Hill Climbers

Sam Huntington
  • 5.0 (15)
  • Sports
  • Updated Biweekly

Hill Climbers started as a cycling podcast covering cycling-centric founders and has become a startup ecosystem for cyclists. We are founders, investors, execs and startup enthusiasts who are building companies together while supporting our underdog sport. Subscribe to our newsletter for a growing schedule of live events, rides and podcast drops. Wouldn't you rather be networking on a bike? Subscribe: https://www.hill-climbers.com/subscribe

  1. Rapha CEO Fran Millar's Servant Leadership & Pursuit of Excellence Jumpstart the Talismanic Brand

    Jun 3

    Rapha CEO Fran Millar's Servant Leadership & Pursuit of Excellence Jumpstart the Talismanic Brand

    Send us Fan Mail In January I texted Charlie Tames, an Austin businessman with ties to Rapha, asking if he could put me in touch with someone at corporate ahead of my London visit. His response read, “Fran will be in Austin in February.” He’s referring to Fran Millar, Rapha CEO. A few days later Charlie texted, “If I can get you an interview with Fran Millar, would you be interested?”  Does a fat baby sweat? Charlie wouldn’t have vouched for us if he didn’t think we were ready. This was a defining moment. In a short time, the Hill Climbers team had created an events brand and operation suitable for Fran, founding member of Team Sky, INEOS 1:59 Challenge Captain, and now CEO of Rapha, one of the most impactful lifestyle brands of our time.  We hosted a live audience podcast at the Trek store in Austin with 50+ attendees that spilled into dinner/drinks after the show. What struck me about Fran was her vulnerability coupled with a magnificent executive presence. She shared personal details that shaped her career path as easily as she rattled off her five keys to full employee engagement. Fran proudly shared with the group that this brand of servant leadership and communication is authentically female, in contrast with the more classic "hero" version. This is not to mention the wide range of topics and stories we covered from the state of Rapha, the Kate Courtney She Sends partnership and of course the TeamUSA deal leading into LA28. So if this piques your interest, and you want to witness a true devotee to excellence share her thoughs on servant leadership, our interview with Fran is just the thing for you. Tune in! Hill Climbers is more than just a podcast, it's a growing business network for cyclists. You can tap into our event by following our Linkedin and Instagram, and subscribing to our newsletter. www.hill-climbers.com Instagram Linkedin Theme Music: Summer Vibes by Rizik

    51 min
  2. Hooper Kate Veronneau became Zwift's Head of Women's Strategy and Changed WorldTour Cycling Forever

    Apr 29

    Hooper Kate Veronneau became Zwift's Head of Women's Strategy and Changed WorldTour Cycling Forever

    Send us Fan Mail At this point Kate Veronneau, Director of Women’s Strategy at Zwift, needs little introduction because she’s omnipresent in cycling media around the world including the Tour de France  Femmes Avec Zwift, a partnership which has been the culmination of her career on bikes.  I met Kate and her husband Mike on the NOW ride when we lived in LA, and we hit it off pretty quickly because they had lived right outside of Philly by the T-Town velodrome. It doesn’t take long for Kate’s warmth and east coast honesty to make a lasting impression on anyone - especially cyclists - and I am proud to call her a friend. Watching Kate’s influence on cycling from Instagram and Linkedin have been mind blowing and incredibly gratifying and I hoped that one day we’d cross paths again, especially for an interview.  Last year the opportunity presented itself in the form of the Hill Climbers Summit. Zwift graciously came on board as sponsors, and Kate flew in to rep the company and lead a group ride on our favorite Lost Creek segment. I got some quality time with Kate, and something she shared with me really stuck. The ascendance of women’s sports is a driving force in her life, and so of course she has reflected on the topic deeply. Kate is tall, and was a competitive basketball player so she could always “hang with the guys.” She could hack it in a man’s world which has helped her climb to the sport’s highest echelons. More recently she’s realized that her strengths, what she brings to the boardroom and the peloton, are her feminine attributes. Please enjoy the interview. Hill Climbers is more than just a podcast, it's a growing business network for cyclists. You can tap into our event by following our Linkedin and Instagram, and subscribing to our newsletter. www.hill-climbers.com Instagram Linkedin Theme Music: Summer Vibes by Rizik

    46 min
  3. RUBBER N' ROAD Was Born and Bred on the Streets of Manhattan Just Like Cofounder Max Davis

    Mar 4

    RUBBER N' ROAD Was Born and Bred on the Streets of Manhattan Just Like Cofounder Max Davis

