Founded Outdoors

We're outdoor industry entrepreneurs and we're not ashamed to admit... 1. We have moments when we have no idea what we’re doing but have to make it up as we go. 2. We struggle to balance running a business with the rest of our life, and it can be exhausting! 3. Some of us need multiple jobs to make ends meet. 4. The outdoor industry is really hard to work in, but we love our passions. Founders— what would you add? ??

Can entrepreneurs be wealthy even when money is tight? Sahil Bloom's recent book, "The 5 Types of Wealth," is making us think more about what it means to be and feel wealthy. He breaks down what he calls Time Wealth, Social Wealth, Mental Wealth, Physical Wealth, and Financial Wealth. Small business owners like us often focus on Financial Wealth more than the others. Which makes sense! Without good financial standing, we can’t really be running the businesses we want. But this spring, what if we focused a bit more on OTHER types of wealth? What if physical or social wealth had a trickle-down effect on your business? Tell us: What kind of wealth are you looking to build this spring?

I am so inspired by Brittany Coleman and her brand ToughCutie! ?? Brittany is part of a group called Founded Outdoors that I manage and I got to sit down with her for one of our Founder Fireside Chats last year. Disenchanted with the outdoor industry's approach to women's gear (the good ole shrink it and pink it method), Brittany decided she would try to create gear for women BY women. So, she launched the incredible sock brand, ToughCutie. Her tenacity and resilience is incredible, often pitching at pitch competitions, getting involved and exhibiting at Trade Shows, and even ending up on Shark Tank this year. If you want to check out more, here are some helpful links: ?? ToughCutie's website: https://lnkd.in/e7u8WVc3 ?? ToughCutie's IG: https://lnkd.in/ePCCmn-P -------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is Day 4 of 31 of Women's History Month. This month, I'll be posting about one woman per day that inspires me. They may be famous, they may be a friend. Follow along for more. ??

We sat down with Lloyd Vogel - one of our favorite people to collaborate with - and learned all about the email strategy that Garage Grown Gear has been deploying and using for years. We pulled out the key takeaways to be able to share with you here! Check out Lloyd's thoughts and advice on your email marketing strategy and get your email to a better place for your business. ?? (and if you want to be part of these types of conversations, join us over in our FREE community for outdoor founders: https://lnkd.in/geP-iXeK)

We recently sat down with Pangoo Apparel founder (and member of Founded Outdoors) Sara Chen to chat about how she built up her brand using organic growth on Instagram and TikTok. These are the types of valuable insights members like Sara share in our community and we wanted to bring some of that magic over here ? Check out the below article that dives into the nuggets of wisdom that Sara shared with us in this installment of our Founder Playbooks ?? (if you're an outdoor founder and want more knowledge-sharing, connection, and learning, apply to our community: https://lnkd.in/geP-iXeK)

When it comes to boundaries, "Clear is kind, unclear is unkind.” Brené Brown said so! Being clear and kind in what you need from others is the most loving way to create boundaries. And boundaries are a great way to improve ALL your relationships in business: with employees, co-founders, and customers. If you're a current or recovering people-pleaser, the practice of setting clear and kind boundaries might revolutionize your life and business. What's a boundary you've started communicating recently?

We always love to see our members doing RAD stuff. Congrats to Georgia Grace Edwards and the rest of the team at Gnara for this awesome partnership!

Your friendly founder reminder that GOOD ENOUGH IS GOOD ENOUGH. Our small business community is made up of high-achievers, go-getters, strivers, and innovators... ...many of whom also feel perfectionism pressure. We want the PERFECT product, the PERFECT marketing campaign, the PERFECT investment pitch. But for most business tasks, good enough is good enough. What would happen if you made it 80% as perfect as it could be? This is your invitation to walk away from the pitch deck, the prototype, the marketing content, let it breathe, and remind yourself that while we want to do our best, it doesn't need to be perfect.

Hey founder: You get to make your own rules. This is YOUR business and YOUR life. You get to create your own timelines. You get to pick what products to build. You can have three day weekends every weekend. Only you know what speed, energy, and time it takes to get stuff done in your own business. We wanna hear: What's a typical business rule you're breaking?

2025 hasn't been the start many small businesses were hoping for. Political unrest, natural disasters, economic turmoil - it seems like everywhere you look, there's more to stress about, and more questions than answers. Uncertainty can be crippling. Our livelihoods depend on how we plan out our weeks, quarters, and years. But right now, it's quite hard to know how to plan for this year. What if we can find some opportunity in this stressful time? Maybe we can sit with the uncertainty and lack of control, and build plans that are more flexible and fluid than ever before. How can we build self-trust and self-efficacy through it all? Tell us: How are you planning for flexibility in your business in 2025?