Backcountry Marketing
Port Side Productions
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Listen to leaders of the outdoor marketing industry discuss the gritty details of their work, personal lives, and latest adventures. Whether you’re standing in the lift line, shuttling to fresh loam, or cracking a local beer, these conversations will teach you about the ever-changing world of marketing. This is the Backcountry Marketing podcast.
Produced by: Port Side Productions
Available episodes
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5 days ago
What is the Future of Industry Events?
Yoon Kim started out in the outdoor industry in 2010, working in finance before that. He started the outdoor industry's first digital agency in 2010, and the industry's first media conference in 2014, the Outdoor Media Summit.
In this conversation, Cole and Yoon discuss:
- the future of outdoor industry events
- why some industry's tradeshows thrive while others suffer
- what the biggest threat is to events
- the start of the Outdoor Media Summit and how it's evolved
You can learn more about the Outdoor Media Summit here: https://outdoormediasummit.com/
You can also catch up with Yoon here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoon-kim-5027b214/
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Sep 13, 2023
The Golden Age of Branded Films is Dead
So, how can brands continue to connect with audiences in new and innovative ways now that the golden age of branded films is dead? Our guest on this episode will help us learn how.
Lindsey Hagen is the Head of Development at gnarlybay, a full production studio based in Boulder, CO. She oversees all creative development, sales efforts, and marketing for the company. She also directs with a focus on impact storytelling in the branded space.
In this episode, Lindsey and Cole discuss:
- why the golden age of branded films are over
- what problems marketers are facing when it comes to branded content
- with the landscape changing, how brands can still connect with audiences
- creating 360 campaigns to get creative on multiple touch points
And much more!
You can catch up with Lindsey here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-hagen-2770b836/
You can learn more about gnarlybay here: https://www.gnarlybay.com/
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Aug 30, 2023
YouTube is the Future for Outdoor Media
You may recognize this episode's guest from a past episode of the Backcountry Marketing Podcast. As he describes himself, Sam Van Boxtel is "just a climber obsessed with social media." Well, he's much more than that. Sam is a climber and entrepreneur based in Vancouver, Washington. He and his team make up Climbers Crag, the climbing industry's leading social media agency, helping outdoor brands with social media and YouTube management.
Sam joins Cole again on the show, this time to talk about the huge opportunity that is YouTube for all outdoor brands. Listen in as Sam shares some recent insights he's found that are changing his perspective on YouTube for brands.
You can learn more about Sam's company, Climber's Crag here: https://www.climberscrag.com/
You can connect with Sam here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-van-boxtel-607b74189/
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Aug 16, 2023
How to Start an Agency
Scot Keith is the founder and CEO of One Twenty Three West (123W), an advertising agency in Vancouver. They moved from the garage to an industrial laundromat and now they work in a B-grade building with plywood floors - all to keep the talent high and the overhead low.
In this episode, Cole and Scot discuss:
- how to start an agency
- the power of creativity
- positioning an agency with low overhead and high-caliber talent
- how to manage well but keep autonomy
You can catch up with Scot on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scot-keith-9560125/
You can learn more about One Twenty Three West here: https://123w.ca/
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Aug 2, 2023
The Art of the Creative Brief | Storytelling Series Part 4 of 4
Evan Swinehart is the Director and Partner of Lumenati Productions. After graduating from the University of Colorado with a film degree, Evan spent years shooting and finding work within the outdoor industry as well as the ad world. Eventually, Evan started Lumenati Productions to help serve more brands and projects.
In part 4 of our 4-part storytelling series, Cole and Evan discuss:
- what is happening in the industry overall
- the importance and art of a great creative brief
- analytics versus art
- the importance of a brand's voice
You can catch up with Evan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swiney/
You can learn more about Lumenati here: https://lumenati.com/
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Jul 19, 2023
Developing Insights | Storytelling Series Part 3 of 4
Tony Sattler is the Executive Vice President of Experience and Insight st Swanson Russell where he helps create innovative strategies and experiences for their key clients while constantly evolving the agency's core research and strategy development capabilities.
In Part 3 of our 4-part Storytelling Series, Cole and Tony discuss:
- how brands can create exceptional experiences
- why data strategy is good for marketing strategy
- leveraging AI to create more robust experiences and engagement with your audiences
- why insight drives great creative
You can catch up with Tony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonysattler/
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Jul 5, 2023
Understanding Your Audience | Storytelling Series Part 2 of 4
Megan Prettyman is the Marketing Manager at Gear Patrol and joins us on the show to talk about the importance of understanding your audience for storytelling and more.
This is part 2 of our 4-part Storytelling Series.
In this episode, Cole and Megan talk about:
* audience segmentation
* how to use data to tell stories
* what product journalism is and why it is important
* meet your audience where they're at
You can catch up with Megan on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganprettyman/
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Jun 21, 2023
The Power of Stories | Storytelling Series Part 1 of 4
Roo Smith is a commercial/documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Boulder, Colorado. He has produced films for Outside Magazine in Ireland, camera operated for Netflix in the Rocky Mountain West, photographed among indigenous communities in Peru and Ecuador, directed videos with professional climbers in Mexico and has received notable recognition in his hometown of Orcas Island in Washington State for his work telling uplifting stories in the outdoor space.
Roo joins us as part of our 4-part storytelling series to discuss the power and importance of stories.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- about the importance of vulnerability and authenticity in storytelling
- how to create emotion-driven strategies to create meaningful relationships with others
- how to build brand resonance over building company awareness
- why stories help us heal
And much, much more!
You can catch up with Roo at his website: https://roosmith.com/
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Jun 7, 2023
How to Leverage YouTube as a Brand
Nick Symmonds is a two-time Olympian turned YouTuber and entrepreneur, hitting over 1 million subscribers. Nick is also a mountain climber, already hitting 44 out of 50 state high points and 2 of the 7 summits.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- how to get started on YouTube
- how brands can win on YouTube
- how to create engaging content
- what challenges we'll see on YouTube in the future
You can check out Nick's YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@nicksymmonds
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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May 24, 2023
Rebranding Gone Wrong
Brock Ellis is the Creative Director at Mountain Equipment Company, managing all campaign outputs from the creative team, working directly with the Brand Director and VP of Marketing.
Brock joins Cole on the show to discuss what happens when a rebrand goes wrong.
On this episode, you'll learn:
- what goes into rebranding
- what happens when the rebrand goes wrong / the loss of brand support
- how to come back and rebuild the brand
You can learn more about Mountain Equipment Company here: https://www.mec.ca/
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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May 10, 2023
Consumer Attention is Fragmented - Brands Need to Meet Consumers
Patrick Finnegan is the current VP/Account Director at Swanson Russell, a brand and product marketing agency. He focuses on long-term strategy and planning, as well as new business development for brands.
In this discussion between Cole and Patrick, you'll learn about:
- the three types of consumer attention and how to capture them
- building narratives that actually make sense for consumers
- nurturing your exact audience
- pushing a consumer-centric direction at your own company
This is a shorter episode for us but packs a big punch with valuable advice and insight.
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Apr 26, 2023
The Journey to Brand Maturity
What is brand maturity and how do you achieve it? Jonathan McKenzie, co-founder of Turtlebox Audio, joins us to teach us exactly that. Jonathan joins Cole to chat about the importance of brand maturity, his journey as a co-founder, and how to keep scaling while staying true to your brand's values.
On this episode, you'll learn:
- the definition of brand maturity
- how to get your brand to the maturity level you're aiming for
- how to measure brand maturity - the definition of "customer spill"
- how to keep your brand's core values through growth
You can catch up with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mckenzie-9118aa13/
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Apr 12, 2023
Building a Global Brand with Athletic Brewing's CMO, Andrew Katz
How does a brand go from a local, small start-up to being one of the biggest brands in their category within just a few years? Athletic Brewing's CMO, Andrew Katz, is here to tell us how.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- the importance of the pursuit of progress
- how to build true loyalty with customers
- the way to grow a brand into a household name
- what digital opportunities brands have to build connections with their customers
Andrew is a career marketer with an entrepreneurial spirit. Before coming to Athletic Brewing, he launched a FinTech company, and has led brands and teams for brands like Pepsi, American Express, and Heineken.
You can learn more about Athletic Brewing at their website: https://athleticbrewing.com/
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Mar 29, 2023
How to Beat the Attention Economy
Do you struggle to create content that really resonates with your audience? Are you frustrated by shorter attention spans? On this episode, Cole sits down with John Peabody to talk about how to beat the attention economy and create GOOD content that matters.
On this episode, you'll learn:
- how to beat the attention economy
- how to make the case for REALLY good content
- what content consumers are longing for
- why branded content is so important
John is an independent content strategist and producer who has a long career in many different content mediums. He spent years of his life as a reporter, but then slowly morphed into a creative strategist.
You can learn more about him at his website: https://www.johnpeabodycreative.com/
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Mar 15, 2023
How to Scale a Brand
Jon Bausman has 16 years of marketing experience, both in the outdoor industry and out. His roles have focused on P&L accountability, leading a team, growth marketing, and developing and scaling brands.
Jon sits down with Cole to discuss how to scale a brand in 2023 and beyond, challenging the status quo, and content strategy tactics.
You can catch up with Jon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonbausman/
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Mar 1, 2023
How Brands Are Wasting Money on Social Media
As he describes himself, Sam Van Boxtel is "just a climber obsessed with social media." Well, he's much more than that. Sam is a climber and entrepreneur based in Vancouver, Washington. He and his team make up Climbers Crag, the climbing industry's leading social media agency.
In this episode, Cole and Sam discuss the most common mistakes outdoor brands make on social media, the value of social in the outdoor space, why social media is important for brand building, what metrics to track, and much, much more!
You can learn more about Sam and Climbers Crag on Instagram:
https://www.climberscrag.com/
https://www.instagram.com/climbers.crag.agency/
Have questions for Sam? Find him here: Sam@climberscrag.com
Essential Reading for Outdoor Marketers: https://kit.co/BackcountryMarketing
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and…
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Feb 15, 2023
How Brands Can Support Retail in 2023
Davide Giardini is originally from Lake Garda, Italy, a multisport heaven for cycling, skiing, wind sports, and climbing in the heart of the Italian Alps. He moved to the USA over 15 years ago as a foreign exchange high school student and has been in the country ever since.
While competing at the highest level of sport, Davide has always maintained a foot on the "other side" of the business sports, in sales & marketing roles. Being an active, personable, respected, and highly skilled professional in the communities he serves has given Davide a front-row seat in understanding and leveraging the trends, needs, and wants of athletes.
In this episode, Cole and Davide discuss the relationship between brands and retail, the importance of the human element of the retail shopping experience, the athlete-to-brand relationship, and much more!
You can catch up with Davide here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enduranceproguides/
Essential Reading for Outdoor Marketers: https://kit.c…
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Feb 1, 2023
The Next Frontier in Product Sustainability
Amanda Smith is the founder and owner of the agency, Monday Creative. Amanda started her career as a writer/editor, then went down the path of brand strategist, eventually ending up running her own agency.
Amanda joins Cole to discuss product sustainability, circularity, regenerative capitalism, as well as overall brand strategy and voice.
You can catch up with Amanda here:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaleesmith/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandaleesmith1/
Essential Reading for Outdoor Marketers: https://kit.co/BackcountryMarketing
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Jan 25, 2023
SHOT Show 2023 Recap
I finally made it to a trade show! SHOT Show ended last week and what a show it was. SHOT Show is a hunting, firearm, and general outdoor show in Las Vegas. For two days, I wandered around the floor and asked folks what their thoughts were on the future of the industry based on what they had observed at SHOT.
I chatted with folks from Outdoor Research, RealTree, ExpertVoice, Carbon TV, and many others. Let us know if you like this style of an episode as it's something we're looking to do more of in the future.
Essential Reading for Outdoor Marketers: https://kit.co/BackcountryMarketing
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Jan 18, 2023
Building a High-Performing Team
This month, we're featuring conversations with leaders who inspire us to lead better teams in the new year.
In this episode, Cole sits down with David Russo, VP of Sales and Marketing in North America at Mammut. David shares his perspective on how to build a team, what it takes to be a good leader, the importance of emotional intelligence (EQ) over IQ, and asking questions and being curious.
If you want to connect with David, you can reach him via email at david.russo@mammut.com or on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/david.p.russo/
Essential Reading for Outdoor Marketers: https://kit.co/BackcountryMarketing
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Jan 4, 2023
Leading a Creative Team
This month, we're featuring conversations with leaders who inspire us to lead better teams in the new year.
