We're back this week with the thoughtful and hilarious Janette Sherman, marketing manager at Yeti Cycles. Janette shares her thoughts about working in the bike industry, evolving the conversation around diversity and inclusion, and making space for creativity. Like the episode? Leave a comment or iTunes review to let us know how we're doing!
Episode Transcript
Lisa: Hey, what's up everybody? This is your host, Lisa Slagle. I own a creative agency called Wheelie Creative as well as a creative action sports photography workshop company called wheelhouseworkshops.com.
So much has been happening lately. Holy cow. We just moved into a brand new office in Whitefish for out Whitefish crew. So that has been a tremendous amount of work. I just kept finding more and more stuff that we'd collected over the last three years in our previous building and I was like, why do we have mannequins in Hawaiian shirts? Why do we have Yeti costumes? Why do we have all these things? Like why? But I moved him anyway, so. That has been a really big deal and we're now in our new spot in Whitefish. So if you're in the area swing by will give you a cup of coffee.
Today is exciting, today on the podcast is Jeanette Sherman. She is the marketing manager of Yeti Cycles. She is hilarious, well-spoken, has this really global mindset and Jeanette is just a badass. She's one of the funniest people I've ever met, but she also knows how to pull it together and say some seriously serious stuff. So I hope you really enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed talking to Jeanette. She really gets into making the bike industry accessible and making cycling more mainstream and providing good community for people. She's really just an awesome, awesome human being - she used to be a demo driver and now she's the marketing manager of Yeti Cycles. So enjoy, Jeanette is something special. Have fun.
Lisa: So now, first question to kick off the podcast. Tell our audience about yourself - tell us what you're doing now, how you got there and kind of the highlight reel of your life.
Janette: The highlight reel of my life. Okay. Yeah, so I am, whether I like it or not, from California and grew up there on a small farm and went to school in Oregon at the University of Oregon. Go Ducks. And I majored in political science, international governments and PR in the journalism school. I kind of dabbled in doing some editorial for national public radio stations throughout the US and then kind of was always dabbling back and forth in the outdoor industry and worked for, you know resorts like Mount Bachelor and Mount Hood Meadows and North Star in Tahoe. And then finally, I really, really took the plunge in the cycling world back in 2012 as a demo driver for Liv, which is Giant’s women's brand and if you don't know that already shame on you. Not you personally but listeners everyone should know who Liv is this point in my opinion.
And then slowly but surely I moved through the ranks there. I was actually a demo driver only for 6 months when a position opened on the US Marketing side for Liv. So I moved in-house, back to California of all places. I never thought my outdoor industry career would take me back essentially 40 minutes from my hometown. I loved my time there, super awesome. I actually moved on into the global office so same office, but the global aspect of the business. And then about three and a half four years later I accepted a position as the marketing manager at Yeti Cycles here in Golden, Colorado. It's wonderful.
Lisa: What do you do now at Yeti specifically?
Janette: So this is specifically, okay. We're going to be specific. So at this point, I do a number of things. We actually just hired a marketing director because sometimes I'm not really great at being organized and strategic. No I shouldn't say that. I just, you know, I like to be a kind of like boots-on-the-ground sort of person and it doesn't always leave me time to be strategic. So at this point, I'm focused on communications, especially when it comes to product and the overall brand a bit. So like copywriting, those kinds of things. Anything on the social realm. I do all the Yeti social media, product marketing, product placement, public relations. I help with the ambassador program. I'm sure I'm missing stuff. I used to do the budgeting process, but I'll just assist in that moving forward, assist with our tribe events, race team, et cetera. I think that covers most of it.
Lisa: That sounds really fun. I'm interested. I did not know that you were a demo driver and I'm interested what you thought of that experience because that's how a lot of people get into the bike industry. So, how'd that go for you?
Janette: Yeah, I think it's our ongoing joke at Giant is that you want to retire to become like a demo driver because it’s so much fun. But there are aspects of it that are really challenging in that you have to be super comfortable being alone. Long periods of time like, you know, 8-10 hour drive pulls through like - God - places like Northern Texas or something. Nothing against Northern Texas is just very desolate and a lot of the gas stations look like Chainsaw Massacre.
