Channel Mastery

We’re excited to welcome back Friend of the Channel Mastery Podcast, Larry Pluimer of Indigitous.com, an Amazon advertising and services agency that provides brands with strategies, services and intelligence to maximize sales and marketing opportunities with Amazon. Many of you know Larry as the first person to build an outdoor-lifestyle specific market on Amazon over a decade ago. 

Larry and his team make it their business to monitor and translate the many changes happening on the Amazon marketplace. Kristin and Larry spend this *Expert Spotlight* episode discussing the Patagonia lawsuit that made headlines in September, the environmental efforts and changes Amazon has committed to over the next 20 years and the updates to Amazon going into effect for Holiday, 2019. You do not want to miss this episode! 

Guest Profile: Larry Pluimer, a Channel Mastery VIP, is an Amazon Strategy Expert at Indigitous. The agency offers advertising and services that provide select brands and their investors with the strategies, services and intelligence necessary to maximize sales and marketing opportunities with Amazon.  

On this episode of Channel Mastery, Specialty Retailer and Outdoor Industry Icon, Wes Allen, and I discuss the evolving equation of retail math. Retail success can come down to having the right time, all the time, especially since today’s connected consumer is always expecting just that. We dive into how measuring your Gross Margin Return on Investment (GMROI) is essential for keeping your business thriving and how other channels play a role in this always changing equation.

Wes Allen is a VIP friend of the Channel Mastery podcast, founder of Argot Agency, principal of Sunlight Sports, industry speaker and adventure retail expert.

On today’s episode, we dive into the world of software as a service (SaaS) with the co-founder of one of my personal favorite apps and podcasts: TrainerRoad. Digital businesses may have an edge over analog when it comes to data access and agility, but what this discussion demonstrates is that there are SO many other lessons and crossovers that ALL businesses can learn from the tech culture.

My guest, Nate Pearson, is incredibly generous and forthcoming in sharing the ins and outs of his company’s weekly meeting, data interpretations and strategies, and the evolution of brand partnerships. We talk about bringing your personality into your brand, digital ads, team dynamics and how every brand should always be aiming to be 10 times better than their competition.

SOLOCAST: Kristin Carpenter, Channel Mastery Host and CEO of Verde Brand Communications

The marketing director in both legacy and direct-first brands do not have an easy path today. They literally hold the keys to the end-consumer relationship, and are charged to manage and ‘catch’ all things marketing. It can be tough to know the metrics to report to executive colleagues as the targets and goals keep changing. And setting a budget is probably the most challenging - especially for legacy brand leaders - as it’s nearly impossible to know what’s going to be needed in three months, let alone 12. Interestingly, the challenges faced by this incredibly important - I would even go as far to say ‘lynchpin’ team member - in a consumer-first business are largely unknown by his or her executive colleagues. 

This episode is intended to change that. In this show, you’ll learn about the challenges and how to actually use them as a leadership team to get closer to your target end consumer on the channels of their preference. You’ll also learn that the plight of the legacy and direct-first brand managers are actually far more similar than you’d think. And in true Channel Mastery form, you’ll be the first to learn more about a new resource being offered to specialty brands by Channel Mastery.

I’m SO stoked to speak with Mark Satkieweicz, co-founder of SBT GRVL (pronounced Steamboat Gravel), in this episode. About a year ago, Mark and his three partners called my agency, Verde Brand Communications, about promoting a gravel grinder in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. (Full disclosure: SBT GRVL is a Verde client.) Here’s the thing: The race didn’t exist yet.

Not only did Mark and his partners create a brand new gravel event from scratch in about 10 months, it sold out within six days. SIX DAYS!!! We’re talking over 1,000 competitors and three courses. It is arguably one of the most successful cycling event launches of all time.

And now, after the inaugural SBT GRVL race took place on Aug. 18, 2019, we can officially report that not only did the team nail the launch, they nailed the event, too. The courses were incredible; the racers were happy; the cycling community is taking notice. For the record, that's not the PR-pro in me speaking; that’s spoken as an avid cyclist and racer, who competed on the long course.

Today, we talk about what made this event so exceptional right out of the gate, and the questions every event director and promoter should ask to ensure success. For Mark and his team, it was all about creating an accessible community. The focus was on the full experience - from registration to crossing the finish line - and ensuring that every touch point reinforced the spirit of inclusivity and support. The race itself was built on beauty and challenge, but the vibe was one of parity, breaking down barriers and encouraging everyone with an interest.

GUEST PROFILE: Mark Satkiewicz, the co-founder of SBT GRVL, in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. He is the former CEO of Smartwool and held executive positions at TOMS, Keebler and Nike. Mark is an avid endurance athlete and cyclist.

EPISODE PREVIEW: Welcome to Channel Mastery’s 100th Episode!!! It’s been two years of love and commitment to driving success for specialty…and we’re just getting started.

To celebrate this milestone, I’ve invited a very special guest from a very special crossover of my personal life and my professional life. This year, I competed in my second Leadville 100 MTB, and it’s official: I’m a lifer. My guest for Episode 100 is Kimo Seymour, a fellow lifer. Kimo has not only raced in 12 (!!) Leadville 100 races, he’s also served as race director and now oversees all of events and media for Leadville’s parent company, Life Time.

We cover a lot of ground in this episode, from event marketing to community building, and from content to strategic brand partnerships. The essence of our discussion revolves around a challenge that all specialty businesses face: how do we focus on profitability without losing the authenticity and the passion that brought us to this field in the first place? Can corporate entities co-exist with homegrown events?

