BOW BootCamp Sessions

Bend Outdoor Worx (BOW), the nation’s first outdoor industry accelerator, now in its tenth year of operation, presents the 2024 BOW BootCamp—a series of educational sessions designed to equip start-up businesses with the knowledge and tools they need to reach the next level. This year's sessions will focus on sales, funding, and founders' stories, featuring in-depth panel discussions with time for Q&A. Panels will include top industry experts from well-known brands, and attendees can sign up for individual sessions or all three.

BootCamp Session #1: How to sell it (8:00am-9:15am) Learn about the importance of building a balanced sales plan, why traditional sales channels are still vital, and how to build an effective sales team.

Panelists:

Greg Hughes

Greg is a seasoned sales expert in the action sports and outdoor industry, based in Olympic Valley, CA. Before founding his consulting firm, Hughes X2, he held key sales leadership roles, including Vice President of Global Sales at TOBE Outerwear and Vice President of Sales at Mervin Manufacturing. At Hughes X2, he offers specialized consulting services in sales, organization, and management across global, national, and regional markets. His expertise encompasses product line management, marketing, logistics, brand strategy, and global distribution.

Sandella Gansheimer

Sandella is the Global Chief Revenue Officer at Ruffwear. Full bio to come.

Luke Edgar

Luke is an accomplished brand builder and category disruptor based in Park City, Utah. Throughout his career, he has held several high-impact roles at K2, Skullcandy, and most recently, Traeger Wood Pellet Grills. He will share insights on why so many people he has hired have followed him from brand to brand, how he spots talent, gains team buy-in on new hires, what to look for beyond just job qualifications, and how to build a cohesive team.

Moderator:

Gary Bracelin

Gary is the founder of Bend Outdoor Worx. An Oregon native and relentless serial entrepreneur, he is a true maverick with over 30 years of experience in the outdoor industry, starting in the early days of snowboarding as a sales representative. He thrives on breaking into emerging markets and is also a partner in Tokyo Starfish, Central Oregon’s award-winning cannabis dispensary, and Drop Thesis, one of the nation's pioneering psilocybin service centers in Bend.

BootCamp Session #2: How to pay for it (9:45am-11:15am) – Come for a frank discussion about the highs and lows of raising capital for your business.

Panelists:

Wes Price

Wes, an Oregon native, dedicated most of his career to Price Fronk & Co., joining in 1979, becoming a partner in 1989, and retiring as managing partner in 2022. For 33 years, he led the firm's corporate business group, specializing in business and tax planning for closely held businesses, with a focus on acquisitions, dispositions, and related tax issues. A strong advocate for a vibrant Bend community, Wes has advised Business Oregon, state agencies, local organizations, community leaders, and businesses on effectively supporting entrepreneurs in Central Oregon.

Ashley Pascale

Ashley is a Bend-based Business Banking Relationship Manager and Vice President at U.S. Bank with over a decade of experience helping business owners optimize cash flow, secure financing, and grow their operations. She is dedicated to understanding the unique needs of her clients and providing tailored solutions that drive success. In addition to her role at U.S. Bank, Ashley serves as Treasurer for the Oregon Outdoor Alliance, supporting local businesses and entrepreneurs in the outdoor industry. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Strategic Communication and a Master's degree in Organizational Leadership.

Austin Britts

Austin grew up in a small town in California's Sierra Nevada Foothills, where he caught the entrepreneurial bug early in life by tuning skis and selling homemade ski wax to his elementary school friends. He is a co-founder of Zealios, a performance skincare company for endurance athletes, and BluePallet, an AI-enabled, end-to-end marketplace for the $900 billion U.S. chemical industry. Over the last three years, Austin has helped raise over $19 million in venture capital, including significant investments from Google's early-stage AI fund, Gradient Ventures. In June 2024, BluePallet was acquired by Vinmar International. Austin is now a Senior Partner at Ambyth Chemical, a chemical trading company headquartered in Seattle, WA, which was bootstrapped to $40 million in annual revenue and is on track to reach $100 million in revenue within the next five years.

