KORE Outdoors Podcast

Hosted by KORE Outdoors

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Dive into insightful conversations with entrepreneurs and leaders shaping the outdoor industry. Each episode explores practical strategies and inspiring stories to help you navigate your career in the outdoor industry. Your host, Christian Rawles, brings 15 years of experience as the former owner of Ambler Mountain Works and his current role as KORE Business Advisor. This podcast is a production of KORE - the Kootenay Outdoor Recreation Enterprise. KORE is a non-profit organization based in the Kootenay region of interior British Columbia. KORE’s mission is to support the growing network of gear and apparel makers, designers and entrepreneurs within the Kootenays.

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46 recent

June 11, 2026Episode 471 hr 9 min

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 options they have that may be a better fit. He breaks down why most outdoor businesses are the wrong shape for VC, and why using equity to solve a cash-flow problem is like taking out a splinter with a chainsaw. We cover the funding tools founders overlook, the big wholesale orders that can quietly kill small brands, why coachability beats product and pitch, and the "danger zone" where a brand is too big to be small and too small to be big.Topics covered in the episode:When raising equity is the wrong moveThe REI/big-box order as a working-capital trapUnderused funding: PO financing, revenue-based financing, CDFIs, friends and familyWhy coachability beats product and pitchThe "danger zone": too big to be small, too small to be bigCommunity-first brands as the next wave in outdoorLinksAndrew's SubstackRio Chato InvestmentsHeather Kelly's SubstackConnect with Andrew on LinkedInConnect with Christian on LinkedInRegister for the KORE SummitThe KORE Podcast is a production of the Kootenay Outdoor Recreation Enterprise. Learn more about KORE and the podcast: https://koreoutdoors.org/podcast #koreoutdoors #craftgearfromhere

May 6, 2026Episode 451 hr 2 min

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 distinctive product stories in the outdoor industry. In this conversation, Jensen walks through the founding journey, how Ombraz found their first customers in the ultralight backpacking and bikepacking worlds, their approach to building in-house content and media, raising a small round of funding while retaining equity, and how he and co-founder Nikolai run the whole operation remotely.TopicsOrigin story: broken sunglasses on a camel safari in India, four years of wearing a MacGyver'd pair, then building the companyFinding initial traction in ultralight backpacking and then exploding into bikepackingKeeping all content creation in-house — why agencies produce soulless, interchangeable outdoor contentRaising a Series A in 2020 — retaining equity while gaining runway for inventory and hiringDelegating early: 3PL, customer service, and letting go of egoOmbraz's 9 core brand pillars as a decision-making filterCo-founder dynamics with Nikolai — complementary skill sets, business coaching, and the Positive Intelligence frameworkRunning the business fully remote via Slack and monday.comDefining success as low stress, staying creative, and having funLinksOmbraz websiteSarah Swallow on InstagramRonnie Romance on InstagramGOSO CookwarePositive Intelligence by Shirzad ChamineFor more about the KORE Outdoors Podcast, visit https://koreoutdoors.org/podcast/The KORE Outdoors Podcast is supported by the Province of British Columbia.

April 22, 2026Episode 441 hr 13 min

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 a snapped achilles and a $10 sock sparked a product thesis, how five co-founders from world-class brands assembled into something that felt inevitable, and what it really looks like to build a bootstrapped brand without quitting your day job, without outside funding, and with a toddler in the mix.Topics covered:Building with five co-founders — why more wasn't messier, it was essentialThe Renaissance athlete — Courier's positioning and who they're actually building forThe sock category opportunity — why performance socks have been left behind relative to footwearBootstrapped growth and marketing — what's worked, what hasn't, and the myth of the breakthrough momentLessons from Lululemon — what they carried out and what they left behindLinks:Get 15% off your Courier Socks order by using this link. Or use code KORE15 at checkoutCourier's websiteCourier on InstagramBDBC Public RelationsThe Running Event / Switchback tradeshowTiny Experiments - book by Anne-Laure Le CunffFor more about the KORE Outdoors Podcast, visit https://koreoutdoors.org/podcast/The KORE Outdoors Podcast is supported by the Province of British Columbia.