So there's that, and you always hit that gas station at about 11 p.m. So I think the good part about it is that it really gives you the opportunity to get to know retailers and the people who are, again, those boots on the ground selling bikes and really representing the sport for us. And then obviously you'll have that consumer interface as well. So these people are like, these are the people that truly are moving the sport forward I think in a lot of ways in that they're the foundation, the ground floor.
And then as a demo driver you're also required to be a pretty efficient and proficient, if you will, mechanic, so we had a fleet of twenty five bikes mountain, road and some cross at that point. I think now they run… they might run an ebike or two in there at this point. So you have to be also efficient in that level. So like not only are you being social and like, you know, maybe giving retailers input on how to better sell to consumers and interacting with consumers on a pretty intimate level when it comes to like getting them on bikes or doing clinics. And then there you are also being a mechanic. So I think it's a really like left-right brain kind of job, you have to be pretty well rounded.
Lisa: Yeah, and a lot of time on the road, so did you have any special road trip podcasts or music lists?
Janette: Oh God Spotify will save you. You have to have it. Absolutely. Podcasts, I'm definitely kind of old school with the like This American Life. Wait. Wait, Don't Tell Me because I’m an NPR gal anything like Serial, any of the serial podcast and S-Town... that wasn't out yet, but that kind of stuff is really intriguing. So yeah, I did a lot of podcasts out there for sure.
Lisa: Yeah, and now you live in a home that's not on wheels and work in an office. How's that? How's that going?
Janette: So I would say that transition initially, so I did that transition in February 2013, was really tough. It is like a weird culture shock having to like, while we use the word intimate to mean different things in our culture, like having those sort of day-to-day more intimate relationships was really challenging at first because it's not like those surface-level conversations that you have typically on the road. So it was really challenging at first. It was like honestly like the closest thing I've ever had to I guess culture shock in a way. I don't know if it would exactly classify that as culture shock, but that is maybe what I would call it.
It was challenging but I got through it and you learn to like socialize like a normal person again, but it does it does change you for the long-term. Like I find myself much more in need of, like, that alone time. So I just, luckily my fiancé knows that and he knows don't talk to Jeanette. I'm not gonna bite his head off or anything. He just knows. It was nice because I'm a very extroverted person when I was younger and I think it really helped me get in touch with that introverted side that actually helps me take better care of myself.
Lisa: That's cool. It's also nice your fiancé knows but you need some Jeanette time.
Janette: Definitely. Yeah.
Lisa: Yeah. Well, that's perfect, because this podcast is also so much about creativity. So, you know, where do you tend to get your best ideas from? Where do your best ideas come from?
Janette: Yeah, so I used to do this thing where I would keep a notebook, or you know, something next to my bed. I try not to look at my phone at night, so taking notes on my phone wasn't always the best, but I actually do that more so. I sleep a lot better now for whatever reason… I didn't when I was traveling as much as. Even as a demo driver, but especially when I was working on the global side. It's almost like you kind of live in this perpetual state of jet lag so you don't sleep as well. I sleep a lot better now, but I definitely have like this kind of early morning waking hours. I'm like, oh my gosh, like we should do that or try that out.
Equally trite might be, I really do come up with my best ideas when I'm riding on my bike. So typically my better ideas come not when I'm riding something super technical. So I tend to be super focused when I'm riding bigger, more challenging rock gardens and things like that, so I'm only thinking about staying alive in those situations. But that's why I really like going on... I still road ride - which, some people at Yeti make fun of me for it. That's okay, but it's just a really good time for me to not only like spin out my legs but really get some good thought in. I don't go out with that intention necessarily, I think that stifles my creativity sometimes, but it'll just happen. We'll just be out there and I’ll have written half the copy, you know for the next product year like ooh, that's good. That’s done, in my head at least. So those are my usual times.
Lisa: That's awesome. I used to ride my bike on the Whitefish Trail into town 11 miles, but this year there's a Grizzly bear sow with two cubs that's kind of posting up out there. So I don't like to ride in the early morning and evening hours right now.
Janette: Right. Fair.
Lisa: Yeah, but that's... I agree that being on the bike is an awesome time to generate ideas. Yeah, but do you have a trick for remembering your ideas?