In this episode, Cole sits down with Ryan Coulter, founder and Chief Creative Officer at the James Brand, a company that makes knives and tools for people who live adventurously. Before founding the James Brand, Ryan spent time at companies like Burton and Nike, amongst others.
Ryan and Cole talk about what it takes to lead a truly creative team. Listen to this one to jumpstart 2023 and your leadership skills!
Catch up with the James Brand on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejamesbrand/
Essential Reading for Outdoor Marketers: https://kit.co/BackcountryMarketing
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Dec 21, 2022
When to Build an Internal Production Studio
Liv Faris started her career in print journalism and then transitioned to broadcast journalism. Eventually, she moved to work at an agency doing a little bit of everything. She has since worked internally at Expedia, and now at Brooks. In her current role, she leads the content production team in Brooks' internal creative studio/agency.
In this episode, Cole and Liv discuss when to bring your content production in-house, who and when to outsource your content, how to build a business case to create an internal studio, and much more.
You can catch up with Liv on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/livfaris/
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Dec 14, 2022
2022 Thank You
Hey Backcountry Marketing family, thank you for making 2022 our best year yet on the podcast. We've got a lot of exciting things in development in 2023 but we're excited to announce that we're launching a video version of the show on YouTube! Head over to our YouTube Channel and hit that subscribe button.
We hope everyone has a great holiday season and look forward to bringing you new conversations in season 4.
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Dec 7, 2022
Why Conservation Depends on Storytelling
Adam Cramer is the founder and CEO of the Outdoor Alliance. At the Outdoor Alliance, they mobilize the power of outdoor enthusiasts to protect public lands and waters. As Adam calls it, "conservation powered by outdoor recreation, so to speak."
In this episode, Adam and Cole chat about inciting change, the importance of storytelling in conservation, and how to join the fight for conservation as a brand in an effective way.
Learn more about the Outdoor Alliance here.
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Nov 30, 2022
Website Development for 2023
Tom Moreno started his career in retail at Helly Hansen before joining evo’s first-ever retail store. After 13 years there, he took a chance on a startup called Awayco - trying to offer an alternative to purchasing by connecting consumers with demo/rental products in shops across the globe in Surf, Snow, and Bike. Tom eventually landed at Salomon’s North America office in November of 2020 where he now oversees site operations - from visual merchandising to catalog to working with the digital product team to iterate and refine their website.
Tom joins the podcast to talk about website development, what marketers need to know about websites, user experience, and what trends we should be aware of and following as we head into 2023.
This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Nov 9, 2022
How to Build Loyal and True Fans
On this episode of the show, we have two guests! Alex Willie and Becky Lyttle from ExpertVoice join us to tell us how to build loyal and true fans, the importance of brand advocacy, and building your brand community.
Alex is a former professional mountain biker turned marketing pro. After his cycling career, he started his career in marketing and eventually landed at ExpertVoice, managing current client partnerships and helping brands build advocacy. Catch up with Alex here.
Becky spent 8 years of her early career with the US Snowboard Team where she gained experience in event management, implementing education, and certification programs. After time in non-profit leadership, she moved into bringing new products to market and managing customer experience at ExpertVoice. Catch up with Becky here.
If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!
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Oct 26, 2022
Mental Health and CTE in the Workplace | David Meredith | Full Speed Ahead
David Meredith is the Dirt Marketing Manager for Full Speed Ahead and has been in the bike industry for years, including racing, owning a retail shop, and operating his own international bicycle brand. David comes on the show to share his experience in the bike industry, but also, to share his experience being a human pre-diagnosed with CTE, Stage 4.
In this episode, David and Cole discuss:
* What CTE is (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy)
* How CTE impacts how David approaches life
* What we ask of athletes in our industry
And much more.
We want to thank David for coming on our show and sharing his story on this platform. This is an important story and we hope you'll share this with your fellow outdoor community members to seek more understanding and hopefully change gear/policies to make our sports more safe.
If you want to catch up with FSA, you can do that on Instagram.
Do you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry? If you need help to bring your next video pr…
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Oct 12, 2022
Break All The Rules | Kris Hampton | Power Company Climbing
Kris Hampton (he/him) is a former mural painter and rapper, currently a climbing coach and outdoor industry podcaster who has modeled his business after what he understood - independent hip-hop labels.
In this episode, Kris and Cole discuss:
- the importance of creativity for creativity's sake
- breaking the rules and bucking the trends
- why long-form content wins
- the state of outdoor podcasting
and much more.
You can catch up with Kris on Instagram and on the Power Company Climbing website. Follow along with Plug Tone Audio on Instagram or on their website.
If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help.
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Sep 28, 2022
Marketing a Commodity | Dax Myers | MountainFLOW eco-wax
Dax Myers has worked in ski travel for over a decade. When COVID shut down travel in 2020, he was laid off right as I started grad school. He used that time to make a big huge pivot into the product side of the outdoor industry. His current role entails handling all of the marketing efforts and strategy for mountainFLOW.
In this episode, Cole and Dax discuss:
- mountainFLOW's background
- Balancing a content strategy between sustainability and performance
- How to balance sustainability with the production of commodities
- How to create a broad awareness funnel
And so much more!
Catch up with mountainFLOW Eco Wax on Instagram or on their website.
If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help.
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Sep 14, 2022
Fire Your Marketing Guy | Stix Nilsen | Liquid Death
Stephen (Stix) Nilsen is the Vice President of Cult Indoctrination at Liquid Death. If you haven't heard of Liquid Death they've recently taken the world by storm and have shocked many with their polarizing, yet creative approach to advertising.
Taking his talents from Pabst and Red Bull, Stix has been tasked with getting cans in hands the only way he knows how.
In this episode, Cole and Stix discuss:
- Liquid Death's approach to marketing
- Why Liquid Death will never hire an agency
- Their legendary projects to date
- The plastic problem we face in the world
- Grassroots event marketing
And much more!
You can catch up with Stix on LinkedIn -
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenilsen/
If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help.
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Aug 31, 2022
What IS a Content Strategy? | Chris King | Outdoor Research
Chris King is the Brand Director at Outdoor Research. He’s had many different roles in his career, from marketing manager at a finance company to starting his own production company to creative director at an ad agency. And now, he’s landed at Outdoor Research, which he says is his dream job.
In this episode, Cole and Chris discuss:
- brand awareness
- what even IS a content strategy?
- content metrics
- supporting your content strategy with a small budget
And much more.
You can catch up with Chris on Instagram, and check out what Outdoor Research is up to over there as well.
If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help.
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Aug 17, 2022
The Outerverse | Ariel Macrae | Outside Inc.
Ariel Macrae is the Marketing & Social Media Manager for Outside Inc. She has spent over ten years in the outdoor industry, in both service and product marketing roles. She started her career working for ski resorts with a big focus on season pass marketing strategies, transitioned into freelance helping startup outdoor product brands, then started working for ROAM Media 2 years ago. ROAM Media was acquired by Outside Inc. last fall and Ariel has since taken the lead on content marketing for the launch of the new NFT creator marketplace Outside.io.
In this episode, Cole and Ariel discuss:
* the Outerverse
* Using this data platform to create more value for the outdoor community
* The controversy of Web3, NFTs, and beyond
* How to know when you're ready to launch a new project like this
And much more.
You can catch up with Ariel on LinkedIn.
The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is a production of Port Side Productions.
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Aug 3, 2022
The Changing Production Landscape | Graeme Meiklejohn | Director of Photography
Graeme Meiklejohn has done the freelancer sandwich - a couple of years after university as a freelancer, then 5 years at Origin Outside as their lead cinematographer, and now back to full-time freelance.
In this episode, Cole and Graeme discuss:
* the changing production landscape
* how tech is changing client needs
* creative for smaller brands
* gear evolution in production
and much more!
Catch up with Graeme here.
The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is a production of Port Side Productions.
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Jul 20, 2022
Ambassador, Athlete or Influencer? | Maddie Duffy | Mystery Ranch (Throwback)
Today, we're revisiting one of our most popular episodes from 2021, our conversation with Maddie Duffy. Give this one a listen if you haven't already, or revisit for some major knowledge dropping.
When it comes to building your team who are you working with? Why would you choose an athlete over an influencer? When is an influencer better suited than an ambassador? Why have an ambassador team in 2021?
Maddie Duffy, the Marketing Manager, from Mystery Ranch dives into these questions and more. She explains why Mystery Ranch started an ambassador program, but also why they continue to work with athletes and influencers outside of their ambassadors.
As Maddie says, the key to any successful relationship is trust. "Appreciate the relationship you have and nourish it."
Connect with Maddie on LinkedIn and Mystery Ranch on Instagram.
The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is a production of Port Side Productions.
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Jul 6, 2022
Product Design and Brand Development | Josh Buesseler | Delicious, LLC
Josh Buesseler has been an industrial design and product strategy consultant for 14 years, with clients in many industries including outdoor. Prior to that, he worked in-house at Cascade Designs, which is now also a client along with SOG Knives.
In this episode, Cole and Josh discuss:
* How brands express themselves through products
* Product design for the outdoor industry
* The benefits of failure
* Design being the intersection of style and user interaction
You can catch up with Josh here on Instagram.
The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is a production of Port Side Productions.
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Jun 22, 2022
Ben O'Meara | Foundations of Huckberry | Huckberry (Throwback)
Today, we're revisiting one of our most popular episodes from 2021, our conversation with Ben O'Meara. Give this one a listen if you haven't already, or revisit for some major knowledge dropping.
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In this episode, Ben O'Meara the VP of Marketing at Huckberry breaks down the core components that make Huckberry, Huckberry. Huckberry is an online shop and journal that inspires active, adventurous, and stylish lives through original storytelling. They're best known for their curated products and collaborations as well as their commitment to storytelling at every touchpoint.
Ben discusses how foundational storytelling is to everything they do, previous product launches that didn't work, and how email has built Huckberry.
You can connect with Ben on Instagram here and follow Huckberry here.
The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is a production of Port Side Productions.
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Jun 8, 2022
Aligning Internal Brand and External Brand | Julia LoVecchio | CMH Heli-Skiing and Summer Adventures
Julia LoVecchio is the Director of Marketing at CMH Heli-Skiing and Summer Adventures.
Julia's career has followed a somewhat unique and non-linear path, and as a result she's had the good fortune to gain leadership experience and build management skills across the tourism, hospitality, and communications industries. One element that has remained central to her journey has been a life rooted in the mountains and mountain culture.
In this episode, Cole and Julia discuss:
* the importance of people feeling like their work matters
* her transformative experiences in the mountains
* striking the balance between loyalty and acquisition
* focusing on where the company is going
and so much more!
You can catch up with Julia here and keep up with all things CMH here.
The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is a production of Port Side Productions.
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May 25, 2022
Building a Creative Manifesto | Marc Gutman | Wildstory
Marc Gutman is an award-winning storyteller, entrepreneur, adventurer, and idealist. But most importantly, Marc loves brands and their stories. He is the founder of Wildstory, a storytelling agency dedicated to helping visionary entrepreneurs and businesses get crazy clarity on their story.
In this episode, Cole and Marc chat about how to build a creative manifesto.
They chat about:
* client engagements are always opportunities to learn
* demanding collaboration
* leveraging the success of past relationships
* brand strategy
and much, much more!
You can follow Marc on Instagram or LinkedIn.
The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is a production of Port Side Productions.
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May 18, 2022
How Company-to-Customer Communication Delivers Value | Erica Aarons | Rumpl
Erica Aarons grew up in MN but has been in the Jackson Hole area for almost 7 years! She worked formerly at a creative agency in Jackson, doing social for mostly Travel & Tourism clients, including Visit Jackson Hole.
After that, she joined Rex Specs, a dog gear company, where she dipped her toes in e-commerce and knew that's where she wanted to be.
She left her role as Marketing Director at Rex Specs and moved to Rumpl in November '21.
Her role as Retention & Engagement Manager at Rumpl allows her to focus on Email, Loyalty, and SMS channels.
On this episode, Erica shares the importance of email and how company-to-customer communication delivers value.
Erica and Cole discuss:
* Customer retention and customer experience
* Customer loyalty
* Conversational commerce
* Targetting and segmenting
and much, much more!
You can follow along with Erica here.
The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is a project of Port Side Productions.
