Channel Mastery

Mike Massey and Teddy Schiavano of Locally are back on another Channel Mastery episode just in time to kick off the brand-new decade! 

Locally is a company that connects the brands and products found in thousands of stores with nearby, interested shoppers. I like to think of it as a triangulation of sorts between specialty retailer, brand and target consumer. Mike and Teddy, and the Locally team, are always evolving the how around their mission, because the consumer continues to evolve. Locally makes it easier to compete for the attention of today’s shopper, and therefore, it levels the playing field for specialty businesses competing for the attention of today’s connected, omni-channel consumer.

In this show, Teddy, Mike and I dissect the big impact of Nike’s formal separation from Amazon, and what that means to the logistics game (and Amazon’s continuing quest to train our consumers). We also talk through brand culture, mission and vision and the importance of that type of storytelling to position specialty to win with target consumers. If you’re curious to know what the key trends and insights are that are anchoring how consumers will discover, engage and buy from you in 2020, this is one episode you do not want to miss. In fact, you’ll want to share it with your colleagues and friends. 

Let us know what you think about the show, we love to hear from you. You can join the conversation on LinkedIn or Instagram. 

Mike Massey, Founder and President at Locally is a third generation retailer and owner of Massey's Outfitters. The idea of Locally grew out of a need to market in-stock products to nearby online shoppers and accept transactions from them. At Locally, Mike is the head of strategy, operations and partnerships.

Teddy Schiavoni is VP of Business Development at Locally. His work in the snow sports industry includes retailer, sales rep, product development and marketing. His deep connections around the globe allow him to present Locally as a solution to enhancing brand/retailer relationships.

Algorithms have their place, but for specialty/artisan brands, emotive storytelling and a human over algorithm approach will continue to win the day. My guests today in this episode personify this. You’re about to meet the artist and team behind Open Road Ski Company and Man Behind the Maps. Note: This episode is co-produced by our friends at Snowsports Industries of America (SIA).

James Niehues is The Man Behind the Maps. He’s literally defined on-snow resorts through his illustrated maps and is the point of terrain reference for countless skiers and riders. I challenge you to find a single skier or rider who isn’t familiar with his artwork. 

When Todd Bennett and Ben Farrow, co-founders of the Open Road Ski Company, realized that there wasn’t an anthology printed of James’ incredible artwork, they set about creating a vision and opportunity for Niehues. In this podcast, you’ll hear first-hand how the book “Man Behind the Maps” came to be. 

The story of Niehaus and his collection of on-snow resort maps is nothing short of incredible, and you will get to hear it first hand from James, as well as Todd and Ben, in this episode.

Niehaus is a very humble man, and Bennett and Farrow worked hard to bring a genuine, absolutely top-tier book to market featuring the genius of Niehaus. In this show, James shares his process behind his artwork. He discusses his trips around the world and how he got connected with Todd and Ben to bring his ski maps into one collection.

Long-time fans of Jim’s, Todd and Ben approached him with little publishing knowledge but with a passion to turn Jim’s life work into a timeless, museum quality piece of art in the form of a beautifully curated coffee table book. By launching a Kickstarter campaign, the enthusiasm from the skiing community turned what Ben and Todd thought may be a flop of a launch into the #1 Funded Art Illustration Project in Kickstarter history. 

It has been through their storytelling and their shared passion for skiing that Man Behind the Maps is in the marketplace now and soon to be in all homes where skiing is enjoyed. 

Jim Niehues is the artist known as The Man Behind the Maps. Over the past 30 years, Jim has been painting ski maps for over 200 resorts around the world.

Todd Bennett and Ben Farrow co-founded Open Road Ski Company after realizing the ski resort maps they knew and loved were created by the same artist. In 2017, they reached out to Jim and started the process of bringing the book, Man Behind the Maps, to life.

As Amazon Prime and Uber, along with other businesses committed to bringing convenience and personalization to today’s shopper, Chris Guillemet, CEO and co-founder of velofix, was busy with his two partners pioneering the mobile bike shop solution.

That was six years ago, and a lot has changed with today’s omnichannel consumer and cyclist. In today’s Channel Mastery podcast, Guillemet and I discuss this evolution in the context of the future of the mobile bike shop. Where the channel is headed in the near future is not what you might expect. 

