In this episode, our guest is Dr. Len Necefer, Ph.D., CEO & Founder of NativesOutdoors – a native-owned athletic and creative collective. The company began as a social media project in March 2017 by Len Necefer (Diné), highlighting stories and photos of Native people in outdoor recreation and addressing the lack of representation of Indigenous people in the outdoor industry. The organization has expanded to providing advisory and consulting services to the outdoor industry on topics within the intersection of tribes, public lands, and outdoor recreation. NativesOutdoors is working directly with tribal governments, community organizations, and individuals on increasing access to outdoor recreation and connecting resources and opportunities within the outdoor industry.

Dr. Necefer holds a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering and a Doctorate in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University. Previous to founding NativesOutdoors, Len has worked for the U.S. Department of Energy and, most recently, the University of Arizona. 

The Channel Mastery podcast is brought to you by Verde Brand Communications, a consumer-centric brand strategy and communication agency serving the outdoor recreation industry.  Your host is Kristin Carpenter, Chief Strategy Officer, Founder, and Chair at Verde Brand Communications. Channel Mastery is sponsored by our partner Life Time, Inc., owner of the Sea Otter Classic and producer of the Sea Otter Classic Summit outdoor recreation executive gathering.

Discussion points:

• Len’s impactful career and path to entrepreneurship with NativesOutdoors
• News roundup - Len presenting at the Sea Otter Classic
• Biden’s policy changes in 2021 to empower first nations
• Co-management and conflict at ancestral sites
• Native interest in living and working in their community
• Opportunities for teaming up in outdoor rec
• Impactful wins empowering native communities
• Getting involved - investing in the pipeline from Native communities for talent

News Articles Mentioned:

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/photo-booth/the-extreme-cyclists-of-the-navajo-nation
https://www.kauffman.org/currents/opportunity-awaits-native-americans-and-entrepreneurship/
https://santoantoniodopinhal.lumiar.co/5-sets-of-challenges-native-american-entrepreneurs/

Resources:

Dr. Len Necefer Website
Dr. Necefer LinkedIn
NativesOutdoors
Farmington, NM
John Yazzie Bikepacking Co.
Bears Ears National Monument
Unbranded Documentary
Sea Otter Classic Summit, April 2023
Kristin Carpenter on LinkedIn
Verde Brand Communications 

Today’s guest is Adam Ruggiero, Editor-in-Chief of GearJunkie. GearJunkie leads the outdoor industry in breaking news and product reviews in the active-lifestyle world. From offices in Denver and Minneapolis, GearJunkie’s journalists, writers, and video producers advance the conversation online and beyond. Millions of monthly readers follow GearJunkie online through multiple channels.

Adam has been with the publication since 2015 when he started out as a news reporter. He spearheaded the creation of the GearJunkie podcast in 2018, holds a degree in journalism from the University of Minnesota, and was named Outdoor Media Summit’s "Editor of the Year” for 2022. 

In this episode, you’ll hear Adam discuss his journey with GearJunkie and its current success, the changing landscape of media as a business, utilizing AI and chatbots in journalism and content creation as a helpful tool, and shaping future generations of media.

The Channel Mastery podcast is brought to you by Verde Brand Communications, a consumer-centric brand strategy and communication agency serving the outdoor recreation industry.  Your host is Kristin Carpenter, Chief Strategy Officer, Founder and Chair at Verde Brand Communications. Channel Mastery is sponsored by our partner Life Time, Inc., owner of the Sea Otter Classic and producer of the Sea Otter Classic Summit outdoor recreation executive gathering.

Discussion points:

• GearJunkie and its increasing scope and momentum
• Outdoor media and where it’s headed
• Relationships, trust, and ethics in the media landscape
• YouTube and trucks
• The GearJunkie chatbot article, and the impact of AI
• Freelance writing, Grammarly, bots, and wabi-sabi
• Hopes for the future of journalism 

Resources:

GearJunkie Website

GearJunkie Podcast

GearJunkie’s Chatbot Article

Adam Ruggiero LinkedIn

Sea Otter Classic Summit, April 2023

Kristin Carpenter on LinkedIn

Verde Brand Communications

Today’s guest is Jeremiah Bishop, a professional mountain bike racer in cross country, short track, ultra-endurance stage races, and gravel. Jeremiah is an athlete ambassador for Canyon Bicycles, a freelance cycling consultant, and a content creator (co-founder of the hit documentary series The Impossible Routes). 

