us camping in Michigan. We'd go on Lake Michigan to Waco Beach and go camping just up from the beach. We'd spend our days at the beach hiking, finding creeks and playing in the water. It's really fun cause now it's come full circle. In a couple of weeks I'm going camping again with my mom, my sister and my sister's three little girls. We get to take them all camping up at Waco Beach as well. Things we talked about Arrive Outdoors Reserve America Kevin Kelly Tim Ferriss Podcast Science Inc. Mike Jones Dollar Shave Club Headspace Other Outdoor Activities Surfing, running, backpacking, camping Favorite Books/Podcasts How I Built This Up First Pod Save America This American Life Give and Take by Adam Grant The Originals by Adam Grant River of Doubt by Candace Millard Favorite Piece of Gear under $100 YETI Hopper Backflip 24 ENO Hammock Connect with Rachelle and Ross Instagram Facebook Twitter Website

Adam Donahue Business Director over at Dometic and I had a great conversation about Dometic's business and how Overlanding or Vehicle Supported Adventure is growing and providing unique retail opportunities for Outdoor retailers. Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE   Show Notes First Exposure to the Outdoors I grew up sailing and was fortunate enough to get a job working in the marketing department of a small roof rack and truck rack company called Track Rack. That company was acquired by Thule, which led me into a path of the core outdoors. I quickly found my way into cycling, surfing and mountain biking. I really dove sort of head first into the outdoor industry in a more significant way. There wasn't a sport that I wouldn't try at least once and I  sort of became obsessed and filled my garage up with gear. Things we talked about Dometic Dometic Ambassadors Thule The Adventure Portal Other Outdoor Activities Surfing and Cycling Advice, tips The key in the Outdoor Industry is it is an incredibly friendly community. I think being a little bit bold and reaching out to people and asking for connections and advice to me is really the easiest, quickest and most resourceful way of establishing some of that tribal connection. It's a little insular too in that people shift from one company straight the other. If you're in the Tent category, there's a dozen Tent companies that you can go to. People also tend to spend their careers in the outdoor industry. One, I think they're passionate about it, but two, there's just lots of opportunities for growth. So I would say for people that are interested in it, certainly taking advantage of internship opportunities. Internships is something that we're actually working on at the Dometic, developing something that allows college students to get more involved in our business and provide opportunities for awareness. I would also say going on linkedin and finding people who are in this industry and saying, Hey, what can I do? Are there opportunities that I can help with? And obviously there's that sort of tech rep path where you get into an entry level and sort of work your way in. But for those that don't have those immediate connections, I would say everyone that I know in the outdoor industry will be willing to at least spend 10 minutes offering you some advice and just don't be afraid to reach out. Favorite Books Scrum- The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time by Jeff Sutherland Fingall by Favorite Piece of Gear under $100 Surf Pad Connect with Adam adam.donahue@dometic.com Linkedin

Mel showed me some of the great new products in their Arctic Zone line and in this episode we talk about how they’ve grown over the years and the role Dogs play in their culture . . . yes dogs, I love it.   Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE   Show Notes First Exposure to the Outdoors I went to summer camp at a pretty early age, like seven. I grew up in Montreal, and north of Montreal is the mountain range called the Lawrentians, which is really quite beautiful. And I remember thinking at the time, and you know, here you have a bunch of seven and eight year olds canoeing down some beautiful river surrounded by mountains, I remember kids don't typically don't notice or comment and really appreciate nature at that age, but we did because it was just so spectacular. Things we talked about California Innovations Arctic Zone Microban Antimicrobial Protection Ice Walls Colorectal Cancer Canada Mont Tremblant Other Outdoor Activities Roller blade, Paddleboard, Hiking Advice, tips Love what you do, if you don't love what you do it's hard to be successful at it. I'm sure if you think about people who are successful most often, not always, but most often they love what they do. I think it's hard to succeed if you don't. So if you love the outdoors that's a great start. I would say my other piece of advice, I'm sure it's come through here is appreciate and honor the people that you work. Because that's the only way that they're going to be aligned. And the only way that you can be successful is always about the people. We have to remember that and respect that. So if you put it together and you get good people and you do the things that you love and you go attack the markets that you enjoy, well, chances are you do well at it. Favorite Books Good to Great by Jim Collins The Cain Mutiny by Herman Wouk A Pack of Two by Carolyn Knapp Seven Types of Ambiguity by William Empson Favorite Piece of Gear under $100 Titan Backpack Cooler Connect with Mel mel.mogil@ca-innovations.com