April 8, 2026Episode 431 hr 24 min

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 that Enlightened Equipment, the brand he'd been reverse-engineering for years, was operating out of a hole-in-the-wall shop in his own town. What followed was a cold letter, a ghosted coffee meeting, and a leap of faith that cost him his salary, his benefits, and almost his financial stability. Nine years later, he's CEO. This is the story of how you build your way to the top — one baffle at a time.Highlights from the episodeHow a nonprofit fundraiser with a $18 Goodwill sewing machine stumbled into a career at the brand he'd been reverse-engineering from the internetFrom leaf blowers in the attic to commercial stuffing machines: how Enlightened Equipment rebuilt its production floor around technology instead of headcountWhy going overseas was the only math that worked — and how the brand navigated the ultralight community's backlashThe "stuff on demand" shell model that saved the company during COVID and became the foundation of how they operate todayWhat it actually looks like to lead a team you once punched a clock alongside — and why starting at the bottom made Chris a better CEO than any outside hire could have beenLinks Enlightened EquipmentPrairie Dog ShovelsE Clean (down restoration service)Garage Grown GearRipstop by the RollThru-HikerBackpacking LightFor more about the KORE Outdoors Podcast, visit https://koreoutdoors.org/podcast/The KORE Outdoors Podcast is supported by the Province of British Columbia.

March 25, 2026Episode 421 hr 1 min

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-based brand combining sustainability, in-house engineering, and a fierce love of skiing into one of Canada's fastest-growing ski companies. We also dig into Ferreol Technologies and the aluminum alloy they developed that the industry is calling the strongest in the world. From backyard experiments to Canadian military contracts to the French market, this is a masterclass in founder obsession and engineering-driven brand building.A few of the topics covered in this episode:From backyard experiments to the largest Canadian ski brandBuilding a sustainability-first ski company without sacrificing performanceThe world's strongest aluminum — developed for skis, destined for spaceGrowing internationally: How to use government resources to enter new marketsHiring intrapreneurs and the founder's guide to staying coachableLinksFerreol SkisWatch Jonathan & his co-founders' appearance on Dragon's DenFor more about the KORE Outdoors Podcast, visit https://koreoutdoors.org/podcast/The KORE Outdoors Podcast is supported by the Province of British Columbia.

March 4, 2026Episode 411 hr 2 min

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 collaborations, and a clear brand identity. In this conversation, Dario traces the full founder arc — from marketing director at Quiksilver to rolling the dice on 800 towels in a Venice Beach garage. He talks about the realities of licensing deals, co-founding remotely across two islands, and why a decade of building has taught him to trust his team's instincts over outside hires. He also shares how Slowtide is expanding beyond towels into outerwear and new product categories, while staying grounded in the values that started it all.A few of the topics from the conversation:Leaving Corporate Board Sports to Co-Found SlowtideThe Case for Category-Specific BrandsLicensing as a Growth StrategyCo-Founding Across Time Zones and IslandsFounder Confidence Over Outside HiresSustainable Growth and Giving BackLinks:SlowtideSlowtide's Custom ProductsSlowtide x New Balance Connect with Christian on LinkedInThe KORE Podcast is a production of the Kootenay Outdoor Recreation Enterprise. Learn more about KORE and the podcast: https://koreoutdoors.org/podcast The KORE Outdoors Podcast is supported by the Province of British Columbia.

January 21, 2026Episode 401 hr 19 min

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, why there's often a gap between how brands see themselves and how AI describes them, and what AEO (AI Engine Optimization) means for your business. From understanding tokenization to exploring vibe coding opportunities for startups, this conversation delivers actionable insights on positioning your brand in the AI era. Episode HighlightsHow AI Models Train: Understanding tokenization, word associations, and how AI predicts brand recommendations by indexing internet content to form probability-based responsesThe Brand Perception Gap: Why there's often a disconnect between how outdoor brands market themselves and how AI actually describes them to consumersCentium AI Platform & AEO Strategy: What AI Engine Optimization means, how to measure brand visibility across multiple LLMs, and where AI sources content about your productsLinksCentium.aiMMGY OriginSuperhuman.ai NewlsetterConnect with David on LinkedInConnect with Michael on LinkedInConnect with Christian on LinkedInFor more about the KORE Outdoors Podcast, visit https://koreoutdoors.org/podcast/The KORE Outdoors Podcast is supported by the Province of British Columbia.