The answer is heck yeah. Not only can they co-exist, but together, the opportunities to have a positive impact (on local economy, on the experience, on the growth of a sport) grow exponentially. It requires caretaking and listening and genuine connection with the people who are the heart and soul of any event. It requires thoughtful and strategic brand partnerships. Ultimately, to build a community through shared experiences and values, it requires that we put the humans first.

GUEST PROFILE: Kimo Seymour is Senior Vice President of Operations for the Athletic Events Division at Life Time.  Following a 15-year career in real estate development, Kimo purchased the Red Rock Company, (events production) in 2008, which has since been acquired by Life Time. He joined Life Time in 2011 as the brand director for the Leadville race series. Currently, Kimo oversees the Events and Media business across the complete Life Time portfolio.

Kimo is also an active endurance athlete, having completed eleven Ironman’s (six in Kona), 12 Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike races, 24-hour mountain bike races and multiple marathons. He is a father of a 23-year old daughter, Makena, and a 21-year old son, Kai. Kimo and his wife Julie remain very active in the racing community, participating in many Life Time events annually.

In July 2019, a report [link is below] came out that squarely pointed the finger at private equity and Wall Street for the loss of 600,000 retail jobs and 1.3 million jobs overall during great retail correction (that we’re still in, btw). Many analysts agreed with the report. My guest today, Richard Kestenbaum, does not.  

Richard is in mergers and acquisitions, and is a fan and professional follower of active outdoor markets. He is the perfect person to walk us through today’s investment landscape and how that may or may not be in influencing the health of retail. He sees the bigger retail picture, and can tie it right back to our specialty markets.  

In this episode, we dig down into the cause of why start-ups are able to scratch away at legacy retailers grip on sales, and why legacy brands seem to be the ones going bankrupt more frequently. Richard analyzes this specifically through the lens of private equity and through the competitive advantages of specialty.  

But what if your business is looking for funding? Is there still money for capital investment? You betcha. But it’s time for new metrics to capture the new retail reality, which in large part will be a measurement of how well a brand is meeting customer expectations. 

There are a ton of people who want to raise their hands and belong to cycling…if they’re given a chance and welcomed in. My guest today is doing just that, and there are lessons for all of us in the methods.

Through the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA), Steve Matous and his team are not only introducing mountain biking to tens of thousands of teenagers, they’re also developing lifelong cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts.

The organization is growing like mad, with more communities asking for a “league” (aka a “chapter”) than NICA has the resources to serve. Every non-profit (and heck…every commercial business) wants to see growth like NICA is experiencing. How are they doing it?

Much of the success can be attributed to Matous’ strategy to build a broader foundation of participants than the traditional cycling demographics. With objective and subjective strategies toward increasing inclusivity and gender equity, as well as providing tools (ahem…bikes and access!) for underserved and non-affluent communities, NICA is leveling the playing field for every kid who wants to be involved.

GUEST PROFILE: Steve Matous is president of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA). He comes to NICA from a broad-reaching and successful career in the outdoor industry from both the commercial and not-for-profit side, having led Outward Bound, Entre-Prises Climbing Walls, and the American Alpine Club, among other organizations. He is a strong advocate for youth participation and developing lifelong outdoor enthusiasts.

I’m so happy to offer you an absolute FIRST on Channel Mastery today. We cover a lot of angles to specialty retail here, and today we’re diving into the absolute foundation of brick and mortar: the real estate.

Location, style, size, co-tenants: these are the FIRST things you think about when it comes to opening a physical store. These are things that can make or break your success. Today, I speak with Mark Falcone, a retail real estate development expert, to hear what’s working today.

Mark is founder and CEO of Continuum Partners, based in Denver. For Outdoor Retailer attendees, you’ll recognize Continuum’s work as master developers of the Union Station neighborhood.

Continuum takes a holistic approach to development that starts with the human (and natural) ecology of a location, and assesses how the built environment can foster a desirable habitat. If it sounds lofty, it is. Continuum is steadfast in its values and principles that guide each of its projects. But it’s also a very human approach. It’s the same way we create our interior retail spaces to evoke an emotional connection, like a sense of belonging or excitement or peace. 

Today, I ask Mark how retail real estate is changing, what tenants and developers are valuing, and what does the future look like for brick and mortar. We also discuss Continuum’s latest project, Basecamp at Market Station, the first real estate development (that we know of!) based entirely around outdoor recreation.

Continual evolution is now table-stakes for multi-channel marketing. But thankfully, no matter what the channel, two things continue to fuel specialty marketing success:

First, you have to have strong narrative brand storytelling that’s completely capable of evoking an emotional connection. And second? Use it to enable your target consumer to believe something they want to about themselves. In specialty, both are critical. As I’ve said many times before, our consumers use our brands as identity pieces. 

Brand marketing experience goes a long way both fronts. It’s tough to find a seasoned pro with decades of experience, a vested interest in what they’re marketing (passion), and, who also has a very nimble mindset and a strong sense of continual curiosity about how things are changing and why. 

I found one for you today, Channel Masters. My guest today is Bob Rogers, director of marketing for Lance Camper. 

Bob is enthusiastically – and boldly – setting up a 54-year-old legacy brand for discovery, engagement and conversion. He’s committed to not only evolving the brand and how it reaches and engages people today, he’s committed to doing so for the next two generations of outdoor enthusiasts. One of the best facets of this conversation is how Bob is taking the page out of his playbooks of old (in the automotive industry, for one example) and putting them in the game in a fresh new way. You’ll love what he shares about cross-promotional marketing in this episode.