Janette: Oh gosh. Mine typically is, I unfortunately have my phone on me too much. So I'll memo myself. I'll text myself or I'll do a voice memo. Yeah, because it is, that's the worst when you do think of those things and you forget it and it happens to me at least every couple weeks for sure. So yeah, I voice memo myself on my cell phone or I’ll like text a friend - like voice text. You know, I'll stop my bike. Don't worry. I'm not riding my bike while I'm doing that but I'll stop and I'll like either... especially if I was talking to a friend of mine. I've definitely had my kind of go-to collaborative creative friends that I run ideas by and I'll sometimes text them and be like, “oh my God. I just had this idea. Tell me what you think. I'll be done with my ride in an hour,” you know one of those things.
Lisa: That's awesome.
Janette: And the other thing I was going to say is actually, like your comment like sounds like you are maybe commuting on your bike and I'm always a proponent for bike commuting. I don't do it enough, but I have a lot of really great friends who do especially this time of year. It's awesome here because our days are actually pretty long, not as long as yours in Montana, but those are like... that's such a nice way to wind up if you will and unwind from your day. And it's such a more natural transition for me. I don't feel, I don't know. I think maybe I get into the car and immediately put on the news and then kind of don't let myself sort of like decompress after work or vice versa as I'm coming into work I'm sort of ramping up. Again, too much news probably in this day and age, unfortunately. But I like the bike ride it just... you just feel so much more in tune with the world around you. And I think it's much more like natural way of like transitioning into your day and out of your day. And you come up with great ideas.
Lisa: Totally, totally, and not get eaten by bears.
Janette: That's what I would say, maybe not.
Lisa: Yeah. That's my favorite thing about riding in Colorado is I'm not in paralyzing fear constantly.
Janette: Of that? Yeah. So what's funny is I have opposite in that like, I'd rather ride in Montana because I'm deathly afraid of snakes. So there's a lot more snakes here in Colorado than there especially where you are, but I get it. Both are real fears in my opinion.
Lisa: They are.
Ad Break: Do you feel like you have nothing in common with traditional ad agencies? Do you count time in powder days and desert trips? Do you own or work for a company that's heavily involved in the outdoor industry? And mostly, do you like measurable results that you can understand delivered by people who understand you? Hey, congratulations. You just found your brand's favorite adventure partner. That's right, I'm talking about those nerds over at wheeliecreative.com. Wheelie: like a bike doing a wheelie. It's named that because it helps your business level up. Also when I was 22, I thought Wheelie Creative was a really good pun for really creative. But anyway, Wheelie Creative is a creative agency for people who thrive outside. wheeliecreative.com check them out. But you might be asking yourself. Hey Lisa, isn't that your company? Yes. Yes it is my company, but I'm paying my employees to edit this podcast. So you get to hear a commercial about it. wheeliecreative.com. I promise you won't regret it.
Lisa: That's exciting that you work in the bike industry and you are a female in a sea of dudes and you're in the, you know, manager status, marketing manager. Do you ever notice that gender split in your position or is it not a thing anymore or what do you notice?
Janette: Yeah, I think it's still a day-to-day thing in a lot of aspects of the industry and you know, I really always appreciated the way Elena Caldwell, if you're not familiar with her she actually did a vital MTB podcast a few like months ago or maybe a year ago. And she always says that she's going to call her book The Only Girl In the Room. But I love that she said she doesn't see herself that way where sometimes people would point that out to her, like, oh, well, since you're the girl, could you like, tell us what you think on this spec or what have you and she's been an industry for a long time.
Except at Liv, Liv has a very different configuration that you're there in many ways because you're a woman and it’s a women's brand run by women. That's not to say that there aren't men who work on that brand. There are quite a few actually. But Yeti, clearly that's you know a bit different. So now we have nine women who work at Yeti including the marketing director, she's actually a female as well and came from Nike and so I would say like we have women in pretty much all aspects of the business here. And when I'm in meetings, about products especially, you know, first and foremost I am there as a representative for marketing and as a representative of someone who's worked in the industry for a while and has perspective on global markets and domestic markets. So that's my role first and foremost in those meetings, but absolutely. I'm expected and I understand that there are times where I am asked to be the woman and give a certain opinion.
Now, I'm not the only one clearly. I'm not the only person giving product direction on our Yeti Beti line just because I'm female. Actually every woman here who rides would give perspective on that. And then of course, we have a group of women outside of the company that we really lean on as well. So I don't come, you know, I don't come in every day to my job thinking like, “how am I gonna progress women's cycling.” Which, you know, like there are times, there are certain days where yeah, I do think that but most days I come in here and it’s like, how am I going to further the brand? How am I going to make, you know cycling and mountain biking approachable, you know for everybody? How am I going to be the best at what I do? And then luckily, I think that because of that, I can then bring, you know, hopefully women into the sport and be a role model in that regard. Does that… sound like it makes sense?
