Take Me Outdoors

Everyone has unique gifts, and there are always ways to share them with the world. Activism isn’t just about politics or standing around all day arguing with people. There are many people who share their talents and skills in other ways to support activism. Verde seeks out people who inspire conservationism and bring new light to the issues happening in our communities. People like today’s guest, Sarah Uhl. Sarah is a phenomenal artist, who is using her skills to help heal the world. She’s making emotional connections with people through art and bringing them closer to nature and our public lands. Her art plays an important role in protecting public lands, clean water, and climate issues. She’s not only an activist, but she’s also an expert marketer and visual storyteller. She’s helping big brands near and dear to all of us, like REI, Outdoor Research, PrAna, YETI Cycles, Aspen Skiing Company, The Access Fund, American Alpine Club, American Rivers to reach an emotional connection with customers and consumers

The last few episodes of the Take Me Outdoors podcast has been building up to this very, very special episode. Just before SHIFT starts up we are joined by the Founder, Director, and reason this event is so successful: Christian Beckwith. Christian Beckwith moved to Jackson, Wyoming, in 1994, and soon thereafter started his first publication, The Mountain Yodel. In 1996 he became the youngest person to edit the world’s premier mountaineering journal, The American Alpine Journal. In 2002 he co-founded Alpinist Magazine, an archival-quality climbing quarterly that Reinhold Messner called “the greatest climbing magazine in the world today.” More recently, he started the surfing, skiing and climbing extravaganza, The Alpinist Film Festival; coordinated the Teton Boulder Project, which developed a Jackson Hole bouldering park to honor Teton pioneers; and launched Outerlocal, a social media website for adventure athletes. He has made expeditions to Kyrgyzstan, Alaska, Peru and Tibet, skied the Grand Teton half a do

Today’s episode of the Take Me Outdoors podcast features Luis Benitez, Colorado’s Director of the Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry, and Jon Snyder, Washington’s Outdoor Recreation and Economic Policy Advisor to the Governor, on the topic of growing the number of states that are standing up the Office of Outdoor Recreation. For the third year in a row, the SHIFT Festival will provide a platform for action and the building of best practices around this all-important office -- one that ties together the impact of outdoor recreation, the growth of it as an economic driver and the importance of conservation. This year’s workshop is a critical part of the SHIFT Festival’s theme: The Business Case for Public Lands. SHIFT’s 2017 Festival takes place November 1-3 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and this year’s panel takes place on Nov. 1 from 8 a.m. to Noon, at  the Snow King Resort, the epicenter of the action for the Festival this year. This year’s panel will be led by Cailin O’Brien-Feeney with the Outdoor Industry A

Today’s episode of the Take Me Outdoors podcast again focuses on sharing insights into the incredible programming of SHIFT’s Festival. In this episode, you’ll meet TWO amazing leaders who will be part of the SHIFT for the Planet program, which takes place Nov. 1, Day 1 of SHIFT, from 3-5 pm at Snow King Resort. SHIFT for the Planet is a very innovative platform connecting some of the most innovative and impactful examples of outdoor recreation and conservation in the country with funders seeking to catalyze just such organizations. SHIFT for the Planet was designed in partnership with 1% for the Planet, Silicon Couloir, George B. Storer Foundation and Blue Sky Funders Forum. Today, we are sitting down with Jainee Dial, co-founder of Wylder Goods.com, and Gavin Noyes of UtahDineBikeyah.org. Jainee and Gavin are two of the EIGHT presenters participating in this year’s first-annual SHIFT for the Planet event. Download this episode today to learn more about Wyldergoods.com and Utahdinebikeyah.org, two amazing org

We are all aware that there were indigenous people here before Europeans settled on this continent. These people were kicked off their land to reservations, and some of their sacred places were turned into national parks and monuments. These parks are meant for everyone to enjoy, but there are key cultural differences to how the land is viewed, protected, respected and recreated on. Western culture’s mindset leans more toward a domination of these lands through adventures. Native people also enjoy the land through outdoor recreation, but they also have a completely different view of it. It’s part of their origin story and deeply ingrained in their culture. The Native’s view of having respect for the land is much different than what is commonly portrayed in the culture of the outdoor community and industry. Unfortunately, the Native people have lost their voice over their land and have not felt entirely welcome or that they fit into the culture of the outdoor community. Which is exactly why Len Necefer founded

