The Intrepid Entrepreneur

Sonya Looney, a professional mountain bike racer and ambassador, is an international phenom who specializes in connecting with her fans and followers about her passion for living an adventurous life astride a bike – globally! Through her commitment to doing just that, she's developed an approach to furthering her reach and the reach of her sponsor partners that's bringing more value than ever before to the sponsor-athlete-ambassador equation. And it's about time. … Sonya knows that connection is what brings return on a sponsorship investment and she relishes in doing just that to all fans and followers online, offline and inline within her network. There's so much to learn today from this podcast – starting with what's the true value today for a brand ambassador? Sonya's authoring that job description, and you'll get a front row seat to hearing it today on the Intrepid Entrepreneur!

Full Show Notes: IntrepidEntrepreneur.net/Sonya-Looney

Statistically, women make about 80-percent of purchasing decisions and overwhelmingly own the buying power of most households in America. Yet their involvement in the creation, ideation and implementation of new products, in any field, but specifically the outdoor industry, has been very low.

That’s what Deane Buck, executive director of Outdoor Industries Coalition of Women (OWIC) is completely committed to changing. The OIWC is a national non-profit organization dedicated to workplace equity, diversity and inclusion by expanding opportunities for women in the outdoor, snow, bike and endurance markets. For much of the organization’s 20-year history, that focus has been on encouraging established corporations to evolve.

OWIC’s latest initiative is called PitchFest, and shows that the OIWC is also supporting and furthering women-founded companies and start ups. PitchFest, in its second year in 2016, provides women with the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to key leaders in the outdoor industry at a key industry gathering, the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, which takes place in early August.

But what separates PitchFest from some similar pitch-focused entrepreneurial opportunities is that capital is not the only end-game. As Deanne says, sometimes capital is not the most important thing. Sometimes, feedback and good advice is more valuable than money - let alone building a network in the market of focus.

Plus, not every company needs to be venture funded. It seems like a popular track for a start up to be pitching for capital, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right decision for every business. Entrepreneurs need to be encouraged to move forward and not feel like less entrepreneurs because they didn’t get capital funding. As someone who has bootstrapped three start ups, I couldn’t agree more.

OWIC’s PitchFest is an amazing initiative that will facilitate real change in the industries, not only for female-founded companies, but also for entrepreneurs in general. It will also help more women evolve their leadership and have access to more opportunities. I’m very thankful to have Deanne on the show, so please join me in welcoming her to the Intrepid Entrepreneur!

Bravery in Business Quote

“Not only do we need to get more women into the outdoor industry, but the talent has to be high, and women should make up at least 50% of the workforce.” - Deane Buck

(click to tweet)

The Cliff Notes

• There is tremendous opportunity for talented women in the outdoor industry right now
• Outdoor companies need to spend more time understanding the woman consumer, not just for female products but all products, because statistics show that women make 80% of the buying decisions
• Feedback and good advice can be a far more important and rare commodity than capital
• The best part of being in the outdoor industry, as well as any other industry, is the relationships you form
• It’s important to peel back the layers underneath what you think your problem is, so that you can work on those problems, instead of the surface ones. For example, you may think that your problem is not enough buyers, when you wouldn’t even be able to fulfill orders if you had more buyers
• Don’t get caught up in the hype of venture capital. It doesn’t make you any less of an entrepreneur for not getting venture funding
• REI’s Mary Anderson Legacy Grant has truly catalyzed the reach and impact of the OIWC - I personally want to thank REI’s leadership for their authentic connection and support to the important work of the OIWC in our markets.

“Maybe you’ll never get outside venture funding, but that doesn’t make you any less of an entrepreneur.” - Deane Buck

(click to tweet)

Habit for Success

As an entrepreneur, don’t get stuck in the mindset that you need to receive venture capital funding to be legit. While that’s a hot topic right now, it’s actually not the right decision for a majority of startups.

Resources

PitchFest

The Outdoor Women’s Coalition

REI.com

Full Show Notes

How can two companies make or sell the same product, and one be far more successful than the other?