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May 11, 2022
Building a Brand Versus Building an Online Retailer | Moez Faruqi | White Duck Outdoors
Moez Faruqi is the Head of Marketing at White Duck Outdoors. His role covers all aspects of the marketing side, including SMS/emails, influencers, product marketing, visual content, and more.
In this episode, Cole and Moez discuss:
* How to get into marketing
* Learning on the job
* Differences between a brand and an online retailer
* Why you might pivot away from eCommerce
And much, much more!
You can connect with Moez on LinkedIn here and follow along with White Duck Outdoors here.
The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is a production of Port Side Productions.
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May 4, 2022
How to Run a Startup Marketing Plan | Jax Mustafa | Erem
Jax Mustafa is a seasoned marketing expert, entrepreneur, and world champion desert runner.
In this episode, Jax comes to us as the VP of Marketing at Erem, a footwear company inspired by the desert and committed to sustainability.
Cole and Jax discuss:
* Working on a company from the ground up
* Launching a brand
* Building a startup marketing plan
* Maintaining your personal passions and health while delivering on an aggressive marketing plan
And much, much more!
You can connect with Jax on LinkedIn.
The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is a production of Port Side Productions.
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Apr 27, 2022
How Emerging Technologies Impact Marketers | Bethany Evans | The North Face
NFTs, the Metaverse, XR. Technology is transforming all around us. What does it all mean for marketers? Bethany Evans, Senior Marketing Director of Global Brand Management at The North Face, joins us on the podcast to chat about emerging technologies.
In this discussion, we chat about:
* NFTs
* Metaverse
* How a brand like The North Face reacts to emerging technology
* When is the right time to engage with emerging technologies as a brand?
* What are the pitfalls in engaging with new tech as a marketer?
and much more!
You can catch up with Bethany here.
The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is a project by Port Side Productions.
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Apr 20, 2022
Why Consumer Research is so Important | Megan Averell | The Insight Inn
What is consumer research, really, and why is it so important?
Megan Averell is the founder of the Insight Inn, a qualitative research and strategy firm, to bring people back into the heart of business decision-making.
In this episode, we chat about:
* how research applies to marketing
* what research can be used for
* the challenges with research
* different types of research
and much, much more!
You can catch up with Megan here: https://mobile.twitter.com/meggatron
The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is a produced by Port Side Productions.
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Apr 13, 2022
Building a Non-Transactional Relationship With Your Customers|Darren Josey | NEMO Equipment
Darren Josey is the VP of Marketing at NEMO Equipment.
Darren sits down with Cole to discuss how to build a non-transactional relationship with your customer, creating better customer relationships at large.
With the huge influx of new folks recreating in the outdoors, there's an enormous opportunity to connect with potential customers outside of their transactions with you.
Darren chats about how NEMO equipment is accomplishing this through inspiring people to get outside and provide training materials for all ability levels.
Follow along with NEMO Equipment here.
This podcast is a project by Cole Heilborn and Port Side Productions.
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Apr 6, 2022
How to Find Your Brand Voice on Social | Kami York-Feirn | Ruffwear
Social media is constantly changing, new algorithms, new platforms, and new trends are a daily occurrence. As a brand, how do you decide what platforms to be present on? How does your brand communicate on each platform?
These are a couple of questions that Kami York - Feirn answers in this episode. As the Social Media Coordinator at Ruffwear, she is faced with these types of challenges daily.
In addition to this topic, we discuss TikTok for brands, emerging platforms, sales on social media, and the Metaverse.
Follow Ruffwear and Kami on Instagram.
Produced by Port Side Productions and Cole Heilborn.
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Mar 30, 2022
How to Work with An Agency | John Entwistle | Origin
Our last episode of the freelancer month has arrived!
This week, Cole sits down with John Entwistle, Account Director and Photographer at Origin, an outdoor agency that partners with brands they believe in. Everything they do is about getting more people out there.
In this episode, Cole and John discuss:
- best practices for working with an agency - what your portfolio should consist of
- how to stay top of mind with an agency
- some no-gos you should be aware of in working with agencies
And much, much more!
You can catch up with John at his website or on his Instagram.
The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is produced by Cole Heilborn, owner of Port Side Productions.
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Mar 23, 2022
Managing Clients as a Freelancer | Maari Casey | Uncompany
Freelancer month continues with a conversation about how to manage clients efficiently and effectively as a freelancer. In this episode, Cole sits down with Maari Casey.
Maari is the Founder & Owner of Uncompany, a freelance collective designed to connect clients with high-caliber talent.
In this episode, Cole and Maari discuss:
- the top challenges freelancers face
- why thinking like a project manager is beneficial as a freelancer
- how to create a sustainable workload and flow
- how can automation aide freelancers and their client relationships
and much, much more!
Catch up with Maari and Uncompany at their website.
Backcountry Marketing Podcast is a Port Side Productions project.
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Mar 16, 2022
Freelancing Q&A | Cole Heilborn & Emily Holland | Port Side Productions
Freelancer month continues with a special Q&A episode with your host, Cole Heilborn.
Cole tackles the top questions that freelancers sent in with the Backcountry Marketing Production Assistant, Emily Holland. We discuss:
- How do you decide what to charge for your services?
- How do you expand your business offerings?
- How do you keep your sanity when it comes to monthly income highs and lows?
- How do you maintain powerful relationships with clients and past clients?
- How do you let clients go that aren't a good fit?
All this and more on this week's episode.
You can catch up with Cole here and with Emily here.
Backcountry Marketing Podcast is a Port Side Productions project.
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Mar 9, 2022
Dealing with Money as a Freelancer | Justine Mulliez | Just a Wild Thought
Freelancer Month! This whole month, we'll be sharing episodes that are geared more towards freelancers and answering the top questions they may have.
How do we interact with money as a freelancer?
In this episode, Justine Mulliez, a business coach who works with creatives, freelancers, and entrepreneurs discusses multiple paradigms of money and how freelancers struggle with this.
We discuss:
- Our preconceived notions about money and how money narratives can be pervasive
- Our general discomfort around money and how we can make money conversations more comfortable
- Pitching and pricing
- Transparency and rates
and much more!
Catch up with Justine at her website or on Instagram.
The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is produced by Cole Heilborn of Port Side Productions.
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Mar 2, 2022
Finding Your Focus As A Freelancer | Jon Glassberg | Louder Than 11
Freelancer Month! This whole month, we'll be sharing episodes that are geared more towards freelancers and answering the top questions they may have.
For this episode, we sit down with Jon Glassberg. Jon is a Director, Photographer and Professional Cimber. He is the owner of Louder Than 11, a media production company and creative agency based in Boulder, Colorado. He is also the co-founder of the Crux Academy (check out our past episode with Jeremy Jensen, another co-founder at Crux Academy).
In this conversation, Jon shares:
- How he started Louder Than 11 and why type of creative projects he works on
- How to find your focus as a freelancer
- How to balance your business with your personal life
- How to change your niche over time if you want to
- How doing the work will lead to opportunities
And much more!
Follow along with Jon on Instagram or at his website.
The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is produced by Cole Heilborn of Port Side Productions.
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Feb 23, 2022
Finding the Balance Between Vision and Expectations | Mason Gravley | Athletic Brewing
How do you find a balance between vision and expectations?
So often in today's culture, we're told to set a goal and work tirelessly to it - sometimes to a fault.
What if we approached our work/life goal setting differently? Without giving up our work ethic, what if we approached life with a little more grace and allowed ourselves to see where the path takes us.
Mason Gravley joins me on the mic to discuss this idea and how he's approached his life this way.
Follow Mason
@alive_adventurer
@adventuresportspodcast
@athleticbrewing
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Feb 16, 2022
Jonathan Wegner | Perceived Value of a Brand | SOG Knives
How is a brand's value perceived?
Perceived value is calculated from a variety of factors. Values, visual presence, quality, and price of the product all play a role in the customer's perception of a brand.
Jonathan Wegner is the VP of Brand at SOG Knives and shares how the SOG brand has suffered from neglect. At one point it was lumped into the "Walmart Quality" standard.
In this episode, he shares how he and the team have worked to re-establish the brand's value that it once held.
Follow SOG:
@sogknives
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Feb 9, 2022
Mike Arzt | Camera Guy or Business Guy? | The Public Works
Mike Arzt is the co-founder of The Public Works.
Since starting the video production company Mike has experienced a challenge that many freelancers turned business owners face. Am I the camera person or business person?
This pivot for many is a challenging point in a business. Mike reflects on this journey and provides some feedback on the lessons he's learned through this change over the years.
Follow Mike and Public Works:
@thepublicworks
@arztm
@battery621
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@coleheilborn
@backcountrymarketing
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Feb 2, 2022
Liz Esche | Marketing Through a Re-Brand | Gnarly Nutrition
In this episode, Liz Esche, the Marketing Director at Gnarly Nutrition joins me to discuss the re-brand project Gnarly rolled out.
Re-brands are exciting, but how do you continue to market through a re-brand? How do you manage product package changes while managing website changes, copy, logos, and everything else?
Liz shares behind the scenes how the Gnarly team managed to pull off this entire re-brand.
Follow Liz and Gnarly
@gnarlynutrition
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Jan 28, 2022
Nicole Handel | Consumer Psychology and Marketing | MAMMUT
This episode is part of our 2021 top episode round-up - it was originally published on 12/14/2021.
In this episode, Nicole Handel, the Director of Marketing at MAMMUT joins me to discuss psychology and the consumer's decision-making process.
Psychology is at the core of everything. We examine multiple intersections of marketing and psychology by dissecting paradigms across the marketing industry as well as some of Mammut's initiatives and processes.
Follow Nicole and Mammut:
@mammutna
@nicolehandel
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Jan 26, 2022
Conor McElyea | Cause Marketing and Making a Difference | Conservation Alliance
Conor McElyea is the Director of Partnerships and Membership with the Conservation Alliance.
The Conservation Alliance is a membership-based non-profit that helps fund conversation efforts across the continent. To date, they have protected 73 million acres, 3,576 river miles, remove or halted 37 dams, purchased 18 climbing areas, and designated five marine reserves.
Conor discusses the rise in popularity of cause marketing, the opportunities for brands that are members of the alliance, and the exciting work being done at Public Lands for conservation.
Follow the Alliance:
@conservationalliance
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Jan 25, 2022
Emily Holland | Starting a Podcast | Nature Untold Podcast
This episode is part of our 2021 top episode round-up - it was originally published on 09/01/2021.
In this episode, Emily Holland, the host from the Nature Untold Podcast breaks down all of the details to start a podcast. We discuss defining your "why", format, software, sponsorships, Patreon, and marketing.
The podcast world is a bit like the wild west, there are no rules, a few best practices, but the platform is really what you make of it.
If you're curious about how to get started, then this episode is for you!
Follow Emily:
@e_hollz
@natureuntoldpodcast
https://emilyholland.co/
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Jan 19, 2022
Quinn Lanzon | Difference Between Agency and In-House | OneUp Components
What are the differences between an agency and working in-house?
How does an agency view things like: time, meetings, scope creep, and the creative process. Are they different than an in-house team?
Quinn Lanzon is the Director of Marketing at OneUp Components. Previously he worked for 2 agencies and has noticed some differences between the two after jumping the fence.
Quinn shares some of his observations in this episode examining the differences and similarities.
Follow Quinn and OneUp:
@trailgrammar
@oneupcomponents
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Jan 14, 2022
Jeremy Jensen | Using Flow State to Improve Creativity and Productivity | Crux Academy
This episode is part of our 2021 top episode round-up - it was originally published on 12/01/2021.
In 2021 the most valuable commodity is attention. As marketers, we all seek to earn the attention of our audience. But how often do we consider our own focus while on the job? Are those trips to the water cooler really helping your creativity? Does keeping your email tab open or closed help or hinder communication?
In this episode, Jeremy Jensen joins me to discuss flow. Many of us are probably familiar with the concept of flow. "Being in the zone" or "runners high" are common names for this neurologic effect happening inside our brain. In flow, we become focused, more creative, and increase productivity. In fact, studies have found that productivity can be increased 500% when in flow. Most of us probably experience this effect while we're skiing, mountain biking or chasing some adrenaline high.
But what if we could trick our brains into flow so that we could get more done? What if w…
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Jan 12, 2022
Chloe - Anne Swink | Value Based Marketing for Small Business Owners | Chloe - Anne Copy Agency
For a small business owner, adding another task to the to-do list can seem like the straw that broke the camel's back.