Bike shops are still a strong go-to channel for today’s omnichannel cyclist, without a doubt, but cyclists are also consumers, and are trained everyday by the likes of Amazon, Instacart, Lyft and other friction-removing, convenience-driven businesses. Consumers today are demanding - they want choice, they want personalization and they want to save time. And they don’t have patience for anything less than that, it seems. In fact, just this week, Amazon Prime members threw a fit because of slower-than-usual delivery times. 

Guillemet and his partners are not in the business of taking down the IBD - far from it. Instead, they’re hell-bent on serving more cyclists - and consumers - in the way they’re used to being served by brands today. They want to make it easier to ride bikes - whether that’s for competitive amateur cyclists refusing to lose a day of training or commuters committed to getting around their city safely and efficiently by bike. 

In today’s show, you’ll learn about opportunity. Guillemet and his partners only see runway with cycling and closed on a round of funding early in 2019 with a group who believes the same. 

In this episode, you’ll learn about velofix’s new U.S. expansion, which includes a U.S. headquarters located in Austin, Texas and an all-star team committed to building an exceptional and consistent end-consumer experience. Velofix is continuing to evolve its innovation and technology platform and brings a fresh take on lifestyle franchise opportunity for its partners. We also talk about the momentum behind brand relationships like the velofix/Canyon Bicycles partnership and the incredible opportunity for cycling technicians who want to run their own business. 

Talking to Chris for this episode of Channel Mastery sparked a think bigger mentality for me. He and his team are continually looking one step ahead in everything they do. 

Chris Guillemet is CEO and Co-Founder of velofix. Chris brought over 20 years of business experience to Velofix. His Senior Management experience includes growing a company to $90 million and a successful IPO, launching an Internet startup that has raised $45 million in financing and driving growth at a $30 billion dollar consumer packaged goods company. Chris is also a graduate of the SFU Executive Management program. Chris is a 2x Ironman Canada finisher, ran a 2.54 at the Boston Marathon in 2010 and returned to Triathlons by winning his age group at Ironman 70.3 Oceanside in 2019.

I’ve got a great guest to share with you on this episode of the Channel Mastery podcast; you’re going to meet Frank Ledwell, founder, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief at OutdoorX4 (pronounced “Outdoor by 4”). 

His title is an adventure lifestyle publication that caters to people who access adventure with their vehicles. Wait, isn’t that all of us? Well, yes and no. And that’s why I thought it would be so great to host Frank on the Channel Mastery podcast! 

Verde has a lot of clients who are hoping to genuinely serve people who classify themselves as “overland” fans, or more accurately, according to Frank, people who love to access adventure with their vehicles. 

Let’s be honest - we ALL access adventure with our vehicles, or have at some point. But for some reason, the communities are separate. I see that changing, as does Frank, and that’s what we explore in this episode. What’s more, you’ll get to discover the best channels to genuinely tap into the vehicle-supported adventure community, learn how and why they congregate and most important? Why the DIY-community is so powerful in this space. 

To Frank, “overlanding” is the blend between a road trip and backpacking. I couldn’t agree more. 

We would have been remiss not to touch on the rise of the electric vehicle and how it’s growing the vehicle-supported space in a huge way. This is a great show and I know it will give you the nudge you need to expand your community more intentionally to those who call themselves ‘overlanders.’

GUEST PROFILE: 

Frank Ledwell is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of OutdoorX4. In 2006, he co-founded, published and was Editor-in-Chief of JPFreek Adventure Magazine, and was involved with the publications through mid-2012. In 2016 and 2017, he was named a recipient of the “Excellence in Craft” award for magazine writing and photography, awarded annually by the Texas Auto Writers Association, for articles he wrote on traveling in Big Bend National Park as well as his review of the all-new Land Rover Discovery. He is a member of the Texas Auto Writers Association, the Texas Motor Press Association and the Texas Outdoor Writers Association. His articles on the off-highway travel, adventure destinations and product/vehicle reviews have been featured in numerous publications. 

Ledwell is an avid explorer, adventurer and advocate of responsible outdoor recreation and off-highway travel. He resides in Texas with his family. 