If you’re into fly fishing or want to get into it you’ll love this episode with Chad Alderson and Nick Hanna, the guys over at Barbless.co. We talk about the great content they’re creating thru their podcast and web resources.   Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE   Show Notes First Exposure to the Outdoors Nick-I feel like I've been living and breathing the outdoors since I could walk. My Dad was just super into it. I have pretty good memory and I can remember just being out on little creeks and stuff. One incident I was fishing for trout on this stream and hooking into some fish and he's always been kind of letting me, on my own. Since I was a little kid, man, we've been fishing, hiking, camping, you know, going to Eagle Lake and camping out and fishing for rainbows. Outdoors have definitely been a big part of my life and always will be. I just had a son. He's six months old and I got a backpack for carrying him. I'm just waiting for his head to stop bobbing when I carry him so I can get him out. Chad- I lived in the middle of a rice field for a long time. And so kind of by default I'd walk out my back door and there's nothing but rice patties. So the outdoors were kind of used as a form of punishment for me and I got in trouble a lot as a kid, so I had to do a lot of manual labor. After living in the Bay Area for about 10 years I got back up here and I was like, well what the heck am I going to do? Cause I didn't really have any hobbies or anything. So I started getting into fly fishing cause my dad took me when I was a little kid. We'd camp once in awhile and that was my exposure to it at first. But I didn't have a ton. It definitely wasn't part of my life. And up until shoot three years ago, three and a half years ago, I didn't really hadn't touched a fly rod in 20 plus years. Things we talked about Barbless.co Alaska Seth Blackamore Powertrip Kleen Kanteen AFFTA IFTD Trade Show Pleasanton Fly Show Why you need a podcast 10 Step Podcast Cheat Sheet Cast for Hope Hooked on Fishing Other Outdoor Activities Hiking Backpacking Advice, tips Find what you like, find a way to get in and then just go. It's gotta come from a place of passion. You can't just go hey, I want to go make boat loads of money and I'll just pick something random when sailing is my thing. It doesn't work that way. The core of it is you gotta be nuts about the thing and if it happens to be in the outdoors and happens to be something you think you can make money out of, then go for it. Then once you check all that stuff off in your head, then you need to figure out how to differentiate yourself. With someone that's already in the industry build your network and don't screw anybody over. Trust is huge. The outdoor industry is a very intimate thing. Everybody knows everybody. It's like the town I grew up in, a 450 people, you screw up and everybody's going to know within a week. Favorite Books Future State Podcast Stillwater Fly Fishing Secrets by Hal Janssen Favorite Piece of Gear under $100 Fly Fishing kit Xtratuf Ankle boots Maybelline makeup remover (floatant) Connect with Chad and Nick Chad Instagram Nick Instagram

In this episode Jason Waicunas tells us how PCT Days grew from a small group of hikers hanging out swapping stories into an annual multi day event with hundreds of PCT hikers. Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE   Show Notes First Exposure to the Outdoors I was fortunate to grow up in the woods of Connecticut where we had pretty good acreage on our property. We had a three and a half acre lot that segued into a state park called Penwood State Park. There were a number of hiking trails to go explore and at a pretty young age I was allowed to go free range. This was before tracking devices and cell phones and leashes and all that stuff you see now. But I was about 10 years old when I went on my first outing with best friend. We trudged through like a foot of snow and hiked like three to four miles, which was a lot for a 10 year. It was a lot of fun and I was fortunate to have that. Things we talked about PCT Days Penwood State Park Pacific Crest Trail Pacific Crest Trail Association ALDHA-WEST The Appalachian Trail Cascade Locks Friends of the Gorge Washington Trails Association Pacific Northwest Trail Association Oregon Desert Trail Association Chinook Trail Association Other Outdoor Activities Photography Favorite Books The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac Favorite Piece of Gear under $100 Pocket sized Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Connect with Jason PCTdays@gmail.com