Chloe - Anne Swink is a small business owner herself and runs the Chloe - Anne Copy Agency. As a copywriter, she comes across many small businesses that have never actually defined what their core values are. This lack of a foundation can create a number of problems for business owners, who might not even realize it because they're too busy running the day-to-day of their business.
In this episode, she shares some practical, easy-lift steps to help small business owners define their values, organize them, and most importantly act on them.
Follow Chloe - Anne:
@chloe.anne.copy
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Jan 7, 2022
Justine Mulliez | Creatives in the Wild | Just a Wild Thought
This episode is part of our 2021 top episode round-up - it was originally published on 03/01/2021.
If you're a freelancer in the outdoor industry, chances are you've asked yourself the following questions:
How do I turn my passion into a business?
How do I charge?
How do I position myself?
How do I conquer my inner critic?
In this episode, we're changing up the focus a bit. We've talked with agencies and brands a lot on this show but a group that we haven't chatted with much is the freelancer who is often doing the work.
Many of us fall into freelance work because we love our craft and we love the industry. But how do we actually do it well? How do we not burn out? How do we get clients? These are all questions I have asked and will continue to ask with my own business. Justine Mulliez from Just a Wild Thought Coaching shares the mic with me in this episode to discuss all of these challenging yet real issues freelancers face.
Follow Justine:
https://www.justawildthought.com/…
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Jan 5, 2022
Chris Cashbaugh | When to Blaze New Trail | SOG
We have all heard about the great resignation that's been sweeping the industry. Chris Cashbaugh is the Director of Product Strategy at SOG. In this episode, he discusses the decision he made to switch from marketing to product design.
Finding a new job can be intimidating. Especially if it's in a field that we don't have any experience in. Chris shares his thoughts on how he made the transition, his philosophy on book learning vs real-world learning, and some practical steps for someone looking for a change.
Follow SOG:
@sogknives
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Dec 15, 2021
Nicole Handel | Consumer Psychology and Marketing | MAMMUT
In this episode, Nicole Handel, the Director of Marketing at MAMMUT joins me to discuss psychology and the consumer's decision-making process.
Psychology is at the core of everything. We examine multiple intersections of marketing and psychology by dissecting paradigms across the marketing industry as well as some of Mammut's initiatives and processes.
Follow Nicole and Mammut:
@mammutna
@nicolehandel
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Dec 8, 2021
Viktor Marohnic | User Acquisition and Lowering the Point of Entry | 57 Hours
57 Hours is a business that connects customers with local guides for adventures.
Viktor Marohnic, the Founder and CEO, joins me on the podcast to discuss the challenges they have faced in streamlining their customer acquisition pipeline.
For many businesses that sell "big-ticket items" or services that require lots of planning a simple social media ad isn't enough to convert a customer. This challenge is experienced throughout the travel industry as many of the purchase decisions are based on logistics.
Viktor shares the strategy he and his team have developed to ease customers into their pipeline and provide value along the way.
Follow 57 Hours: @57hours_app
Produced by: @portsideproductions @backcountrymarketing @coleheilborn
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Nov 30, 2021
Jeremy Jensen | Using Flow State to Improve Creativity and Productivity | Crux Academy
In 2021 the most valuable commodity is attention. As marketers, we all seek to earn the attention of our audience. But how often do we consider our own focus while on the job? Are those trips to the water cooler really helping our creativity? Does keeping your email tab open or closed help or hinder communication?
In this episode, Jeremy Jensen joins me to discuss flow. Many of us are probably familiar with the concept of flow. "Being in the zone" or "runners high" are common names for this neurologic effect happening inside our brain. In flow, we become focused, more creative, and increase productivity. In fact, studies have found that productivity can be increased 500% when in flow. Most of us probably experience this effect while we're skiing, mountain biking or chasing some adrenaline high.
But what if we could trick our brains into a flow state so that we could get more done? What if we could do a full day's work in half a day?
Jeremy is here to tell us that this is possible…
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Nov 24, 2021
Al Perkinson | 5 Steps to Building a Community | Bajio Sunglasses - Part 2
Al Perkinson, the CEO of Bajio Sunglasses, joins me on the podcast for Part 2 of this series. We pick up the conversation where we left off in Part 1 of episode 77.
Creating and building a community is all the rage. As marketers, we want to build companies that are surrounded by loving, supportive, passionate community members.
But how does one go about creating these communities? In this episode, Al shares his 5 steps to create a community.
Follow Bajio:
@bajiosunglasses
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Nov 17, 2021
Jonathan Ronzio | Why Process Leads to Better Creativity | Trainual
Are creativity and structure inherently at odds with each other?
Jonathan Ronzio is the CMO at Trainual, a filmmaker, and host of the Stokecast. Any creative undertaking as an individual or a solopreneur can be daunting in itself. But as soon as you start to grow, you inevitably add more people to the mix. However, without a clear process, these people will create more work for each other and spend more time focusing on how to do the task rather than the task at hand. This issue is often felt in creative circles where the idea is that creativity and process don't mix.
In this episode, Jonathan shares his perspective on the creative process, operations, and how the two can actually work together, symbiotically to create better ideas.
Follow Jonathan:
@jonathanronzio
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Nov 9, 2021
Darren Kinnaird | Event Marketing, Maintaining Sponsorships and COVID | Crankworx
Of all the industries to get hammered the most during COVID, the events industry has been hit hard. Forced to cancel, post-pone, shutter doors, and limit capacities. Events around the world have been struggling to operate with the restrictions.
To make matters more challenging, many events have had to come up with creative ways to continue to provide value to sponsors even if their signature events have changed considerably. Darren Kinnaird, the Managing Director of Crankworx, shares how he and his team have adapted, expanded their service offerings, and created an entirely new event for the summer of 2020 in response to the shutdown.
Through all of this, Darren and his team have remained positive, and have adopted the mindset of: 'Everything has changed, but nothing has changed."
Follow Darren and Crankworx
@dwkinnaird
@crankworx
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Nov 3, 2021
Rick Saez | The Podcast Opportunity for Brands | Outdoor Biz Podcast
Rick Saez is an industry veteran when it comes to podcasting. With over 300 episodes published of his Outdoor Biz Podcast, he's been in the game a long time.
During that time, he's noticed that many brands have yet to fully harness the power of the podcast. In this episode, we discuss the future of the podcast platform, sponsorships, the opportunity for brands, and we even help you get started by jamming on some ideas for shows!
Follow Rick and the Outdoor Biz Podcast
@ricksaez
@outdoorbizpod
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Oct 27, 2021
Ian Coble | Licensing Rights and Photography | Ian Coble Photography
Licensing rights can be very overwhelming to a lot of photographers. How do licenses work? How much do they cost? What is work for hire?
Ian Coble is a photographer who has shot photos commercially since his early 20's. He's shot for brands like Salomon, K2, Helly Hansen, and many others. In this episode, he breaks down licensing rights and how to navigate them as a photographer.
Follow Ian:
@iancoble
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Oct 20, 2021
Al Perkinson | 5 Steps to Becoming an Authentic Brand | Bajio Sunglasses - Part 1
These days many companies are losing trust with their consumers and are looking for ways to rebuild that trust. The outdoor industry has always had a staple of "authentic brands" in its ranks, however, what does being an authentic brand mean? How does a brand achieve this status?
In this two-part episode, Al Perkinson from Bajio Sunglasses breaks down the 5 steps required to build an authentic brand. As an industry veteran with two decades of experience, Al has started to notice trends that all authentic brands do in order to earn that designation. The five steps are relatively simple, but require an immense amount of intentionality and effort to maintain. Al breaks down a common marketing buzzword into actionable, and digestable steps.
1. Creation story
2. Higher calling
3. Performance
4. True to your core
5. Design as a weapon
This is Part 1 of a 2 Part Series where we explore authenticity and community building with Al.
Follow Bajio
@bajiosunglasses
Produced by:
@portside…
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Oct 13, 2021
Roberto Gutierrez | Bringing Jack Wolfskin to North America | Jack Wolfskin
Jack Wolfskin is a major German outdoor company. Headquartered in Idstein, they were founded in 1981 and are now one of the biggest suppliers of outdoor goods in Germany.
After a couple of previous attempts to enter the North American market, Jack Wolfskin has recently started the journey of trying again. Roberto Guiterrez recently took on the Director of Marketing role and discusses the intricacies of bringing a heritage brand to a new market.
We discuss cultural differences, implications, and unique approaches to storytelling.
Follow Jack Wolfskin
@jackwolfskin_na
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Oct 6, 2021
Evan Poitras | Aligning the Intricacies of Content with Brand| Norco Bicycles
With massive amounts of content rolling out every day, it's easy to let pieces of content slip by that don't align with your brand strategy. In the day-to-day, this might not seem like a big deal. However, the downstream effects of this can be consequential.
Evan Poitras, the Content Marketing Manager from Norco Bicycles, says that when a guest views your content for either the first time or one-hundredth time, it's crucial that each piece of content ladders up to support the overall brand strategy.
Evan shares some real-world scenarios where he's seen this work and where it hasn't. Every piece of content that gets put out helps build trust with a community. That trust can take a while to build or can come crumbling down in one post.
Follow Evan and Norco:
@norcobicycles
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Sep 8, 2021
Colton Jacobs | Finding Work as a Photographer | Colton Jacobs Photography
In this episode, Colton Jacobs, a Seattle-based adventure photographer shares his thoughts on finding and keeping clients. Colton has shot with many brands such as Filson, K2, Hest, and many other reputable brands.
He answers some of the following questions: Does your portfolio matter? How do you use social media? Does cold calling work? How do you manage the feast or famine cycles?
This question is an age-old question in the freelance community. Many photographers get into the photo business for the love of the craft, not the business. However, being able to navigate the world of business can seem like a necessary evil in the pursuit of passion.
Follow Colton:
@coltonandrewjacobs
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Sep 1, 2021
Emily Holland | Starting a Podcast | Nature Untold Podcast
In this episode, Emily Holland, the host from the Nature Untold Podcast breaks down all of the details to start a podcast. We discuss defining your "why", format, software, sponsorships, Patreon, and marketing.
The podcast world is a bit of a wild west, there are no rules, a few best practices, but the platform is really what you make of it.
If you're curious about how to get started, then this episode is for you!
Follow Emily:
@e_hollz
@natureuntoldpodcast
https://emilyholland.co/
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Aug 25, 2021
Ben O'Meara | Foundations of Huckberry | Huckberry
In this episode, Ben O'Meara the VP of Marketing at Huckberry breaks down the core components that make Huckberry, Huckberry. Huckberry is an online shop and journal that inspires active, adventurous, and stylish lives through original storytelling. They're best known for their curated products and collaborations as well as their commitment to storytelling at every touchpoint.
Ben discusses how foundational storytelling is to everything they do, previous product launches that didn't work, and how email has built Huckberry.
Follow Huckberry and Ben
@huckberry
@bennyohh
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Aug 11, 2021
Dave Taylor | Be a Fan, Not a Cynic | Okaybro
Dave Taylor runs Okaybro as a solo creative. He works with a network of collaborators on branding and advertising projects across a range of industries, primarily focused on the outdoor and cycling space.
In this episode, we discuss the pros and cons of being a solo creative entrepreneur. In a turbulent industry, low overhead and quality output is a common path for many agency owners. Dave also shares some of his philosophy around being a fan vs a cynic of other people's work.
Follow Dave and Okaybro:
@okaybro
@okaybrodave
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Aug 4, 2021
Bonie and Jordan | Re-Launching an Iconic Brand | Ibex
Ibex used to be a beloved brand that championed Merino Wool technology and was passionate about its climate impact. These two elements created an undying community of users who loved their Ibex clothing.
Unfortunately in 2018, the brand had to close its doors during a shift from wholesale to direct to consumer. The closure wasn't pretty and left many partners feeling burned. As some would say "The only bridge Ibex didn't burn was the one with their customer."
In this episode, Bonie Shupe the GM/Director of Product, and Jordan Todoroff the Head of Sales, join me to discuss the process of re-launching the brand. They discuss the reasons Ibex 1.0 went under, what worked and what didn't. Moving forwards, they discuss their plans for the company and express their passion for re-kindling a brand loved by many.
Follow Ibex:
@ibexwool
@bonieshupe
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Aug 2, 2021
Rob McSkimming | Origins of Crankworx | Whistler Blackcomb
In this episode, Rob McSkimming, the former VP of Marketing at Whistler Blackcomb discusses the origins of Crankworx.
