Matt sits down with GCI Outdoor founder Jeff Polke. GCI Outdoor is an outdoor chair and furniture brand specializing in innovation. Some of you might be familiar with GCI, some of you might not but, they are a long-time innovator in the outdoor space. They’ve been in business for coming up on their 25th year, a fairly huge milestone. In this episode, Jeff walks us through building a solution based business and GCI Outdoor was able to stay nimble, navigating the brutal world of patenting products and constantly be delivering new practical products that keep people coming back for more.

#221 GCI Outdoor - Building A Chair For Every Situation. Founder Jeff Polke Sharing His Story.

We catalog the experience of CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs in the outdoor sports industry. Some of them have failed, some of them skyrocket into the stratosphere of success, all of them have a story to tell. This podcast focuses on a different kind of adventure.

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Problems are opportunities in disguise if you know how to solve them. Take Mark Koep as an example. He sold all his belongings and embarked on a year-long adventure, during which he discovered the challenges of locating campgrounds with ease. Being an ambitious entrepreneur, he decided to solve this problem, giving birth to Campground Views — ultimate campground and RV park directory, trusted by tens of thousands of campers as their primary source for finding their next camping spot. How did Mark achieve such a remarkable feat, and what was the process like? In this episode, Mark Koep reveals the evolution of his brand over the past decade, transforming it into a multimillion-dollar enterprise.  You'll gain valuable insights and learn important lessons about the camping and RV industry, whether you're interested in starting your own venture or simply enjoy outdoor adventures. Listen now! Show highlights include:  How being a “dummy” entrepreneur can turn your wildest dreams into realities. (2:06)  The sneaky professional way to have a product market fit for your startup brand and avoid generational loss.  (4:56)  How to leapfrog your competitors using a consumer first approach. (7:08)  The wrong way to market RV parks, bad enough to get you unlimited nasty reviews that could hurt your business forever. (12:48) How campground views technology can increase your online booking by 244%. (14:43) A simple, yet powerful lesson for newbies wanting to make a fortune out of the Camping and RV industry. (17:40) 

From Adventure to Millions with Mark Koep from Campground Views

Rome, like your favorite brands, was not built in a day — it takes years of humble beginnings.  And while it is easier to dismiss these humble beginnings, they can serve as learning opportunities for many people. That’s why we invited Tayson Whittaker, founder of outdoors vitals, to this episode.  From selling sleeping bags to a full range of ultralight products, raking in 6-7 figures. — Tayson has got the sauce.  And in this episode, he uncovers what it takes to go from $0 to millions in your business. Plus, he reveals how to build a long-term profitable consumer-focused brand. Listen now! Show highlights include:  The "fail & learn" approach to unlock more business growth than you've ever imagined.. (5:53) How to use your brand's remarkable results to secure A-level partnerships that will quickly put your brand on the map (8:09) How to use third parties to target and run ads for 2x better your normal ROAS. (11:52)  A "dignified" way to build highly loyal followers for your brand without incentivizing them 24/7.  (16:17)  Why outdoor space is the wrong place to make your first/next million bucks. (21:31)  

How I grew outdoor Vitals from zero to millions with Tayson Whittaker/Outdoor Vitals

Trends can turn into huge opportunities when properly capitalized on.  Like in 2020, during the big bike boom. Since there was a smaller supply of bikes and surging demand, the founders of Ride1Up capitalized on this to build a budding brand.  How were they able to do this?  In this episode, Daniel Urbino, a certified public accountant turned CEO of Ride1up, reveals how to identify an urgent market need to build a high-ticket direct-to-customer brand.  Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or simply interested in the business side of biking, this episode is for you.  Listen now! Show highlights include:  How to build a mutually beneficial relationship with your customers while making your competitors irrelevant. (1:17) 2 no-brainer ways to stand out among hundreds of competitors in whatever niche you're building your brand in.  (4:54) How to make customers buy your products “blindly” by leveraging “UGC”  (8:47) The sneaky way to get your product on major media sites for free. (9:16)  3 top tier ways to use e-bikes for maximum utility satisfaction.  (17:48) 

How we turned a trend into a budding brand with Daniel Urbino, Ride1up.

Do you ever wonder what motivates entrepreneurs to start their own businesses? For John Crissy, Founder of Gut Armor and a champion of gut health, his passion for creating top-notch gut health products that help people heal, and his desire to break free from the 9-5 grind, inspired him to start his own brand. But what can John's experience teach you? In this episode, he shares his insights on how you can build a successful brand from scratch to acquisition.  Whether you're interested in improving your own gut health or dreaming of launching your own brand, John's expertise can help guide you on your journey. Listen now! Show highlights include:  The "now or never" mindset to break free from 9 to 5 and start your dream business. (3:57)  How to use "WH" to get the most bioavailable prebiotics and probiotics. (6:26) How to prevent a lot of gut issues before they happen using the “F” approach. (8:28)  The top two things that butyrate helps heal, so you can say goodbye to nagging health concerns. (9:00)  The top 3 challenges of running Gut Armour for supplement industry newcomers. (13:04) How to use Amazon and Shopify to efficiently build an acquirable brand. (16:00) 

Talking gut health and building a brand from scratch to acquisition with John Crissy from Gut Armor

As we evolve, so do our needs, resulting in a scarcity of products to meet them. So what can we do? Well, by innovating and creating more products based on your needs   so that you can meet your needs and the needs of thousands of others in the same shoes. How? In this episode, Arjan Chima, Co-Founder and CEO of Centr, shares his inspiring journey of turning a lack of products that fit his needs into a thriving brand. You'll discover how to build a brand in a highly regulated but not widely known industry like CBD. Listen now! Show highlights include:  How to approach naming ideation to have the perfect consumer-focused brand name that people want to support before they even know you. (5:20) The C-factor to that can help you scale exponentially without stress. (6:19) The "exit" mindset that could cost you your brand (and the mindset you should have instead if you want to build a reputable brand.) (8:15) How to build a better brand than your competitors using "consumer scenarios" (8:49) How to overcome obstacles with advertising regulated products like CBD (16:38) The "Centr" method of regaining what life's demands have taken away from you. (22:36)   

#221 GCI Outdoor - Building A Chair For Every Situation. Founder Jeff Polke Sharing His Story.

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