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

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

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

Discussion points:

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

News Articles Mentioned:

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

Resources:

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

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

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

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

Discussion points:

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

Resources:

GearJunkie Website

GearJunkie Podcast

GearJunkie’s Chatbot Article

Adam Ruggiero LinkedIn

Sea Otter Classic Summit, April 2023

Kristin Carpenter on LinkedIn

Verde Brand Communications

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

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

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

Discussion points:

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

Resources:

Jeremiah’s website 

The Impossible Route Website

Jeremiah on Instagram 

Offroad to Athens Documentary

The Vegan Cyclist on YouTube

Strava.com

Canyon.com

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

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

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

Discussion points:

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

Resources:

Saga Venture

Zwift 

The AMT Bandana Project

Alison’s Website

Alison on Instagram 

Alison on Twitter 

Alison on LinkedIn 

The Move Podcast w Lance Armstrong

Kristin on LinkedIn 

Verde Brand Communications 

Sea Otter Classic Summit, April 2023 

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

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

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

Discussion Points

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

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

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

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

Discussion points:

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

Resources:

Embark Program

Navigate Program

Path Ahead Ventures

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

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

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

Show Highlights: 

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

Related Links

Tiffany on LinkedIn

Camber Outdoors

Camber’s Programs 

Kristin on LinkedIn

Verde Brand Communications

Featuring:

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

Show Highlights: 

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

Related Links:

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

evo website - evo.com

evolution Projects - evolutionprojects.com/evo

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

Kristin on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/kcarpediem

Verde Brand Communications - VerdePR.com