In this episode Ardy Sobhani talks about his first camping adventures as a kid in Iran, the inspiration and lunch of Oru Kayak. We also discuss how he and the Oru Team built the business, using Crowdfunding to launch products and he drops two great books on us! Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE   Show Notes First Exposure to the Outdoor I'm originally from Iran, so we used to go to the northern area of Iran where it is very forested and mountainous and the Caspian Sea is up there. So we used to go there and camp. It is beautiful and as a kid I just kind of got into it. We used to go hiking a lot and climbing and things like that. Since then I've always been into outdoor activities, camping . . . just being outdoors. Things we talked about Oru Kayak  USE CODE "OUTDOORBIZ15" for 15% OFF your new Oru Kayak and send us a picture of you paddling. Origami Robert Lang Kickstarter Indiegogo One Percent for The Planet Other Outdoor Activities Climbing Skiing Advice, tips One thing is that don't think it's all glamour, it's hard work. Especially in the outdoor business, the industry very small. But I think there's a lot of opportunity for you to innovate and come up with something interesting and different. Something more impactful. I also think it is really fulfilling to get people out side and connect people to the outdoors. Once we understand where that connection comes from I think people will be more likely to conserve nature. Favorite Books Principles by Ray Dalio Shoe Dog by Phil Knight Favorite Piece of Gear under $100 Utility Knife Connect with Ardy ardy@orukayak.com Linkedin  

Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE   Show Notes First Exposure to the Outdoors My Mom's side of the family is from the Navajo nation. So my Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles had what we call the summer and a winter camp. But basically they were places that they would move the sheep between during different seasons. So the summer during the summer camp was up in the mountains where it was I would say about 9,000 feet, a lot cooler and with a lot more grass. Then they moved down into the valleys in the winter time in the fall. We would often go between those two places. So that was in Northeastern Arizona and the Chisca Mountains. I also grew up a good chunk of my life in Lawrence, Kansas. There's not much public land there, but I remember going out to Clinton Lake. Which is a big man made reservoir and there's a few trails and stuff around there. Things we talked about Natives Outdoors Certified B Corporation Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Welcome to Gwichyaa Zhee Other Outdoor Activities Climbing Skiing Advice, tips I'm working in academia right now, but I often see the value in which education can provide and providing the skills ets and necessary tools for folks that want to engage in outdoor stuff. But what I've seen in my experience of education is that that has not been the case in that its not been presented as an option. The sort of pathways in which folks can engage in the outdoor space is not  created on the academic side. And that's something I want to engage in. But you know, the prevailing notion within academia that I've been blowing up is, oh, it's just people playing outside. And of course that's an element of it, but then there's the component of the public health connection to land, larger environmental stewardship. The people that spend time outdoors is where environmental stewards come from. So I think looking at what training you can get in repurposing tools that you might get in higher education to serve that, to serve those roles of playing outside. Trying to think of how can these tools be used differently than what I'm being taught to use them for. I think too as the outdoor industry continues to grow and get more sophisticated and larger. There's a greater need for those people with those tools and skills than there was 20 years ago. Favorite Books Dispossessing the wilderness Alpinist magazine Favorite Piece of Gear under $100 Bears Ears Healing Shirt Connect with Len Linkedin Instagram

Paul Fish of Mountain Gear tells us some great stories about the early days of the Outdoor Biz when people would send you a few packs and let you pay when you sold them, times have changed eh? Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE   Show Notes First Exposure to the Outdoors As a young kid, my family did a little bit of hiking and fishing staying at the resorts in the Sierras, but I don't really consider that my start. My start was the high school I went to in Danville, California. We had an outdoor program that required a three week outward bound like experience and a lot of activities leading up to it. I started rock climbing there on Mount Diablo and that's really where I fell in love with climbing and the outdoors. Things we talked about Mountain Gear Sunrise Mountaineering Dealing Down Target Surplus Class Five Blue Puma Snow Lion Columbia A16 Red Rock Rendezvous Access Fund Veterans Community Response Other Outdoor Activities Mountain Biking, Road Biking, Sea Kayaking, Skiing, Climbing, Pack Rafting, Scuba Diving Advice, tips I tell folks to be careful how they follow their passion. There's two ways to get into the outdoors. You can get a job in a field that you're passionate about, and you might be surprised if the consequences. In terms of the time you spend outside. Or you can get the job that, not that you hate, but the job do you enjoy that allows you to do the things you're passionate about. Like the out doors. Teachers for example get a decent amount of time off and can spend it outdoors. So be careful what you choose. Favorite Books Small Time Operator by Kamoroff C.P.A. Bernard B. Growing your business by Paul Hawken Favorite Piece of Gear under $100 AeroPress Connect with Paul Linkedin paul.fish@mountaingear.com