The amount of information that our target customers have access to is beyond overwhelming. How can a brand, vying for our ideal customer’s attention, stand out, be discovered and be engaged with by the right people?

The answer to that question is brand storytelling, and that’s what my March Intrepid content blitz is all about.

Storytelling is the gas on the fire that is branding. It’s what allows one brand to rise above another that sells a similar or even identical product or service. Humans have been telling stories for as long as they have been around. Storytelling creates emotional connection when done authentically and creatively.

When a brand does a stellar job with its storytelling, it captures the why in a way that makes the ideal customer the absolute hero (or heroine) in the story.

Storytelling is the one thing that brands must get right if they want a consumer’s attention. In fact, I have a completely free webinar on the subject coming up very soon, where I go into real depth on the steps required to craft your perfect story. But today, on this solocast, I’m giving you the nuts and bolts of what you need to know to get well on your way to crafting your perfect brand story, and taking your consumer interaction, engagement, and rabid-fan-behavior to the next level. Get ready to go big with brand storytelling on this episode of Intrepid Entrepreneur!

Bravery in Business Quote “People buy your products/services because you’re handing them a promise that things can be better for them.” Kristin Carpenter-Ogden

(click to tweet)

The Cliff Notes

• The storytelling around the “why” differentiates two companies that sell the same product, and often makes one more successful than the other
• It’s essential that every brand have a story behind what it does
• In a world where everyone is competing for attention, your target customer is being overwhelmed with information all the time. Your story is how you stand out from the crowd
• Brand storytelling allows your customer to feel like they’re part of your brand
• The more you can make your story human, the more your customer will be able to relate to it
• Your avatar (ideal customer) should be the hero of your brand’s story
• People buy products because we’re handing them a promise that things can be better for them, helping them to become the person that they want to become
• Include a beginning, middle and end in your brand story, to help you bring your customer along, and allow you to have a staggered story experience
• Amazon’s first pillar (out of the Four Pillars of Amazon): Ask yourself: Will you be in the business of helping your customers buy, or trying to sell them hard?

“Use storytelling to create a fanbase of loyal fans and followers, which can’t help but turn into sales for your business.” - Kristin Carpenter-Ogden

(click to tweet)

Habit for Success

Take time to craft and continually revise your brand’s story, always making your avatar (ideal customer) the hero.

Resources

March Free Webinar: Nailing Your Brand Storytelling

Book: “The Business of Belief: How the World's Best Marketers, Designers, Salespeople, Coaches, Fundraisers, Educators, Entrepreneurs and Other Leaders Get Us to Believe” by Tom Asacker

Interested in joining the membership site coming soon? Send a request email to [email protected]

Show Notes: IntrepidEntrepreneur.net/SoloCast

For 18 years, Tyler Jordan cut his leadership, product development, operations and outdoor market experience at Arc’Teryx, serving the last eight of those as CEO of the iconic outdoor brand.

Now, Tyler has his own company in 7Mesh Industries, a B.C.-based technical cycling apparel company catering to men and women riders who love all disciplines of the sport.

Tyler and his crew at 7Mesh found a niche, and he labels it the intersection of outdoor technical and bike. If anyone can throw that phrase around, it’s him. But the bike industry is very different from outdoors, and there are subsectors in cycling with fanatical-level passion for their sport, all concentrated in the single market of bike.

Being an entrepreneur in these markets, Tyler says, has incredible highs and lows, but as he and his team at 7Mesh enter their second full season, this young and energetic leader wouldn’t have it any other way.

Tyler drives 7 Mesh to always be straddling the line of innovation and performance. He never wavers from his goal of constantly looking for ways 7Mesh can be improved.

I’m very proud to have Tyler as my interview this week on The Intrepid Entrepreneur podcast. Not only does he tell the amazing story of his entrepreneurial journey, spanning from Arc’Teryx, through the 7Mesh start up, he also talks about taking on 7Mesh with a bit of a different stance on prioritizing his outdoor active lifestyle and his approach to entrepreneurial cross training. This show is a must-listen!

