Former Nixon executive Mike Hoefer has joined Mizu, the fast-growing, eco-conscious reusable bottle company.
Mike has been an investor and adviser to the company since 2012. He left Nixon last summer after 17 years, and took some time to explore his options, run the Boston Marathon and snowboard.
He decided to join Mizu as the EVP of Sales and Marketing for several reasons, he said. The time was right – he believes CEO Tim Pogue and the team have laid a great foundation, with Tim running a tight, disciplined ship.
“They are at a spot where we can really do some things, and are ready to jump to that next level,” Mike said.
He is also friends with Tim and Founder Jussi Oksanen, a professional snowboarder and passionate environmentalist.
Mike also wanted to be in a setting that was similar to what he experienced firsthand at both Nixon and Arnette – working on a small brand where the founder is engaged and committed for the long haul.
“When a founder disappears, you see it change things in this industry,” he said.
Mike also believes there is a lot of potential with the category, which is treated as a commodity by a lot of brands, he said.
“I firmly believe we can be a huge resource to a lot of retailers in the action/outdoor space,” Mike said.
Mizu sees the potential to grow its brand presence at key retailers with water bars and by telling the brand’s environmental and product story.
“The bottle stands for something,” Mike said.
Mizu has turned its “Protecting Where We Play” tagline into a nonprofit. That nonprofit has worked with schools on water programs and partnered with Squaw Valley on adding filtered water stations on the mountain after the resort banned plastic water bottles.
One of Mike’s first big projects is focusing on the international side of the business. Currently, Mizu sells in 27 countries, and there are big plans in the works for Europe. The goal is to increase international sales from 40% to 60% in the next year, and in three years, grow international sales by four to five times.
Tim, a former Burton executive and founder of Ride Snowboards, said Mizu is growing fast and it needs help from someone with Mike’s experience.
It’s also nice that he already understands the company, having been an active advisor for several years, Tim said.
“I am so psyched to get him on the team,” he said.
That team, with the addition of Mike, now numbers 11.
