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Inspiration, motivation, practical career, and business lessons for Sports and Outdoor industry leaders. Join us on an exciting journey! With three decades in the Sports and Outdoor industry, I regret having never had a mentor, and now I’m on a mission to ensure you don’t have the same regret. We aim to become the leading source of inspiration and wisdom for aspiring and current leaders in this field. We’ve embarked on a quest to uncover the valuable career and business insights you need to ...
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The Rock Fight: Outdoor Industry & Adventure Sports Commentary
Colin True - outdoor industry journalist
The Rock Fight – not just another outdoor or adventure podcast; it's a full on rebellion. We’re here for those inside and outside the outdoor industry. Outdoorsy listeners who are tired of the same worn-out paths. If you want to hear honest discussions that mirror the candid outdoor industry banter you have after a long hike in the wilderness, cracking the cooler while loading the bikes, sharing the ski lift with a stranger, waxing your board at the beach, jumping off rocks into the river, o ...
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Jessica Turner from the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable returns to the show to talk about finally getting the EXPLORE Act through congress! The passage of the EXPLORE Act marks a significant milestone for the outdoor recreation community, as it is the first comprehensive recreation p…
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You Don’t Need to Know Everything; Why Trust Beats Control in Leadership with CEO of ARION, Markus Hupach
24:38
“You need to know everything; this is bullshit.” Markus Hupach, CEO of ARION, doesn’t hold back in this episode of Sports+Outdoor Mentors. Filmed live on the ISPO Munich main stage, we explore the leadership strategies every modern leader needs to succeed in today’s volatile world. 🚀 **What You’ll Learn in This Episode:** Why trust-based leadership…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin opens the show with his reaction to Gear Patrol's mention of THE ROCK FIGHT in their recent best products of 2024 list. Colin and Producer Dave use this mention to pump the tires of an outdoor media scene who has way more clout than many realize when it comes to how they cove…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin is joined by the founder of LIVSN, Andrew Gibbs-Dabney, who shares his compelling journey from personal struggle to building an outdoor brand focused on sustainability and quality. Andrew discusses the challenges of launching a new brand in a saturated outdoor market and high…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin and Justin run through some stories to come out of the outdoor community from the past week. First up they respond to emails received about last weeks episode which featured a story about how outdoor media and enthusiasts can possibly ruin unknown mountain towns. Then they ta…
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What Is The Outdoor Industry Afraid Of? Plus: The TNF/Skims Controversy & The State of Big Box Outdoor Retail
43:15
Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin opens the show by talking about how the outdoor industry steadily operates from a position of fear. Then Eoin Comerford joins Colin to analyze the dynamics of big box retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods and Academy, looking at their struggles and strategies in a competitive …
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin is joined by the founder and editor in chief of Blister, Jonathan Ellsworth, to talk about making the backcountry a safer and more affordable place for outdoor enthusiasts. Outdoor enthusiasts face significant risks when engaging in their favorite activities, and having the r…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin & Justin hit on a few of the more interesting and notable stories to come out of the outdoor community over the past week. The show kicks off by delving into a discussion about the complexities of brand loyalty in outdoor gear, based on the news that Rocky Mounts has been acq…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford joins Colin and Producer Dave to recap his time at the ISPO trade show in Munich! Eoin discusses the notable decline in participation and booth sizes at the show and how the changes seen at ISPO can tell us what to expect at future shows in t…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin sits down with the founders of Fuel Goods, a new nutrition fulfillment brand looking to change up an entire category. Fuel Goods is reshaping the nutrition landscape within the outdoor industry by offering a subscription service that emphasizes the importance of proper fuelin…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin and Justin break down some of the more notable stories to come out of the outdoor industry and community. They start with the implications of new legislation in California that will ban single-use propane canisters in 2028. They also talk about a man who got lost while campin…
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Too Many Brands? Exploring Oversaturation In The Outdoor Industry. Plus: Here Come The Tariffs & The 'Contract To Grow' Strategy
56:37
Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin starts the show by taking a look at the sheer number of outdoor apparel brands that are all making pretty much the same products and have the same brand messaging. He and Producer Dave talk about how this situation has created an upside for differentiation and success for the…
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Kim Scholze Shares 25 Years of Expertise: From Outdoor Innovation to Leading Sustainability Efforts
1:03:28
1:03:28
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In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Kim Scholze, a professional with 25 years of experience in the outdoor and sports industry. Kim has seen everything from working with iconic brands like Salomon and Nytro to other roles at ISPO and Sympatex. Her expertise covers sales, marketing, and product creation, but today, her mission is clear: driv…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin sits down with Toby Ryston-Pratt, the founder and CEO of Australia's Adventure Entertainment. Do you know about Adventure Entertainment? If you do, you are one up on Colin. AE was founded by Toby in 2016 and has made remarkable strides since its inception, acquiring multiple …