January 8, 2026Episode 391 hr 9 min

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 Instagram from a content channel into a revenue generator. Tina shares how she reduced her time commitment from 20 hours to just 5 hours per week while accelerating growth, the specific content strategies that unlocked hockey stick growth during the launch of their ski apparel, and how she uses trial reels and AB testing to optimize performance. This is the tactical Instagram masterclass every outdoor brand founder needs.Show HighlightsThis episode is a deeper-dive into the tactics that Tina laid out in her Substack post about Seniq's Instagram strategy. Here are the main topics Tina lays out in her post that we dive into in this episode:Be yourselfMost strategy is uselessConsistency is everythingDon't reinvent the wheelFun is keyUnlock & RepeatPinning worksGiveaways are a mustShow the productLo-fi > Hi-resThe best launches have a formulaA/B testing reels drives quick resultsLinks Tina's SubstackSeniq on InstagramTina on InstagramMallory Ottariano / Youer on InstagramBehind The Diary YouTube channelTiny Experiments bookThe KORE Podcast is a production of the Kootenay Outdoor Recreation Enterprise. Learn more about KORE and the podcast: https://koreoutdoors.org/podcastThe KORE Outdoors Podcast is supported by the Province of British Columbia.

December 17, 2025Episode 381 hr 13 min

25 Years of Packrafting with Thor Tingey of Alpacka Raft: From Innovation to Industry Leadership

Thor Tingey, CEO of Alpacka Raft, discusses what it takes to establish a new category in the outdoor industry and to build an independent, family-owned company. Twenty-five years after pioneering modern packrafting, Thor shares hard-won wisdom about balancing innovation with customer feedback, navigating explosive COVID-era growth, and why maintaining in-house production is critical to his long-term strategy. Thor explains how thoughtful, sustained growth and deep customer relationships define market leadership in the outdoor industry.Episode HighlightsDomestic manufacturing philosophy: Why in-house USA production preserves critical manufacturing knowledge that offshore production erodes.Establishing a new sport: The unique challenges and responsibilities of pioneering packrafting as a recreational activity and building a market category from scratch over 25 years.Customer-driven success metrics: Defining business achievement through authentic superfan stories rather than revenue numbers—when customers evangelize your brand unprompted, you've wonInnovation vs. feedback balance: Weighing when to push design boundaries versus listening to what experienced customers actually need in the fieldMarket leadership responsibility: Grappling with the ethical dimensions of being the category creator—from social media restraint to thoughtful product positioningLinks:KORE OutdoorsAlpacka RaftsSheri - a documentary about Thor's mom who was Alpacka's original founder & CEOAbundance - book Thor mentionsFor more about the KORE Outdoors Podcast, visit https://koreoutdoors.org/podcast/The KORE Outdoors Podcast is supported by the Province of British Columbia.

December 3, 2025Episode 371 hr 17 min

Meet the 19-year-old Taking on Gore-Tex: Sam Digiambattista of Indersity

Sam Digiambattista was shopping for a ski jacket when he discovered that Gore-Tex—the gold standard in outdoor fabrics for 50 years—is made with PFAS, harmful forever chemicals. Rather than accepting the status quo, the then-teenager decided to do something about it. In the two years since, Sam has developed his own PFAS-free waterproof breathable fabric and launched Indersity, a technical outerwear brand committed to environmental responsibility without sacrificing performance. At just 19 years old, Sam demonstrates remarkable conviction and values-driven leadership that makes you believe sustainable innovation is possible in the outdoor industry.Topics Covered:Why this teenager rejected the fabric standardFrom zero knowledge to proprietary fabric in two yearsSpeed wins: Building a technical brand without waiting for permissionTaking on investors to capitalize on an opportunityGetting athletes on board earlyStaying hands-on while growingLinks:IndersityKORE podcast episode with Alex LauverKORE podcast episode with Casey ShawFor more about the KORE Outdoors Podcast, visit https://koreoutdoors.org/podcast/The KORE Outdoors Podcast is supported by the Province of British Columbia.