In 1872 President Ulysses S. Grant started the very first (in the world) national park, Yellowstone. Ever since then our national park and monument system has expanded tremendously. Generations of people have been visiting our national parks and monuments ever since. After nearly a century and a half of progression our parks are at risk. Trump’s administration has been looking to give up 27 of our national monuments. These are things we need to protect. It can take decades for these national monuments to be created. So much time and energy is put into these creating these parks from people who care about out outdoor world and want to preserve it for generations to come. All of this work collected throughout the centuries is in danger of disappearing due to our current leadership. It really is time for us to speak out let make it heard that it’s not ok. That we do want these monuments to last for many more generations. On this episode of Take Me Outdoors we are joined by a nine-year-old who has been doing more

“At the end of a hard work I head out and ride for two hours let all of the stressed of the day melt away.” - David Wiens Are you a mountain biker? We used to think that question didn’t need to be asked, because if you were, you knew it. But mountain biking is unique (in many ways) in that there’s access in so many regions and communities for so many levels of riders. The question ‘are you a mountain biker’ really needs to be rolled out to a far larger group of people. Verde works across many markets within outdoor active lifestyle. The non-profits in trail, for example, have six-figure memberships. IMBA has stayed the same size for many years – around 40,000 people. The organization knows that there are many, many more riders out there, they just need to discover IMBA and sign up. That’s partially the purpose of this episode of the Take Me Outdoors podcast. There are other purposes behind it too – but bolstering the numbers of mountain bikers in the national advocacy, access and educational conversation IS T

“There’s an appetite out there for innovation. People who will buy things before it’s built because they want to be a part of something new and moving forward.” - Mike Glavin Have you been having a hard time finding the right way to sleep when you’re outdoors? Hate bringing a sleeping bag and padding to put underneath it? Can’t get comfortable in a mummy sleeping bag? You’re not alone. In fact a lot of people stopped going camping or to festivals all together just because they were tired of taking all kinds of equipment and still not getting a good night’s sleep. It’s important to have energy if you’re going to be spending your day hiking or traveling around a festival. Without the rest you need it’s just going to be a miserable time. No one wants to go on vacation and get back even more exhausted when they left. Luckily there’s finally an answer we’re excited to explore here on Take Me Outdoors. Michael Glavin joins our podcast today to discuss his invention: the Zenbivy. He talks about what it’s like as an

“So many people move to New York or another city, and then realize they need the outdoors.” - Sarah Knapp Looking for a way to get in touch with nature, yet feel stuck in a big city? Often times people move to large metropolitan areas to advance their careers or find more opportunities. When they get there they quickly discover that they need nature. We all used to play outdoors as kids, and that instinct doesn’t leave us when we become adults. Sarah Knapp joins us today to discuss her creation: OutdoorFest. This organization holds events all year long for people just like you. She helps bring the community closer together while getting in touch with nature. These amazing events are a great way to find a lifelong adventure buddy, and if you haven’t been to one you’re really missing out on a life long experience. Download this episode to hear exactly what OutdoorFest is about, how it got started, and where Sarah sees it going in the future. Bulletpoints  OutdoorFest was created by Sarah Knapp for people who l

“People have some of the richest, most exciting experiences outdoors, and it’s hard for them to leave” - Sally Johnson Sally Johnson is the senior manager of events marketing at REI, and the leader of a very exciting project from REI, Outessa. Outessa is an event that gives women the chance to experience the outdoors, to form relationships and bonds with other women who appreciate and enjoy the outdoors, and to have the experience of understanding themselves better through their time in the outdoors. As Sally explains, a lot of women have had the experience of initially coming to the outdoors through some male figure, whether it is a brother, father, spouse, or someone else. But Outessa is working to give women ownership of the outdoor experience, as themselves, and the opportunity to form true and lasting relationships with other women who share their passion for the outdoors. In a time where commitments pile up, stress builds up, the world seems like a crazier and crazier place, giving women the chance to u