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A French Revolution? Millet Mountain Eyes U.S. Specialty Shops! Plus: The WI Paddler Who Faked His Own Death
42:09
Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin & Justin run through some of the more notable headlines to come out of the outdoor industry and community over the past week. The episode kicks off with a discussion about French brand Millet announcing their intention to enter the US outdoor marketplace and the challenges fa…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin & Producer Dave offer their thoughts on their time at last weeks edition of The Running Event/Switchback. Then Eoin Comerford makes his debut as a weekly regular on THE ROCK FIGHT! Eoin will be appearing each Monday on the show to offer his unique insights into what is happen…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) professional adventure athlete Sunny Stroeer joins Colin to talk about how there continues to be a gender gap in the way the outdoor media covers women's outdoor accomplishments. The outdoor gender gap is a pressing issue that continues to impact women in adventure sports, as discu…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin opens the show taking a closer look at this weeks big story: YETI telling retailers they will be sunsetting Mystery Ranch after 2025. YETI's decision to phase out Mystery Ranch's consumer-facing business while retaining its military operations has raised eyebrows in the outdo…
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Building a Sustainable Brand: SAOLA Shoes CEO Guillaume Linossier on Funding, Challenges & Growth
1:04:31
1:04:31
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1:04:31
In this episode, we sit down with Guillaume Linossier, Founder and CEO of SAOLA Shoes, a brand dedicated to sustainability and eco-friendly footwear. Guillaume’s journey is rooted in a commitment to the environment and shaped by over 15 years of experience with the Lafuma Group, where he honed his skills in the outdoor industry. Guillaume shares th…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Aaron Provine, the president and owner of Geartrade, returns to discuss the evolving landscape of secondhand gear and recommerce in the outdoor industry. Aaron highlights the growing momentum toward secondhand products and picks a fight with Colin's criticism of brand recommerce pl…
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Multiple sources have reached out to THE ROCK FIGHT from the GOA Connect show happening in Kansas City this week with the news that after acquiring the brand just this past January, Yeti will be sunsetting the consumer arm of Mystery Ranch after 2025 while retaining their military business. Colin & Justin talk about the implications of this move an…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head), Colin opens the show discussing Polartec's recent announcement of their Shed Less fleece, a fabric that, according to the brand, reduces microfiber shedding by up to 85%. Drawing on his experience, Colin offers insights into the challenges ingredient brands face when developing in…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford returns to give Colin and Producer Dave his perspective on some of the topics that we've been covering lately. Eoin discusses the loss of identity and authenticity brands deal with after being acquired by larger corporations. Using Marmot, Mo…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin & Justin run through topics and headlines to come out of the outdoor adventure community over the past week or so including a French ski resort that has closed due to climate change, grades for Congress when it comes to National Parks, and Hipcamp's acquisition of BookOutdoor…
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HeyDude: A $2.5 Billion Footwear Fumble? Plus: prAna Is Channeling The Gap & Vans Gets Technical
43:27
Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin opens the show reflecting on the latest earnings report from Crocs that details how their $2.5 billion investment, HeyDude, has not been faring too well. Then he and producer Dave explore how HeyDude's limited demographic and marketing could end up making the whole thing a ri…
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David Birch: from a hospital bed to building the world's largest rewards and loyalty platform
55:19
In this episode, we sit down with David Birch, CEO and Founder of Endurance Zone, a company centered on helping athletes harness the power of endurance training to unlock peak performance. David's journey is one of resilience and transformation—from a professional rugby player to a successful entrepreneur after a serious back injury altered his car…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin and Producer Dave are joined by the founders of SENIQ; a new brand focused on making outdoor apparel for women. It's not a secret that for much of the Outdoor Industry's history the primary directive when it came to apparel or footwear for women was to take something made for…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin & Justin continue their annual Halloween tradition by taking in an outdoorsy horror flick. Last year it was The Blair Witch Project this year? The original Friday the 13th! They start the show by talking about a couple of headlines to come out of the outdoor community in the …
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Marmot: From Outdoor Pioneer to Zombie Brand? Plus: Dick's Closes Public Lands & Hoka Keeps Growing
43:27
Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin opens the show reacting to last weeks earnings report from Newell, owner of Marmot, that shows how the once great outdoor brand is sliding further into mediocrity. Then Colin and Producer Dave discuss the historical significance of Marmot and its innovative past, contrasting …
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Is The Outdoor Industry Leading When It Comes To Sustainability? Plus: This Week In Greenwashing!
