Halfdays origin and early product-market fit

This week, we’re joined by Liz Anthony, Chief of Staff at Halfdays, the fast-growing women’s outdoor apparel brand redefining performance skiwear. Liz breaks down how Halfdays balances brand and performance marketing to scale a highly seasonal DTC business, including the role of founder-led content, creative diversity, and standout collaborations like HOKA in driving Q4 momentum.

From there, the group digs into how the Chief of Staff role acts as a force multiplier across marketing, product, and strategy - pulling from Liz’s consulting background to explore how strong operators create leverage in fast-moving brands.

We wrap with a collaborative discussion on KPI ownership, dashboards, and forecasting, covering how teams use simple tools like Google Sheets to track leading indicators, align cross-functional teams, and connect marketing execution to real business outcomes.

If you’re scaling a seasonal brand, building cross-functional clarity, or trying to connect brand moments to measurable growth, this episode is packed with practical insight.

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

Find out more about the Halfdays brand in another MOperators Episode: 

How Halfdays Turned Community into a Growth Engine - with CEO Ariana Ferwerda

Chapters:

00:00:00 – Introducing Liz and Halfdays’ Brand Story

00:03:10 – Finding Product-Market Fit in Women’s Ski Wear

00:08:00 – Expanding Beyond Ski: Year-Round and Omnichannel Growth

00:13:30 – Defining “Her”: Core Customer, Persona, and Positioning

00:19:00 – Chief of Staff Role: KPIs, Strategy, and Cross-Functional Glue

00:24:10 – Liz’s Operator Background and Translating Consulting Skills to DTC

00:30:20 – Building the Team, Ownership Culture, and Management Style

00:36:20 – Q4 and Black Friday: Hoka Collab, List Growth, and Demand

00:44:30 – Content Engine, Community, and Always-On Brand Marketing

00:52:30 – Channel Mix, Out-of-Home Bets, and Retargeting Strategy

01:01:00 – 2026 Roadmap: New Franchises, Launch “Moments,” and Playbooks

01:11:30 – Data Stack, KPIs, and Using Analytics to Drive Decisions

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