Starting Line
Sometimes we talk to people who are specifically creating businesses and brands in the outdoor space, but today we go a layer beyond that to talk about a category being created that will have a huge impact on running, riding, and everything in between. This conversation was fascinating, and toward the end of the episode, we got to dig into the one thing that all of our smart friends are talking about (and doing) in their spare time.
The Most Overlooked Health Category Nobody Built - Until Now.
Allie Melnick, co-founder of Climatic, joins Second Nature to talk about building an entirely new health category: proactive lung health. A ten-year veteran of Harry's (now Mammoth Brands), Melnick explains why breathing, not legs, not sleep, not gut health, might be the next frontier in everyday performance, and what it actually takes to convince people a problem exists before you can sell them the solution.
She and Aaron dig into Climatic's L-MAX inhaler, the sheep-lung testing and Mount Sinai clinical research behind it, and the surprising communities who found the product before the company expected them to. The conversation also covers the discipline it took to stay patient through a sold-out, scarcity-driven launch, and closes with an unplanned detour into the hidden world of startup advising: how operators with full-time jobs can build equity and expertise on the side, and why a sharp, one-sentence pitch beats being a Swiss Army knife.
Here To Help
The most common refrain we hear from friends working at brands is “we need to find content creators, but we are strapped on time”. This is the exact problem that Popfly has solved. If you’re working at a brand that needs this kind of help, you need to check this out (and tell them we sent you), it’ll be worth it. And…if you’re an athlete or creator, you should definitely get on this platform - there are brands, ready to support you and looking for your talent. We’re using it outside of the podcast and having a lot of success with it - and this is exactly why we wanted to partner with Popfly in the first place. Highly recommended!
Job Of The Week
Lots of cool stuff opening up this week! Here are the highlights:
🏔️ Arc’teryx is hiring a Senior Manager, Global Sports &Partnerships Marketing.
🦙 Cotopaxi looking for a Social Media Manager.
🎿 Palisades Tahoe has an open role for Content and Social Media Manager.
⛰️ Big Sky is hiring a Social Media Manager.
🐊 Crocs has an open role for Director, Sports Partnerships.
Article Of The Week
There’s been a lot of discussion online recently about authenticity, meaning, community, content. We recorded a podcast recently where the guest talked about “primitives”, which are the core truths that drive everything. Jeff Pelletier’s latest article is a great reminder of the who, what, and why behind it all:
This article is a year old, but still rings true. Worth a re-read:
Second Nature Is Supported By Halo
Halo is a hospitality platform built by trail runners specifically for sports and event travel. They work with brands, event organizers and professional leagues to simplify one of the most operationally painful parts of any event: lodging. If you’re a brand thinking about experiential marketing, managing travel for your team or professional athletes, or a league handling lodging for your athletes and fans, Halo’s platform gives your brand a custom hotel booking platform and locks in better rates so you’re not managing hotel logistics from scratch. They’re already working with names like Western States, Aravaipa, Rabbit and New Balance.
And if you’re just heading to a race or event yourself this year, it’s worth checking out, too. Same platform with great rates, community, perks from band partners and less hassle. If any of this sounds like you, reach out to their team and tell them you heard about Halo on Second Nature.
Show Notes
BPC - Brand, Product, Content
BPC is our closing segment where we share Brands we’ve discovered, Products we’re using and Content that we love.
💧 Loonen Water: Allie shared her favorite water, this stuff goes through some serious processing to make it special. Check it out!
🧼 Defense Soap: If you’re outdoors, working hard, and sweating, sometimes normal soap doesn’t cut it after the adventure. After spending an entire summer testing and trying new soaps, Aaron found Defense and absolutely swears by it now.
Thank You
This week’s podcast was about creating a new category in an area that has been entirely overlooked. Next week’s pod is with a founder who is putting a new focus on an existing, but forgotten, category - and it’s fascinating. Stay tuned!