COVID-19 Webinar: Managing Supply Chains in an Uncertain Trade Environment: New Sourcing Opportunities for Outdoor Products

When: Tuesday, June 23, 11:00 a.m. (MT)
Speakers: Rich Harper, Manager of International Trade, Outdoor Industry Association
Ron Sorini, Principal, Sorini Samet and Associates
Andrew Samet, Principal, Sorini Samet & Associates
Emily Vedaa, Global Trade Manager, Columbia Sportswear

Over the past several months, outdoor companies have faced multiple disruptions to their supply chains, whether they be punitive tariffs, the COVID-19 outbreak or uncertainty around global trade policy. As they mitigate the impact of these challenges to protect their bottom lines and maintain high standards for their products, many businesses are actively seeking alternative sourcing options. Join us for an important discussion on some of the key sourcing trends for outdoor products and how U.S. and global trade policy could impact those decisions. In this discussion, you will learn about the following:

    • The impact of punitive tariffs and COVID-19 on some of the top sourcing options for outdoor products
    • New sourcing opportunities for outdoor companies, including the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program and free trade agreement partners
    • How U.S. and European Union trade policy could impact your business and sourcing decisions

Audio Outdoorist: Campfire Conversation: How Specialty Retailers Are Reopening, Repositioning or Reinventing After Pandemic

Three specialty retail shop owners across the country and an expert in consumer trends and retail strategy gather around the fire to discuss the immediate aftermath of the COVID “shutdown,” the steps they’re taking to reopen or reposition their businesses, the safety precautions they’re using and how they’re recouping their losses. From day-to-day operations adjustments (adjusted hours, curbside pickup, delivery) to staffing changes; creative inventory strategy to quick-start e-commerce solutions, they’ve responded on the fly and without a roadmap.

Continue reading

COVID-19 Webinar: Special Session for OIA: Coming Out of Crisis

When: Tuesday, June 2, 11:00 a.m. (MT)
Speaker: Shawn Rhodes, Shoshin Consulting

As COVID-19 and its after effects rock our communities, profitability and business plans, the outdoor industry finds itself in unprecedented times. Shawn Rhodes has made it his life’s work to study teams who found ways to survive – and even thrive – in the most challenging and dangerous environments on the planet. We’ve asked him to specifically address dealing with the aftermath of this current crisis for our members. In a special virtual session, Shawn will walk us through the following:

  • Recapturing lost profitability in our businesses
  • Planning for an uncertain workforce composition while not sacrificing performance
  • Creating contingency and continuity plans so we can weather the current (and future) storms of COVID-19

 

Download the Presentation Slides ▸

 

About the Speaker:
Shawn Rhodes leveraged his former life as a war correspondent to become an international expert in how the best teams pivot when change enters their plans. He’s a Tampa-based TEDx speaker, a former National Park Ranger and his work studying teams in more than two dozen countries – some the most dangerous places on the planet where he relied on the products of our members to survive and thrive – has been published in news outlets around the world including TIME, CNN, NBC, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal and INC. His clients have included Deloitte, ConAgra, Coca-Cola and dozens of similar businesses. Shawn is also a nationally-syndicated columnist with the Business Journals and author of the new book “Pivot Point: Turn On A Dime Without Sacrificing Results.”

Audio Outdoorist: Campfire Conversation: Bouncing Back – How Resiliency Can Help the Outdoor Industry Move Forward

Outdoor industry businesses and employees have been overwhelmed by the impacts of the COVID-19 situation for months now, trying to stay safe while keeping themselves afloat. But as we begin to realize that COVID-19 will be part of our lives for some time, how do individuals and businesses in the outdoor industry move from treading water to being agile and successful in our “new normal?” Join us around the campfire as we discuss how members of the outdoor industry can create resiliency to adapt to the changing landscape, stay true to their core values, and even thrive while navigating an uncertain future.

Continue reading

COVID-19 Webinar: How Mystery Ranch Maintains Quality Standards During Market Disruptions

Speakers: Luke Boswell, Director of Product at Mystery Ranch and Colleen Grass, Regional Sales Director at Centric Software®
Sponsor: Centric Software®

In “normal” times, achieving high product-quality standards takes dedication, focus and diligence. In today’s fast-changing, uncertain world, this is more challenging—and more important—than ever for companies like Mystery Ranch.

The backpack and load carriage system manufacturer has a long and impressive history of innovation and upholding exceptional standards of quality. The company started in 2000 in the outdoor retail space but was approached in 2004 by the Navy SEALS to create custom packs, leading to a new business model and design strategy.

Discover how Mystery Ranch has fueled its growth while staying committed to quality. As the company evolved, it turned to Centric Outdoor PLM allowing it to streamline new style development, reduce errors, improve product documentation for suppliers and gain efficiencies.
Luke Boswell, director of product at Mystery Ranch, will give attendees an inside look at the following:

  • How people’s lives can depend on their packs’ functionality, durability and comfort
  • Mystery Ranch’s high standards of quality and vast documentation about materials, patterns, construction details and more
  • Building a technological foundation for success in all types of markets

 

Centric Software®, proud sponsor of this webinar. More than 370 companies making products for over 1,250 iconic brands trust Centric Software, including Ariat, Burton, Crocs, Skechers, Pearl Izumi, KEEN Footwear, Klim, tentree, Lolë, Outward Hound, CamelBak, Royal Robbins, Giro, Bell, On Running, Safariland, Vionic and many more.

Colleen Grass is Regional Sales Director at Centric Software®. Prior to Centric, Colleen spent 20 years in technology sales and marketing working with companies across many sectors including fashion, e-commerce, and digital communications to help brands and retailers prioritize their technology roadmaps.