Lisa: Yeah, that's a nice perspective. It is funny when you're the token female and you're supposed to represent all of womankind and you're like whoa. Whoa. Whoa.
Janette: Yeah. No, that's too much. Right?
Lisa: Yeah.
Janette: There was a really interesting interview recently. I just caught the end of it about a woman, it was on a TED Talk and it was on the TED Radio Hour and her book is called Bad Feminist because like she didn't feel like she fit., like, what a feminist is supposed to be and then you follow like her journey through that process. I thought that was really interesting.
Do I do I categorize myself as a feminist? Absolutely, like 150 percent, like, big time, you know. I am definitely someone, like, I'm all 110% behind Ruth Bader Ginsburg saying like yeah, there should be nine women on the Supreme Court because there were nine men and nobody blinked an eye at that, you know, but. I would like... just equal would be good to start with and I think that's really where it's at like equal representation. Not only of like gender, but ethnicity and backgrounds and culture. I think it's going to be really important not only for us as a society and a country but also as we move to the outdoor industry, too. Obviously I think we all can agree that it tends to be white male centric. So now we've gotten to... from white male centric to, we've got the white females in there. Okay, how do we get women of color into it ,people of different ethnic background, people of different socio backgrounds into these sports. That's going to be… that's how I want to evolve the conversation as we move forward.
Lisa: Yeah, yeah, I always feel like brands are doing a good job, like, trying to integrate things for women and trying to offer more things. But then I think it's a delicate balance between like relegating everything to like. Oh, well, that's the women's stuff.
Janette: Yeah.
Lisa: Or even like, you know, the difference between Giant and Liv and you know, dudes being like, “oh, what kind of bike is that? It looks cool.” And this year I'm on a Liv Hale and I'm like, “oh, it's a Hale.” And they’ll be like, “yeah, that's the chick one.” And like turn away! And I'm like, this bike is sick!
Janette: It is sick. I loved that bike. I practically stood on a table to make sure that bike happened. So it's a great bike. I'm a big fan of that bike. Yeah, and I hear you. Like how do we evolve the conversation? And I think what I love about Liv is, they have a role that that's like a real foothold. I've only in about last year, year-and-a-half started saying they instead of we for Liv. So this is a coup for me. But I think they have this foothold where they are very much like focused on that woman's market, right? Like, you know, you're getting a women's specific product in their realm, and they should they should like continue to forge on that path. But I love, I always have said this, too, I love that there are options now. You know that there's Juliana who doesn't necessarily have a women's specific design, but they have aspects of the bike that are going to be better for maybe, you know a female rider whether that's shock tune. And that's a similar approach we take too at Yeti for our Yeti Beti line is that we do a lighter toned shock for women, shorter crank arms, women's specific saddle, right. So my point is like, I think options are just so important. You know, for everybody.
Lisa: Absolutely, totally. So, I grew up in Fort Collins working in bike shops, and I love the bike industry. I love bike culture. I love working in shops and you know working my way up from there. But what's your favorite thing about working in the bike industry?
Janette: Getting to ride my bike and calling it work. That's the best. Yeah, you know, you know, this, I’ve told you this. Like, there are days that my my job is not perfect. My life is not perfect Shock. Oh, wow. Like, I think we're all as a society coming to terms with, like, this whole social media story we put out there. Like this front of “my life is perfect.” It's not real, right, like we all have those days where you're just. Yeah, you're sad or you're frustrated or whatever that is, you know… and I'm not going to say that doesn't happen at Giant or Liv like we all have those frustrating days. But at the end of the day, I get just quit my work every day at 11:30 and go ride my bike if I want to. You know, I’m not forced to, but I get to go from 11:30 to 1:00 and ride my bike if I would like. And honestly, it's just like the expectation is, I'm at least not working. And I love that there’s that balance.
And then you know like yeah, I get to go out, like the last time I saw you in Brevard for Roam Fest in North Carolina and you know really talked to women about what they're looking for in product and what they think about Yeti and. That's my job. Like I'm doing work when I do that, but I love that it doesn't feel like work. So that's my that is my absolute first favorite.
