Outdoor Biz Podcast Rick Saez

This week I’m talking with Chris and Kelly Kibbee, founders of No Limits Scuba in Tempe Arizona. If you’re just discovering scuba or looking to go professional, No Limits Scuba sets you apart on your path, by offering the highest quality and standards for safety and fun.
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Brought to you this week by Thrive Market
Show Notes 06:25 Dream of scuba shop ownership fulfilled; now No Limits Scuba has been a full-time career for 11 years.
09:57 Thriving desert diving community offers surprising vibrancy.
11:23 Arizona and Colorado compete for most divers.
16:11 Training leads to becoming a diving instructor. Skills prepare for teaching and responsibility.
19:56 Progress through courses to gain new diving skills and specialties.
22:49 Gradual diving program tailored to individual goals.
24:44 Traveling fosters a sense of community through scuba diving, creating lasting connections with a group of dedicated individuals who become like family.
27:13 Instructor helped mentee become a successful scuba diving instructor.
30:21 Arizona offers diverse outdoor activities, including snowboarding and hiking. The state's geographical diversity allows for cooler, higher elevations just a few hours north of the valley, providing a refreshing escape from the heat.
36:15 Enjoys both biographies and fiction, recently read some of Nick Offerman's books, specifically recommending "Paddle Your Own Canoe" for its solid comedic approach to living a meaningful life and Dark Tower series by Stephen King.
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Learn More
You can follow up with Chris and Kelly on Facebook and Instagram and by email: chris@nolimitesscuba.com and kelly@nolimitesscuba.com
Next Steps
If you enjoy interviews devoted to the outdoor industry, find us online at ricksaez.com/listen. We love likes and comments, and if you know someone who is also an outdoor enthusiast, go ahead and share our site with them, too. And be sure to Subscribe to our newsletter
Keywords
#Scuba diving, #Outdoor gear, #SCUBA certification, #Scuba instructors, #PADI, #Open water training, #Survival skills, #Underwater world, #Exotic destinations#No Limits Scuba, #Marine life, #Dive shop, #Desert diving, #Dive school, #tropical locations, #Professional certification, #Outdoor industry, #Underwater exploration, #Scuba lessons
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Hey everyone. Welcome to episode 447 of the Outdoor Biz Podcast. This week I’m talking with Cory Higgins, Cory is the Jetty Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer. One of his early memories of Jetty is Putting $200 in a trucker hat at Jerm's apartment by the Port Hole to pay his portion of starting the company and making their first 3 tees. They’ve come a long way since then!
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Show Notes
"Outdoor Adventures: So, yeah, I mean, there's so many memories of outdoor adventures."— Cory Higgins 00:03:4100:03:45
Entrepreneurship Journey: "And after college, we were sitting around. We were working on 9 to five. And on the weekends, we'd gather at the one guy's apartment and crack some beers and talk about starting a business and working for ourselves someday."— Cory Higgins 00:04:2000:04:57
Starting a Business in the Surf Industry: "And then we just kinda, like, sat on it for a minute, and I did some I did some of that backpacking in Australia."— Cory Higgins 00:04:5700:05:26
Following Your Passion: "Can I take a sabbatical from school and come run your screen printing department?"— Cory Higgins 00:06:2300:06:28
Marketing Strategy: "Our CEO and me would both be working behind the bar talking about in the summertime, we have a big influx of, tourists, and we'll just be talking about the company and selling t shirts and hats and promoting it. And then all those tourists would then go back to their hometowns in the winter with a new t shirt or hat, and then they would talk it up for us to their hometowns. Mhmm. It just kinda kept growing like that."— Cory Higgins 00:09:2100:09:45
B-Corp Impact: "And, he was like, you should look into becoming a B-Corp."— Cory Higgins 00:11:3100:11:33
Sustainable Fashion Trends: "Just trying to use more natural fibers and trying to get everything out of China that we can and diversify a whole lot more."— Cory Higgins 00:17:2700:17:36
Customer Feedback and Retailers: "Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, constantly taking feedback. I think the most feedback we take is from our retailers."— Cory Higgins 00:19:2400:19:30
"Product Line Growth and Feedback": "Just you take it all with a grain of salt because one opinion doesn't mean anything."— Cory Higgins 00:20:1700:20:21
Life's Journey: "You're on the path you're supposed to be on."— Cory Higgins 00:27:4400:27:46
Favorite Gear Under $100: NiteIze Biner Clips
Favorite Books: Start With Why by Simon Sinek, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Learn More You can follow up with Cory on Linkedin, Instagram: cory_higgins and by email: cory_higgins@jettylife.com
Next Steps If you enjoy interviews devoted to the outdoor industry, find us online at ricksaez.com/listen. We love likes and comments, and if you know someone who is also an outdoor enthusiast, go ahead and share our site with them, too. And be sure to Subscribe to our newsletter
Keywords #Jetty, #B Corp certification, #outdoor lifestyle products, #surf lifestyle brands, #organic growth, #social media, #partnership, #collaborations, #product development, #natural fibers, #manufacturing, #US manufacturing, #community events, #international expansion, #young entrepreneurs, #outdoor gear
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Today I’m speaking with Buttnski founder Kelly Mazanti. After leaving her corporate life in 2017, Kelly founded a brand design & strategy company, Pier Collective, which she ran for five years between LA and Breckenridge.
