Scott Allan is the Global General Manager of Hydro Flask, where he served as CEO and President until their acquisition by Helen of Troy in 2016. Before discovering the outdoor industry, Scott was a tech executive in Silicon Valley. He successfully scaled Hydro Flask’s business and built the brand from the inside out, understanding that the right talent could make or break the company’s essential culture. 

Scott has extended his work in the industry through his involvement with two outdoor companies, Cairn and Rumpl, as well as his role on the advisory board for Oregon State University Cascades’ outdoor products program.

Highlights from our conversation include:

• Scott’s career path from tech to the outdoor industry (1:33)
• Scaling Hydro Flask’s business (3:14)
• What’s shaped his approach to hiring (6:25)
• How he found the right talent for the brand (7:40)
• Why he sought out overqualified hires (11:15)
• How Scott set candidate expectations in the hiring process (13:18)
• What it was like to bring together an experienced leadership team (16:39)
• Why developing the brand’s culture was a passion of his (18:40)
• Building an inclusive culture (20:18)
• Scott’s hiring challenges and mistakes (22:30)
• How things changed once the brand was acquired (26:38)
• Scott’s hiring advice (31:27)

Visit HowIHire.com for transcripts and more on this episode.

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