Tyler summed it up perfectly when he said “entrepreneurialism is a life in the fast lane and the deep end. If it’s in you, life is too short not to go after it.”

This episode offers some of the best start up advice available so get ready to learn, to be inspired, to take away specific action steps, and to take your ventures to the next level with Tyler Jordan on Intrepid Entrepreneur!

Bravery in Business Quote

“I don’t understand work/life balance. For me, it’s all rolled into one.” - Tyler Jordan

The Cliff Notes

• Create products that raise the bar from a quality standpoint, and you will always have customers
• When your user group is people like you, you understand how to speak to them in ways others can’t
• Don’t allow yourself to be trapped in the ways you did things before. Use new opportunities as a fresh start in processes and direction
• The more high-end your physical product is, the more people will want to touch, feel, try on, your product before they buy
• Give customers the choice of how they want to deal with you, and buy your product
• Embrace your community, to find out what you’re doing right, wrong, and how you can improve
• Avoid “me too” products. Bring something new, exciting, awesome, and needed to your industry

“Entrepreneurialism is life in the fast lane, and in the deep end. If it’s in you, life is too short not to go after it.” - Jordan Tyler

Habit for Success

Just because you have experience in a certain area, does not mean you should be doing it the way you’ve done it in the past. Continually be innovating and testing new systems and process.

Resources

http://www.7meshinc.com/

The Intrepid Entrepreneur free March Master Class offers one full hour of training on Nailing your Brand Storytelling. It’s free! It’s awesome and you can sign up and save your seat by going here: http://intrepidentrepreneur.net/MarchWebinar

Full Show Notes: IntrepidEntrepreneur.net/tyler-jordan

My guest today is millennial, multi-cultural entrepreneur Tayo Rockson. Tayo is a highly versed social and digital leader and is dedicated to creating connection between people of different cultures using new media. Tayo believes that when the world is closer and more connected a far more opportune business landscape emerges. Learn why Tayo encourages his fans and followers to constantly reach outside of their comfort zones, or network, every day to build innovation and reach within their companies. Listen in as he shares why it’s not only fun and interesting to meet new people daily, it also enables more diversity in business. Tayo looks to the younger entrepreneurs to model this for the rest of us - and you’ll find his story and approach fascinating! If you liked this episode, please share it! I’d also love to ask you to give it a positive review in ITunes, to ensure more founders are inspired to extend their networks and bring more diversity into our lives - personally and professionally.

For complete show notes and links mentioned in the episode, please visit www.intrepidentrepreneur.net.

What does your social media strategy look like? Do you find that you’re spending an inordinate amount of time crafting social media updates? Have you ever considered the fact that your current social media strategy probably includes crafting new updates, everyday, for the rest of your life? That quite a time commitment! There has to be a better way…

My guest today, Laura Roeder, is the founder of the social media management platform Edgar. Visit the site at www.meetedgar.com.

For more stories, visit www.intrepidentrepreneur.net.

Hap Klopp is the founder of The North Face and author of the book “Almost,” which details 12 months in the life of a San Francisco startup that seemed “on the verge of becoming a household name and being bought by Big Silicon.” This episode is all about the role of failure in success. As Hap says, “Failure is really just applying the scientific method to business.” In science, we develop a hypothesis about how we think something should be. Then, we test it, and more often than not, our expectations fail to pan out. So we develop a new hypothesis and test that one, again and again, until we finally have a break-through: After countless failed attempts, our hypothesis is verified by reality. And this reality is what makes things GO! If you like this episode, share it with a friend or colleague and give it a thumbs up on iTunes!

For complete show notes, visit http://intrepidentrepreneur.net/.

Dare we say that 2016 is the year when commercialization of the customer experience becomes the kiss of death? Companies that target the lowest common denominator and strive to be consistent to large groups of consumers are just commoditized. And when you try to be great to the biggest group of people you can possibly reach, you actually end up being great to no one.