In this episode, you’ll hear stories about the beginning of The Impossible Routes in Hawaii, building up the stories and videos during the pandemic, meeting and partnering/co-starring with Tyler Pearce (aka The Vegan Cyclist), and how the relatable, vulnerable cycling stories resonate with so many people.

The Channel Mastery podcast is brought to you by Verde Brand Communications, a consumer-centric brand strategy, and communication agency serving the outdoor recreation industry.  Your host is Kristin Carpenter, Chief Strategy Officer, Founder, and Chair at Verde Brand Communications. Channel Mastery is sponsored by our partner Life Time, Inc., owner of the Sea Otter Classic and producer of the Sea Otter Classic Summit outdoor recreation executive gathering.

Discussion points:

• Jeremiah’s backstory in biking and history with Canyon
• The first “impossible route” in Hawaii
• Building through the pandemic
• Seven days riding across the Mojave
• The low-fi appeal of Jeremiah’s unscripted video stories
• Canyon Bicycles - the partnership
• 2023’s Sea Otter Classic- stay tuned for a future episode on this
• Platforms, channels and the cycling industry – all in flux
• Tyler and Jeremiah’s chemistry and relationship
• The Europe trip - cycling is part of their identity
• Film premieres, swag, and fan activities
• What looks like it may be a disaster, ends up being amazing

Resources:

Jeremiah’s website 

The Impossible Route Website

Jeremiah on Instagram 

Offroad to Athens Documentary

The Vegan Cyclist on YouTube

Strava.com

Canyon.com

Sea Otter Classic Summit, April 2023

Kristin Carpenter on LinkedIn

Verde Brand Communications

Today’s guest is Alison Tetrick - professional cyclist, biochemist, storyteller, and entrepreneur. Alison is also a global ambassador focusing on brand activation, product development, and innovation. Alison believes sports, science, and stories can make a powerful difference in changing the world and loves to do the work to make it happen. She is passionate about creating opportunity, education, and access to cycling for all through scholarships and community engagement.

You’ll hear how Alison was inspired to start cycling by her 60-year-old grandfather, her appearance on The Move podcast and partnership with Lance Armstrong, the new world that is opening up for women in cycling, and her hopes, thoughts and plans for the future of the sport.

The Channel Mastery podcast is brought to you by Verde Brand Communications, a consumer-centric brand strategy and communication agency serving the outdoor recreation industry.  Your host is Kristin Carpenter, Chief Strategy Officer, Founder and Chair at Verde Brand Communications. Channel Mastery is sponsored by our partner Life Time, Inc., owner of the Sea Otter Classic and producer of the Sea Otter Classic Summit outdoor recreation executive gathering.

Discussion points:

• Alison’s backstory
• Promoting the Tour de France and women’s cycling
• Partnering with Zwift - visibility is viability
• The new career opportunities and benefits - women can choose to stay in the sport longer
• Launching a ground-breaking event and its exciting debut
• Looking into 2023 and the state of social media 
• Raising money for diversity and getting women on bikes with bandana sales
• Building and supporting this special community

Resources:

Saga Venture

Zwift 

The AMT Bandana Project

Alison’s Website

Alison on Instagram 

Alison on Twitter 

Alison on LinkedIn 

The Move Podcast w Lance Armstrong

Kristin on LinkedIn 

Verde Brand Communications 

Sea Otter Classic Summit, April 2023 

Today’s guest is Steve Lee, President of US Sales at Hot Chillys, a legacy outdoor recreation brand that has been leading the winter sports apparel industry since 1985. Their performance base layers include socks, leggings, turtlenecks, fleece, and accessory products, focusing on comfort and fun. Hot Chillys offers a comprehensive line of apparel for men, women, and children using next-level materials for seamless comfort, function, and fit.

In this episode, you’ll hear how Hot Chillys progressed through the pandemic and has seen its sales double, with consumers rebounding and getting back to enjoying winter sports. You will also hear about how the brand re-tooled its packaging to reflect the brand's sustainability efforts and how Hot Chillys pricing strategy at specialty retail, big box stores, and even online channels like Amazon has been managed and controlled. As they say at Hot Chillys, ‘if you're not having fun, it's just not worth it.’”