But I also I really do love the people. You know, I think that I could I go back into these normal jobs and you know where you can't drop f-bombs or you can't, like it's political, you know, there's always that kind of political maneuvering and I just couldn't do it. I couldn't do it. It would be, I don't know I think I get fired in the first week. I'd probably say to somebody, what the fuck are you talking about? Are you crazy? I'd probably get fired. I say that, I think that's really a cool part about Yeti too. And those discussions happen at any bike company, people are really passionate. And granted. It's not life or death for anybody. But like we're here because we're passionate about it, you know, and so we will have those really heated conversations like, about a chain ring size or crank arm length or a fork offset, you know, those those conversations happen. And yeah, I love that there. It's just awesome people so much fun.
Lisa: That's hilarious. Yeah, you're right. It's very passion driven. And yeah, with passion comes a lot of pride.
Janette: There’s that. There’s a pride aspect. Yeah. I just love too, you know, I'm never it's not like I'm not question if I walk in the door and my yoga pants like they're like, cool. She went to yoga this morning. Like, great, or whatever. Or, she's still wearing her pajamas. It doesn't matter because she's here with her brain, like, she's here to work and I think that like, I love that, that it doesn't matter like, if I'm in a suit to do my job. Because we all know thatn doesn’t matter, doesn’t make you do worse at your job.
Lisa: I would love for you to walk into Yeti in like your pantsuit.
Janette: Oh my God, they would be like, are you quitting? What's happening, do you have an interview today? Are you on trial? Like literally, they wouldn't know what to do. That was a joke at Giant, if you were too dressed up they were like, so where are you interviewing today? Like, you putting in your two weeks? Yeah, it's not… it's not a thing at all. To dress up like that.
Lisa: Yeah. Do you have a court date?
Janette: Yeah, totally, like so, are you like on trial?
Lisa: Yeah, but that's the same culture we have going on at our office. Yeah, I would be highly alarmed if someone came in in a suit.
Janette: Yeah, it's funny. It's funny. It's funny like that. Those kind of things can really like in my opinion like, determine, kind of, happiness in a way. Like I just felt like I was putting on a costume. Like it really did like enlighten me in like more ways than one, you know, and I've talked to you about that. We're like in this industry, like in healthcare or something like that, I'd be like, here's who I am at work, you know and like I'm learning how to mountain bike, you know, and my knees are like bleeding through said pantsuit. And I’m like, “so I crashed last night” you know, just bandaging it up trying to make sure I don't bleed through. And no skirts that week because again, that's not hygienic either. So there's that.
But anyways. Yeah, it felt like a costume in many different ways. It wasn't a fit.
Lisa: Yeah, and then you go home from work and you're like, I can be myself again.
Janette: Yeah, which, I don't love that feeling. I don't do that anymore. That's not, that doesn't happen at all, anymore, so that's good.
Lisa: Yeah. And now, time for another commercial break.
Ad Break: Are you a woman with a camera who wants to up her photography skills in the outdoor industry? Sign up for a workshop at wheelhouseworkshops.com. These are creative action sports workshops designed for women, by women. There aren't very many women in action sports photography. So these workshops are created with the purpose of helping elevate women in the creative outdoor action sports space. What that means is one day of on-snow shooting professional female athletes and learning from the best lady photographers in the business, followed by a day of post-production and an art show showing your best work. It's super fun. It's awesome. The next one is going to be in Jackson Hole. Stay tuned. You can sign up for more information and to get notified of about the next event at wheelhouseworkshops.com.
Lisa: What's your advice to someone who might be working in the industry and shops or maybe they are a marketing assistant or something. What's your advice to people who want to get more into marketing for outdoor companies, big picture? Like what do you think are some traits they should try to embody and skill sets that might help somebody who wants to advance in their career.
Janette: Yeah, I'm really into just really understanding your consumer and really understanding like, what people are doing. And that doesn't have to be, you know, globally, like especially if you're working at a shop. You have to think about who's your audience, right? We always say that about writing and the same thing comes with marketing and sales and all these things is really understanding, like, who is buying, consuming, interested, passionate about your product, right?