She is an alumnus of the CU Boulder Leeds School of Business with a degree in Marketing & Management. She recently had the opportunity to participate as a Capstone partner with the CU Boulder Master's of the Environment program.
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Show Notes 04:53 Skiing memories shape who I am now.
09:10 Skiing, eighties shorts, parents in Colorado.
09:43 Woman keeps old fleece shorts for warmth.
15:27 Supplier flexibility allowed working with local and overseas.
17:18 Family and friends supported our business launch.
21:47 Learning new things, like dealing with customs.
25:20 Thrilled to partner with smart master's student.
27:44 Using local eco-friendly company for packaging materials.
29:27 Customs issue with sourcing animal products.
32:43 Learning the high cost of building a business.
37:25 Developing product line with local designers, prototypes.
41:18 Exciting event at Arapahoe Basin with free riders.
44:16 More women supporting each other in sports.
46:05 Advice: be prepared and buckle up.
46:45 Favorite Piece of Outdoor Gear: Tire Repair Kit with Bacon and Noss Tire Sealant
Favorite Book: Let My People Go Surfing, by Yvon Chouinard; Losing and Finding My Virginity by Richard Branson
 
Thanks for listening, and don't forget to subscribe and spread the word!
Learn More You can follow up with Kelly and Buttinski on Instagram and their website Buttnski.com
Next Steps If you enjoy interviews devoted to the outdoor industry, find us online at ricksaez.com/listen. We love likes and comments, and if you know someone who is also an outdoor enthusiast, go ahead and share our site with them, too. And be sure to Subscribe to our newsletter
Keywords #small business, #retail partnerships, #local brand, #online sales, #brand awareness, #bootstrapping, ski resorts, #women's products, #winter sports, #summer activities, #outdoor industry, #sustainable materials, #local manufacturers, #eco-friendly
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Welcome to episode 445 of The Outdoor Biz Podcast, today I’m talking with Jon Neff founder of SKU Candy. Jon is a passionate and experienced entrepreneur and the Sku Candy mission is to be the premier buying and selling wholesale marketplace in the Outdoor, Lifestyle, Surf, and Sporting Goods Categories.
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Show Notes 09:25 Promotes positive interactions with shop owners.
11:28 Challenges of trade show marketing.
13:12 Creating a trustworthy brand message and distribution.
16:38 Brands cater to emerging businesses and offer help to grow.
20:27 Growth and challenges led to a successful platform.
24:13 Brands expanding into retail, LISS makes surfboard racks.
26:19 Pale Blue Earth offers rechargeable batteries to reduce pollution from disposable ones. They have a 1,000 charge cycle and a limited lifetime guarantee. Use code OD Biz Blue 15 for 15% off at paleblueearth.com.
31:22 Experienced person continues to get gear questions.
35:28 Encouragement to join the growing surfing industry due to diversification.
37:48 Developing new platform, "we call it V2'.
39:26 Brands and buyers seek new, unique, and innovative offerings for competitive advantage.
41:34 Favorite piece of outdoor gear under a hundred dollars: Outdoor Elements Fire Biner and a new brand, Fire Maple, from Asia, which won ISPO awards and offers the X2.
Favorite Books Jack Mars and Simion Sinek
40:42 Thanks for listening to the Outdoor Biz Podcast with Rick Saez. Visit our website for more info and subscribe.
Thanks for listening, and don't forget to subscribe and spread the word!
Learn More You can follow up with Jon on Linkedin and by email: jon@skucandy.com 
Next Steps If you enjoy interviews devoted to the outdoor industry, find us online at ricksaez.com/listen. We love likes and comments, and if you know someone who is also an outdoor enthusiast, go ahead and share our site with them, too. And be sure to Subscribe to our newsletter
Keywords #trade shows, #adventure products, #SKU Candy, #outdoor industry, #environmental issues, #technology in outdoor gear, #retail distribution, #direct-to-consumer, #REI Path Ahead Ventures, #alkaline batteries, #e-commerce challenges, #digital marketing, #sustainability practices, #1% for the planet, #sustainable materials, #wholesale marketplace, #Grand Trunk, #The Running Event, #Cotopaxi, #FireBeener, #Fire Maple
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Welcome to episode of The Outdoor Biz Podcast, today I’m talking with Alex Brown from the Texas Outdoor Recreation Alliance. The Alliance was established to assemble an engaged network of outdoor enthusiasts, value aligned businesses, innovators, and workforce leaders; organized and resolved to continuously shape, grow, and elevate the Texas’ outdoor recreation ecosystem and natural resources it depends on.
