KORE Outdoors Podcast25 Kesä 2025

Tony McWilliam: Lessons from Faction Skis on Building Brands with Focus and Intention

In this episode, Christian talks with Tony McWilliam, founder of Faction Skis, about the realities of starting and scaling a product-focused brand. Drawing from his design background, Tony shares how design thinking helps with branding, problem-solving, and decision-making. He dives into the risks of expanding too quickly, the importance of staying focused, and why early-stage founders should do every job themselves. They explore the value of deep relationships with factories, retailers, and mentors and candid advice on margin, funding options, and building a sustainable business. A must-listen for outdoor industry entrepreneurs navigating the messy middle of brand growth.

Episode Highlights:

Why design thinking is a powerful framework for brand building and problem-solving.
The three pillars every business needs: Product, Demand, and Distribution.
What founders should not outsource in the first few years.
Why deep relationships with factories are more valuable than chasing the cheapest quote.
Candid advice on margin: it matters, but not at the expense of long-term success.
The importance of mentorship, community, and asking for help in the early stages.

Links:

KORE Outdoors
Tony's Website: The Woods Agency
Candide Skis
Forward Outdoor Apparel
Faction Skis
Db Journey
Black Crows Skis
Looking Sideways Podcast with Db Journey founder Truls Brataas

Connect with Tony on LinkedIn

Connect with Christian on LinkedIn

The KORE Podcast is a production of the Kootenay Outdoor Recreation Enterprise and is supported by the Province of British Columbia. Learn more about KORE and the podcast: https://koreoutdoors.org/podcast/

Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(46)

Investing in Outdoor Founders with Andrew Luter of Rio Chato Investments

Most outdoor founders think raising money means venture capital. Andrew Luter of Rio Chato Investments spends much of his time talking founders out of taking money and, instead, helps them to see what...

11 Kesä 1h 9min

Doing Things Differently with Jensen Cipriano Brehm of Ombraz

Jensen Cipriano Brehm is the co-founder of Ombraz Sunglasses — the armless, cord-based eyewear brand that started with a broken pair on a camel safari in India and turned into one of the more distinct...

6 Touko 1h 2min

Building a brand for the Renaissance athlete with Mattie and Matt Sims of Courier Socks

Matt and Mattie Sims are the co-founders of Courier Socks, a performance sock brand built for the Renaissance athlete — the person who isn't limited to just one sport. In this episode, we get into how...

22 Huhti 1h 13min

Scaling a Cottage Outdoor Brand with Chris Schabow, CEO of Enlightened Equipment

Chris Schabow didn't plan to run a manufacturing company — he was a nonprofit fundraiser with a sewing machine from Goodwill and a side hustle making backpacking gear. A chance conversation revealed t...

8 Huhti 1h 24min

Engineering The Future of Skiing with Jonathan Audet of Ferreol Skis

Jonathan Audet and his two co-founders set out to build better skis. What they built instead may change entire industries. In this episode, Jonathan shares the story behind Ferreol Skis — a Quebec-bas...

25 Maalis 1h 1min

Building a Category-Specific Brand with Dario Phillips of Slowtide

Dario Phillips, co-founder of Slowtide, built the surf industry's most recognizable beach towel brands by betting on a single product category and surrounding it with authentic art, meaningful collabo...

4 Maalis 1h 2min

AI and the Outdoor Industry with David Kenworthy and Michael Rueckert

David Kenworthy (MMGY Origin) and Michael Ruckert (Centium AI) break down what outdoor industry founders and marketers need to know about AI visibility. Learn how AI models train on internet content, ...

21 Tammi 1h 19min

14k Followers in 30 Days: The Playbook That Built Seniq's Growth on Instagram

Tina Thompson grew Seniq's Instagram following from 10K to 42K in just one year - including 14K new followers in 30 days. In this conversation, she breaks down the exact playbook that transformed Inst...

8 Tammi 1h 9min