And well, I think even all of us, sometimes there are days when you want to just be on the trail and you just want to be head down. You don't want to talk to anybody and you’re in that mode and their time that that's okay, but I really take like a vested interest in stopping and talking to people and you know, like I love it when I see a girl like on a Juliana but she's in like Yeti shorts. I'm like, hey tell me about like why you bought that Juliana and like, why you bought these shorts. I always say full disclosure, I work for Yeti. So like yeah, I'm totally doing market research on you right now, but I sincerely want to know like what made her make that choice. And sometimes it means you know, having kind of uncomfortable conversations, you know. Whether it feels awkward or what-have-you. That's not an example of an awkward conversation.
But I think taking the time to really get to know your consumer and then taking out... like yeah when I did work at Liv and being able to take that on a global scale and the same here at Yeti. You know I had one person who worked with at Yeti at one point. He said well, “yeah our raincoats don't sell, we’re a Colorado company” and I was like, “okay, no, like we are a global company.” We have Global Distributors. There are people around the world - and beyond the raincoats, like, we need to be thinking globally all the time. That's where like, you know, that's important to who we are and I think just really getting to know the consumer is fascinating, too. There's always some sort of thing that you had no idea was affecting their buying habits or decision-making and just looking at that information and gathering. It's so interesting.
Lisa: Yeah, absolutely. You keep referencing kind of a global mindset. Does that include something for everyone or understanding that lots of people go through things that you never will go through or what do you think is included in that global mindset?
Janette: Yeah. Well, I will say we are in a different time in a different place with Yeti because we in some ways unapologetically go in a direction and we say that, that's our ethos. Our ethos is we build bikes we want to ride. And so I think there's a balance to that, right, like anything you can pigeon... you can put yourself in a really bad place if you're going to be everything to everyone. It's not possible. But I think like if it's if there's a key thing that's going to help you really lock in a German market like so for example, like the German market like let's say there's this key thing like they still want front derailleur hangers. Or front derailleur mounts. That's an example. They just don't want to be able to mount a front derailleur on their bike. Okay, we've heard that, at least, right, so we know. Whether we do it or not. We do know it's a challenge in that market. So how do we overcome that? Right? Maybe it's making sure that our distributor has ample demos so that he can go out and he can get sales staff on the floor in German retailers on bikes with 1x and really get them to buy into a 1x drivetrain.
I mean is that specifically a problem in German Market? Probably not as much anymore. It used to be. There are ways that we can by doing that research, at least now we know our challenges. Doesn't mean we will necessarily implement everything we learn, but at least we understand what we're up against. Does that answer the question?
Lisa: I think it does. Yeah, I think you know for us on the creative side, the trait I always look for when I'm hiring is curiosity.
Janette: Yeah.
Lisa: You know whether it's cynicism or just curiosity, someone who can look at things as they will why is it like that? Yeah, is that a symptom? Is that a cause? And be kind of analytical and I think creativity helps in marketing and or I think curiosity helps in all these things.
Janette: I think too, just thinking about like, I love how I don't I don't always think of myself as like a super creative person. I'm not like not like over here like doodling a zebra while we're talking that's like not happening. I wish it was but it's taking a long time for me to like really value aspects of my creativity because they're not necessarily something that like, I don't make like a painting. But hopefully like curiosity. Yeah asking those questions, taking a creative approach to something. I think that's really powerful to like see your creativity in different ways. Right, like maybe problem solving or whatever that is, like, coming in with that curiosity like you're saying is super important. I totally agree.
Lisa: Yeah. Yeah, okay. So my my last question of the day here is, I noticed Yeti Cycles uses the word tribe a lot which I think is pretty cool and unique to the bike industry. So what is that mean to Yeti and what does that mean to you and what you have what's behind this whole tribe
Janette: Yeah a lot. So tribe is to be, like, the totally straightforward way of thinking about it in a Yeti Cycles aspect is anyone who owns a Yeti, pure and simple. End of story. So you bought a Yeti from the store. If you bought a Yeti used, if you bought a Yeti 10 years ago, if you bought a Yeti today, you're in the tribe. But I love this one, on the trail, I've had two people ask me this if I buy the Yeti does it mean I have to be in the tribe. You're like well, I mean, I guess the way we define it, yes, but it doesn't mean like... we're not going to like force you to sacrifice like your firstborn or something. That's not the obligation. It's just like, you're in, like, you're in this group and it's not again. It's not like about exclusivity. It's about that… we're the types of mountain bikers who are looking for bikes that perform on the highest level. We're looking for adventure.