Are you in the Adventure Retail biz? Joan and Bill Keller offer tips and advice on surviving thru the early days of online competition and more. Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE   Show Notes First Exposure to the Outdoors I think for both of us it was family. In my case, my parents moved from Minnesota to San Diego when I was two years old and my sister was seven. For as long as I can remember, every summer we drove to Minnesota.  I have many, many cousins in Minnesota and we would drive to Minnesota. My parents would call it driving straight. No stopping,  2000 miles straight thru. Like Joan, it started with family camping. We'd go to Anza Borrego and down to La Mission and San Quintin in Mexico and it was hard to get down there back then. But we also did a lot of longer trips to Yellowstone, Vancouver island. I can still see my Mom standing over the Coleman stove. Things we talked about Le Travel Store "Get off your seats and see the world club" Student Services West German American Society Michelin Travel Guides Eagle Creek Dolt American Tourister Delsey Let's Go Europe Horton Plaza Adventure 16 (Wild Horizons) Changes in Latitude Other Outdoor Activities Hiking Advice, tips Know your customer because you can't be everything to everyone. You've got to choose exactly. Really know what that customer needs. And you have to be a brand because brands are ubiquitous these days and you can't rely on them like you could 20 years ago to know, to be exclusive. It's not happening. So you've got to build your own brand. Favorite Books/Podcasts Midnight Series In Our Time Podcast Uttermost part of the earth by E. Lucas Bridges

Shanti Hodges drops plenty of insight into starting and operating a non profit on this episode. Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE   Show Notes First Exposure to the Outdoors I think really, just from the very beginning, my parents were always outside. I grew up in rural Canada as a little kid and so we were outside a lot. And then as I got older I moved to Eugene, Oregon, and that's a very outdoorsy town. So, you know, I was around at the beginning of mountain biking and I had a mountain bike club that I started in my high school when I was 15. I always loved being outside and it was always something I felt like I could do and I didn't feel pressure like I felt with other sports. Things we talked about Hike It Baby Transworld Snowboarding Men's Journal Newsweek Outdoor Retailer SIA ASR Health Watch Snowboarding Online Jose Gonzalez, Latino Outdoors Mirna Valerio American Hiking Society National Park Trust Leave No Trace Adventure Mamas Other Outdoor Activities Mtn Biking, Paddling, Surfing Advice, tips Look for people that you admire. I would say actually join the organization and just start. Go in and learn about it, take our training program and learn all about us and how we run our whole program and doing it. Do the work and learn about it. Don't just ask someone to feed you the information show you. We have a training program and if you were starting a nonprofit or you're starting an organization like ours, join our organization and shadow it for six months and let us know you're doing it. I would love people to start the organizations in ways we do. Favorite Books Barefoot and Balanced by Angela Hanscom No such thing as bad weather by Linda Akeson McGurk Running Home by Katie Arnold Favorite Piece of Gear under $100 Onya baby carrier Connect with Shanti Hike it Baby Instagram Shanti Instagram shanti@hikeitbaby.com

Kay Henry is an entrepreneur with a focus on outdoor recreation in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. She was a co- founder of Mad River Canoe. Kay delivered a lifetime of outdoor biz knowledge in this episode. She talks about starting and growing your business from scratch, the importance of luck and more. Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE   Show Notes Kay Henry delivered a lifetime of outdoor biz knowledge in this episode. First Exposure to the Outdoors Growing up, my family had a summer home on Cape Cod, so I grew up swimming, sailing, waterskiing. I was kind of a total water rat. I didn't get much camping experience as they didn't like sleeping outdoors, but I did do girl scouts, summer camp and then in college got credit to camping. I went to camp when I was younger and my first outdoor job actually was a camp counselor when I was in college. I taught in a French kids summer camp. That's where I learned to be fluent in French. Things we talked about Mad River Canoe Walt Blackadar Confluence Watersports Northern Forest Canoe Trail National Park Service RTCA program Mountaineers Books International Women's Forum Maggie Hogan Advice, tips I would encourage people to think about networking as a key component of any personal development strategy. Another one might be authenticity. So again, that's a strength to develop, which is going to require some personal experience, time spent in the outdoors. And I think it's really important if you're going to look for a career in the outdoors, is to have been there too, have some understanding of needs and rhythms of the industry. Also to empathize with others and understand really what they're talking about from self reliance. You know, there's just a lot. Another one is the willingness to follow a path that's not so straight. Let the lucky pieces happen, the opportunities and the risks to develop a career. One that's really rewarding to you personally and not just work. Favorite Books Becoming by Michelle Obama Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens Favorite Piece of Gear under $100 Exped mega mat Connect with Kay Linkedin Facebook

