A while back I was working with a hiring manager to recruit an executive. After a very long process meeting with several candidates, we were ready to pull the trigger on one candidate who we agreed was a great fit for the position. By this point, we’d discussed everything...

This week, the outdoor industry is facing two wildly different reactions to changes in the global market. On the surface, these two events—an event cancellation and a potential acquisition—seem entirely unrelated. But a closer look reveals a major shift happening throughout the entire outdoor and active lifestyle industry, one...

A few years ago, I was working with a major outdoor gear brand looking to hire a new vice president of brand. The first round of interviews was scheduled for the week before Thanksgiving, and we had an onsite panel interview set for mid-December. As can be expected this...

I wrapped up a call a few moments ago with a sharp as a whip marketing exec from the Bay Area who asked me a question that we get frequently. His question was “at what time of year, do active lifestyle companies engage in executive searches?” Even after years...

The outdoor industry is at a crossroads. What market isn’t? It’s hard to ignore the shockwaves moving through any consumer retail sector. Today’s outdoor gear manufacturers have a unique opportunity to once again embrace the direct-to-consumer (DTC) approach to business that has long defined their own roots. But even...