Switchback Spring, May 22-24, 2027 in New Orleans, LA
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Switchback at TRE, December 1-3, 2026 in San Antonio, TX
The outdoor industry is a passion business. The challenge isn’t getting people in the door. It’s keeping them once they’re in. Whether you operate an outdoor specialty retail store or lead a product team for a brand, this webinar takes a critical look at today’s job market and how to strengthen employee ties to this industry for the long haul.
This conversation draws on three vantage points: the classroom shaping the next generation of outdoor professionals, a workplace built to retain employees, and a wide-angle view of the job market itself. We’ll explore what real investment in people actually looks like, and what happens when businesses get it right. Outdoor leaders will leave with candid, actionable insight on how to strengthen and retain top talent.
Key takeaways:
Joshua Sims founded and owns The Gear Fix, an outdoor gear consignment and repair shop in Bend, Oregon, with 35 employees, full benefits, and PTO. He occasionally still moonlights as a river guide.
Dr. Lamarra teaches in USU’s interdisciplinary program integrating design, engineering, sustainability, management, and industry collaboration to prepare students for careers in the outdoor industry. She partners with brands including NASA, Outdoor Research, Black Diamond, and Salomon to bring real-world projects into the classroom. Her scholarship centers on design strategy and aesthetic brand identity building, with a focus on cultivating curiosity, iteration, and reflection in future-ready creative teams.
Jenna Celmer is an outdoor industry tech founder and investor with a devastating wit and a passion for breakfast foods.
A self-proclaimed “Chief Hype Officer,” Jenna helps connect and empower the outdoor industry in all capacities through co-founding Basecamp Outdoor, a community and career hub for everyone from student to CEO. Here, she is privileged to educate and steward a shifting culture for both individuals and brands who work in the industry – or want to.
Jenna is driven by increasing access to opportunity and capital, and uses her unique knowledge in workforce trends, capacity building, and networking to do so.
Chris has worked in the fly-fishing retail world for his entire career. Since 2006, he has managed TCO Fly Shop, a five-store fly fishing specialty retailer in Pennsylvania. In 2019, he started VILD Consulting, helping specialty retailers with best practices, merchandising, e-commerce integration, and more. He has done extensive public speaking on optimizing business operations, managing inventory and staff, and merchandising.
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