(This story was updated on 6/16/2023.)
As 2023 gets underway, we asked several outdoor industry executives to share lessons they have learned over the past few tumultuous years, the most exciting thing happening for their company, and how they think business will unfold in 2023.
We checked in with Troy Sicotte of Mountain Hardwear, Wylie Robinson of Rumpl, Alex Adema of DPS Skis, Noah Bryan of Icebreaker, and Tom Bishop of Pale Blue Earth.
Troy Sicotte, President, Mountain Hardwear
What are a few of the biggest lessons you have learned over the past two years?
Troy Sicotte: There are two things that bubble up for me when reflecting on the past two tumultuous years: People are resilient, and one must learn to have trust in this resiliency versus trying to have all the answers all at once.
An example was showcased by the bookends of our business: the consumer and our amazing team here at Mountain Hardwear.
During the peak years of the pandemic, consumers faced once-in-a-lifetime restrictions on where they could travel, what they could do once at a destination, how and where they shop, even how they educate their children. Our team at our HQ, as well as in Portland, Oregon and abroad, all faced these same restrictions and had to figure out how to bring product to market – really, how to make things – without the usual access to people, facilities, and tools.
I was, and continue to be, floored at how both the consumer and the makers here at Mountain Hardwear adapted. Eventually, this really impacted how we engage on all fronts – a silver lining if there was to be one at all.
The second lesson is: Building one-on-one rapport is more important than ever! Why? Making deep, meaningful connections is harder than it has ever been. I’ve observed that not everyone inside or outside the company will always share what they truly believe on a large video call or even at a large, in-person meeting.
It’s on me, or any leader, to recognize this – to reach out to build that connection, to build confidence, and inspire those that have developed what some have coined “Covid-shyness” to serve up more of what they bring to the table.
How do you think 2023 will unfold from a business and consumer spending perspective?
Troy Sicotte: I hold some optimism for our brand as we have a tight product line with the best consumer solutions we’ve ever created, a very clean marketplace, we are without an inventory crisis, and we have a global business that helps offset region-specific challenges.
Outside of our brand, I believe we’ll see something similar to what our industry experienced during pandemic lockdowns. When the consumer is restricted either financially or functionally, they often choose to go outdoors to recreate, relax, and reset. So, if consumer spending faces these looming recessionary conditions, I’m hopeful that they come to our industry and brand once more to give them a great experience.
It’s what we do with our product to get people through the harshest conditions on Earth and it’s what we aspire to do day in and day out.
What is the most exciting thing happening with your company in 2023?
Troy Sicotte: This one is easy. Mountain Hardwear turns 30 years old in the autumn of 2023, so we have a myriad of things planned – from product to events and partnerships – that will really celebrate this milestone. This will be amplified by our office being fully open for the first time since the spring of 2020. We’re still embracing a progressive hybrid work environment, but will be seeing all local employees in our office on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning in January.
In-person collaboration is something we’ve become used to not having every day, so I’m excited for us to have continued work/life flexibility while providing more opportunities for face-to-face engagement, comradery, and fun.
Wylie Robinson, CEO and Founder, Rumpl
Wylie Robinson, CEO and Founder, Rumpl
What are a few of the biggest lessons you have learned over the past two years?
Wylie Robinson:
- Agility is the single biggest competitive advantage. The retail landscape has been incredibly dynamic over the last 24 to 36 months. Tectonic shifts have jostled supply chains, consumer spending, digital advertising, point of sale, and much more. A business’s ability to react in real time to a shifting landscape allows it to both capture upside and avoid peril.
- Underlying profitability mechanics are essential. With how quickly and how dramatically market dynamics have shifted in recent years (see above), underlying fundamentals are more important than ever. Healthy margins provide crucial flexibility with ever-increasing variability in your business’s cost structure.
- The outdoor industry is wildly durable. Outdoor recreation and participation serves a fundamental human need. Both in times where people are nervous or unsure about the future, as well as times when consumer sentiment is optimistic, the inherent draw of the outdoors endures.
How do you think 2023 will unfold from a business and consumer spending perspective?
Wylie Robinson: Discretionary spending will be more considered and brands will need to fight for their share of those dollars. There will be more promotional activity in the first half of the year as retailers work though high inventory levels. I have a huge amount of confidence in the outdoor industry and consumers’ innate need to spend time outside. Spending to enhance that experience will continue, but consumers will prioritize high value items over superfluous purchases.
What is the most exciting thing happening with your company in 2023?