“The experience of reading is going to be luxurious. It’s going to be giving yourself the room and the space to sit down and make a real connection with something.” - Steve Casimiro What does it mean to be adventurous? How often do you find yourself connecting with the outdoor community in a quiet place, without the distractions of cell phones and other devices? With everything now available on your iphone, ipad, or other mobile/desktop devices, we find ourselves moving further away from print publications. Steve Casimiro believes in providing outdoor adventure publication pieces to provide the reader with an experience they can connect with. Steve Casimiro joins us to discuss the Print industry and his own publication, “Adventure Journal.” Steve has been doing print for over 30 years, and working with National Geographic since 1998. He currently resides in Monarch, CA. Bulletpoints Steve has been doing print for 30 years. Steve has spent the last 7 years building a customer base and proving himself to Adver

“WIth an electric bike, it reduces the barriers of distance, of speed..electric bikes just give you a little boost and make the bike a more viable solution.” - Jenn Dice Bikes can be a great solution to your common car commuting woes. Whether it’s a traditional bike, or the up and coming e-bike, they certainly clean up the commute for many of us out there. Did you know about the PeopleForBikes community, who actually look out for your biking rights, and ensure you get to keep the rights that make it so fun? For us outdoor enthusiasts, we may not realize all the work that goes into getting our amazing gear. Jenn Dice joins us to discuss PeopleForBikes, a community of bikers housing over 1.3 million members. Jenn is the VP of PeopleForBikes, a company that unites millions of individuals and hundreds of communities making it easier to ride! Prior to that, she worked at the International Mountain Biking Association for 10 years doing government affairs. She’s been helping the outdoor industry for many many years,

“I like to build products as tools for specific purposes for all users.” - Martin Zemitis Being an outdoor enthusiast, means you most likely own a tent. Tents are the basic go-to when it comes to camping. But what is the thought process behind actually designing, building, and manufacturing them? Are they built to sell, or built to act as a real tool for you in your time of need? You might be surprised how much time, effort, and thought our guest Martin puts into designing his tents. Martin Zemitis joins us to discuss his experience in the tent industry with building and designing specialized tents. Martin is the founder of SlingFIn Inc, which is a tech company headquartered in San Francisco, specializing in tent design. Martin has been serving the outdoor industry for an impressive 33 years, putting out some of the best tent designs within the last three decades. Bulletpoints Martin has been one of the industry’s top tent designers for the last three decades. Martin has worked for companies such as The Nort

“For us, there’s no project without the success of a sustainable environment.” - Johannes Ariens As cities continue to grow, our spaces get smaller and smaller. It can be hard for us to break free and find somewhere to hike, bike, or surf. As outdoor enthusiasts, we like to define ourselves as communal, people who work together towards the same goals and outcomes. We surely don’t mind sharing a hiking trail with our outdoor friends. That’s exactly what Johannes Ariens is doing for the community. He brings the experience to us, by providing alternative developments. Johannes Ariens joins us to discuss alternative development within the outdoor industry. What exactly is an alternative development? How do they help the outdoor industry? Tune in to find out what exactly Johannes does to help YOU find your next adventure. Bulletpoints We are stewards of the environment! Alternative developers develop places in the outdoors to create access and experiences for people. Radify Development is a development company, b

“I feel like I’m on top of the world. I can do whatever I want, and whatever I want, which is to give this feeling to women everywhere.” - Niki Koubourlis As women, we are strong, we are powerful, and we can do anything we want! Take Niki Koubourlis for example. Niki came in and bridged the gap for women interested in novice outdoorsy experiences in the Metro Denver Area. She got Bold Betties out of it by taking a huge risk in her personal, and career driven life. Niki Koubourlis joins us to discuss Bold Betties, an online community offering outdoorsy meetups for women of all shapes, sizes, colors, and skill set! Bold Betties truly believes in making Outdoor activities easily and experiences available for like-minded women. More than just a meetup however, there is an entire community available on Bold Betties website, as well as some awesome apparel! Bulletpoints Niki knew she was going to have to make a change to find her happiness, so she took a large leap, lost weight, got divorced, and left her job! Nik