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Show Notes 04:34 Alex's says his passion for nature has always kind of been there. he was always the little kid now kind of running off into the woods or into the creek. They grew up around, and were in a pretty rural area, but you know, kind of on the outside of the suburbs, but had access to creeks and farm fields that they would climb fences and go over and, he was just always out there spending as much time as I could.
5:00 His Grandparents got him into nature camps as a kid when he was in elementary age and, learned a lot about it and just learned to appreciate it and learn to spend time in it and just valued it and kind of just stuck throughout the rest of his life
05:22 Alex's venture Geared Up was a startup that I saw as a way to maybe transition out of my career, which at that time was working as a project manager or a laboratory program manager with the DOD doing a lot of biomedical research programs
06:56 The inspiration came from a bit of a bit of situational awareness just keeping an eye on what was happening with the outdoor industry. Geared Up was my sort of inundation into, you know, the Outdoor Industry Association and ORR and all these resources. And I saw These offices of outdoor rec popping up across the different states.
And at that time I was looking for any kind of support I could get as a small business startup that was just, you know, burning the candle at all ends. 
12:38 Coordinating various groups for networking and idea exchange.
15:25 Challenges in organization growth, prioritizing Texas first.
19:03 Collaborating with nonprofits for mission alignment, soon to be announced.
21:57 Launching platform, tapping into collaborative workspaces, engaging with local chambers of commerce.
24:05 Exciting developments in Texas, momentum building for the future.
26:16 Favorite Books: Into Thin Air and Unbroken
Thanks for listening and don't forget to subscribe and spread the word!
Learn More Learn More The Campaign website, which is: trailblazetx.com
IG
Linkedin
You can follow up with Alex on Linkedin
and email: Alex@txora.org
Next Steps If you enjoy interviews devoted to the outdoor industry, find us online at ricksaez.com/listen. We love likes and comments, and if you know someone who is also an outdoor enthusiast, go ahead and share our site with them, too. And be sure to Subscribe to our newsletter
Keywords #Texas Outdoor Recreation Alliance, #Outdoor Recreation Brands, #outdoor industry, #networking, #fundraising, #Texas, #small businesses, #outdoor gear, #outdoor events, #collaboration, #non-profit organization, #economic impact, #infrastructure development, #outdoor space
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Jake Wallace was born and raised in the corn fields of Iowa where he learned how to fix fences, build barns and generally throw hay bales larger than cows with ease.  Life has been nothing but an adventure for Jake. In addition to working for NOLS Wilderness Medicine, he works as a professional mountain guide which takes him around the world to beautiful mountains and rivers alongside amazing people.
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Show Notes 00:00 Experiencing outdoor adventures sparked lifelong enthusiasm.
03:59 Jake enjoys diverse pursuits and follows people they admire in various fields, such as outdoor education, leadership, and medicine. They believe in imparting wisdom and following the example of respected individuals.
07:04 Trauma where a dear friend was killed spurred career change and led to helping others outdoors.
11:13 Appreciating diverse cultures during travel.
15:52 Swift water rescue training in California, accident injures teammate.
18:13 Took first responder course, met friends, and kept up with instructors.
21:23 Wilderness medicine course with three instructors, 30 students, hands-on training, high exam pass rate.
25:32 It's important for groups and guides to push comfort levels for growth.
26:16 Learning to manage risk as I age, considering family and recovery ability and the importance of open communication in decision-making.
29:43 The future looks promising with growing outdoor interest, but time and money constraints may affect long outdoor courses like NOLS.
34:47 Advice for aspiring outdoor industry professionals: Respect the community, follow your passion, and learn from experienced mentors.
37:16 Favorite gear under $100: I've got this really old stuff sack that I think it was for a pair of skins from 15, 20, 20 years ago. That stuff sack
always has all of my favorite snacks in it, so I think my favorite thing is my snack bag.
38:15 Do you have a favorite book or two? Yeah, I read a lot. One of my favorite authors is Bill Bryson and a walk in the woods.
Another I can't think of right now. I think it's called the Emerald Mile.
40:42 Thanks for listening to the Outdoor Biz Podcast with Rick Saez. Visit our website for more info and subscribe.
Thanks for listening and don't forget to subscribe and spread the word!
Learn More You can follow up with Jake at jake_wallace@nols.edu and NOLS on their website.
Next Steps If you enjoy interviews devoted to the outdoor industry, find us online at ricksaez.com/listen. We love likes and comments, and if you know someone who is also an outdoor enthusiast, go ahead and share our site with them, too. And be sure to Subscribe to our newsletter
Keywords #NOLS, #wilderness EMT training, #Lander, Wyoming, #risk mitigation, #outdoor activities, #Pale Blue Earth batteries, #outdoor safety, #Devil's Lake, #mountain river guide, #outdoor education, #outdoor gear, #risk management, #environmental stewardship, #Wilderness Medicine, #swift water rescue, #instructor training.
Podcast produced using Descript, CastMagic
Podcast hosted by Libsyn use code 'outdoorbizpod' for 20% OFF
Show Notes powered by Castmagic
Website powered by Wordpress

Note: As an Affiliate of Amazon and others, I earn from qualifying purchases.