Annelise Loevlie, CEO at Icelantic Skis - This episode co-produced by Verde Brand Communications and the Snowsports Industries of America (SIA)

Unless you’ve been happily living under a rock, if you’re in the outdoor recreation industries, you’ve heard about specialty brand leader, Annelise Loevlie. She’s the beloved CEO of Icelantic Skis, a brand that’s figured out how to be concurrently established, yet also, new and young. Icelantic Skis are designed and manufactured in Colorado, and the brand is well known for changing it up in terms of distribution, events and brand activations. That’s what we’re here to talk about today; how Icelantic leverages a continually refreshed channel strategy. She and the team are constantly hacking what works with their channels to be where their brand fans and consumers want them to be. It focuses on wholesale partners, their own sell direct channel, and is driven by an innovative mix of content marketing, social media and good, old-fashioned embedding with their community in-person. How many CEO’s do you know who work a promotional sale with retail, in person, over the long Labor Day holiday - every single year? 

Back in 2006, Icelantic Skis won ISPO’s “Best Hardgood for the Year,” in Munich, Germany, which launched them in the ski industry world-wide. The team at Icelantic Skis has not stopped making headlines or catalyzing the conversation online since. 

In this episode, you’ll hear first-hand how Annalisa has led a direct-first brand through continual evolution of a multiple channel strategy driven by what their target consumer wants from them. Their strategies include unique approaches to the festival scene, innovative artistic partnerships, video content, consistent relationships with key brick and mortar shops, showcasing of product at resorts, online sales and more. Icelantic’s success is community-inspired and that can only work with an independent, yet nimble brand within the outdoor recreation industries. 

Annelise Loevlie is CEO at Icelantic Skis, an award-winning and internationally recognized ski brand with a stalwart and highly engaged following. The company prides itself on American craftmanship, top of the line materials and cutting edge graphic art. 

This episode of the Channel Mastery podcast is jointly produced by Verde Brand Communications and SNEWSnet.com.

Well, we’re in it - welcome to Holiday, 2019 Channel Masters! 

It’s not just around the corner, it’s literally here. My inbox has been flooded already (as of this writing in mid-November) with ‘door-buster’ deals and so many subject lines about Black Friday that I’m afraid to open my email. Cyber Monday promos are on their way, this I’m sure of. Holiday 2019 will be telling, that’s for sure. As a Channel Mastery listener, you’ve been ready for this time of year for some time now. But no matter how ready you are, there are always things to jockey, monitor and care-take while you’re in it with your teams. That’s where my guest on today’s show, Peter Kearns of 180 Commerce, comes in. Peter’s  slipped us a cheat sheet of sorts in this episode, with the top four areas of focus every specialty brand leader must care take before, during and after the make-or-break business window that is the Holidays. Peter serves as the Vice President of Business Development at 180Commerce and actively works daily with specialty businesses and brands to hone in on their direct to consumer (DTC) strategies. And you’re getting a bit of free advice today - actually, quite a lot of it! I hope you get a ton out of this episode as I know how much is at stake in your business at this time of year.

As a quick aside, Peter found in a 2019 study from Feedvisor, that 74% of consumers are now heading straight to Amazon when they have a product in mind. This figure is absolutely mind blowing and as a specialty retailer, you can't afford to ignore it. It was an honor and pleasure to yet again speak with Peter and hear his expertise on the subject. Listen to the episode and chime in with your thoughts on my Linkedin Page. This episode is co-produced by Verde Brand Communications and SNEWS.com. 

Peter Kearns is an Amazon brand expert spending nearly four years on Amazon’s Seller Services team working in the sports & outdoors and consumables categories. He’s helped hundreds of brands ranging from global IR-100s to small DTC start-ups make $500+ million in gross merchant sales. He’s now the Vice President of Business Development for 180Commerce, a brand management and advising agency specializing in helping brands succeed on Amazon.  

In this Channel Mastery episode, I had the opportunity to speak with Kristi Mohn and Gabbi Adams, two of the women leading the charge in expanding and developing Gravel Racing across America. The team at Life Time behind the Dirty Kanza gravel race held annually in Emporia, KS have announced their next project - Big Sugar, a 107-mile gravel race winding through the hillsides and waterways of Bentonville, Arkansas. There’s  also a shorter option, called the Little Sugar (50 miles). 