“To do creative stuff, most people just need permission. And they just need to give it to themselves. They’re afraid to suck, so they don’t do something. My career has contained a lot of suck, but I was trying and wasn’t afraid to fail.” -Brendan Leonard Contrary to popular belief, the American Dream of landing your dream job doesn’t come quickly or easily. But if you give yourself permission to try and if you channel enough grit, you will get there. Or so believes Brendan Leonard, a climber, ultra-runner, blogger, author and gritty guy behind the hilarious, highly popular website semi-rad.com, which serves a tribe of adventurers who are super passionate but not the best. A pillar in the outdoor community, Brendan constantly works, creates, and networks to fuel the get-outside stoke. Like his ceaseless creative quest, his journey to everyday adventurer icon wasn’t easy. Brendan toiled away at a full-time job, sent countless pitches to outdoor magazines for four years, and squeezed in launching his website dur

“There’s a lot of same old stuff being sold in the same old way, and those retailers are going to go away. You have to be doing something different.” - Ken Gart What is going on in the retail world today? From small companies, to the big ones, to the online retailers that have been dominating the industry, we discuss ways you can still win within today’s extremely competitive retail market. Ken Gart joins us to provide tips and tricks at how to dominate the retail industry, already having done so himself. Ken Gart is the Bike Czar of Colorado, as well as one of the best retailers in the game, having transformed the market in Colorado. Besides dominating the retail industry, Ken has a strong passion for outdoor activities such as skiing and cycling. Bulletpoints Ken was born into a family involved in the sports business! Amazon is the biggest factor into why Sports Authority has gone bankrupt. The retail will continue to be shattered by the spread of Amazon-like verticals. Every retail player is vulnerable at

“You can reach people just by being yourself and telling your story.” - Sonya Looney Athlete? Entrepreneur? How about both? Some of us are born and bred an entrepreneur. We often find ourselves in comfortable positions, dreaming of taking the plunge and leaving our full time jobs to pursue our true passions. Most of us don’t take that leap, but for some of us, we jump in head first. Welcome Sonya Looney, joining us to discuss the athlete as an entrepreneur. Sonya is an outdoor adventurist and ultra endurance mountain biker. Sonya is more than just an outdoor enthusiast though, she is also a motivational speaker, author, and world champion! Sonya is described as an ambassador for the brands she represents. Talk about being busy! Bulletpoints Sonya started as an Electrical Engineer. Sonya transitioned from an Engineer to a position as a Brand Ambassador and Marketing professional at age 25. Sonya then transitioned to an entrepreneur at age 30. Sonya’s specialty is ultra endurance mountain bike racing. Stage ra

“We have that motivation behind us because we have this ridiculous force in front of us that’s trying to squash us all.” - Dave Thibodeau Dave Thibodeau joins us today to discuss the journey of his business, Ska Brewing, and all the awesome beer they brew in Colorado. Dave’s journey is one radical ride into the brewing industry, which started back in the early 80’s, all while underage! On this episode of “Take me Outdoors,” we discuss the product, brand, and experience of Ska Brewery. Dave Thibodeau is the co-founder and president of Ska Brewing, a company located in Durango, Colorado, where Ska Brewing has been successfully in business for the last 21 years. Bulletpoints Ska Brewing started with Dave and Bill making beer in Dave’s living room! Bill and Dave moved to Durango in 1993. They got their first warehouse in 1995, where Ska Brewing was born! Their competition offered to put them on tap, which came to a big surprise for them. Every time they learned something new, they became more aware how much more

“You have to find a combination of things that you love, things that you’re good at, and things that people pay you to do.” --Zander Nosler   Mountain biking isn’t just a sport, it’s a lifestyle! From where they ride, to who they ride with, to what they wear, every piece plays an important role in their day to day life. That’s why Zander decided it was time to bridge the gap in mountain biking apparel. He found most apparel to be poorly constructed, and was tired of having to buy into it. Zander Nosler is what you might call a cycling obsessive. Zander is the CEO and Founder of “Kitsbow.” What is that, you ask? Kitsbow is the highest end, most awesome mountain biking apparel available, where they represent craft, style, and function. The company was launched in 2012 and has grown widely successful ever since. Bulletpoints Zander’s first start up was a coffee equipment company. If you’re thinking about a startup, you should work for one first! Zander sold his coffee company in 2008. You can build a company a