The Channel Mastery podcast is brought to you by Verde Brand Communications, a consumer-centric brand strategy, and communication agency serving the outdoor recreation industry.  Your host is Kristin Carpenter, Chief Strategy Officer, Founder, and Chair at Verde Brand Communications. Channel Mastery is sponsored by our partner Life Time, Inc., owner of the Sea Otter Classic and producer of the Sea Otter Classic Summit outdoor recreation executive gathering.

Discussion Points

• How Steve got his start at Hot Chillys back in 1988
• Hot Chillys’ expansion under Performance Apparel
• Product positioning, innovation, and marketing
• 2023 season expectations
• Retail strategies – price points and promotions
• Advice on inventory levels - demand negating discounts
• Bringing the brand and company through the pandemic
• Packaging now and then - reinventing for sustainability
• Staying true to brand legacy
• Amazon sales and MAP - relationship challenges

Welcome to the 200th episode of the Channel Mastery podcast.  Today’s guest is Dan Kihanya, Director of Corporate Development and Investment with REI. Dan is also the creator and host of Founders Unfound, a podcast that profiles tech startup founders from underrepresented backgrounds. He is an experienced serial entrepreneur with extensive experience in the start-up ecosystem - including founder, early executive, investor, and advisor.

In this episode, you’ll hear about Dan’s role with Path Ahead Ventures - offering full-spectrum support to startups owned and led by Black, Indigenous, Latina/o/x, and Asian American and Pacific Islander people. Dan and Kristin chat about the route that guided Dan to REI and the founding of Path Ahead Ventures, the three staples of the program: resourcing, planning, and capital, and the Embark and Navigate Programs. 

The Channel Mastery podcast is brought to you by Verde Brand Communications, a consumer-centric brand strategy, and communication agency serving the outdoor recreation industry.  Your host is Kristin Carpenter, Chief Strategy Officer, Founder, and Chair at Verde Brand Communications. Channel Mastery is sponsored by our partner Life Time, Inc., owner of the Sea Otter Classic and producer of the Sea Otter Classic Summit outdoor recreation executive gathering.

Discussion points:

• Dan’s background and path to his current position
• REI’s co-op and brand values resonated strongly with Dan
• The vision for Path Ahead Ventures (PAV) and REI - ‘founders first’
• Two new 2022 programs for founders - Embark and Navigate 
• Bridging the gap - how REI and PAV can support new founders
• New and different perspectives lead to innovation and inclusiveness
• ‘Outdoor’ vs. ‘Outside’
• Dan’s transition from tech/digital services to physical products/retail
• Tapping into REI’s vast resources to help founders
• Demo Day/Pitch Day for Navigate founders - the first ever “Founders Market” in Seattle
• Reaching typically underrepresented founders - building a network
• REI stores as a bridge to the community
• Sign up online to keep up with all Path Ahead Ventures - the outdoors are for everyone!

Resources:

Embark Program

Navigate Program

Path Ahead Ventures

Dan Kihanya on LinkedIn

Founders Unfound Podcast

Sea Otter Classic Summit, April 2023

Kristin Carpenter on LinkedIn

Verde Brand Communications 

Tiffany is a results-driven and transformational leader with more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit development, generating revenue, and effective marketing strategies for organizations.  Tiffany is the Chief Executive Officer at Camber, aligning with the mission in providing resources and tools in creating diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplaces by expanding Camber’s visibility, strengthening partnerships, and increasing revenue.  She will foster a culture of mission- and value-focused revenue, marketing, philanthropy, and engagement both internally and externally for the organization.

Tiffany has planned, developed, and showcased major initiatives for smaller nonprofits and national brands, like Girls Scouts, Planned Parenthood, and the Urban League.  Initiatives such as these have allowed her to provide successful fundraising and marketing strategies that raised awareness, built allyship, and secured millions in revenue. 

Tiffany is passionate about igniting systemic change in diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Outdoor Recreation sector.  She is motivated to help companies create lasting change. Tiffany is pursuing a dual degree at Harvard University, a Bachelor of Liberal Arts, and Masters of LA – Business Administration.