My guest today, Brad Steward, is an iconic entrepreneur in the active outdoor lifestyle -- and now travel -- markets. He’s a former pro snowboarder and founder of Bonfire Snowboarding. I would even venture to say that he’s one of the founders of the snowboard industry, along with Jake Burton-Carpenter and the late Tom Simms.

Brad’s a visionary and he’s about to point that creativity to a brand-new launch in Caravan Outpost. Caravan Outpost is a hand-built travel experience created for a very specific avatar (target customer).

Brad has SO many amazing takeaways in this podcast. I advise you grab your notebook and pen, and listen in to Brad and I as we talk about the importance of creating magical moments for consumers, why products should strive to create completely unique, visceral experiences, as well as the path of the founder/entrepreneur. Brad is a perfect example of an adventurous entrepreneur, and I hope his journey inspires you!

After criss crossing the United States, attending a heap of trade shows in the past two months, our resident retail and sales guru Michele Flamer visits the Intrepid Entrepreneur for her third time in the chair!

Michele basically holds a Ph.D. in sales and training development, and this episode is an uncensored look at what it’s going to take for brands and retailers to break out and be a success story in 2016.

We’re in an economy in which the consumer is clearly in the driver’s seat. This consumer expects extremely targeted messaging and communication, and will respond to the brands and retailers adept at making it appear like they’re speaking directly to them. And this is very good news for the smaller retailers, Michele believes. … Why? Because large brands and retailers are usually just too big to accomplish this.

So what does this mean for you? Play to your strengths! As Michele and I talk about in this episode, focus on how you can take your interaction and communication to the next level - and it will pay off for you! Show your consumers the similar values you share - whether it be philanthropic, general interests, or passions - and connect on those issues.

There are plenty more insights in this episode of the Intrepid Entrepreneur. Thank you SO much for listening and please give this a thumbs up in iTunes of you enjoy the episode!

My guest on Intrepid Entrepreneur today is none other than Doug Schnitzspahn. I feel he should be Knighted, like Sir Richard Branson. Why? Because there are few people out there in the active outdoor lifestyle markets with the work experiences and perspectives that Doug has.

He basically holds a Ph.D. in producing, editing and publishing content in a myriad of forms.

As a freelance writer and editor, he has worked on publications like National Geographic, Outside, Men’s Journal, The Chicago Tribune, The Denver Post, Backpacker, Skiiing, and The Mountain Gazette. In my opinion? Doug is one of the main portals educating newcomers to the outdoor active lifestyle markets while concurrently keeping existing outdoor fans stoked.

In a nutshell? Doug is super important to the outdoor recreation economy! Perhaps he should run for office? I know someone who could do publicity on that… :)

In this podcast, Doug and I get to talk shop. We’re old friends and we’re also entrepreneurs. We’re wired in a similar way and as we watch how the economy continues to be transformed by the digital direct era, we’re both wondering where the quality and topic alignment has gone.

There’s a sweet spot when the unique voice of the writer aligns with the topic, and the topic aligns with the audience’s and brands focus and interests. Brands should focus on making this perfect trifecta happen, and invest in content creation that really hits these three points. You can’t buy this type of approach from a content service or farm.

Doug has built a career out of creating amazing content, with a unique voice, that connects deeply with a specific audience: the outdoor market. His opinions shared in this episode can truly help your organization ensure that you’re not publishing “choss” (that’s our word for CRAP content).

You can also learn all about Doug’s perspective on the “freelancer’s economy,” and the role of sponsored content.

If you’re a freelancer, entrepreneur, or an outdoor enthusiast of any kind, you’ll find Doug to be a fascinating guy with sharp insights. Few people can offer the insights Doug can on the outdoor market today, or on how brands can pull off authentic content marketing.

Pull out a notebook and get ready to learn, and to be inspired, on this episode of Intrepid Entrepreneur!