In our conversation, Kristi Mohn, Business Development and marketing leader at Life Time, and Gabbi Adams, Big Sugar Co-Race Director, share their Dirty Kanza race experiences and the impact and growth of the gravel race scene in North America. We also talk about the path-burning leadership of Kristi Mohn, as she was one of the founding members of the team that grew the DK to an event that literally draws thousands of people to ride through the Flint Hills surrounding Emporia, Kansas. In so many ways, Mohn is handing the baton to Adams in the Big Sugar event - not only in bringing the DK team’s dream of bringing a DK-esque experience to other amazing event venues (the first of which is Bentonville in the Big Sugar), but also, as a ‘second generation’ female race director taking the helm of an event that’s destined to be a staple and classic on the U.S. gravel race calendar. Learn how Mohn and her DK colleagues grew that iconic event and the vision for gravel’s future through the eyes of one of its key founders.

This is a very inspiring episode that literally showcases the heart and soul of gravel through the journeys of Mohn and Adams, and the intersection of that journey in the Big Sugar event. 

Registration for the Big and Little Sugar inaugural races opens Friday, Nov. 15, and cyclists of all disciplines and experiences are welcome to experience this incredible course and surrounding community of Bentonville. If you’re interested in the evolution of the hottest niche of cycling right now - gravel cycling - this is one episode you will not want to miss. 

Kristi Mohn is a founding member of the Dirty Kanza event team, and a life-long Emporian (resident of Emporia, Kansas). Since selling the DK to Life Time earlier this year (in 2019), Mohn has expanded her role to that of Business Development and Marketing leader at Life Time, Inc. Mohn is a visionary and a pioneering female leader in cycling. She believes strongly in the power of community and inclusivity - two foundational pillars that helped grow the DK into the global leader in gravel. Mohn has witnessed first hand how cycling can empower and change people and communities for the better, and continues to work tirelessly to bring more people into the sport, on their own terms. 

Gabbi Adams has been on the racing and riding side of gravel for years, but is now stepping in to race directing with Big Sugar. She’s a winner of the DK in the single-speed category and is a lifer with her gravel community. Adams loves the inclusiveness and community that is gravel, and is wholly committed to delivering a great experience for every individual at the Big Sugar. We can’t wait to see how Gabbi’s leadership takes shape in this exciting new venue, and in the global community of gravel.

On this episode of the Channel Mastery podcast, co-produced by Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, I’m honored to pay a big tribute to Ed Zink, the owner of the award-winning specialty bike store, the Mountain Bike Specialists. 

Zink, a Durango native and longtime resident, unexpectedly passed away on October 11, 2019 of complications from cardiac arrest. He would have turned 72 on November 13th. He was a founder of Durango’s iconic road race, the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, which turns 49 in 2020. Ed also was the visionary behind Durango’s hosting of the 1990 World Mountain Bike Championships. Many would say with confidence that Ed Zink put Durango on the global “map” as a global  mountain bike destination.

He also was a critical supporter of building, advocating for and protecting Durango’s incredible trail network through Trails 2000, an incredible non-profit organization led today by visionary Mary Monroe-Brown.

Ed was an absolute leader as an IBD, but he was also a renaissance man, a great visionary, innovator and icon in the cycling world. Most important, however, is how he viewed community - both in his hometown of Durango, Colo., and in the global cycling community. In this episode, you’ll hear first-hand how Ed based that vision out of his bike shop. 

The story of Ed is told by Gaige Sippy of the Mountain Bike Specialists and Ned Overend, renowned mountain bike world champion. Both call Durango home, both have had a life shaped by the bike, and both were mentoried by Ed Zink. 

Before the internet and social media, viral videos and online marketing, Ed Zink was able to create world class events and experiences that were open for all who were interested in cycling. He was a pioneer of inclusivity and focusing on the consumer experience. While the Mountain Bike Specialists served and supported the top cycling athletes in the world (and continues to), it’s also equally prioritized riders of every age, ability level and discipline. 

This show is also a tribute to the power of the IBD. For five decades, the Mountain Bike Specialists has been the hub for Ed’s vision in cycling and with the outdoor recreation economy. Through his store, Ed supported trail development and advocacy, community development through clean industry, inclusivity of men, women and kids of all walks of life, and a heart-centered approach to building the infrastructure of an incredible region through the bike. This man’s shoes cannot be filled. All we can do is try to live like he did - service to others first. 