Show Highlights: 

In this episode of the Channel Mastery Podcast, Kristin sits down with Tiffany Smith, CEO of Camber Outdoors. Tiffany speaks to past experiences that have led her to Camber Outdoors during a pivotal time, how the outdoor industry is primed to help support the national economy, and how Tiffany’s career path brought her to the organization. Building inclusive workplaces, fundraising, and understanding the industry-specific landscape of DEI efforts are all vital in creating a more equitable working world. 

Related Links

Tiffany on LinkedIn

Camber Outdoors

Camber’s Programs 

Kristin on LinkedIn

Verde Brand Communications

Featuring:

Bryce Phillips studied finance, juggling school while living in Whistler BC, skiing professionally for companies including Patagonia and K2, and chasing winters around the world. In 2001 Bryce started Evolución Innovations, Inc. (www.evo.com), an action sports and outdoor lifestyle retail business, and in 2005 opened a flagship store in Seattle, Washington. Originally launching the site with one employee from his living room, evo has grown to over 600 employees, is one of the fastest growing industry retailers in the world, and has retail locations in Whistler, Seattle, Portland, Denver, and Salt Lake City. Bryce’s vision is to continue building a global brand via the evo Ecosystem, seamlessly blending commerce, cause, culture, and community.

Show Highlights: 

Bryce Phillips, CEO & Founder of evo, a premier international outdoor retail business joins Kristin on the Channel Mastery Podcast. Bryce and Kristin speak about consumer evolution and the data behind it, de-risking investment and evo’s development, and Bryce’s new approaches to complex problems. They also chat about evo’s recent real estate acquisition of Blue Agave, America’s Best Value Inn in Tahoe City, building a hub similar to their latest project in Salt Lake City. The new SLC site houses a hotel, retail location, a bouldering gym, and a skate park inside a 100,000-square-foot old warehouse space. 

Related Links:

Bryce on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/bryce-phillips-496256

evo website - evo.com

evolution Projects - evolutionprojects.com/evo

SFGATE: After a teen's tragic skiing death, a Tahoe town builds Scotty Lapp skate park, by Julie Brown

Kristin on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/kcarpediem

Verde Brand Communications - VerdePR.com

Featuring:

Ashley Korenblat is a founding Managing Director for Public Land Solutions, a non-profit recreation economy consultant that works from the bottom up directly with communities transitioning away from fossil fuel extraction, and from the top down, on public land legislation and policies that affect this transition, such as oil and gas leasing and land management planning.

Ashley’s involvement with public land began when she served as President of Merlin Metalworks, a bicycle manufacturing company in Cambridge, MA. During that time she became chair of the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) and worked with the organization to establish MOUs with federal, state, and local land managers.

Ashley has spent the last 15 years at Western Spirit Cycling, an outfitter based in Moab, Utah who runs multi-day trips throughout the US, and is one of the largest holders of recreational permits on the public lands system. Ashley was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 2003. She was appointed to the Utah BLM Resource Advisory Council for two terms, as well as the Outdoor Recreation Economic Ecosystem Taskforce created by Utah Governor Jon Huntsman. Ashley created IMBA’s Public Lands Initiative and has testified before Congress on the recreation economy. She recently served on The Western Governor’s Association’s Get Out West Committee.

Show Highlights: 

In this episode of Channel Mastery, Kristin is joined by Ashley Korenblat, Managing Director for Public Land Solutions, to talk about how business leaders can support climate change solutions within their organizations. While there are many ways that business leaders can help combat climate change, Ashley explains how supporting public lands and informing policy around public lands is essential for the outdoor industry and its consumers. 

Kristin and Ashley also speak to the recent passing of the Inflation Reduction Act, supply chain implications, public land solutions, oil and gas land + energy policy, and what you can do to support the climate through your business. 

RELATED LINKS

Ep. 192 with Adam Cramer VerdePr.com/blog/channel-mastery-192-adam-cramer-inflation-reduction-act

Public Lands Solutions - publiclandsolutions.org

Western Spirits Cycling - westernspirit.com

Outerbike - outerbike.com

Kristin on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/kcarpediem

Verde Brand Communications - VerdePR.com

Featuring:

Steve Dennis is a consultant, keynote speaker and author focused on retail growth and innovation. He has been named a top global retail influencer by multiple organizations. His thoughts on the future of shopping are regularly shared in his role as a Forbes Senior Contributor. Steve's best-selling book-- "Remarkable Retail: How to Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption"-- was released in a completely revised and expanded 2nd edition last year. He is also the host of the Remarkable Retail podcast.