We are, you know, we're friendly and inclusive and raw and probably a little raunchy sometimes. It's sort of like the messy side of our brand whereas like our product is so dialed, you know, we're winning races around the world. And like there’s that like really polished side of our brand and then tribe is sort of the fun, messy side of the brand and that's the people. And we call them we call them lovingly Yeti freaks because they are really obsessed and passionate about our bikes, it’s just awesome.
So yeah, my ears definitely perk, too, whenever I hear tribe now and I've heard it in other contexts. It's actually kind of common in the yoga world, you know, people always like oh this is my tribe and which is awesome. It's great. I think it has this sort of like... it has that sort of like face warpaint kind of like sensation, you know, we're not doing that yet. No war at all would be peace paint for us, but. Yeah, I just, I think the tribe itself has this sort of like, yeah tribal quality rate like nomadic and kind of crazy and you're not sure what's to expect. I think that's pretty perfect. And we do gather. We gather once a year. We have our tribe Gathering. That's our official gathering with Yeti Cycles somewhere in Colorado or very near it. Sometimes we will venture into Utah for it. And then we do an international Gathering which is kind of. It's kind of like the highest and it's a super tends to be not only pricey, but it's a bigger time commitment and lots and lots of miles over a number of days. So our next one's going to be coming up in late August and September we're going to do our second Betty tribe Gathering as well in Scotland.
Lisa: Wow. Will you be going to Scotland?
Janette: I'm going to Scotland. I'm so excited. Yeah, I need to start training. Training and stay healthy. Those are my two things.
Lisa: August. You're going to Scotland?
Janette: Yeah, September 1st. So the Betty tribe goes September 1st through September 8. Scotland. Want to come? You can buy a Yeti. Sorry Liv. Sorry Liv people. Lisa’s buying a Yeti she's going Scotland. They’re like, “aaaah,” screaming at me through the, I don’t know, the Ether, something.
Lisa: Yeah. Yeah, did you... so when you were like 12 year old Janette growing up in California. Would you ever have imagined you'd be living in Colorado working at one of the most badass bike companies out there?
Janette: Definitely not because I kind of hated bikes. So I was like, “why, I don't understand how to shift gears.” Yeah. I grew up horseback riding. I grew up like on that small farm, you know, so my parents more than anything were determined for me not to be interested in boys. So that was they were successful for a while, but then like I don't know puberty hit and I was like, oh what's this other half of the population doin?. So anyway yeah. I actually I think about that a lot like even in high school. No, I would have been like what no, like you kidding me? I don't even like bikes. I think that's what I would have told you, seriously.
Lisa: That’s amazing.
Janette: Right? Yeah. I liked riding bikes downhill, not uphill. That still kind of holds true. Why is this hurting. Why do I have to shift so much? So yeah, that was I was really challenged by shifting which is so funny, but no I would never have never have thought. I was gonna be a lawyer. For sure.
Lisa: Wow.
Janette: A lawyer or professional gymnast. Yeah, that didn't work. I can't even do a back handspring save my life.
Lisa: So this works.
Janette: Yeah, at 12 I was probably really enjoying horseback riding. I would've told you I would've been like a Olympic horseback rider. Whatever that means. I guess that's a promising career.
Lisa: That's beautiful.
Janette: I always had high aspirations clearly. I'm much happier than I think whoever the person the twelve-year-old Janette would have manifested. I'm much happier than that person.
Lisa: It's true. That's good. You have a whole tribe.
Janette: Yeah. I have a whole tribe of Yeti freaks who ride bikes a ton. Yeah, it's awesome. I’m really lucky.
Lisa: You can find Jeanette by giving her a follow. You can follow @YetiCycles on Instagram and I'm pretty sure Janette has a private Instagram account, but you can request follow and see if she'll follow you. It's @JanetteNoel and she is a good time. So give her a follow.
Thanks so much for listening to Outside by Design, tune in next week when I'm speaking with Re Wickstrom - a professional photographer as well as the senior photographer at backcountry.com. So tune in next week. Here's a sneak peek.
Re: I see so many more women, I feel like, getting involved in outdoor sports in general. I see so many more women just out on the skin track, out on the trails. But then I think there's also been... especially with the rise of social media because that's only been happening, I'd say for like half of my career really. It's been really cool to see women step in and say hey well, maybe the traditional model wasn't supporting women so I can do this myself and I'll put it out there, you know, maybe the companies aren't going to back us, but I can back me.
Comments