Channel Mastery Kristin Carpenter

In this episode, our guest is Dr. Len Necefer, Ph.D., CEO & Founder of NativesOutdoors – a native-owned athletic and creative collective. The company began as a social media project in March 2017 by Len Necefer (Diné), highlighting stories and photos of Native people in outdoor recreation and addressing the lack of representation of Indigenous people in the outdoor industry. The organization has expanded to providing advisory and consulting services to the outdoor industry on topics within the intersection of tribes, public lands, and outdoor recreation. NativesOutdoors is working directly with tribal governments, community organizations, and individuals on increasing access to outdoor recreation and connecting resources and opportunities within the outdoor industry.
Dr. Necefer holds a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering and a Doctorate in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University. Previous to founding NativesOutdoors, Len has worked for the U.S. Department of Energy and, most recently, the University of Arizona. 
The Channel Mastery podcast is brought to you by Verde Brand Communications, a consumer-centric brand strategy and communication agency serving the outdoor recreation industry.  Your host is Kristin Carpenter, Chief Strategy Officer, Founder, and Chair at Verde Brand Communications. Channel Mastery is sponsored by our partner Life Time, Inc., owner of the Sea Otter Classic and producer of the Sea Otter Classic Summit outdoor recreation executive gathering.
Discussion points:

Len’s impactful career and path to entrepreneurship with NativesOutdoors
News roundup - Len presenting at the Sea Otter Classic
Biden’s policy changes in 2021 to empower first nations
Co-management and conflict at ancestral sites
Native interest in living and working in their community
Opportunities for teaming up in outdoor rec
Impactful wins empowering native communities
Getting involved - investing in the pipeline from Native communities for talent

News Articles Mentioned:
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/photo-booth/the-extreme-cyclists-of-the-navajo-nationhttps://www.kauffman.org/currents/opportunity-awaits-native-americans-and-entrepreneurship/https://santoantoniodopinhal.lumiar.co/5-sets-of-challenges-native-american-entrepreneurs/
Resources:

Today’s guest is Adam Ruggiero, Editor-in-Chief of GearJunkie. GearJunkie leads the outdoor industry in breaking news and product reviews in the active-lifestyle world. From offices in Denver and Minneapolis, GearJunkie’s journalists, writers, and video producers advance the conversation online and beyond. Millions of monthly readers follow GearJunkie online through multiple channels.
Adam has been with the publication since 2015 when he started out as a news reporter. He spearheaded the creation of the GearJunkie podcast in 2018, holds a degree in journalism from the University of Minnesota, and was named Outdoor Media Summit’s "Editor of the Year” for 2022. 
In this episode, you’ll hear Adam discuss his journey with GearJunkie and its current success, the changing landscape of media as a business, utilizing AI and chatbots in journalism and content creation as a helpful tool, and shaping future generations of media.
The Channel Mastery podcast is brought to you by Verde Brand Communications, a consumer-centric brand strategy and communication agency serving the outdoor recreation industry.  Your host is Kristin Carpenter, Chief Strategy Officer, Founder and Chair at Verde Brand Communications. Channel Mastery is sponsored by our partner Life Time, Inc., owner of the Sea Otter Classic and producer of the Sea Otter Classic Summit outdoor recreation executive gathering.
 
Discussion points:

GearJunkie and its increasing scope and momentum
Outdoor media and where it’s headed
Relationships, trust, and ethics in the media landscape
YouTube and trucks
The GearJunkie chatbot article, and the impact of AI
Freelance writing, Grammarly, bots, and wabi-sabi
Hopes for the future of journalism 

Resources:
GearJunkie Website
GearJunkie Podcast
GearJunkie’s Chatbot Article
Adam Ruggiero LinkedIn
Sea Otter Classic Summit, April 2023
Kristin Carpenter on LinkedIn
Verde Brand Communications

Today’s guest is Jeremiah Bishop, a professional mountain bike racer in cross country, short track, ultra-endurance stage races, and gravel. Jeremiah is an athlete ambassador for Canyon Bicycles, a freelance cycling consultant, and a content creator (co-founder of the hit documentary series The Impossible Routes). 
In this episode, you’ll hear stories about the beginning of The Impossible Routes in Hawaii, building up the stories and videos during the pandemic, meeting and partnering/co-starring with Tyler Pearce (aka The Vegan Cyclist), and how the relatable, vulnerable cycling stories resonate with so many people.
The Channel Mastery podcast is brought to you by Verde Brand Communications, a consumer-centric brand strategy, and communication agency serving the outdoor recreation industry.  Your host is Kristin Carpenter, Chief Strategy Officer, Founder, and Chair at Verde Brand Communications. Channel Mastery is sponsored by our partner Life Time, Inc., owner of the Sea Otter Classic and producer of the Sea Otter Classic Summit outdoor recreation executive gathering.
 