Starting in 2004, Crankworx has quickly gone on to fuel the evolution of mountain bike culture, attracting fans and athletes from around the world.
Rob reflects on the evolution of the event and how it’s impacted the sport, art, and culture. He discusses the value of a sport-defining event to a marketer and talks about the future of the event and experiential marketing.
Follow Crankworx:
@crankworx
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Jul 28, 2021
Lloyd Vogel | Finding Success as a Cottage Brand | Garage Grown Gear
The outdoor industry has been built from passion, innovation, and curiosity. Many of the legacy brands we're familiar with today started in a garage or basement with a single idea. Oftentimes these business owners find themselves running a business by accident and soon find themselves buried in a pit trying to figure out how to source material, pay taxes, manufacture goods, and sell them.
Lloyd Vogel is one of the co-founders of Garage Grown Gear. Garage Grown Gear is an e-commerce site dedicated to helping and selling 80+ small cottage brands. Over the years, Lloyd has identified common trends and pitfalls that many small brands fall privy to as they struggle to keep their heads above water. In this episode, we talk about email marketing, social media, ambassador programs, and more!
Follow Lloyd and Garage Grown Gear:
@garagegrowngear
@lloydvogel
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Jul 14, 2021
Chris Dickerson | Go-to-Market | Verde Brand Communications
In this episode, Chris Dickerson, the Director of Digital at Verde Brand Communications joins me to talk about creating a go-to-market strategy.
One of the first questions Chris recommends asking is: "what is the value to the consumer?" Combine that with your brand goals and you have your north star. Every decision from that point whether it be: website wireframes, social media strategy, or a content strategy, all ladders back up to the product.
As Chris says "By flipping your thinking, sweating the details first, and always keeping your end consumer top of mind, launches will be smoother and more comprehensive, ensuring all of your channels are aligned and support one another."
If you want to learn more, Chris put together a quick guide to help assist with this process. If you're curious, I highly recommend checking it out here!
Or use this link: https://www.verdepr.com/blog/2021/6/16/how-to-create-go-to-market-strategy
Follow Chris and Verde
@dickergram
@verdebrandcommunicati…
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Jul 7, 2021
Shaun Durkee | Slow and Steady | Alpen Fuel
Last year Shaun Durkee's life was turned upside down after he lost his job. 2 days later he decided that it was time to take the plunge full time into his side business. He gave himself a year and said "let's see what happens."
Alpen Fuel is an e-commerce platform, that in addition to selling its own brand of Alpen Fuel granola, sells other brands in its store.
Shaun's relationship with marketing is perhaps the most difficult of all. With his back against the wall, he had to figure out how to make people aware of Alpen Fuel. Armed with YouTube, a little prior experience, and some grit he and his wife have developed a simple yet effective plan to build their email list and slowly get the word out. Shaun's story is a testament to the idea that marketing doesn't have to be complicated, sometimes the most simple plans work the best.
Follow Alpen Fuel:
@alpenfuel
@shaundurkee
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Jun 30, 2021
Andy Bethune | Something to Everyone | Origin Outside
As people flock to the outdoors, many brands are welcoming and embracing these individuals with open arms. Brands that were once reserved for core users are breaking down their walls to be seen as a more inclusive brand.
In this episode, Andy Bethune, the Director of Strategy at Origin Outside discusses this trend and the implications. As he says, if you try to become something to everyone, you'll be nothing to anyone. But where is the balance? Obviously, we want people to get outside and feel included.
We discuss how far a brand can dilute itself before it becomes ambiguous, why some brands thrive in ambiguity, and factors to consider when a brand is facing outside pressure to grow.
Follow Origin and Andy
@abethune
@originoutside
Produced by:
@backcountrymarketing
@portsideproductions
@coleheilborn
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Jun 16, 2021
Maddie Duffy | Ambassador, Athlete or Influencer? | Mystery Ranch
When it comes to building your team who are you working with? Why would you choose an athlete over an influencer? When is an influencer better suited than an ambassador? Why have an ambassador team in 2021?
Maddie Duffy, the Marketing Manager, from Mystery Ranch dives into these questions and more. She explains why Mystery Ranch started an ambassador program, but also why they continue to work with athletes and influencers outside of their ambassadors.
As Maddie says, the key to any successful relationship is trust. "Appreciate the relationship you have and nourish it."
Follow Maddie and Mystery Ranch:
(Maddie is taking a break from Instagram, you can find her on LinkedIn!)
@mysteryranch
Produced by:
@backcountrymarketing
@portsideproductions
@coleheilborn
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Jun 9, 2021
Carie Behe | Inclusivity and Marketing | Cotopaxi
Have you ever felt like you don't belong?
As Carie says, the trees don't care what you look like or how fast you're moving. So why do we put so much pressure on ourselves? Why don't we feel like we belong in a sport or are qualified for a job? Have you ever considered what role marketing plays in making other people feel included?
Carie Behe, the GTM Marketing Manager for Cotopaxi, shares her personal story and how after 12 years of working in the industry she still suffers from imposter syndrome. Fortunately she's learned to work with it and gives some tips on feeling confident in your job and owning your spot outside.
Follow Carie and Cotopaxi:
@the_behe
@cotopaxi
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Jun 2, 2021
Chase White | Contract Creatives in 2021 | Chase White Photography
Let's face it, as a client you have a lot of options. When it comes to achieving creative work you can choose from an ever-growing list of partners to work with: Agencies, hybrid agencies, studios, producers, contractors, and even your nephew all claim to offer you similar services. But how do you decide who to work with for what project?
Chase White is the Creative Director at Chase White Photography and sheds some light on this question. Having worked with notable brands like Yeti, Gerber, and Simms Fishing, Chase has developed some best practices when considering working with a contract creative.
Navigating how to work with a contractor can be a challenge, and in this episode, Chase shares his thoughts on how clients and contractors can work best together to produce meaningful work.
Follow Chase:
@anadromous
https://chasewhite.com/
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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May 26, 2021
David Zimberoff | Leadership & Spending Brand Culture | SRAM
There comes a point in many of our careers when we're given the chance to step away from doing the work, to managing the work. This step isn't for everyone and in this episode, David Zimberoff, the VP of Marketing at SRAM shares his personal story of 25 years as he's slowly moved away from doing the work, to leading the work.
We also discuss the intricacies and challenges of leading a marketing team while working remotely, maintaining creative excellence, and the idea of spending vs building brand culture.
Follow SRAM:
@SRAMmtb
@SRAMroad
@rockshox
@zippspeed
Produced by:
Port Side Productions
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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May 19, 2021
Mike Somerby | Building Customer Loyalty | Duckworth
In this episode, Mike Somerby, the Director of Marketing from Duckworth jumps on the mic to discuss storytelling and the intersection with customer loyalty.
Building customer loyalty is the name of the game right now. According to Marty Neumeier in his book "The Brand Flip" a loyal customer would spend 33% more than a new customer. If building such loyalty can pay dividends in the future, how do you build such loyalty?
Mike Somerby discusses this as well as how he and his team use the authenticity of their storytelling to help build customer loyalty.
Follow Duckworth:
@duckworthco
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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May 12, 2021
Alex Sherbinow | Understanding Your Consumer | Old Town Canoe and Kayak
A business doesn't last for 100 years without listening to its consumers. Alex Sherbinow from Old Town Canoe and Kayak joins me on this episode to discuss how crucial it is to listen and understand your consumer.
In an era with data everywhere, it's easy to craft digital reflections of who we think our customers are. We might know what age they are, how much money they make or where they went to college, but do we know them as people?
Alex shares how he and his team prioritize consumer feedback, empathize with their consumer, and how that influences product design.
Follow Alex and Old Town:
@oldtowncanoes
@alexsherbinow
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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May 5, 2021
Drew Eakins | To Specialize or Not? | Hestra Gloves
In this episode, Drew Eakins, the marketing manager from Hestra Gloves joins me to discuss the topic of specialization on a generalized level.
For over 80 years, Hestra has been crafting gloves for a variety of users in the outdoor and fashion industry. As a small company, Drew's role involves staying focused and saying no more than saying yes.
If you've ever asked yourself:
1. What does it mean to specialize?
2. What does it mean for a brand to specialize?
3. Should I niche down in my role?
Drew shares his experience around these questions and more as he pulls insights from his role as a generalist while working at a specialized brand.
Follow Drew and Hestra:
@hestragloves
@dreweakins
Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Apr 28, 2021
Diana Ralston | Re-Branding a Non-Profit | Can'd Aid
Can'd Aid is a non-profit built on the idea of "Rallying you to do good."
To date, they've built 6,610 bikes and skateboards, donated 2,500+ musical instruments, completed 47 work party days, and recycled 73 million cans.
The non-profit was started by Diana Ralston. Originally the goal was to help areas hit hard by either natural or man-made disasters. As the canned water distribution plan started working, Diana and her team realized there was more good they could be doing. But as they've grown and incorporated more programs they always struggled to communicate what exactly they did. After growing beyond their initial vision the team realized that they need to re-brand in order to continue their mission and gather support along the way.
In this episode, Diana shares about the messy process of re-branding a non-profit.
Follow Diana and Can'd Aid:
@candaid
@dianaralston
Produced by:
Port Side Productions
@backcountrymarketing
@portsideproductions
@coleheilborn
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Apr 21, 2021
John Salzinger | The Advertisers Responsibility | MPOWERD
In this episode, John Salzinger the Founder of MPOWERD shares his opinion on how we as an industry address toxic advertising and the downstream effects.
As people are trying to escape the urban sprawl of advertising, marketers continue to promote, sell and push their products in every conceivable way. These days you can't even go to a gas station without having a screen shoved in your face!
When I consider the impact of excessive consumerism, the environmental impact these products have and the mental health impact social media has. I start to question the work we as marketers are doing. Have we become so good at selling that we are no longer concerned with the impact of what and how we're selling?
Tune in to this episode to hear John eloquently describe his thoughts around these complicated issues.
Follow MPOWERD:
@mpowerdinc
Produced by:
Port Side Productions
@backcountrymarketing
@portsideproductions
@coleheilborn
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Apr 14, 2021
Scott Holley | On Water Marketing | Eddyline Kayaks
In this episode, Scott Holley, the President of Eddyline Kayaks joins me to discuss all things paddling. Manufactured in the Pacific Northwest, Scott and his team take a very hands-off, yet very focused effort when it comes to marketing.
Like many communities in the outdoors, the community Eddyline has crafted over decades of high-quality service, has lead to a user group that markets for the company.
Eddyline course corrects here and there, but the bulk of their marketing is done on the water by a growing, loyal, fan base. As a former non-paddler, Scott shares how he recently joined the Eddyline team and how he believes the company has built such a supportive community
Follow Scott and Eddyline:
@eddylinekayaks
@rsholley11
Produced by:
Port Side Productions
@backcountrymarketing
@portsideproductions
@coleheilborn
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Apr 7, 2021
Zach Vestal | Bikes, Storytelling, Growth in Challenge | Niner Bikes
In this episode, Zach Vestal, the marketing manager from Niner Bikes and BATCH Bikes hops on the mic to give us a little insight into his changing world as he manages two very different bike brands. Niner has been around a while, having built their reputation on the idea that riding bikes on a 29" wheel is the best. Whereas, BATCH Bikes is geared for an audience who are re-discovering their love for biking and aren't likely concerned with their wheel size.
This puts Zach in an interesting position as he has to constantly change his mindset around who he's marketing to. Zach discusses this challenge, the opportunities hidden inside it, and what it means for his personal growth.
Follow Zach:
@zack_vestal
@ninerbikes
Produced by:
Port Side Productions
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Mar 31, 2021
Justine Mulliez | Creatives in the Wild | Just a Wild Thought
If you're a freelancer in the outdoor industry, chances are you've asked yourself the following questions:
How do I turn my passion into a business?
How do I charge?
How do I position myself?
How do I conquer my inner critic?
In this episode, we're changing up the focus a bit. We've talked with agencies and brands a lot on this show but a group that we haven't chatted with much is the freelancer who is often doing the work.
Many of us fall into freelance work because we love our craft and we love the industry. But how do we actually do it well? How do we not burn out? How do we get clients? These are all questions I have asked and will continue to ask with my own business. Justine Mulliez from Just a Wild Thought Coaching shares the mic with me in this episode to discuss all of these challenging yet real issues freelancers face.