COVID-19 Webinar: Overcoming Challenges: Collecting in the Outdoor Industry Amidst a Global Crisis

When: Tuesday, June 9, 11:00 a.m. (MT)
Speakers: Leah Skye, Dan Grenemyer and Mike Welliver from Altus

With premature mountain resort and retail closures and the outdoor industry at an unexpected halt, join North America’s largest B2B receivables management firm for an educational webinar offering guidance to assist you with staying ahead of collection issues on the horizon. Creditors are now faced with the difficult decision of either shouldering a potentially disastrous financial burden or pushing their customers for payment and jeopardizing relationships that took years to cultivate. As we navigate through these unprecedented times, we need to adapt to a quickly changing financial climate. Unfortunately, many small businesses lack the cash reserves to make it to the other side of this crisis, so we want to give you the tools to stay ahead of what’s to come. Open to all. Active OIA membership not required.

COVID-19 Webinar: From the Inside Out: Transitioning Retail Experiences to Keep Shoppers Safe

When: Tuesday, May 26, 11:00 a.m. (MT)
Speaker: Chris Hogue, LiveArea

Influenced by evolving safety procedures and changing attitudes about in-store experiences, smart retailers are looking at new ways to engage customers. For now at least, the days of meandering up and down store aisles are over. The trick will be to help shoppers get in and out quickly – or help them to shop without stepping foot inside. Even as stores reopen there’s a surge of investment in fulfillment tactics like buy online, pick-up in store and curbside pickup.

How do you go about implementing these and other engagement alternatives? How much time and investment is required? Get answers from Chris Hogue, head of strategy and product for LiveArea, a global commerce experience agency that works with hundreds of retail brands around the world. Find out how the agency has helped clients transform retail experiences in a time of great disruption and digital opportunity.

Campfire Conversation: How to Swiftly & Safely Re-Open Parks & Trails

Welcome to OIA Campfire Conversations, our new special video and audio series that is part of our Audio Outdoorist podcast.

Subscribe to OIA’s Audio Outdoorist and listen to this and other episodes anytime, anywhere. You can find the podcast on iTunes and SoundCloud

These episodes are your opportunity to be a fly on the wall, to listen in as thought leaders and subject-matter experts chat about issues that are important, relevant and timely. The conversations will be candid and casual, fluid and free-flowing. Our hope is that you’ll come away with deeper — and maybe even some new — insights as you consider the various perspectives of the participants. As the trade association of the outdoor industry, OIA’s aim is to convene the diverse thinkers and changemakers whose work and ideas will steer us toward continued growth. We’ll post these as videos on our website for you to watch on your computer, and we’ll publish them on our Audio Outdoorist podcast, so you can listen on your next hike, bike or paddle. Thanks for listening in and enjoy the conversation.

Episode 1 – How to Swiftly & Safely Re-Open Parks & Trails

Amid COVID-19, states across the country implemented stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders, all with different closure rules and requirements for local, county, state and national public lands, parks and trails. Now, as the country begins to contemplate reopening those outdoor assets, there are many questions and considerations about how to do it expeditiously but safely. Directors from several state outdoor recreation and parks and wildlife offices gather around the fire to chat about what conversation they’re having with other government and land management agencies, outdoor businesses and participants in their states; what usage and access trends have emerged during the pandemic; and how outdoor businesses have been and can continue to be leaders in their communities as Americans rediscover the benefits of time spent outside.

Episode Participants
Cailin O’Brien-Feeny, Director of Oregon Office of Outdoor Recreation
Rue Mapp, OIA Board Member, Outdoor Afro Founder, California State Parks Commissioner
Colin Robertson, Administrator, Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation
Jon Snyder, Outdoor Recreation and Economic Development Senior Policy Advisor to Washington Governor Jay Inslee
Doug Vilsack, Assistant Director of Colorado Parks, Wildlife and Lands

 

Campfire Conversation: Conservation & Recreation Advocacy From Home

Join us for a collaborative campfire conversation with Outdoor Industry Association, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, The Conservation Alliance and Outdoor Alliance while they discuss support efforts of policy initiatives through in-person and virtual advocacy amid the pandemic safer-at-home orders.

OIA Campfire Conversations, is our new special video and audio series that is part of our Audio Outdoorist podcast. You can find the podcast on iTunes and SoundCloud.

These episodes are your opportunity to be a fly on the wall, to listen in as thought leaders and subject-matter experts chat about issues that are important, relevant and timely. The conversations will be candid and casual, fluid and free-flowing. Our hope is that you’ll come away with deeper — and maybe even some new — insights as you consider the various perspectives of the participants. As the trade association of the outdoor industry, OIA’s aim is to convene the diverse thinkers and changemakers whose work and ideas will steer us toward continued growth. We’ll post these as videos on our website for you to watch on your computer, and we’ll publish them on our Audio Outdoorist podcast, so you can listen on your next hike, bike or paddle. Thanks for listening in and enjoy the conversation.

COVID-19 Webinar: Ingenuity & Rediscovery: The Consumer Response to COVID-19

Speakers: Kristin Minzenmayer, Director – Egg Strategy (Denver)
Tim Donza, Managing Director, Lifestyle – Egg Strategy (New York)
Fiona Atzler, Senior Director – Egg Strategy (New York)

From home schooling and virtual offices to social distancing and lockdowns, COVID-19 has already changed a lot about daily life in a short time. Egg Strategy, a leading insights and brand strategy consultancy, has spent the past month following consumers across the United States to see how their relationships with their spaces (indoors and out) have adapted and what new behaviors have emerged. Here they serve up some provoking ideas and thoughts for how the outdoor industry can learn and grow with consumers.