The Breakout Growth Podcast

International Expansion as a Growth Lever, Another Chat With AllTrails CEO

Nov 28, 2023

Ron Schneidermann, CEO of AllTrails, shares insights into the company's dynamic growth journey post-pandemic. He discusses ambitious strategies for international expansion and the complexities of adapting to new markets. Ron emphasizes the importance of a growth mindset, balancing vulnerability with authenticity to drive innovation. He reflects on the challenges of team management and scaling the product while maintaining a strong culture. The conversation highlights valuable lessons in breaking into diverse markets and the necessity of genuine local connections.

01:03:29

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Episode guests

Ron Schneidermann

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

AllTrails has sustained growth post-COVID by engaging underserved communities and enhancing storytelling to attract a wider audience.

Ron Schneiderman highlights the importance of authenticity in leadership and fostering a culture of open communication and empathy within the team.

The complexities of international expansion for AllTrails involve cultural localization and unique market challenges requiring tailored strategies for different regions.

Deep dives

Maintaining Growth Momentum

The episode highlights how AllTrails has successfully maintained its growth momentum even after the initial surge during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company experienced a significant increase in users seeking outdoor activities as traditional options were limited. To sustain this growth as the world reopened, AllTrails focused on continually making the outdoors relevant to a wider audience by engaging underserved communities and enhancing storytelling efforts. This strategic emphasis on inclusivity and accessibility helped the app maintain a user base while adapting to new societal norms.

Intro

2min

Building a Growth Mindset Through Vulnerability and Authenticity

2min

Insights and Opportunities in Breakout Growth

2min

The Journey of AllTrails

8min

Navigating International Expansion

14min

Trailblazing Growth at AllTrails

4min

Evolving Growth Strategies: Culture and Collaboration

15min

Vulnerability in Leadership

15min

If you want to know just how awesome AllTrails is, just ask Apple! Out of over 2 million apps in the App Store, AllTrails is one of just three finalists waiting to hear if they have been selected as Apple’s 2023 App of the Year. So, of course, we are delighted to welcome back to the podcast, Ron Schneidermann, AllTrails’s CEO.

Ron first joined Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr for a chat back in early 2022. At the time, the company was riding Covid-driven enthusiasm for socially distanced activities and had recently raised $150 million in private equity funding. Now, almost two years later, we wanted to hear how it has been going for this hyper-growth app that helps people have fun exploring the outdoors.

After the pandemic, Ron and his team were determined to continue accelerating growth and that meant pushing in new directions while at the same time building on what was already working well. To keep moving forward, they made big bets on international expansion, invested in new areas like e-commerce, and kept the focus on improving mindset and execution. And the growth has continued.

“Momentum begets momentum,” says Ron, and while the flywheel has accelerated and many of the bets have worked out, it hasn’t all been easy. In this conversation, Ron shares not just the wins, but the struggles and challenges that come hand-in-hand with managing rocketship growth.

There is a lot to this episode. From valuable learnings when looking to expand across borders to a really important discussion on leadership and vulnerability. And you will find out what it means when Ron says at AllTrails “Authenticity is our currency.”AllTrails.

So jump into this week’s episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast. And thanks for listening to the Breakout Growth Podcast. Don’t forget, to watch us and subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-K_CY4-IrZ_auEIs0j97zA/featured

We discussed:

* Obsessing on growth, not just maintaining the status quo (08:43)

* “Much harder than we expected;” pushing for international growth (14:40)

* Modern growth structure. Is “head of growth” obsolete? (35:43)

* Growth as a role of influence, not ownership (36:36)

* People challenges and hypergrowth; avoiding toxcity (44:55)

* Authenticity as a personal core value (52:16)

And much, much, more . . .

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The Breakout Growth Podcast

International Expansion as a Growth Lever, Another Chat With AllTrails CEO

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Maintaining Growth Momentum

Importance of Authenticity and Vulnerability

Challenges of International Expansion

Evolving Team Dynamics and Culture

The Role of Leadership in Cultivating Growth Mindset

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts