In this episode of Beyond the Trailhead, I sit down with JM Fabrizi, Director of Backcountry Garage. JM has spent years on the small-brand side of the outdoor industry. He joined Coalatree in 2017 and eventually ran the day-to-day business before Backcountry acquired the brand in 2026. Coalatree became the first brand in the new Backcountry Garage program, and JM now leads the Garage while continuing to help oversee Coalatree. That experience gives JM a pretty unique perspective: he knows what it feels like to be the small outdoor brand knocking on the door of a huge retailer, and now he’s on the other side helping Backcountry find those brands. Backcountry Garage was created to help emerging, niche, and differentiated outdoor brands get discovered without disappearing into a massive online catalog. JM talks about how difficult it can be for a small company to tell its story next to giant brands with huge marketing budgets, and how the Garage is trying to give those companies more visibility and support.
We also dive into:
• What Backcountry Garage actually is • What Backcountry looks for in an emerging outdoor brand • How small brands can apply to be considered • Why having a unique product matters more than simply having another version of something that already exists • How Coalatree became the first Backcountry Garage brand • JM’s experience growing a small outdoor company before joining Backcountry • Why getting into a major retailer isn’t always as easy as it sounds • Why some brands need better fulfillment and operations before they’re ready for big retail • How Backcountry is trying to recreate the specialty outdoor-store experience online • Why Gearheads are still a big part of Backcountry’s strategy • How Backcountry Garage can help brands reach customers through e-commerce • How marketplace partnerships like Amazon can become a huge headache for a small company • How Backcountry can help manage some of that marketplace complexity • Why relationships with specialty retailers still matter • What JM learned walking Outdoor Retailer looking for emerging brands • Why Backcountry literally put buyers at a desk for brands to come pitch • Why growing the entire outdoor industry can be better than constantly fighting competitors Backcountry currently describes the Garage as its program for finding and championing emerging and differentiated outdoor brands, and brands can apply directly through the Garage page. CONNECT WITH BACKCOUNTRY GARAGE https://www.backcountry.com/rc/backcountry-garage Backcountry https://www.backcountry.com
Podden och tillhörande omslagsbild på den här sidan tillhör
craig obrist. Innehållet i podden är skapat av craig obrist och inte av,
eller tillsammans med, Poddtoppen.