Moderator:

Justin Rae

Since college, Justin has been involved in the outdoor entrepreneurial world, starting with guiding whitewater trips for paying guests. He is currently a co-founder and core mentor at Bend Outdoor Worx, runs Bruno Mountain Advisory, a wealth management business for like-minded adventurers, co-owns and operates Rios Lodge, an eco-lodge in Costa Rica, and spends much of his time traveling the world in pursuit of rivers. Over the years, Justin has been an active investor, business operator, and advisor to various companies and clients. From deals negotiated in corporate boardrooms to those struck in hotel lobbies in Costa Rica, he brings a deep and creative perspective to raising capital and structuring deals.

BootCamp Session #3: How we did it! (11:30am – 12:45pm) Founders of successful outdoor businesses share their personal stories and insights on how they built their brands.

Panelists:

Jesse Thomas

Jesse is the Co-Founder and CEO of Picky Bars, a natural food products company that he sold to Laird Superfood (NYSE: LSF) for $12 million, all while competing as one of the top Ironman triathletes in the world. Born and raised in Bend, his current passion is advising early-stage and small business entrepreneurs to help them avoid some of the many mistakes he made along the way.

Rob Little

Rob has worked in the outdoor industry since 2013, when he co-founded Cairn, which became the leading subscription box company in the sector. His expertise encompassed all financial, legal, and operational aspects of the business. Cairn was acquired by Outside, Inc. in 2021, where Rob continued to work until 2024. Before entering the outdoor industry, Rob served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Central America and worked in the aerospace industry with Lockheed Martin. He holds a B.S. in Engineering from Harvey Mudd College and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

Meg Chun

Meg’s passion for being on the water led her to co-found KIALOA Paddles, where she led the company for 18 years before orchestrating a successful exit. Prior to KIALOA, Meg was a dedicated school teacher, and her transition from educator to CEO has given her unique insights to help entrepreneurs succeed. She combines her business acumen with her teaching background to consult, coach, and mentor business founders and leaders. Currently, Meg serves as the Lead Mentor for the Bend Outdoor Worx Accelerator program, co-facilitates a Women’s Entrepreneur business team, consults with individuals and companies, and is a board member of Bend Outdoor Worx. Meg has lived and worked in Bend, Oregon, since 1992.

Justin Rae

Since college, Justin has been involved in the outdoor entrepreneurial world, starting with guiding whitewater trips for paying guests. He is currently a co-founder and core mentor at Bend Outdoor Worx, runs Bruno Mountain Advisory, a wealth management business for like-minded adventurers, co-owns and operates Rios Lodge, an eco-lodge in Costa Rica, and spends much of his time traveling the world in pursuit of rivers. Over the years, Justin has been an active investor, business operator, and advisor to various companies and clients. From deals negotiated in corporate boardrooms to those struck in hotel lobbies in Costa Rica, he brings a deep and creative perspective to raising capital and structuring deals.

Moderator:

Susan Strible

Susan has over 20 years of executive leadership experience as Head of Marketing for leading brands in the outdoor, wellness, and consumer products industries. She is a Mission & Values Consultant, Strategic Meeting Facilitator, and Brand Marketing Coach, working with small- to mid-sized companies and organizations to drive long-term success. Susan currently serves as Board President of Oregon Outdoor Alliance and is a member of the Bend Sustainability Fund Council.

BootCamp participants are encouraged to join one or more sessions. Individual sessions are priced at $50 or sign up for all three for $125. Tickets are limited for all events and are expected to sell out quickly.

For details about the evening BOW BreakOut Pitch Event, visit the separate eventbrite event page.

BOW events are sponsored by White Summers Law, Price Fronk, Ruffwear, US Bank, Algofy, IMC, Village Family Capital, Anthony Poponi, Tokyo Starfish and the Relativity Agency.

For more information on BOW visit bendoutdoorworx.com or follow @bow.bendoutdoorworx on instagram.

Host or Publisher Bend Outdoor Worx