Follow Justine:
https://www.justawildthought.com/
@justawildthought
Produced by:
Port Side Productions
@backcountrymarketing
@portsideproductions…
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Mar 24, 2021
Kansas Sartin | Never Settle | PAKMULE Cargo Carrier
Like many business start-ups, Kansas Sartin saw a need and decided to fill that need. PAKMULE was created to provide cargo storage in the form of a rugged, hitch-mounted system.
In this episode, Kansas shares the background of his company, where they're going, and how they use customer feedback to understand pain points. As he says: "There’s no parts store in the field, so having quality equipment that you can count on is a must. We know first hand because this is our life, and we’ve often found ourselves in the most remote places on earth."
From the episode:
"Talking to customers is how we learn pain points. What are they trying to do, where are they going?"
"My absolute favorite thing to see is when customers send us pictures using our product, with smiles on their faces."
"Buy once, cry once"
"By design, Pakmule is going to take a monster beating and keep going."
"I want to be a problem solver and innovation leader in the market while at the same time being as environment…
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Mar 17, 2021
Cory Van Auken | Digital Marketing and PR | Darby Communications
PR is changing. We all know this and in fact, we did an episode on it with Chris Dickey in Season 1 Episode 13.
In this episode, we dive deeper into how PR is changing. I sit down with Cory Van Auken from Darby Communications to try and understand how PR and Digital Marketing can work together. We talk briefly about how Darby is structured and how they work with clients, but then we jump into discussing Darby's proprietary algorithm that scores the impact of PR hits. Cory helped design this algorithm and explains why having a visual representation of PR value is necessary and insightful in today's world.
From the episode:
"[Darby Communications] is unique in a way that we take a team approach with each client that we have. Every client gets an account lead, and then additional teammates depending on the services they need."
"There is something to be said about the fact that the print format is making a comeback. You are inviting print issues into your home, rather than being bombar…
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Mar 10, 2021
Peter and Spencer | The Low Impact Camper | Super Pacific
In this episode, I'm joined by Peter Williams and Spencer Houser, two of the three co-founders from Super Pacific.
Super Pacific is a truck bed camper company based out of Portland that was born out of the challenges of getting their families outside. Many of us wish we could buy a sprinter, build it out, and just hit the road. But the reality for most of us looks far different.
With families of their own, Peter and Spencer realized they had trouble getting their own kids outside for a weekend. They assumed others did too.
After some industry research, they decided to start making low-impact truck campers. Campers that would make it easy to get outside on the weekend without compromising the utility of a pick-up.
From the episode:
"We wanted something that would facilitate an outdoor lifestyle without compromising the utility of our pick-up truck."
"We are operating in a small niche within the larger space. I call it the low-impact camper category. This niche is challenging for b…
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Mar 3, 2021
Sean and Shandi | An Award Winning Story | Forever is Now
In this episode, filmmakers Sean Slobodan and Shandi Kano join me to discuss their latest, award-winning, documentary film "Forever is Now."
"Forever is Now" recently won the "People's Choice Award" at Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival. This is a film about ten people who are Zion National Park’s keepers and caretakers. At a time of increasing tension between recreation and environmental impact, the film follows a path to the future through character stories that are personal, complex, and compelling. Shot in all four seasons across fourteen successive months, the film captures Zion like it’s never been seen before—instilling a sense of awe and ownership for public lands today, tomorrow, and forever.
As with any filmmaking, the story is king. We talk about the importance of good storytelling, how to tell a good story, choosing characters to support your narrative as well as how to develop those characters.
Follow Sean and Shandi:
@seanslobodan
@shandikk
The Fil…
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Feb 25, 2021
Chatham Baker | Integrated Licensing | SPG Company
You've likely never heard of Signature Products Group (SPG). In fact, the better Chatham and his team do, the more you don't realize they're there.
Chatham Baker is the Vice President of Brands with SPG. SPG works with brands like Carhartt, Ducks Unlimited, and Real Tree to design, develop, manufacture and distribute licensed products.
In this episode, he explains how SPG works with some of the world's top brands while most people have no idea they exist.
Follow Chatham:
@grammachatham
Produced by:
Port Side Productions
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
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Feb 17, 2021
Christian Lepley | An Awakening | GU Energy Labs
In this episode, Christian Lepley the VP of Marketing at GU Energy Labs shares how GU is adapting and embracing newly emerging markets.
Historically GU has been a brand focused on the podium. But when podiums were shuttered in 2020, the GU team realized they needed to be more welcoming of everyone. As Christian says, "it was an awakening." This awakening has been fueled by the everyday athlete where 5ks are just as important as ultra marathons.
Follow Christian and GU:
@christianlepley
@guenergylabs
Produced by Port Side Productions
@backcountrymarketing
@portsideproductions
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Feb 10, 2021
Rich Hohne | True to the Trail | Oboz Footwear
In this episode, Rich Hohne the Director of Marketing at Oboz Footwear shares about Oboz's background, his personal career journey (it includes starting a ski resort), and how Oboz has had to adapt since the initial COVID shutdown.
Reliant 100% on retail, sales dried up for about 4-6 months last year. As Rich says, COVID was the best and worst thing that happened. Rich discusses how they've managed to take a disaster, and grow from it.
Follow Rich and Oboz
@rhohne
@oboz
Produced by:
Port Side Productions
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
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Feb 3, 2021
Eli Kerr | The Whole Self | Gnarly Nutrition
In this episode, Eli Kerr the CEO of Gnarly Nutrition joins me to discuss why embracing the holistic wellness of a person is crucial to building a strong company, a strong internal culture, and how that permeates into marketing and branding.
Gnarly is on a mission to help athletes be their best selves. To do so, they first have to take care of their internal team. Eli shares about the challenges he faces as a leader and shares how he's working on building a company that takes care of its employees and customers holistically.
Follow Eli and Gnarly:
@gnarlyczar
@gnarlynutrition
Produced by:
Port Side Productions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn
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Jan 27, 2021
Kyle McCann | Jumping Ship | Canyon Bicycles USA
Kyle McCann is the digital marketing manager at Canyon Bicycles USA. In this episode, we talk about his winding career path from sport fishing, to Facebook, to Canyon. He shares about the lessons he's learned personally and professionally along the way.
We talk about passion behind your work, niching vs being a generalist and bikes.
Follow Canyon and Kyle:
@canyon_na
@kaptainkyle11
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Jan 20, 2021
Mary Kate Baumann | The (huge) Social Dilemma | GOAL ZERO
The Social Dilemma is a Netflix documentary "...that explores the dangerous human impact of social networking with tech experts sounding the alarm on their own creations." The film has been a popular hit and has motivated people to delete social media, turn off phone notifications, and has prompted many to re-evaluate their relationship with social media.
In this episode, Mary Kate Baumann, the Senior Marketing Strategist at GOAL ZERO shares her thoughts on the film and the questions she now asks herself both personally and professionally about the role social media plays in the outdoor industry.
Social media has undoubtedly been a helpful tool in marketing. But does it come with a cost to the consumer? Are brands responsible for this impact? How does it impact the places we love?
Follow Mary Kate and GOAL ZERO
@goalzero
@marryykate.ind
Produced by:
Port Side Productions
@backcountrymarketing
@portsideproductions
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Jan 13, 2021
Jo Salamon | Preserving Heritage and Saving Lives | Mustang Survival
Mustang Survival's iconic seahorse logo is a common sight on the water. For years, Mustang has worked in the commercial marine industry supplying life-saving PFD's and float coats. Recently however they've made a pivot to the recreation industry bringing their experience, heritage, and technical skills honed through government contracts to the everyday user.
In this episode, Jo Salamon, the Communications Manager shares how the Mustang team is making this transition.
Follow Mustang:
@mustangsurvival
Produced by:
Port Side Productions
@backcountrymarketing
@portsideproductions
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Jan 6, 2021
Amanda Goad | Building a Brand Voice | BoldBrew
In this episode, Amanda Goad from BoldBrew shares about the importance of having a brand voice.
She discusses how to make one, how to use it but also how to let it evolve as your company evolves. Now more than ever, companies are being scrutinized with everything they say. Having a clear brand voice ensures that everything that goes out into the world matches with who you are. We also discuss history of brand storytelling and how brands are finding new ways to tell their stories.
From the episode:
"Make sure your voice is always evolving, but make sure it's clear who you are trying to talk to moving forwards."
"Cohesiveness and consistency are key"
"For over centuries we as humans gravitate towards stories that are engaging and tell us about a community or place and give us an affinity and shared values to something that we also connect with."
Follow Amanda and BoldBrew:
@amandamariegoad
@boldbrewteam
Produced by:
Port Side Productions
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarke…
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Dec 30, 2020
Chris Killen | Strategy is the new King | Bell Helmets
How many times have you heard the phrase: "content is king?"
While content is important, how important is it really when compared with the strategy behind it? Chris Killen is the Global Marketing Manager at Bell Helmets, and in this episode shares his perspective on the phrase 'content is king.'
From the episode:
"Content is king if it has a strategy...one without the other is a waste of time"
"You're almost set up to fail as a business or brand, they [social media giants] don't want you to get as many organic views as you should because they want you to spend money."
"The strategy has changed because the social media platforms and landscape in which we advertise changes so drastically. The way to stay ahead of it is to always be doing it."
Follow Chris and Bell Helmets:
@christopherikillen
@bell_powersports.
Produced by:
Port Side Productions
@backcountrymarketing
@portsideproductions
"
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Dec 23, 2020
Jensen and Nikolai | Founders Dream| Ombraz Sunglasses
What if you could go back in time and ask a founder what they thought about the future of their business?
In this episode, Jensen and Nikolai from Ombraz Sunglasses talk about their startup journey, but also look to the future and do what founders do, dream. Where could they go? What do they want to become? Who are they? At some point in every founders journey they start to ask themselves these questions. It's these answers that are crucial for a companies success.
From the episode:
"After the product, the brand is the most important aspect of our business. We strive to perfect it."
"We are about creating a product that has longevity. We want it to be the last pair of sunglasses you're going to buy."
"We try to be as genuine as possible with everyone we work with and during everything we do."
"We are not trying to shove a product down your throat in our marketing. We are trying to really tell a story about who we are not only as as company, but as people in general."
"We'r…
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Dec 16, 2020
Rick Wittenbraker | Community over Self | Howler Brothers
In this episode, I'm joined by Rick Wittenbraker the CMO at Howler Brothers. We chat about how the pandemic has affected Howler and how they've chosen to respond to it. Rick shares his perspective on why staying true to your brand through times of duress will lead to success.
From the episode:
"We need to still be us, we can't all of a sudden become something we aren't."
"It wasn't tough [for us to help] the inventory wasn't going to make or break us, we're helping our community and at the end of the day that's why it's brothers plural."
"Being nimble, not thinking you have the answers, being willing to adapt, these are all things that at any moment under duress, I think are opportunities for someone to not just survive, but thrive."
Follow Howler Brothers and Rick:
@howlerbros
@wittrick
Episode Sponsored By:
Darby Communications
https://www.darbycommunications.com/
@darbycomm
Produced by:
Port Side Productions
@backcountrymarketing
@portsideproductions
@coleheilborn
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Dec 9, 2020
Jen Gurecki | Snow for All | Coalition Snow
Seven years ago Coalition Snow would have needed an introduction to this podcast. Today however few haven't heard of this women lead company. For seven years they've fought for what they believe, rattled the cages of the snow world, and have made allies and enemies while blazing their own path.
In this episode, the CEO of Coalition Snow, Jen Gurecki shares her perspective on starting the company, becoming a thought leader, and giving a voice to underserved individuals in the snow sports world.
From the episode:
"It's been a process and an evolution of the brand, I think we got to a point where we realized that we were sort of transitioning from a product to a platform."
"People were showing up and wanted to be apart of what we were building, regardless if they were a skier or a snowboarder."
"If we started our company on a mission of inclusivity and diversity in snow sports, we really need to walk that talk."
"There's not a team of marketing professionals sitting around a table t…
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Dec 2, 2020
Linda Balfour | E-commerce Pivot | Superfeet
If anyone has doubted whether e-commerce is here to stay, 2020 should have confirmed all of our suspicions. With the abrupt closure of brick and mortar stores, many brands have had to pivot harder and faster to e-commerce than they were planning.
In this episode, Linda Balfour speaks about the last 9 months at Superfeet and the challenges that the brand has had in transitioning to e-commerce quicker than anticipated.
She also discusses how they are trying to bring the in-person experience to the digital world all while still supporting their local gear shops.
