Trailheads

Switchback Spring 2026 offers three days of education built specifically for outdoor retailers—all centered around the theme “Equipping the Outdoor Industry for the Future.”

Are you curious about what sessions are relevant to your role in specialty retail? We know the education program can be a little overwhelming, so we put together a quick breakdown of some role-based session recommendations.

Can’t-Miss Sessions by Track

Leadership — Store Owners & Managers

• From Cash Chaos to Confident Growth: A Profit System for Outdoor Specialty Retailers | Jacob Curtis, Curtis Accounting Solutions — This workshop-style session uses a real cash flow framework you can easily implement into your business.
• Lessons in Change Fluency for Outdoor Retail Leaders: Building Resilient, Adaptable Teams | Julie Lamarra, Utah State University — Gain practical strategies for leading your team through disruption.
• The Philosophy Behind a Team That Stays: Hiring and Retention Strategies for Independent Retailers | Chris Frangiosa, VILD Consulting Group / TCO Fly Shop — This session takes a culture-first approach to hiring and keeping valuable staff members in specialty retail.
• Trade Winds: Tariffs, Risk, and the Future of Outdoor Business | Cassie Abel, Wild Rye · Taldi Harrison, Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) · Emily Vedaa, Columbia Sportswear Company — Join a candid conversation on what the current trade landscape means for product costs, inventory, and planning.

Buying & Selling — Buyers, Merchandisers, & Sales Associates

• The Role of Ecommerce in Outdoor Specialty Retail | Lloyd Vogel, Garage Grown Gear — Get a real-world perspective on how to leverage ecommerce without losing your brick-and-mortar roots while extending your reach as a retailer.
• Future-Proofing Your Retail Store: Apparel Merchandising Strategies That Drive Performance | Holly Wiese, 3 Dots Design, Inc. — Explore creative apparel strategies that drive sales and keep customers coming back.
• The New Outdoors: Curating Product for the Lifestyle Consumer | Kelly Davis, Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) · Kerri Olson, Piragis Northwoods Company — Discover how shifting participation trends should inform your buying decisions to attract new consumers.
• Color Stories: Shaping Consumer Connections to Products | Carrie Hill, Rumpl — Take a closer look at how color strategy drives purchasing decisions and product storytelling.

Sustainability — Sustainability Leads & Sales Associates

• Durability as Value: Making Longevity a Competitive Advantage in Outdoor Retail | Julie Brown, Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) · Leigh Gray, W.L. Gore & Associates · Troy Sicotte, Mountain Hardwear · Chris Speyer, Mountain Equipment Company (MEC) — Walk away with new knowledge to sell durability as a consumer benefit, not just a technical spec.
• Selling What Matters: Using Sustainability to Elevate the Customer Experience | Rick Crawford, Emerger Strategies · Alex Lauver, Douglas Strategies — Learn how sustainability can become a sales tool that educates customers and drives more confident spending.
• The Retail Resale Opportunity: Strategies for Secondhand Success | Marcus Woolf, Trailheads — Find out how independent retailers are making resale a real revenue line in their shops.
• The Durability Strategy: Profitability, Trust, and the Long Game | Julie Brown, Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) · Matt Powell, Spurwink River · Chris Speyer, Mountain Equipment Company (MEC) · Megan Stoneburner, MCS Sustainable Solutions · Kerry Summers, W.L. Gore & Associates — Hear the business case for why building durability into your product strategy pays off in profitability and lasting customer trust.

Community — Community Engagement Managers & Event Leads

• 6 Lessons from the Outdoor Industry’s Best Marketers | Amanda Smith, Monday Creative — Discover proven marketing tactics for independent businesses — from building community to growing your audience and meeting your customers where they are.
• Expanding Outdoor Access to Sustain Growth: A Framework for Brands, Retailers, and Communities | Lesford Duncan, Outdoor Foundation — Gain a framework for how local communities can expand outdoor access that drives long-term growth.
• Moving the Outdoor Culture Off-Road: Community Building as a Bridge to a Stronger Industry | Jeff Armstrong Sr., Black Men Run · Lusire Boyd Sr., Black Men Run · Oscar Camejo, Black Men Run / TURF · Onyanga Dean, Black Men Run / TURF · Duane Goulbourne, Black Men Run / TURF · Tommie Runz, Creator — Explore what it takes to build a welcoming outdoor community — and how that work drives lasting change for the industry.
• State Outdoor Alliances: Supporting Advocacy and Building Local Economies | Jahmicah Dawes, Slim Pickins Outfitters · Jonathan Jarosz, Land of Outsiders · Heidi Prior, WVU Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative · Anna Rawlins, Eagles Nest Outfitters, Inc. · Mike Wallenfels, Oregon Outdoor Alliance — Learn how state-level alliances and businesses are working together to strengthen advocacy and build thriving local economies.

Featured Presentations — Open to All Badge Holders!

1. Who’s Getting Outside: Participation Trends Shaping the Outdoor Market | Kelly Davis, Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) — Get the latest data on who is participating in outdoor recreation, how they’re recreating, and what it means for outdoor retail.
2. Best Day Ever: A Blueprint for Building More Inclusive Outdoor Communities | Berne Broudy, Best Day Ever · Gregory Durso, Best Day Ever · Joe Jackson, Switchback — This film screening and panel explores access, community, and what a more inclusive outdoor industry looks like in practice.
3. Protecting Our Terrain: Adventure, Risk and the Value of Our Public Lands | Paul Hendricks, The Conservation Alliance · Griffin Post, The North Face — The outdoor industry’s public lands are under pressure — find out what’s at stake and how you can take action.

Switchback Spring 2026 is where the outdoor industry comes together to learn, connect, and make business happen. Below are a few helpful resources for the 2026 event:

• View the full education program
• See the daily agenda
• Browse the exhibitor list
• Register now!