Discussion points:

Jeremiah’s backstory in biking and history with Canyon
The first “impossible route” in Hawaii
Building through the pandemic
Seven days riding across the Mojave
The low-fi appeal of Jeremiah’s unscripted video stories
Canyon Bicycles - the partnership
2023’s Sea Otter Classic- stay tuned for a future episode on this
Platforms, channels and the cycling industry – all in flux
Tyler and Jeremiah’s chemistry and relationship
The Europe trip - cycling is part of their identity
Film premieres, swag, and fan activities
What looks like it may be a disaster, ends up being amazing

 
Resources:
Jeremiah’s website 
The Impossible Route Website
Jeremiah on Instagram 
Offroad to Athens Documentary
The Vegan Cyclist on YouTube
Strava.com
Canyon.com

Today’s guest is Alison Tetrick - professional cyclist, biochemist, storyteller, and entrepreneur. Alison is also a global ambassador focusing on brand activation, product development, and innovation. Alison believes sports, science, and stories can make a powerful difference in changing the world and loves to do the work to make it happen. She is passionate about creating opportunity, education, and access to cycling for all through scholarships and community engagement.
You’ll hear how Alison was inspired to start cycling by her 60-year-old grandfather, her appearance on The Move podcast and partnership with Lance Armstrong, the new world that is opening up for women in cycling, and her hopes, thoughts and plans for the future of the sport.
The Channel Mastery podcast is brought to you by Verde Brand Communications, a consumer-centric brand strategy and communication agency serving the outdoor recreation industry.  Your host is Kristin Carpenter, Chief Strategy Officer, Founder and Chair at Verde Brand Communications. Channel Mastery is sponsored by our partner Life Time, Inc., owner of the Sea Otter Classic and producer of the Sea Otter Classic Summit outdoor recreation executive gathering.
 
Discussion points:

Alison’s backstory
Promoting the Tour de France and women’s cycling
Partnering with Zwift - visibility is viability
The new career opportunities and benefits - women can choose to stay in the sport longer
Launching a ground-breaking event and its exciting debut
Looking into 2023 and the state of social media 
Raising money for diversity and getting women on bikes with bandana sales
Building and supporting this special community

Resources:
Saga Venture
Zwift 
The AMT Bandana Project
Alison’s Website
Alison on Instagram 
Alison on Twitter 
Alison on LinkedIn 
The Move Podcast w Lance Armstrong
Kristin on LinkedIn 
Verde Brand Communications 
Sea Otter Classic Summit, April 2023 

Today’s guest is Steve Lee, President of US Sales at Hot Chillys, a legacy outdoor recreation brand that has been leading the winter sports apparel industry since 1985. Their performance base layers include socks, leggings, turtlenecks, fleece, and accessory products, focusing on comfort and fun. Hot Chillys offers a comprehensive line of apparel for men, women, and children using next-level materials for seamless comfort, function, and fit.
In this episode, you’ll hear how Hot Chillys progressed through the pandemic and has seen its sales double, with consumers rebounding and getting back to enjoying winter sports. You will also hear about how the brand re-tooled its packaging to reflect the brand's sustainability efforts and how Hot Chillys pricing strategy at specialty retail, big box stores, and even online channels like Amazon has been managed and controlled. As they say at Hot Chillys, ‘if you're not having fun, it's just not worth it.’”
The Channel Mastery podcast is brought to you by Verde Brand Communications, a consumer-centric brand strategy, and communication agency serving the outdoor recreation industry.  Your host is Kristin Carpenter, Chief Strategy Officer, Founder, and Chair at Verde Brand Communications. Channel Mastery is sponsored by our partner Life Time, Inc., owner of the Sea Otter Classic and producer of the Sea Otter Classic Summit outdoor recreation executive gathering.
Discussion Points

How Steve got his start at Hot Chillys back in 1988
Hot Chillys’ expansion under Performance Apparel
Product positioning, innovation, and marketing
2023 season expectations
Retail strategies – price points and promotions
Advice on inventory levels - demand negating discounts
Bringing the brand and company through the pandemic
Packaging now and then - reinventing for sustainability
Staying true to brand legacy
Amazon sales and MAP - relationship challenges

Welcome to the 200th episode of the Channel Mastery podcast.  Today’s guest is Dan Kihanya, Director of Corporate Development and Investment with REI. Dan is also the creator and host of Founders Unfound, a podcast that profiles tech startup founders from underrepresented backgrounds. He is an experienced serial entrepreneur with extensive experience in the start-up ecosystem - including founder, early executive, investor, and advisor.
In this episode, you’ll hear about Dan’s role with Path Ahead Ventures - offering full-spectrum support to startups owned and led by Black, Indigenous, Latina/o/x, and Asian American and Pacific Islander people. Dan and Kristin chat about the route that guided Dan to REI and the founding of Path Ahead Ventures, the three staples of the program: resourcing, planning, and capital, and the Embark and Navigate Programs. 
The Channel Mastery podcast is brought to you by Verde Brand Communications, a consumer-centric brand strategy, and communication agency serving the outdoor recreation industry.  Your host is Kristin Carpenter, Chief Strategy Officer, Founder, and Chair at Verde Brand Communications. Channel Mastery is sponsored by our partner Life Time, Inc., owner of the Sea Otter Classic and producer of the Sea Otter Classic Summit outdoor recreation executive gathering.
 
Discussion points:

Dan’s background and path to his current position
REI’s co-op and brand values resonated strongly with Dan
The vision for Path Ahead Ventures (PAV) and REI - ‘founders first’
Two new 2022 programs for founders - Embark and Navigate 
Bridging the gap - how REI and PAV can support new founders
New and different perspectives lead to innovation and inclusiveness
‘Outdoor’ vs. ‘Outside’
Dan’s transition from tech/digital services to physical products/retail
Tapping into REI’s vast resources to help founders
Demo Day/Pitch Day for Navigate founders - the first ever “Founders Market” in Seattle
Reaching typically underrepresented founders - building a network
REI stores as a bridge to the community
Sign up online to keep up with all Path Ahead Ventures - the outdoors are for everyone!

 
Resources:
Embark Program
Navigate Program
Path Ahead Ventures