From the episode:
"COVID brought us closer together and made us look at how we can do things more efficiently."
"Online is going to become more and more essential as we move into the future of consumerism."
"How do we bring the benefits of brick and mortar, in person, shopping to an online space."
Follow Superfeet:
@superfeet
Episode Sponsored By:
Darby Communications
https://www.darbycommunications.com/
@darbyco…
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Nov 25, 2020
Maddie Petry | Down the Mountain | Mammut
As the snow has started to fall, the summer rush to the outdoors continues into the mountains. With this large influx of new participants, there is a concern for snow safety amongst the industry. Fortunately, Mammut is no stranger to promoting safety in the outdoors. Founded 158 years ago in Switzerland, the brand has born when Kasper Tanner started making ropes for mountaineers.
Maddie Petry is the Marketing Director for the North American division of the company. In this episode, she talks about how they are working to educate these new consumers on outdoor safety all while still engaging with their core brand evangelists and sticking true to their long-term goals for the brand.
From the episode:
"I think where our challenge is, is being at the top of the mountain and coming down the mountain to these people who are just getting into these sports."
"It's always scary to take a step back and say, hey we need to look at this from a smaller scale, a more impactful scale to set up f…
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Nov 18, 2020
Patrick Tullos | Mental Health in the Outdoors | Adidas
In this episode, we dive deep into an underlying problem in American culture as well as the outdoor industry.
Patrick Tullos is the Sr. Manager of Brand Communications and Sports Marketing at Adidas Outdoor. Struggling with anxiety his entire life, he reached the tipping point after overworking himself for a year. Sitting on his couch with his bags packed ready to fly overseas for yet another work trip, Patrick was unable to move and realized something needed to change.
Since then he's decided that nothing ever good happens while sitting at a desk and has allowed himself to enjoy the outdoors. The impact on himself and his work has been incredible.
From the episode:
"For a long time I would say, ok I need to stop drinking caffeine, then I need to stop drinking alcohol, I need to exercise more, and it just wouldn't go away. Ultimately all of those lifestyle changes are good but they're like putting a band-aid on a shotgun wound."
"I always felt indebted because I feel so thankful t…
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Nov 11, 2020
Andrew Gibbs-Dabney | More with Less| LIVSN Design
If you've ever felt like the world has to much stuff then you're not alone. Andrew is the founder of LIVSN Designs and feels the exact same way. Which is why he created a pair of pants that are as comfortable on the trail as they are sitting at a brewery. In his mind, if you're going to make a product that has an environmental impact - you might as well make something that will last and is functional.
In this episode, Andrew shares how his passion for the outdoors and sustainability influences their product design but also influences how they choose to market.
From the Episode:
"Less stuff, better stuff."
"We're trying to market on social media without using cliches and without "losing our soul". We want to remain honest and objective as much as we can."
"We try a variety of value propositions in our marketing in an effort to stay objective in our advertising. I.E "High Quality" rather than "Best""
"We want to build a new product that deserves to exist. Make it worth the envir…
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Nov 4, 2020
John Holdmeier | The Shakedown | UST Gear
UST is shaking up the outdoor industry. Since 1936, they have been creating survival, camping and outdoor equipment. Recently however the company has gone through some internal transition and the team is using this as an opportunity to change up everything. Seeing a need to reach more consumers in a friendly, open and inviting format. The brand is doing a 180 degree pivot to meet the crowds of people who are exploring the outdoors for the first time.
John Holdmeier is the brand manager at UST and in this episode he shares how and why the company is changing. From product selection, color schemes, brand values, content strategies, to customer personas. The only thing that isn't changing is their passion for getting people outdoors.
From the episode:
"We really try to be intentional about the things that are working well and things that are NOT working well. Then, we try to bring the things that are working well forward as we progress as a brand."
"(When talking about consumer pers…
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Oct 28, 2020
Eric Porter | Ride On | Porter MTB
Eric Porter has had quite a career as a mountain bike athlete. The highlights include being the first rider to grind handrails on a bike, competing in slopestyle for 8 years, then filming and traveling for multiple big free ride videos.
A few years ago, however, he reached a point where he asked himself what do I want to do? His career as a competing athlete was slowing down but he still had a burning passion for bikes and adventures.
In this episode, Eric shares how he re-branded himself, works with brands today and shares how he feels knowing his YouTube channel has helped countless other people share his love for mountain biking.
From the episode:
"When you find a sport that you love and you're able to go do it and get out of the real world and go ride a bike. It's the best feeling ever."
"As an athlete working with the marketing managers, one of my big things is - how do I make their job easier."
"It's not saying go buy this bike but creating a cool experience around the bike…
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Oct 21, 2020
Todd Bischoff | Positively Disrupt | Gerber Gear
5 years ago Gerber Gear had to beg people to show up at their tradeshow booth and enjoy a beer. Fast forward to today, they've now set the bar high for trade show events that draw people to sit in lines for over 8 hours. One year, one of their ambassadors tried to set the world record for most beer cans smashed with an elbow. Talk about disrupting! The event drew an enormous crowd and is still talked about to this day.
Todd Bischoff, the Global Creative Director, shares how he and his team took the brand from existing to thriving to the point that customers are now getting Gerber tattoos. This type of brand loyalty isn't something that happens overnight. But as Todd says, it's all about positively disrupting your space and really understanding your consumer.
Shot Show Guinness World Record Event Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL7qL2B33hc&t=174s&ab_channel=TheSheepdogSurvivalFund
From the episode:
"We tapped the keg and no one showed up. I said from that moment on, that wil…
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Oct 14, 2020
Gary Boulanger | Make the Jump | FOX Factory
Gary is the Communications Marketing Manager at FOX Factory. To say he's done a lot in his career is an understatement. He graduated after studying PR, and the rest has been a winding road.
From reporting, to breaking into the cycling industry as a writer, to helping build Rwanda's cycling tourism, to then helping start a national cycling team in Rwanda, then building cargo bikes for farmers. Gary has done and seen a lot! After transitioning out of the cycling industry, Gary moved to California and ended up at FOX. He's never been afraid of the unknown and has chosen to embrace it.
In today's tumultuous corporate climate due to COVID, Gary reflects on the lessons he's learned over his career.
From the episode:
"Hey, do you want to go to Rwanda? If you're buying I'm flying."
"When you have an opportunity and it seems a little bewildering on the surface, just explore what it means."
"A lot of these experiences have meant that nothing is paved in stone. I enjoyed being classically t…
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Oct 7, 2020
Adam Vicarel | Art and Business | Vicarel Studios
Adam is a man of many talents. He's a creative director, artist, does lettering, mural work, and even finds time to enjoy the outdoors. Based in Colorado, he does a variety of work for clients in the outdoor space and beyond. In this episode, we talk about the place art has in business.
Does it have a place in today's world of statistics, data, and metrics?
From the Episode:
"I think like a designer, but I execute like a fine artist."
"In the world of design, everything is created to solve a problem or to serve a purpose.
Check out Adams's work at his website and enjoy the coupon code: OUTDOORMARKETINGPODCAST for 15% off anything in his store. https://www.vicarelstudios.com/shop
Follow Adam:
@adamvicarel
@vicarelstudios
Produced by:
Port Side Productions
www.portsidepro.com
@backcountrymarketing
@portsideproductions
@coleheilborn
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Oct 1, 2020
Erica Rosen | One Watt at a Time | BioLite
Erica Rosen is the VP of Marketing at BioLite. BioLite is on a mission to bring outdoor and off-grid energy to people everywhere one watt at a time. Each BioLite product sold is re-invested into bringing safe cooking, lighting, and charging to families in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2019 alone, they offset 307 tons of C02 and helped 797,000 people.
In this episode, Erica shares how they are working to make BioLite a household name all while carrying out the mission to help improve people's lives.
From the episode:
"BioLite is taking the same technology we are developing for our core outdoor markets and turning them into products for emerging markets."
"A brand is a way to build trust and measure permission."
"Becoming a household name isn't just for dollar and cents success at BioLite. It means that energy is becoming part of everyday conversation and right now we are starting to see that more often."
Follow BioLite:
@biolite
Produced By:
@backcountrymarketing
@portsideproduct…
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Sep 23, 2020
Austin Whitman | Brand Power | Climate Neutral
In this episode, Austin Whitman, the CEO of Climate Neutral joins me to chat about how his non-profit is trying to combat climate change by empowering businesses to take responsibility for their climate impact. How are they doing it? By letting their brands doing the marketing work.
We also talk about the value of being a sustainable brand and how it can benefit a company beyond a moral conviction.
From the episode:
"I think the absence of government action against climate change has forced consumers to look for other ways to feel like they are doing something to solve the problem."
"Unless the consumer cares, the business doesn't care."
"The ability to drive major movement has been greatly helped by social media."
www.climateneutral.org
@climateneutral
Produced by:
Port Side Productions
@backcountrymarketing
@portsideproductions
@coleheilborn
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Sep 16, 2020
Adam Saraceno | Kickstarter 101 | Peak Design
Adam has been with Peak Design since nearly day one. Working on multiple fronts within the company he's been instrumental in designing (even if by accident) the success of each Peak Design campaign on Kickstarter.
Sometimes crowdfunding is viewed as this magical site where people can show up and give you money - no questions asked. Adam debunks this and in this episode talks about Peak Design's history with Kickstarter as well as things to consider when launching a crowdfunding page.
From the episode:
"The important thing you can do when it's your first time is to establish trust and goodwill." "We were able to do that and show people. I think it helped us parlay a successful campaign into a business that was immediately thriving and immediately profitable."
"Bang for your buck, I can't think of a higher ROI, more impactful way to build awareness and buzz around a product."
"Because of our Kickstarter roots, we learned very quickly, how much being transparent, sometimes to a fault…
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Sep 9, 2020
Patrick McCarthy | Turn by Turn | 686
In this episode Patrick McCarthy the team manager from 686 shares his perspective of the last 20 years as he reflects on his own journey from pro-rider to working on the brand side managing 686's team of world-class ambassadors. We chat about ambassadors vs influencers, social media, and the impact it's had on the sport as well as the value an ambassador team can bring to your company.
From the episode:
"I think it's really important brands (supports riders), I'm really proud of how 686 does this. It's a way to give back to the sport and support the tastemakers."
"Don't try to make it look authentic, don't try to make it look cool, don't try to pose the person, go do it. Do the sports you love."
"Don't think that there is some perfect algorithm to it. Because there's not. The more heart you pour into it, the more you'll get out."
Follow Patrick and 686
@686
@patrickmccarthy
Produced by:
Port Side Productions
www.portsidepro.com
@backcountrymarketing
@portsideproductions
@c…
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Sep 2, 2020
Ian Mathias | Get Out Of My Feed | Strava
Social media is changing, can the giants keep up?
Ian Mathias is the Director of Marketing Creative at Strava. Strava is a social network designed for athletes to share their workouts and encourage others. What's different between Strava and another social platform?
It's all about the process, not the summit.
Embrace the sweat, love the failure, and keep going regardless if you reach the podium. Does this culture sound different than your average social network giant? Sounds kind of nice doesn't it?
In this episode, Ian shares his perspective on why he thinks we are going to see a shift in social media in the future.
From the Episode:
"In doing so (posting) I believe that it creates a sense of shared vulnerability that is missing in other networks."
"How can I have anything to say about your pace if the day before I posted a run that was slower?"
"I could see that becoming the future of networking, how we use the internet - increasingly focused on interest areas."
@ianmathias…
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Aug 26, 2020
Ian McWilliams | Authenticity - It's Everywhere | Klean Kanteen
Love it or hate it authenticity has become a buzzword in marketing language in the last couple of years. You don't need to sit in a marketing meeting long before this word gets thrown into the mix.
"We need this video series to feel authentic." "Our ambassadors need to be authentic individuals in the sports they represent." We want to tell an authentic story." and the list goes on.
In this episode, Ian McWilliams the Senior Manager of Brand Creative at Klean Kanteen shares his perspective on why it's turned into a buzzword.
From the episode:
"At it's most basic, it's faithful and realistic telling of a story."
"It's unfortunate it's become a buzzword because I truly believe it's such a core concept to the brand marketing we do, especially in the outdoor space.
"One of the problems with the word authentic is it's frequently used, sort of as an adjective within a piece of creative direction.
Follow Ian and Klean:
@kleankanteen
@hayduke1982
www.ianmcwilliams.com
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Produced by…
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Aug 19, 2020
Becky Marcelliano | We All Have a Story | Salomon
Becky Marcelliano is the Outdoor Marketing Manager for North America at Salomon. In this episode, we chat about the connection Becky has to her work and how that affects the decisions she makes.