    Send us Fan Mail We’ve been excited about expanding the Hill Climbers audience beyond Austin, TX and one day back in October a juicy opportunity presented itself. Doug Zell from the Meteor texted me about hosting a group ride in honor of Max Davis, cofounder of Rubber N Road, the NYC kit maker. Doug was excited to add Rubber N' Road product to his retail mix, and the partnership was going to launch with a proper bike ride complete with breakfast tacos and a support vehicle. I secured an interview with Max while he was in town, so we got to the studio soon after he touched down, but not after he rode in Texas hill country for the first time. This brand is an outlier for the simple reason that it’s a legit road bike apparel company born in New York City with a bricks and mortar retail location on 51st st. With that distinction comes unique character, innovation, grit and diversity - all of which we cover in this discussion. Tune in to hear more about how Max is living a dream - a dream that comes with a lot of adversity. Enjoy. https://rubbernroad.com/ Hill Climbers is more than just a podcast, it's a growing business network for cyclists. You can tap into our event by following our Linkedin and Instagram, and subscribing to our newsletter. www.hill-climbers.com Instagram Linkedin Theme Music: Summer Vibes by Rizik

    59 min
  4. Life With CEO Emeritus Mathias Ihlenfeld Before, During and After Scaling Woom Bikes to $100M

    Jan 22

    Life With CEO Emeritus Mathias Ihlenfeld Before, During and After Scaling Woom Bikes to $100M

    Send us Fan Mail A couple of months ago Michelle Kopplow, a new friend and triathlon devotee, reached out to me and suggested an introduction with Mathias Ihlendfeld, the previous CEO of Woom bikes. I was immediately fired up for a couple of reasons - A Woom is the authority on children’s bikes as far as I’m concerned and B here was an example of the Hill Climbers community showing up and adding a ton of value.  Anyway, Mathias and I sat down for lunch and what transpired was a REAL conversation about topics way more substantive than just business or bikes. Mathias has quite a story to tell - from rural Germany to the collegiate tennis courts of Louisiana to international board rooms and of course, a massive children’s bike brand to cap it off.  This is a story of immigrant success coming from very modest beginnings, the American dream. However, that’s just one side of the story. Mathias opens up about the toll taken as a COVID era multinational CEO and how that’s helped him arrive at his present calling - which is to support men in their post-divorce paths AND help founders grow their companies  Mathias is a real one - as you’ll find out and we are so proud to count him as a member of the Hill Climbers community. Enjoy Mathias Ihlenfeld Linkedin Hill Climbers is more than just a podcast, it's a growing business network for cyclists. You can tap into our event by following our Linkedin and Instagram, and subscribing to our newsletter. www.hill-climbers.com Instagram Linkedin Theme Music: Summer Vibes by Rizik

    1h 18m
  5. New Year New Team! Stephen, Zach and Mark Join the Hill Climbers Pace Line

    Jan 13 ·  Bonus

    New Year New Team! Stephen, Zach and Mark Join the Hill Climbers Pace Line

    Send us Fan Mail Having three Hill Climbers team members do a show without Sam is a statement in and of itself. That's to say the squad is growing quickly. Stephen Cunningham is a data team lead at EF Education so he gets away with rocking their kit. He’s bored of conventional cycling content and wants to make a mark on the media landscape. Mark Duroy is the friendliest cyclist among a group of VERY friendly cyclists. He organizes and hosts our rides while promoting his coaching business, Velo Savvy. Zach Aldrich moonlights as a pro triathlete with a corporate resume that seems impossible when lined up with his age. Just a heads up, when you get a flat and he volunteers to hang back with you, he may ride you off his wheel.  It’s hard to put into words how valuable this team is when executing our mission, which is to encourage networking among cyclists through events, rides and the podcast. These guys bring additional perspective, a TON of diverse business building experience, integrity and their own brand of passion for cycling.  Introducing Stephen, Mark and Zach! Enjoy. Hill Climbers is more than just a podcast, it's a growing business network for cyclists. You can tap into our event by following our Linkedin and Instagram, and subscribing to our newsletter. www.hill-climbers.com Instagram Linkedin Theme Music: Summer Vibes by Rizik

    56 min
  6. Chief Sumo and Best Seller Noah Kagan Improvises a Startup Clinic at the Hill Climbers Summit

    11/21/2025

    Chief Sumo and Best Seller Noah Kagan Improvises a Startup Clinic at the Hill Climbers Summit

    Send us Fan Mail Noah Kagan was one of the first people I met when I moved to Austin, TX 5 years ago. He immediately invited me to his annual AppSumo ride and also put me in touch with Jeffrey Nolte, who became one of my closest friends in Austin. This is the kind of guy Noah is - he loves Austin and knows that newcomers will get the most out of it by meeting great people. We reconnected meaningfully when I launched the Hill Climbers group rides - he was one of the first to suffer with us at 645am so his support was extra appreciated. He also put me in touch with Stephen Cunningham, who has become another close friend and partner on Hill Climbers. This time my connection with Noah was a bit tighter because my son had just arrived and his daughter was on the way - we shared the incredible experience.  Anyway, Noah has had quite a journey and accomplished a lot along the way. This is why I knew he was the guy to approach about being the featured guest at our First Annual Hill Climbers summit. Noah was flattered when I asked and on board right away. The evening came together perfectly, and frankly, Noah blew the crowd away with his honesty and audience engagement skillz. Hill Climbers is more than just a podcast, it's a growing business network for cyclists. You can tap into our event by following our Linkedin and Instagram, and subscribing to our newsletter. www.hill-climbers.com Instagram Linkedin Theme Music: Summer Vibes by Rizik