Through events like the Iron Horse, World Championships and even some cycling time trials that raced through the interiors of Durango’s historic main street shops, one key facet of Zink’s life work was in connecting and building community through cycling. For anyone who knew Ed, they were touched by Ed’s vision. In this show, you’ll get to hear first hand how Ed mentored and impacted both Gaige Sippy and Ned Overend.

Ed’s legacy in the Animas Valley and the cycling community will continue to live on through the relationships he created and nurtured over his lifetime.      

Ned Overend is a world-champion mountain bike racer, and continues to serve the cycling community in many roles, one of which is as a member of the marketing team at Specialized Bicycles. When Ned met Ed Zink, he was a car mechanic who wanted to race bikes, back in the early 1980’s. Ed took Ned under his wing, and he became an employee of Zink’s when Mountain Bike Specialists was named Outdoorsmen. Ned was a mechanic in the small bike shop located in the back of the store. He considered Ed to be one of his closest friends and credits him with much of the success of his cycling career. Overend resides in Durango, CO. 

Gaige Sippy, also a former employee of Ed Zink’s at the Mountain Bike Specialists, is the Director of Durango’s iconic Memorial Day road race and cycling celebration, the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic. Sippy and Zink first met in the early 90’s in Durango, and for the past twenty-plus years, Gaige has worked with Zink to grow cycling in and around Durango.

Ryan Atkinson returns to Channel Mastery after a wide reaching webinar with the National Bicycle Dealers Association (NBDA). He is President and Co-Owner of SmartEtailing and talks to us about the importance of evolving when it comes to how consumers purchase not only bicycles, but other products as well. Click and Collect shopping iis on the incline and Ryan and his team at SmartEtailing are helping specialty bike shops keep sales within their communities, ensure consumer accessibility to the products, and help the “shop local” movements for Independent Bicycle Dealers across the country through an online presence. If you’re a specialty business leader getting ready to head into Holiday 2019, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!

Ryan is passionate about enhancing marketing for independent bicycle dealers. With more than 20 years of related experience, Ryan has worked in almost every aspect of the bicycle retail distribution network, from turning wrenches at the local bike shop to launching new products for Trek Bicycle Corporation. Before joining SmartEtailing, Ryan founded Harvest Retail Marketing, a leader in marketing solutions for the independent bike dealer. His diverse background has engendered a deep understanding about the challenges facing independent retailers and the importance of implementing marketing and technology solutions to grow those businesses.

This episode is the first of an entire season of Channel Mastery podcasts co-produced by our friends at the Snowsports Industries of America (SIA). Jen Gurecki joins me on this episode and after sharing the mic with her, I have to say, she just embodies the word entrepreneur. She is Co-founder and CEO of Coalition Snow, a women’s-specific ski hardgoods company, Editor-in-Chief of Sisu Magazine, and as of Oct. 14, 2019, a specialty brick-and-mortar retailer (Truckee, Calif.). Jen knows a thing or two about breaking the barriers and building channels where her followers expect her to with Coalition Snow. She’s a die-hard advocate for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and is seemingly unafraid to stand up for things many, many other brands are fearful to stand up for. We need more Jen Gurecki’s in our world, IMO.

Jen’s background in the outdoor industry is unlike the traditional path many CEO’s in the snowsports communities have taken. When some were sales reps, she was founding a company in rural Kenya. How hard could it be, then, to start a women’s ski hardgoods brand? She set about to find out with Coalition Snow, a company that makes skis for women by women. 

Her drive, desire to push boundaries and willingness to try new strategies in a male-dominated battlefield sets her and the Coalition Snow team apart from their competitors, but beyond that, they’re creating a sense of community and inclusiveness where it’s needed and using a creative and ever-evolving mix of brand and sales channels to connect with loyal fans and followers. 

Jen’s episode underscores the importance of being nimble, and testing and learning - concepts that are tough for longstanding, established brands to emulate. There’s a ton to learn from Jen’s instinct and her challenges and successes. Check out the show and give it a share today! 

Jen Gurecki is the CEO of Coalition Snow & Editor of Sisu Magazine.