Wylie Robinson: Retail efficiency. Over the last two to three years, Rumpl’s assortment of prints and graphics has expanded considerably. Through deep user testing, POS data, and hiring significant experience to our team, we’ve begun executing a plan to reduce SKU count that will benefit our retailers and make the brand more shoppable.
Alex Adema, CEO, DPS Skis
Alex Adema, CEO, DPS Skis
What are a few of the biggest lessons you have learned over the past two years?
Alex Adema: Outdoor brands and specialty retailers benefited from the momentum of consumers looking to be active in the outdoors during the pandemic. However, many challenges existed, such as staffing, inventory, Covid itself, and raw material price increases.
As many of these challenges persist, DPS must remain resilient and focused on the core strengths that have always guided us. We’re a brand dedicated to innovating and building the most advanced skis, and we strive to offer the best long-term value to our retailers and consumers. We’re also committed to providing the best customer service, which is equally important to excellent products and branding.
How do you think 2023 will unfold from a business and consumer spending perspective?
Alex Adema: The second half of 2022 presented considerable macroeconomic angst, particularly concerning inflationary concerns and cautious consumer spending coming into the new year. As always, skiers will find a way to get to the mountains, and if it snows, we still expect a solid year for sales of skis, PHANTOM, and accessories.
The next two months should clarify how inventory and discounting impact the winter sports industry and the outlook for 2023. We are anticipating the preseason orders for fall 2023 to be more in line with 2019, compared to the exceptional growth of the past two years.
What is the most exciting thing happening with your company in 2023?
Alex Adema: The DPS team has made some tremendous product development breakthroughs that we have been eager to roll out in 2023. These developments include the introduction of our new Kaizen ski collection. The new models represent the company’s best work in terms of performance, carbon technology, and dampness. 2023 will also be a big year for PHANTOM, with the introduction of our base care accessories and sales expansion in Europe.
Noah Bryan, North America General Manager, Icebreaker
Noah Bryan, North America General Manager, Icebreaker
What are a few of the biggest lessons you have learned over the past two years?
Noah Bryan: I’m incredibly proud of how the Icebreaker team has navigated the global supply chain disruptions over the past two years. We still see some challenges, but have worked hard to weather global disruptions to deliver for our customers.
At Icebreaker, we view sustainability not just through the lens of how our products impact the environment, but also the sustainability of our relationships with supplier partners. From 10-year supply contracts with growers to new initiatives that minimize the risk of transportation delays and reduce overstocks by moving production closer to demand, we’re seeing dividends from the investment in resiliency that has been built into the business.
What is the most exciting thing happening with your company in 2023?
Noah Bryan: We continue to build on Icebreaker’s “Move to Natural,” plastic-free promise and are up to 95% merino and plant-based fibers in our range. It has taken a lot of materials innovation to reach this point in our core base layer styles. We’re excited to build on that innovation in the outerwear and midweight categories with new, plastic-free styles in the Shell+, MerinoLoft, and RealFleece collections. We believe merino is the best performance material on the planet. We also believe that removing synthetics from our apparel not only makes for a better product, but it’s also better for the planet.
Tom Bishop, Founder and CEO, Pale Blue Earth
What are a few of the biggest lessons you have learned over the past two years?
Tom Bishop: There is no substitute in marketing for having visually compelling tech and an intuitive product.
Tom Bishop, Founder and CEO, Pale Blue Earth
Keep an eye on your supply chains, logistics costs, shipping lead times, production lead times, inventory levels, and overcommunicate with your service providers about your needs, forecasts, and shifts in your business. We’ve managed through these challenges well, but watched a lot of great brands miscalculate the volatility, resulting in inventory issues.
Digital marketing still works, but requires adjusting after the 2021 iOS 14 update and the associated efficiency impacts. Focusing on broad audience, top-of-funnel and pulling back on middle-of-funnel and bottom-of-funnel spending provided us better overall funnel efficiency than trying to over-engineer a top-to-bottom funnel strategy.
How do you think 2023 will unfold from a business and consumer spending perspective?
Tom Bishop: I’m anticipating consumers and businesses will become more conservative in early 2023 as the possibility of a recession looms. It seems like the domestic market and economy is holding strong. So, with that in mind and being optimistic types, we’re hopeful that the second half will be strong.
What is the most exciting thing happening with your company in 2023?
Tom Bishop: We are working on a collab product with the American Alpine Club that will launch in early 2023. We can’t share too many details, but suffice to say that our two organizations are partnering to further change and impact the battery industry.