    57 min
  7. Alex Le Roux Built Giant Robots that 3D Print Houses as Icon Cofounder - Now Stay on His Wheel

    09/11/2025

    Alex Le Roux Built Giant Robots that 3D Print Houses as Icon Cofounder - Now Stay on His Wheel

    Send us Fan Mail One year ago, Franco Martins, a friend and collaborator, told me that the CTO at his place of work, Icon, is a cyclist and was going to ride bikes with us. Here’s why this is a big deal:  Icon is one of Austin’s more buzzy unicorns because they 3D print housing communities using massive robots that lay down concrete walls in the same way you squeeze toothpaste from the tube. If that wasn’t crazy enough, they have government contracts to build roads on the moon using the moon’s surface material. Yah. Alex Le Roux didn’t turn up on a Hill Climbers ride until recently, and it took me until his second ride to chat him up to learn that he’s the guy. This is what it’s all about! It turns out Alex is no slouch on a bike and throughout the day we participated in a bit of a slugfest (he got me on Mt Bonnell and I returned the favor on Jester). Also, that thing when you’re putting out 320+ watts while talking shop and trying to make it seem like your breathing isn’t so labored… You can probably guess that I asked Alex to come on the show and he was super generous with his time, as he recently stepped away from Icon after investing 10 years of his career. We talk a lot about how he’s experiencing and thinking about that transition, on top of the more obvious topics like contrasting 3D printing houses with traditional construction. Honestly, Alex’s path and Icon are so innovative that I tried to frame questions that would help me understand how he experiences the world. Spoiler alert: this guy loves solving big societal problems, and somehow wasn’t afraid to get started at a young age. Another tantalizing nugget…he’s winning bike races! Watch the show and draw your own conclusions about what makes Alex tick. Alex Le Roux Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderleroux/ Icon: https://www.iconbuild.com/ Hill Climbers is more than just a podcast, it's a growing business network for cyclists. You can tap into our event by following our Linkedin and Instagram, and subscribing to our newsletter. www.hill-climbers.com Instagram Linkedin Theme Music: Summer Vibes by Rizik

    52 min
  8. Chasing Watts Organizes Houston's Group Rides and Jason Codianne Says Your Town is Next

    08/07/2025

    Chasing Watts Organizes Houston's Group Rides and Jason Codianne Says Your Town is Next

    Send us Fan Mail Jason Codianne from Chasing Watts was put on my radar by Scott Barger, a Zwift cofounder I used to ride with in LA. Scott has been super supportive of Hill Climbers by keeping me posted on interesting cycling and tech happenings in his world, and Chasing Watts fits the bill. Jason has been a career software engineer in Houston’s energy sector and he’s also an avid bike racer. Like many, many engineers before him, Jason identified pain points in an inefficient system and needed to do something about it. And we’re talking about group ride organization. Strava, text, email, facebook event page etc, etc. Nothing really seemed to support a ride leaders main needs which are to easily post a ride with key details, track RSVPs, and importantly, share it within an ecosystem where it’s easily searchable. In other words, help new people find your ride. As you may suspect we cover how Chasing Watts stacks up with Strava’s group ride features.  What Jason has built out of Houston is nothing short of remarkable. Chasing Watts hosts on average 50 rides per week and counts thousands of Houston cyclists as active members. On the show we’ll explore Jason’t plans for expansion and much more. Enjoy. https://chasingwatts.com/ Hill Climbers is more than just a podcast, it's a growing business network for cyclists. You can tap into our event by following our Linkedin and Instagram, and subscribing to our newsletter. www.hill-climbers.com Instagram Linkedin Theme Music: Summer Vibes by Rizik

    49 min
See All (33)

5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

Hill Climbers started as a cycling podcast covering cycling-centric founders and has become a startup ecosystem for cyclists. We are founders, investors, execs and startup enthusiasts who are building companies together while supporting our underdog sport. Subscribe to our newsletter for a growing schedule of live events, rides and podcast drops. Wouldn't you rather be networking on a bike? Subscribe: https://www.hill-climbers.com/subscribe

Information

  • Creator
    Sam Huntington
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    33
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Hill Climbers
  • Show Website
    Hill Climbers

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