Super fun conversation with Greg Thomsen of Agron, we talk about his outdoor experience, winding down the Adidas Outdoor US business and more.   Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE   Show Notes First Exposure to the Outdoors My father was a bit of an outdoorsman who really liked the high sierra towns. So my brother and I spent most of our summers growing up just doing that. We would generally spend weeks at a time up in Mammoth camping and hiking and fishing around the mammoth lakes area. And then I think when I was 13, I did my first free solo climb of a little Crag called Crystal Craig, which is above mammoth lakes. With my brother. It was not very difficult, probably low fifth class or even fourth class, but it was really exposed and I got kind of excited about it over the next few years. By the time I was 15 I was doing multi pitch climbs in Yosemite and really interested in the outdoor world and also an outdoor equipment. Things we talked about Agron (Adidas US) The Mountain Store in Tarzana (A16) Wilderness Experience Nike The North Face Patagonia Girl Disrupted by Claire Thomsen Doug Tompkins Bill Simon Yvonn Chouinard American Alpine Club John Long Dream Meditation Advice, tips My best advice is that if you're going to do anything in business, like if you want to be in a brand or you want to be in supply chain or almost any aspect of a regular business, checkout the outdoor business. Because I think it would be better to be an account in an outdoor company that it would be being an accountant in a machine shop. And if you like the product and if you like the outdoors, I really don't think there's any place better. I don't think there's a better community of people. It's still competitive, but a really great group of people. So I would say jump in at whatever level you can jump in. Just like starting a long trek, you've got to take the first step and then just keep moving forward and enjoy it and try your best to be the best of what you do and enjoy doing it because that joy is what propels you forward. Favorite Books The Climbers by Jim Harrington A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson Favorite Piece of Gear under $100 Jetboil Connect with Greg gthomsen@agron.com Linkedin

Entertaining conversation with JD Platt, the man is prolific. We talk about his Pro Snowboard career, his numerous ventures including the K9 Kings Flying Dog Show, JD SUP, AppWEAR, Adriatic Adventure Academy and more. Inspiration and nuggets here for everyone. Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE   Show Notes First Exposure to the Outdoors Well, I definitely have a lot from my parents growing up. I started skiing when I was three years old. I grew up in a military family, third generation military brat. I was born in Camp Lejeune North Carolina on a military base and we got shipped out to Hawaii and Boise. Dad was a captain in the Marine Corps. Eventually we got over to Yakima. But when we lived over in Boise, my parents were very active and athletic growing up and mom was really involved with horses and sports and dad was the super jock of just anything and everything. Things we talked about K9 Kings Flying Dog Show Owner / Founder / Trainer Insta: @jdsk9kings FB: @k9kings www.k9kings.com jd@k9kings.com   JD SUP Owner / Founder Insta: @jdsup FB: @jdpaddleboards www.jdsup.com jd@jdsup.com   AppWEAR Chief of Comfort Insta: @appwearinc FB: @appwear www.appwear.us jdplatt@appwear.us   Adriatic Adventure Academy Investor / Guide of Fun Insta: @adriatic.academy FB: @adriaticadventureacademy www.adriaticacademy.com   D•Curve Optics Team MultiTasker / Social Media IG: @d_curve FB: @dcurve www.dcurve.com   Professional Old School Snowboarder Insta: @jdplattssnowlife Mount Bachelor Ski Education Foundation Advice, tips You betcha. You know, a big thing for me is your dreams can come true. It takes a lot of hard work and passion. I guess I'm a living example of pursuing some careers that just, a lot of people just don't do, I mean K9 entertainment, there's like 10 of us in the world. I went for the dream of becoming a professional athlete and pursuing a sport that now is obviously huge, but you know, if you think you've got the talent, be realistic towards what you're pursuing and know of what you're up against. But if you have a creative mind and you want to pursue something, go for it Man. I love being an entrepreneur, it's made for some and not others. But I guess my biggest advice is just have patience, put in the hard work and pursue your dreams. You can achieve anything. Favorite Books Magazines Favorite Piece of Gear under $100 Hydroflask Connect with JD jd@jdsup.com

