Trailheads

When Kent Ebersole stepped into the role of president at Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), he framed the job less as a title and more as a mandate: lead with values, listen closely, and collaborate in ways that actually serve the people building the outdoor business every day. 

That same mindset is a big reason OIA chose to partner with Switchback. I caught up with Ebersole to talk about how the partnership formed, what OIA saw in Switchback parent company Diversified’s approach, and what the relationship is designed to deliver, especially for specialty retailers looking for signal in a noisy moment. 

Trailheads: Switchback is still a relatively new show in the bigger arc of the outdoor industry. How did the relationship between OIA and Switchback form?

Ebersole: My first exposure to that world was actually years ago, when I was at Active Interest Media. We’d meet with other organizations. Sometimes to explore potential partnerships, sometimes just to understand what they were building, and that’s when I first met the team behind The Running Event. What stood out was how put-together they were and how mission-driven they felt. They didn’t need anyone to “fix” them. They were running a tight ship with a clear point of view.

Fast forward to 2024, and an opportunity opened up for OIA to have conversations with event partners, and one of the first potential partners I reconnected with was The Running Event. They told me that they were building a standalone event with Switchback, and I was genuinely fascinated, again, because of that mission-driven approach.

Not long after, we set up a meeting between OIA staff and the Diversified team. We met in Nashville, which was essentially a halfway point, and there was just an instant connection. That’s really how it all started.

Trailheads: OIA can be selective about partnerships. Why did this one make sense?

Ebersole: A few things. First: they presented a plan that made sense. They’d already thought it through before they ever got to us. It wasn’t just talk.

The other piece is that they were clearly trying to meet the industry where the industry wants to be met. That’s harder than it sounds. You ask the industry a question and you get a million answers from brands, retailers, legacy players, emerging players, different categories, different priorities. And the truth is: those answers usually aren’t wrong. They’re just coming from different realities.

Switchback offered an opportunity to reset and listen again and to build from a solid foundation, not try to solve everything all at once.

Trailheads: You’ve talked about “doing it right” and not just spending big. What does “doing it right” actually look like in practice?

Ebersole: A big part of it is listening and then making disciplined choices based on what you hear.

For example, early on, they were focused on getting the right people in the room for the size and stage of the show. That matters. If you invite the wrong mix too early, you can create a situation where a brand shows up and says, “The right retailers aren’t here,” or retailers show up and say, “This doesn’t feel relevant.” You can’t throw money at that to fix it. You have to build it intentionally over time.

And that’s what they laid out: build from the core, grow smart, and manage it.

Trailheads: Another phrase I keep hearing from retailers and brands is: “They’re doing the right things.” Are there other “right things” you’ve seen that make Switchback a strong partner for OIA?

Ebersole: The biggest one is that it feels like a true partnership.

Before any contract was signed, we were going back and forth about what works best for the industry. They listened, they took action, and sometimes they’d say, “Yes, we agree, but that’s a year two or year three thing.” That’s a good sign. It’s not performative listening; it’s collaborative planning.

And it’s not just OIA. Retailers and brands have a voice, too. You can see the team actively taking input, capturing notes, and trying to balance competing needs. That’s hard work.

I also think they have the advantage of being able to adjust; no hard “pivot”, but adjust based on what they learned in year one, year two, year three. That flexibility is important if you’re trying to build something that actually fits the market instead of forcing the market to fit you.

Trailheads: Let’s talk specifically about retailers. What does the OIA and Switchback partnership mean for an outdoor retailer considering attending?

Ebersole: I think it comes down to content and community.

There’s a lot coming at the industry right now from economic pressure, policy volatility (trade policy, recreation policy), and consumer behavior changes. Retailers feel all of it. Brands feel all of it. And one of the most valuable things you can do is be in the room with other people trying to solve the same problems.

One of OIA’s roles in the partnership is helping ensure the content is meaningful. Especially for retailers. That means asking hard questions like: Is this topic important to retailers right now? Is it a priority right now? There are plenty of issues the industry cares about that may not be the most urgent retailer priorities in a given moment. So we need discipline.

If we do that well: if Switchback and OIA help shape sessions that translate big forces like trade policy, sustainability, or emerging tech into “here’s what it means for your shop” then you’ve got real value.

And the other point is: brands and retailers need to be in this together. It’s a symbiotic relationship. Brands want specialty retail to succeed. Retailers need brands to succeed. The best conversations happen when both are in the room.

Trailheads: Nuts and bolts: what will the partnership look like on the ground at Switchback Spring in New Orleans?

Ebersole: The simplest way I can describe it is that our teams are connected at the hip. We communicate constantly. If something comes up, it’s not a formal process, it’s more like walking down the hall and asking, “Hey, what do you think about this?”

So I don’t know that you’ll walk into the event and be able to point to one single element and say, “That’s the partnership.” I think you’ll feel it as a lot of small things done well. From the sessions, to the flow of the experience, to how the show improves from one edition to the next. And when something isn’t working? We’ll identify it and we’ll work on it. Together.

Switchback Spring takes place June 16–18, 2026, in New Orleans, LA. Attendee registration is now open – click here to learn more and register today.