During a 30-year career as a senior executive at two Fortune 500 retailers–and more recently as a strategic advisor–Steve has worked with dozens of retail, consumer, luxury and social impact brands to inspire, catalyze and design their journey to remarkable results.

As a sought-out keynote speaker, Steve has delivered talks on six continents, sharing his unique perspective on what it takes to reignite customer growth in a world of constant change and shifting consumer preferences. Steve is currently the President of SageBerry Consulting. Prior to founding SageBerry, he was the chief strategy officer and SVP of multichannel marketing for the Neiman Marcus Group. Steve received his MBA from Harvard and a BA from Tufts University.

Show Highlights: 

In this episode, guest Steve Dennis chats with Kristin about Steve’s latest book, Remarkable Retail, and the overarching state of retail today. Steve has a wealth of experience in the space, and we are delighted to have had him on the show. A major facet of the new book is the ‘8 Essentials of Remarkable Retail’ framework, crafting what’s necessary to adapt to an ever-changing landscape. 

In the show, you will learn about how major retailers performed crisis innovation quickly. The retail space had to pivot dramatically during COVID, and many chose not to innovate or did so too late. Companies that pivoted early, like Tractor Supply, Best Buy, and Target, are strategically overcoming similar problems that have closed many big box retailers in the last few years. One learning lesson is that consistent innovation is the key to being in front of market trends, often equaling success. Kristin and Steve also dive into what success looks like for a retailer in today's market, inventory glut and what the future holds for companies in this space. 

RELATED LINKS

Steve’s website - stevenpdennis.com

Steve’s LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/stevenpdennis

Steve’s newest book, Remarkable Retail - stevenpdennis.com/remarkable-retail

Kristin on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/kcarpediem/

Verde Brand Communications - VerdePR.com

Featuring:

Leta Kalfas is the CEO and Founder of MTNSTUFF. Growing up in Ohio, Leta dreamt of a life surrounded by mountains, trees, and trails of Colorado. She loved the terrain, the hiking, the skiing, the beauty. As a history major from the University of Michigan with a passion for entrepreneurship, Leta found herself in Southern California, in a brief life detour, working in the electrical distribution industry. With a little luck, a few glasses of wine, and an invitation to join the rep agency of her brother-in-law, Tom Gordon, she packed her bags and moved to Boulder, CO, in 1994. At that time, Tom and she were pioneering a few small, unknown brands: Osprey Packs, Chaco Footwear, and Atlas Snowshoes, which dominate the outdoor industry today. Over the years, Mtn Stuff has grown quite a bit, and with Tom’s retirement, Leta found herself at the helm of an agency with a dynamic and experienced sales team.

The life she found as a rep in the outdoor industry is beyond any profession she could have imagined. What struck her immediately when she started were the people. The people with whom she works with, her team, retailers, and vendors have all been nothing short of wonderful. It seems as though she picked this industry because it’s what she loves and loves to do: play in the outdoors.

Leta loves to find the activities that can be done with her team, retailers, and vendors because it brings them all together to experience nature and the outdoors in its proper place and away from computers, registers, boxes, and polybags.

Show Highlights: 

Leta Kalfas, the CEO and Founder of MTNSTUFF joins the show to chat about the growth of the outdoor industry, retail stakeholders, vendor relationships, differentiation in a crowded market, and the evolution of relevancy between retailers and a vendor. Kristin and Leta also dive into trade shows, buying patterns, developing relationships in the industry, pandemic pivots, lengthening the buy-sell cycles, and more! 

The largest takeaway from the show relates to where retailers are currently at. Returning to the early pandemic days, outdoor recreators multiplied as the outdoors became a safe haven. Retailers, larger brands, and .coms saw large surges in the space. While 2020 and 2021 saw immense growth, then came supply chain issues that have resulted in canceled orders, extensions in cancel dates, and more. Leta is hearing that supply chain issues will last into at least 2024, and orders are 

RELATED LINKS

Leta on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/leta-kalfas-7947a14

MTNSTUFF Website - ​​mtnstuff.com

Outdoor Market Alliance - outdoormarketalliance.org