In this episode Mary Iannotti aka the digital marketing deva drops some terrific learnings on us from her project with the Colorado Sierra Club. There is something in here for everyone. Be sure to check the show notes for links to some of her great resources too. Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE     Show Notes   First Exposure to the Outdoors I've been a recreation junkie all my life. I started out by playing in the woods in the hood. I'd go out and we'd ride our bikes in the woods, hike around and we'd go and explore the forts that my brother and his friends put up and climb the trees and do all that kind of fun stuff. And then I got into team sports. I played field hockey and I played ultimate Frisbee for a really long time and when I was in college I took my first backpacking trip. I hung out with friends that really love to hike and they turned me on to this place called Letchworth State Park in New York. We'd escaped to Letchworth on the weekends and explore. It's a beautiful park. It's got waterfalls and a really cool gorge like a mini grand canyon. I think it was like those days that I hung out in Letchworth that really solidified the fact that I wanted to be in the outdoors as much as possible. I sort of got this wanderlust where, you know, I thought about it back in college, like I really want to bust out, go to the West because the outdoors there is incredible and it's just so beautiful and that really changed kind of my life. Things we talked about https://digitalmarketingdeva.com/cro-strategies/ Letchworth State Park Sierra Club Colorado Bears Ears Insight Timer Kristin Carpenter Ogden- Channel Mastery Podcast Copywriter Club podcast Rob Marsh and Kira Hug Advice, tips I would say create relationships with people, go to events, reach out, get to know people. I think a big thing is just being really helpful and share what you know and don't be afraid to share what you know. I've had a few one-on-one convos with people where I just reach out. I reached out to a nonprofit not too long ago and I said, hey, let's just sit down and I'm going to share with you what worked with the Sierra Club Colorado and turn you onto some really cool practices. When I was doing my niche research, I sat down with a few climbing gyms and that was really good. I mean we had some conversations and I just shared what I knew and things come back to you. It may take a little while, but people remember you and it comes back. Other Outdoor Activities Rock Climbing Skiing Snowboarding Hiking Favorite Books Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins Don’t Make Me Think By Steve Krug You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero Best Gear Purchase under $100 Point five purple, Black Diamond Camelot Connect with Mary mary@digitalmarketingdeva.com Twitter Instagram LinkedIn

Ryan Lilly of Johnson Outdoors talks about being raised in the outdoors, how he got into the Outdoor Industry, the fun he has developing water sports product for Johnson and more. Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE   Show Notes First Exposure to the Outdoors I think by default being raised in Maine, you are pretty much raised outdoors. You have to survive some pretty intense weather. Hunting, fishing, skiing, snow and water is all a part of your existence . . . from the get go. So you really learn to appreciate, recreation and latch on to activities that are outdoors. My first exposure I'd say is just being a kid in Maine and exploring. Things we talked about Johnson Outdoors Old Town Canoe Sugarloaf Mountain Resort University of Maine at Farmington K2 Sports Delorme Garmin ICAST Old Town Topwater Predator Discovery Solo Sportsmen Girl Scouts Living Waters Camp Outdoor Activities Hunt Fish/Fish Ski/Snowboard Paddle Snowmobile Advice, tips Anybody out there that's listening that's high school age or early college, I would think about making sure that you set yourself up to have real life experiences. Before you finished college. I think I had the leg up from some of my friends around me at the time cause I had set up my schedule such that I worked full time all through college. So I had business experience and some real applicable experiences to talk about when I was given the shot at K2. I was fresh out of college and they gave me a shot because of my retail background and industry experience. A lot of people just hammer down and get college done which I say more power to them. But then they've got to try to figure out what to do professionally or have a harder time getting that first good job because they have to get some experience. So do what you can in college to get jobs that align with the direction you want to go in and try to build up some real life experience there. Then folks early in their professional career remember you're never too good for a task. That's one thing that I think being a new Englander, you have to roll up your sleeves and get to work just to stay warm up here in the wintertime. You have to be pulling your weight and doing your part. If you you're early in your career and you've got a manager that is giving you tasks that you think you're above, you need to reassess life I think. Because you've got to pay your dues and do some dirty work in some crappy tasks that you think, why am I doing this? But you've got to get through that. That helps build respect with people above you and around you and also broadens your experiences. Favorite Books and Podcast The Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko River of Doubt by Candice Millard Favorite Piece of Gear under $100 Aero Press Connect with Ryan ryan.lilly@johnsonoutdoors.com  