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) environmental fashion journalist Sophie Benson returns to talk about the latest sustainability topics to come out of the outdoor industry. Sophie joins Colin & Producer Dave to share her insights on the recent upcycling and recommerce initiatives from various outdoor brands. The ep…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head), Paddy O'Connell returns for his record setting 6th appearance! He joins Colin & Justin to talk about the production of season 2 of his show "PaddyO Sucks At..." and sticks around to chat about some adventure headlines to come out of the outdoor community. Three hosts means three P…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin kicks off the show talking about the decision by Red Wing to sunset the Vasque brand. Colin and Producer Dave delve into the historical significance of Vasque, a company that since 1964 has played a crucial role in shaping outdoor footwear in the US. They examine the trajecto…
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Unlocking the Future of Sports: Trends, Challenges, and Insights with Tobias Grober of ISPO
1:05:21
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1:05:21
In this episode of the Sports and Outdoor Mentors podcast, we sit down with Tobias Grober, the Executive Director of Messe München and the long-time leader of ISPO, the world's largest Sporting Goods trade fair. With over 30 years of experience, Tobias shares his insights on the unique benefits of working in sectors beyond sporting goods, the chall…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) it's all about outdoor specialty retail! Specialty retailers play a crucial role in the outdoor industry, serving as community connection points and acting as tastemakers essential for brand legitimacy and consumer engagement. Today on THE ROCK FIGHT Gabe Meyer, president of the Gr…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Kent Ebersole, the president of the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), joins Colin to discuss the recent shift from its long-standing trade show relationship with Outdoor Retailer to a new partnership with Switchback. Kent talks about the rationale for moving on from OR and why th…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT Colin & Justin kick off the show with the Outdoor Sports Draft where they take turns assembling a roster of their favorite outdoor activities that you get you to vote on! Check out Rock Fight's Instagram & LinkedIn feeds to vote or if you're listening on Spotify you can vote in the Spotify app. Then they run through some of …
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin opens the show with his thoughts on the new running focused collaboration between Altra Running, Smartwool and REI. He and Producer Dave critique the decision to launch a collection that feels uninspired and overly safe, and also highlights how outdoor brands often fail to ge…
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Leading with Purpose: Charlotte Cox on Coaching and Building Diverse Teams at Pentland Brands
1:23:58
1:23:58
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1:23:58
In this episode, we sit down with Charlotte Cox, EMEA President of Pentland Brands, the company behind iconic sports and outdoor brands like Speedo, Berghaus, Endura, and many more. With incredible experience in leadership and brand management, Charlotte shares her thoughts on the critical role coaches play in shaping careers and the importance of …
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) the secondhand conversation continues with a real life secondhand retailer. Barruch Ben-Zekry is the founder of Out&Back, an online secondhand website. Today Barruch sits down with Colin to discuss the importance of brands engaging with the secondhand market and how consumer awaren…
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Wednesdays mean adventure here on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) and Colin & Justin open the show by celebrating this past Sunday's National Coffee Day with THE ROCK FIGHT's official National Coffee Day Quiz! Because, you know, coffee is our greatest adventure beverage (or something). Then they discuss the lasting impact…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin opens the show by commenting on a quote from the CEO of a major outdoor retailer that a "notable shift in consumer behavior is on the horizon". Then he and Producer Dave go through some of the more notable listener feedback we have received regarding brand specific secondhand…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) we sit down with Neil Fiske, the president of Black Diamond. Two stories lead to this conversation. First was the news that broke a few months back about BD 'narrowing their focus' after years of unwieldy expansion and then the story from a few weeks back about BD investing in and …
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head), Outdoor Retailer Show Director Sean Smith joins Colin & Producer Dave to talk about the recent announcement that OR is putting Winter Market out to pasture and moving to one June event per year. Sean talks about the reasoning behind the move, the response, comments and criticism t…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin opens the show by offering his thoughts on two sustainability focused stories to come out of the outdoor industry in the past week. Flylow announced the arrival of it's secondhand e-commerce site while Cotopaxi launched a new collection of upcycled garments. And while both in…
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Running to Success: Mike’s Journey in Event Management and the Power of Community at Raccoon Media Group
1:05:39
1:05:39
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1:05:39
In this episode, we chat with Mike Seaman, Founder and CEO of Raccoon Media Group. Mike has 20 years of experience in event management and shares his journey from portfolio management to founding and growing his own business. As someone who thrives on the community’s energy, Mike ensures the community is at the centre of everything Raccoon Media Gr…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin promises you that he's not trying lure in sponsors or pat himself on the back. Because we're talking podcasts... not the creative side of podcasts but the business side of podcasts. Podcast advertising is $4 billion large globally. But very few outdoor industry brands and ret…
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It's adventure headlines day on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head)! Today Colin & Justin Housman run through headlines to come out of the outdoor community over the past week. Here's the rundown: A dropped bag of Cheetos caused big problems at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico proving that wherever people go, litt…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin opens the show by talking about the new brand video from The North Face and what the messaging from outdoor brands should be in 2024 (00:55). Then Colin & Producer Dave talk about the latest stores to open under the banner of Gearhead Outfitters (22:23), a prediction for the …
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) we dig into the details behind the acquisition of Backcountry.com by CSC Generation with former Moosejaw CEO Eoin Comerford. Eoin joins Colin and Producer Dave to chat about how Backcountry found themselves in their current position, what we know about their new owner, and how this…
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Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin opens the show by digging into one of the more touchy subjects in the outdoors: Dogs and their place in our community (01:01). Then Colin and Producer Dave talk about the news that broke last week that Backcountry.com has sold to CSC Generations (16:37) and how an executive p…
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