In this insightful podcast, Robin Thurston, the CEO of Outside, shares his journey from founding MapMyFitness to joining Under Armour and eventually leading the charge at Outside. Thurston highlights the importance of being resilient in entrepreneurship. He emphasizes the need to focus on three main decisions once you take institutional funding: going bust, selling to a strategic partner, or going public. He also shares valuable marketing lessons he learned from Kevin Plank, the founder of Under Armour, including the importance of attention to detail, storytelling, and relationship building.
Thurston discusses the differences in company culture between MapMyFitness and Under Armour, highlighting the former's focus on technology and customer-driven innovation. He reveals the story behind his decision to leave Under Armour and pursue content-based subscription models, leading to the creation of Outside. The podcast also delves into the challenges of competing against attention-grabbing tech giants like TikTok and Twitter, as Thurston explains the need to develop compelling reward mechanisms that encourage outdoor activities and improve overall health.
00:00 - Introduction
00:13 - Different API Integrations
03:58 - Robin's Background in Cycling
06:13 - Robin's Career in Finance
07:25 - The Beginning of MapMyFitness
09:42 - Launching Early in the App Store
10:33 - Realizing the Potential of Mobile Apps
11:54 - Being Featured in the App Store and Distribution
15:55 - Kevin's Attention to Detail and Storytelling
17:46 - Differences in Culture: From MapMyFitness to Under Armour
19:19 - Launching Health Box and Connected Shoe Hover
20:11 - Competing for Resources in Big Companies
21:00 - Friction Between Technology and Clothing Company Cultures
22:14 - Robin's Clear Vision for Outside
23:16 - The Story Behind Acquiring Outside
23:35 - Building the Complete Picture of Health with Under Armour Record
24:27 - Considering a Billion Dollar Subscription Business with Content
26:16 - Robin's Idea to Unify Fragmented Publications Under One Umbrella
27:57 - Reaching Out to Larry Burke, Founder of Outside Magazine
29:18 - Convincing Entrepreneurs to Join the Unified Vision
31:18 - Pitching Entrepreneurs vs. Pitching Investors
33:09 - The Long-term Partnership Aspect of Acquiring Companies
33:39 - Differences in Raising Funds for the First Time and with Onset
34:02 - Lessons Learned from Pitching to Investors
34:58 - Importance of Knowing When to Move On in Sales
35:54 - Maintaining Optimism Amidst Rejections
36:11 - Role of Cycling & Childhood in Resilience
37:03 - Overcoming Difficulties & Building Outside
37:47 - Creating a Seamless Experience for Consumers
38:58 - The Journey from Inspiration to Participation
40:31 - Addressing the Global Health Crisis
41:48 - The Importance of Connection to the Planet
43:13 - Competing with Indoor Time and Building Reward Mechanisms
47:15 - The Importance of Outdoor Time and Mental Health
48:48 - The Role of Intermediaries and Restricting Social Media Usage
49:42 - Building Solutions to Counterbalance Negative Impacts
50:27 - Discussing Potential Rewards for Spending Time Outdoors
51:15 - Pokemon Go: Gamification to Encourage Physical Activity
52:18 - Rewarding Users with NFTs
52:37 - Outside's Future in 5 Years
53:57 - Wearables and Outside's Connection
54:24 - The Future of Wearables
56:09 - Integrated Personalized Healthcare
57:15 - Revolutionizing Health through Data
58:42 - Measuring Biomarkers Dynamically
59:32 - Understanding Body Chemistry
01:00:29 - Breaking Olympic Records through Efficiency and Knowledge
01:01:11 - Closing Remarks and Collaboration
The Site ► http://tryterra.co
More Podcasts ►https://blog.tryterra.co/podcast/home
Twitter ► https://twitter.com/terraapi
Linkedin ► https://www.linkedin.com/company/terraapi
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