Willow produces the Out There Podcast and tells us all about the show, how she got into podcasting and her experience as an NPR host on Wyoming Public radio. Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE   Show Notes First Exposure to the Outdoors Growing up I lived in New York City, which is not exactly outdoors-y right. But my family had this little cabin up in Maine. My grandfather had bought land on a lake up there were way back when it was dirt cheap and then they built this cabin. So I often spent most of the summer up there and we would kayak and swim and just kind of spend all day outside. I remember entire summers where I never wore shoes, except maybe if my mom made me. If we had to go to the grocery store or something. But that was always sort of my happy place Things we talked about Out There Podcast Northwoods Outfitters NPR Wyoming Public Radio The Colorado Trail Common Outdoor Ground Outdoor Activities Hiking Backpacking Mtn Biking Climbing Skiing Advice, tips I think a lot of us are hesitant to take a leap and try new things if we don't feel like we already have the skills to do them. I certainly was that way where it's like, wow, I don't already know how to do this so I obviously I can't do it. I think honestly hiking the Colorado trail was something where I didn't know how to do it, but I did a bunch of research and I figured it out and it worked. And because that worked, then I think that gave me the courage to launch Out There cause I was like, well, all right, I don't know how to do this either, but we're going to give it a try and figure it out and see. So I think it's important to just remember that it's okay to be a beginner at things and that if you want something enough, you can do the research you need and you can talk to the people who know how to do it and make it happen. I don't want to make it seem like anything you want to do as possible, but it is important to remember that you don't have to already know how to do everything in order to get started with something in order to thrive at it. Favorite Books and Podcast Wild by Cheryl Strayed 60 Meters to Anywhere by Brendan Leonard Favorite Piece of Gear under $100 Dirty Girl Gaiters Connect with Willow Out There Podcast

Kristin tells us how she got her first media job with Backpacker and all the fun stuff she got to work on, her transition to SNEWS, and we talk about their beautiful new publication The Voice. Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE   Show Notes First Exposure to the Outdoors I kind of found my way into the outdoors myself. I grew up on Cape Cod and my family was never into hiking or camping or anything like that. We were a big ski family. So we would travel up to Vermont. We had a place in Stowe, Vermont and we'd ski almost every weekend from the time I was about three. And the very first time that I did I camp was on a sixth grade field trip to Mount Washington. One of my friends unearthed a photograph a few years ago and posted it on Instagram and it was hysterical. I had forgotten all about that trip. But then, as these things happen, you start to remember oh my God, I do remember climbing Mount Washington and summiting and thinking how amazing it was. I just loved the feeling of being up there in the mountains. It wasn't until after I graduated from college that I had my next camping experience. Things we talked about SNEWS The Voice Backpacker Active Interest Media Whisper Light Stove Clip FlashLight Tent Erewhon Outfitters Plastic Impact Promise Salary Survey Conservation Alliance Camber Outdoors Big City Mountaineers Outdoor Foundation Outdoor Industry Association Outdoor Activities Skiing Backpacking Trekking Advice, tips The best thing that you can do if you're passionate about the outdoors and getting into the business is to just stick with it. I mean, for me, I basically nagged my way into a job. I think if you know it's what you want, don't take no for an answer. And you just keep trying and keep trying and keep trying until you break in. Because we are a passion based industry and people who do the hiring in this industry, they want that. Yeah. It's the to success. I think just sticking to it and meeting people and networking, that's a big thing I think. Favorite Books and Podcast Dispatches by Outside Magazine Channel Mastery by Kristin Carpenter Ogden Shantaram by David Gregory Roberts Push by Tommy Caldwell Favorite Piece of Gear under $100 Buff Connect with Kristin khostetter@aimmedia.com

Great conversation with with Todd Finney today, Todd tells us how he got into skateboarding and surfing his first experience on a cutting room floor, we spend a bit of time talking what it was like to start the brand Clive and much much more. Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE   Show Notes First Exposure to the Outdoors When I was a kid I lived in a shitty part of Orange County and back then it was still orange groves. So we were outside all the time. And after my first school football game, when I got basically left out of the game, I decided I wasn't into the team sports thing. So I started skateboarding, building skateboard ramps and skating pools that were near my house. That was the golden era of skateboarding, it was really fun. And then I moved to San Diego when I was 13. Up to that point we had done campground camping and we had a camper, we'd go to Mexico. Had a lot of fun with the family and motorcycles and hiking and all that stuff. And then I started surfing and I lived right by del Mar Skate ranch. It's maybe not traditional outdoors but I was outdoors a lot. Things we talked about Wolfgang Man & Beast Eagle Creek Skateboarding magazine Powder magazine Airwalk Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell ISPO Clive Tim Swart Rob Machado Todd Richards Quicksilver Nixon Skullcandy Steve Barker Beaver Theodosakis Jeremy Andrus Joe Markham Rocky Mountain Search and Rescue Dogs Canines With A Cause Outdoor Activities Mountain bike Snowboard Skateboard Overlanding Advice, tips I think about what Mike Rowe said. Mike Rowe from dirty jobs said, just because you're passionate about something doesn't mean you don't suck at it. So there's follow your passion, but if you suck at it, don't follow it for a career. Find another passion. If you happen to have passion and you're good at it, then you can do something with it, which is great. The crossroads I see people come to and I've mentored some people over the years. The crossroads I always see them come to is the marketing versus product. Are they going to be a marketer or are they going to be a product developer? And those two paths lead lead to different places. Both can lead to owning a company, but both can lead to very different careers. That's one of the crossroads I see people come to. I guess my main thing is, of course as a guy who didn't go to college, maybe I'm limited on how far I'm ever going to go, but I don't think so. I always say I like to go 90 degrees to the opposite direction of everybody else and just end up way over there. And people say wait, why is that guy over there? That's my approach. I don't know if that's approach for everybody. People make a lot of money making kind of regular products and stuff, but you know, the traditional path isn't for everyone. Favorite Books The Book of Mormon Atlas Shrugged The Communist Manifesto Strengths Finder Favorite Piece of Gear under $100 Luci Lights Black Diamond Headlamp Connect with Todd LinkedIn todd@theideahamster.com  