Like many, Becky has had a non-traditional approach to the industry. Starting as an art teacher out of college, she slowly pieced together her love for people, the outdoors, and art into the job she has now. But like any good story, it wasn't without challenges along the way. Dealing with a chronic illness for most of her life, she has had to learn to overcome obstacles most people don't consider. This has forced her to learn the value of patience and perseverance.
Becky ties all of this together while sharing how her chronic illness affects how she communicates with her customers. As she says "a brand can use marketing to lead with emotion and empathy. People are community-driven and want to feel connected and a sense of belonging." Using her own personal experiences gives her the ability to…
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Aug 12, 2020
Katie and Sara | Beyond the Name | Jetboil
In this episode, Katie Lasak and Sara Lawhead talk about the work they're doing over at Jetboil. After making a name for themselves in the hiking community for their fast, compact and efficient stoves, Jetboil has continued to apply the same brand values as they've expanded their product lines and worked to go beyond their name.
Jetboil: www.jetboil.com
@jetboil
From the episode:
"Last summer we did a quantitative research study, we met a group of backpackers at the trail. We wanted to understand how they move, how they pack, and what you bring. We were able to really analyze where there is an opportunity for us to make things easier or improve their trip."
"One of the challenges we face is just going beyond our name."
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Episode produced by:
Port Side Productions
www.portsidepro.com
-
Social Channels
@backcountrymarketing
@portsideproductions
@coleheilborn
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Aug 5, 2020
Rachel Popp | Find a Mentor and Ask Questions | Big Fish Collective
Rachel Popp is a co-founder of the PR agency Big Fish Collective. Her agency works with brands like Kelty, Tentree, and Zeal Optics. Fresh out of college Rachel dove headfirst into the ad world cutting her teeth at big agencies. However, after a few years, she realized she needed to find a better career fit so she began to look elsewhere.
Between Outdoor Retailer, a delayed plane, and a glass of wine, Rachel met her future business partner. Fast forward to today in this episode Rachel reflects on the things she learned and challenges she's faced along the way as she's fought for her place in the outdoor marketing industry.
Big Fish Collective: https://bfcollective.co/
From the episode:
"If it wasn't me sharing an idea about social media then people didn't take me seriously."
"After I showed that I had what it took, they were like you're young but ok, let's do it.
"The two things most valuable things about being young is your energy and your passion for what you're about to do."…
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Jul 29, 2020
Lisa Slagle | Loving the Process | Wheelie
In this episode, Lisa Slagle the founder and Creative Director talks about the founding of her agency, Wheelie. We talk about loving the process, doing work that matters, and how to stick to your values as you and your company grow. She also shares her biggest challenges she's faced building Wheelie into what it is today.
Website: https://www.wheeliecreative.com/
From the episode:
"I think beautiful creative work drives sales"
"It's great to have goals but it is really important to notice if you actually like the process."
"Sticking to your core values is really easy if it's just you. When you open up to collaboration - do our core values as a company include everyone?"
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Jul 22, 2020
Nate Nichols | Racism and the Ad Industry | Palette Group
Nate Nichols is the founder of the Palette Group and the co-founder of the Allyship and Action Summit.
Based in New York, The Palette Group is a creative agency that serves its clients through unfiltered creativity and self-expression. Self-expression is such a key component of being creative, but what does encouraging self-expression really mean in the ad industry? As Nate says "If people can't self-express in our industry, then what is our industry?" The truth is there are many people who don't feel comfortable being themselves.
In this episode, Nate shares his personal experiences with racism in the ad industry, how that's affected his life and career path but also what he's chosen to do with the platform and voice he has.
If you're interested in learning more about Allyship and Action check out their website and upcoming webinar on August 4.
https://www.freelancercybersummit.com/events/allyship-and-action
From the episode:
"Brands are just pouring all of this money into findi…
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Jul 15, 2020
Brennah Rosenthal | The Changing Production Landscape | Great Escape Media
Brennah lives in Denver, Colorado, and runs Great Escape Media. Focused on providing in-house quality production and strategy resources, she fills the need between large agencies and the smaller brands that don't need a giant working on their behalf.
The video production world has gone through a tumultuous change over the last 10 years. Through advances in technology and low barriers to equipment, there has been a rise of one man, two-man shops that are producing amazing work. In this episode, we talk about these small shops, what roles they play in the market, and how companies like Great Escape Media fill a gap in the industry.
"There is this personal touch you get with these small shops that you might not get from bigger agencies."
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Jul 8, 2020
Chad Perrin | Shot with a Purpose | Ride Concepts
If you want to meet anyone in the bike and snow world, Chad could connect you. He's spent his career working at snowboard and bike brands for the last 20 years. From Jones, Nidecker, Options, YES, Spacecraft, POW Gloves to currently Ride Concepts. Chad has worked closely with each of these company's founders to grow them into who they are today.
In this episode, we discuss a variety of topics including the challenges Chad and Jeremy Jones faced from day one, to the rise of new media. We talk about the role that ski and bike films play in the industry and the future of filmmaking in a "send it" community.
From the episode:
"Take the opinions of others, but don't let that steer your course." (when it comes to building a brand)
"Good brands aren't built on the opinions of your peers, they're built on your opinion and your belief in yourself."
"Media is a way to gain knowledge now"
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Jul 1, 2020
Jill Nazeer | Brand Differentiation | Alta Cycling
As a small team, how do you manage 5 very different bike brands? Jill and her team at Alta Cycling deal with this daily as they manage Diamondback, Raleigh, iZip, Redline, Haibike, and Ghost. In this episode, we talk about how they manage and differentiate each of the brands from each other but also from their competitors.
From the episode:
"You can't ignore a brand's heritage, but you do want people to know they are distinct brands."
"Should every brand be in digital? Because then are we cannibalizing our own buy and competing with ourselves?
"Being a bad artist made me a better marketer because it made me think a little more creatively."
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Jun 24, 2020
Chris Dickey | The New Era of PR | Purple Orange and Visably
Chris Dickey is the founder of an outdoor PR agency named Purple Orange. Working with brands like BioLite, Peak Design and Oru Kayak, Chris and his team kept noticing short-lived results from outstanding PR work.
This troubled Chris and motivated him to build a tool called Visably. Visably provides marketers a way to check their brand ranking against a keyword in search. It's no longer about someone finding your website but recognizing your brand.
In this episode, we cover a wide range of topics from Google's algorithms, brand vs distribution, and advice for new companies on where to invest their marketing dollars.
From the episode:
"How could we have won this big award but not move the needle (for our client)?"
"70% of all traffic goes to the first 5 organic links"
"If you want to know where your brand sits in search, you can't do it right now."
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Jun 17, 2020
Josh Weichhand | Finding and Using your Voice | Chaco
Josh Weichhand is the Marketing Director at Chaco. In this episode, we chat about doing work you believe in and not giving up on the path to doing so.
We also talk about Chaco's use of their brand voice during the Bears Ear protection rollbacks and about Josh's own journey of finding his voice and doing work he believes in. For many, the journey to finding a good fit in a career is not without challenges along the way. For Josh, it took 6 unpaid internships, a summer fishing in Alaska, and a 9-month road trip to finally find his place at a company he had been a customer at since summer camp.
From the episode:
"All of a sudden Chaco found itself on the front lines of this very important conversation in real-time and had some credibility to it because we're an established partner of the National Park Foundation."
"There's something about having this one really great pair of sandals that have been with me through it all and then getting to share it with people professionally."
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Jun 10, 2020
Jay Matthews | The Conscious Consumer and Brand Trust | Sitka Gear
Jay Matthews is the Director of Marketing at Sitka Gear. Sitka is a high-performance manufacturer and industry leader for hunting apparel and gear. Jay's career started on the football field but when life had different plans he ended up at Nike's SPARQ program. Spending his time learning from the best, Jay left Nike as a brand manager and ultimately landed his dream job at a company that stands for his own personal values.
In this episode, we talk about the commitment to solving a problem with your product over profit, the rise in the conscious consumer and what that means for brands, and how storytelling transcends everything the team at Sitka does.
From the episode: "I think the commitment to earning that trust comes from guaranteeing that the product will do what you say it'll do."
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Jun 3, 2020
John Drake | A Life in the Ad World | Drake Cooper
From a young age, John has been fascinated with the ad world. From reading Ad Age magazines in high school to spending the last 23 years working in all disciplines of the industry, John is currently the Chief Strategy Officer at Drake Cooper. In this episode we chat about the role of creativity in the ad world, defining the problem you're trying to solve, the balance between art and commerce as well as John's experience working at the agency his father started.
From the episode:
"We have this little pool of money, who do we focus it on?" "...we have to really define the problem in order to help."
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May 27, 2020
Jess Anthony | Kickstarter Success and Equality in the Outdoors | Oru Kayak
Oru Kayak made a large splash in 2013 by launching the first folding kayak on Kickstarter. Since then they've launched 5 more models, each with a successful ending. Jess Anthony runs Oru Kayak's marketing efforts and in this episode, we chat about what it takes to launch a successful Kickstarter as well as Jess's mission to increase equal representation for all people in the outdoors.
From the episode:
"I think you have a platform for communication, for ideas to move, to spotlight work other people are doing, and to contribute to projects they're doing."
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May 20, 2020
Charlie Lozner | Climate Change and Personal Responsibility in the Outdoor Industry | Backbone Media
When he's not working with some of the outdoor industry's top brands, Charlie spends his time skiing, hiking, and enjoying time with his family. After spending time in Seattle working at Outdoor Research, Charlie moved to Colorado to bring his talents to the agency, Backbone Media. Backbone is a PR and marketing agency with 70+ clients in the greater outdoor industry. These include Patagonia, Filson, YETI, Sitka and Eddie Bauer.
For Charlie, the work that gives him the most satisfaction is work that combats the effects of climate change. The outdoor industry has made strides in lobbying for Mother Earth but there is more work to be done.
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May 6, 2020
Casey Lorenzen | Moving Backwards in Life by Giving up Working for Yourself? | Fjällräven
Casey isn't your average guy. From a young age, he's had an urge to break rules and do things differently and it's no surprise that his career has taken him to amazing locations with cool people. He even ran his own backpack company for a while before selling it to a major outdoor retailer.
In this episode, Casey shares a bit about the work he's doing at Fjällräven as well as how he ended up managing content for the Swedish Heritage brand.
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Mar 24, 2020
Stephen Matthews | Race Results Aren't the Only Thing that Matters| Rocky Mountain Bicycles
Stephen Matthews is the Brand Manager at Rocky Mountain Bicycles. Born from the rocky mountains of North Vancouver, their bikes are tested and designed for the world's toughest terrain.
In this episode, we chat about the sport of mountain biking, the birth of freeride, and why race results aren't the only thing that matters to a brand like Rocky Mountain.
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Feb 12, 2020
Tom and Kyleigh | How YouTube has Grown their Business | Freedom Vans
In this episode, I'm joined by Tom and Kyleigh and their two dogs from Freedom Vans. We discuss their origins, the realities of van life and how YouTube has doubled the waitlist on their production timelines.
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Feb 12, 2020
Doug Thielen | The 120 year old startup | Filson
In this episode, I sit down and chat with Doug Thielen, the marketing director at Filson about the challenges and opportunities of working with a brand that was started in 1897.
We chat about their history, but also how they are using branded films to continue the Filson legacy.
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Feb 12, 2020
Mike Goldstein | Running a Successful Production Company | The Heist
In today's episode, I sit down and chat with Michael Goldstein from The Heist, about his origins shooting mountain bike videos at Whistler to now, shooting commercials for GMC and Lulu Lemon and Jaybird.
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Feb 12, 2020
Sean Fields | Sustainability in the Outdoor Industry | Gear Aid
In this episode, I sit down with Sean Fields from Gear Aid and talk about how they have built a brand around the idea of failure.
We also talk about Sean's favorite pair of leather boots and the future of recreation.
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Jul 18, 2019
Brian Seales | Small Town Agency; Tasty Results | Ketchup and Mustard
In this podcast, I sit down with Brian Seales the Creative Director at Ketchup and Mustard and discuss how they as an agency approach solving their client's problems. It might surprise you, but the first step is often the hardest.
We also discuss the latest brand shifts in the energy drink world, look into buying a mattress and talk about where their name came from.
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