Great Conversation with Sablle Scheppmann from Mountain Hardwear. Sablle tells us about how she got into the outdoors camping as a kid, her Collegiate Running career and offers a great piece of advice for all of that spend a lot of time on airplanes. Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Please give us a rating and review HERE Show Notes First Exposure to the Outdoors I am born and raised in San Diego and growing up we didn't have a lot of money. We moved apartment to apartment, so vacations were a little out of the question. I was fortunate enough to learn about the outdoors for my dad and my grandparents. My Dad was an eagle scout and my grandma was always really involved with Eagle Scouts. And we would always take camping trips cause it was the easiest vacation we could take. We'd always go up, actually through bishop, and over the years we've camped at Green Lake and up towards Mammoth. And being from San Diego, my grandparents also took us out to Idlewild and Joshua tree. So a lot of camping. Things we talked about Mountain Hardwear Skip Yowell Future Leadership Academy Transrockies Run Kyle Robidoux Blind Beer Runner Kyle Robidoux: @blindbeerrunner & here is an article on his run this summer https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a26007630/visually-impaired-runner-western-states-100/ They are always in need of guides! Anyone can reach out to Sablle or go to http://www.unitedinstride.com Sighted Guide Outdoor Activities Running, Backpacking, Snowboarding, Camping Advice, tips I feel like I kinda got to where I am in the position I am today because of leaning on people. I'm a total people person. Just never be afraid to put yourself out there. If anybody's interested in getting into the business and you know, reach out to. Never hesitate to look compaines up on linkedin. Find people at that company and just reach out and ask them to go to coffee or ask questions like, how did you get to where you are? How did you get in that role? I find that when you put yourself out there, you can get a lot of benefits from that. And it's scary, but it's, it, it's, it's really important. Favorite Books Daring Greatly by Brene Brown Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown Podcast- How I built this Favorite Piece of Gear under $100 Sea to Summit collapsible cups and plates Connect with Sablle LinkedIn sscheppmann@mountainhardwear.com Please rate and review us  HERE  Thank you!

Fun chat with Coral Darby today, Coral tells us how she got into PR, the great agency she and her team have built and offers up some great advice for anyone wanting to get into the Outdoor Biz. Coral has spent nearly her entire life embracing the Outdoor Lifestyle. Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast Show Notes First Exposure to the Outdoors I would say it was somewhat traditional. The summer between my sophomore and junior year in college, I signed up to work at a summer camp outside of Vail. It was a really cool camp in fact, they gave us a lot of guide training. So I got certified in rafting. I was a white water guide in Utah and Colorado. I got enough hours and fell in love with river life at that point. We also did backpacking and horse packing. Some of my favorite memories that summer are being up at like 10, 11,000 feet elevation and camping, working with the horses and the kids. It was just all around a phenomenal summer. And I knew living life, this is what I need to be doing. Things we talked about Darby Communications Patagonia Tibetan Traders "as a PR practitioner, we went from being news tellers to newsmakers" Stand Up Outdoor Activities All of them Advice, tips The biggest thing is network, get out and talk to people. You can send emails all day long, but I'm still a big believer in the old fashioned way of face to face contact, and to go to as many networking events as you can. Just talk to as many people as you can and connect the dots. And also be patient, this doesn't happen overnight. "Perceive as this success is inevitable" Favorite Books Becoming by Michelle Obama The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday Fast Company Inc. Favorite Piece of Gear under $100 UCO Mess Kit Hydroflask Feetures Socks Connect with Coral coral@darbycommunications.com