November 7, 2025 • 48 mins
A brand doesn’t become real the day the website goes live—it becomes real the day someone beats it up on a mountain and still reaches for it the next morning. That’s the heart of our conversation with Dust founder Zach Colby, who walked away from politics to build a running brand rooted in the Mountain West: trails, dirt, big days, and gear that doesn’t need babysitting.
We trace the idea back to Boulder, where Zach saw a clear gap. The urban-run-club look had its champions, but the West’s mix of gravel, alpine, and singletrack culture felt underserved. Dust answers with simple, durable pieces that carry a Western soul—led by the mechanic shirt, a breathable button-down designed to race, ride, and recover. Zach breaks down the less glamorous side too: hunting for the right factory, negotiating MOQs, iterating fabric weights across time zones, and learning that a great sample is earned, not ordered.
From there, we get into launch mechanics and marketing without the fluff. Boxes stacked in an apartment, a Shopify backend, word-of-mouth over ads, and photography that actually reflects how people move outside. We talk about the Dust Bus—a retired sheriff’s van now turned rolling pop-up—and why in-person events, beer miles, and race weekends matter more than impressions. Zach also shares what’s next: a women’s line with a dedicated designer, tech-forward shorts and tights, and an interest in a lightweight, no-nonsense running belt that disappears on the run.
If you care about trail running, niche outdoor brands, or the craft behind gear that holds up mile after mile, this one will hit. Tap play, then tell us what piece you wish more brands would build. And if you’re vibing with the show, subscribe, share with a trail friend, and leave a quick review—it helps more runners find us.
Follow Dust on IG - @weardust
Shop the Dust Website - @weardust
Check out the Mechanic Shirt - Mechanic Shirt
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Use code steepstuffpod for 25% off your cart at UltimateDirection.com!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_02 (00:00):
Welcome back to the Steep Stuff Podcast.
I'm your host, James Lariello.
And today I'm so excited towelcome Zach Colby to the show.
Zach is the founder of ViralWestern apparel brand Dust.
That's right, the brand youmight see guys like Kyle
Richardson, Taton Knight,myself, and Jackson Cole
sporting the mechanic shirtthat's kind of taken the
(00:22):
internet by storm.
Really, really excited aboutthis brand.
We had Zach on to talk all aboutthe founding of the business, uh
kind of its roots, theinspiration for where it came
from, all the way back inBoulder, Colorado, where Zach
had spent some time living andgot a lot of inspiration from,
not just uh as far as trailrunning goes, but also kind of
from the gravel and bikingscene, uh, amongst many other
(00:44):
kind of mountain west sports.
Um, yeah, we talked all aboutbuilding the business, founding
it, the idea for where the namecame from, supply chain, all
kind of the little nuts andbolts.
I love these types of episodes,and anywhere I absolutely can
fit in a uh kind of more of abusiness side episode, I think
that uh the audience always getsa lot away from that.
So uh without further ado, Ihope you guys enjoyed this one.
(01:06):
I really, really have enjoyedthe brand itself.
Um, and uh I really enjoyedtalking to Zach.
So uh this is something I thinkyou guys are gonna get a kick
out of.
Without further ado, Zach Colby,the founder of Dust.
(02:16):
Ladies and gentlemen, ZachColby.
Welcome to the Steep StuffPodcast.
How's it going, man?
SPEAKER_00 (02:27):
I'm good, James.
I'm good.
How are you?
Thanks for having me.
SPEAKER_02 (02:30):
I'm doing great, man.
Thanks for coming on.
Sorry if I sound a little uh notmy normal stuff.
I'm just getting over a cold, soI sound like uh sound horrible.
SPEAKER_00 (02:40):
Um I'm I'm actually I'm actually in the same boat.
I was uh on a couple planes overthe weekend and I think I picked
up uh yeah, bug.
SPEAKER_02 (02:48):
That seems to be some East Coast terms.
Seems to be the jam, man.
Well, dude, thanks for comingon.
I'm super excited to have aconversation.
Uh, for the audience thatdoesn't know, like you are the
founder of Dust, which is thisfun brand that just launched in
October as far as product goes.
Uh Kyle Richardson, Tate Knight,I've seen a lot of guys in the
boulder community repping yourgear.
(03:09):
Um really like what you put out.
We could talk about the productsin a little bit, but um maybe
just to get started, talk alittle bit about yourself.
Give me like give me like thefive-minute elevator pitch on
your background and uh kind ofyour backstory.
SPEAKER_00 (03:23):
Yeah.
Uh so Dust was a a totalprofessional 180 for me.
I I worked actually in politicsfor the first kind of eight
years of my career out ofcollege, um, and left that
industry for a variety ofreasons that we don't probably
need to get into on on thispodcast, but I'm sure um many of
(03:47):
them are a parent.
Just wasn't wasn't for me longterm.
Um and knew I wanted to get intothe outdoor industry.
I've been a lifelong athlete.
Um played sports in in highschool, played soccer in
college, um lived in SanFrancisco for a year out of
school, then moved to Colorado,whereas where I really kind of
(04:10):
fell in love with the trails.
Um and I wasn't only a runnerright away.
I was kind of a jack of alltrades.
I mean I wasn't good at any ofthem, but I liked like doing all
of them.
Um so biking, hiking,backpacking, you know, kind of
all the classic Colorado stuff.
Um and then and that was allwhile I was that that's all
(04:35):
separate from my career then.
Um when I decided I want to getout of politics and and go I
wanted to get into the outdoorindustry.
Like that was that was my goal.
Um did some networking and itwas it was kind of a hard pitch
as as to like why should I, asthis guy with no experience in
the industry, do anything exceptsome type of entry-level job in
(04:57):
a store, basically.
Um, and that this was in 2023when I left that job.
And I'd sort of gone all in ontrail running at that point.
Like I had sort of become mymain thing after I got big into
bikes, like during COVID.
That was sort of my like so manyother people.
(05:19):
Um, and then really fell in lovewith running after that.
And I've always been a gearhead,and I've I've always worn
clothes, like most of us.
Um so fair enough.
So it was it was a confluence ofof all those different factors
um that led to the idea of dustsort of percolating in my mind.
(05:40):
Um and I was living in Boulderat the time.
And I do joke that I feel like Ihad so many conversations about
starting this kind ofwestern-oriented quote unquote
third wave uh trail brand orrunning brand.
Um and one day I just decidedI'm just gonna do this.
I'm just gonna try to figure itout and do it.
(06:01):
Um and that was at in the springof 2024, so a little over a year
ago.
Um, I was still doing some likeconsulting work on the side to
keep some money coming throughthe door.
Um and I decided to go all in.
And funny, I was like, allright, I'm I'm doing this, I'm
(06:22):
gonna be selling clothes by thefall of 2024.
Um, just kind of went two feetin trying to figure it out.
And that's when I learned thatit's a lot more complicated to
figure out how to make clothesand expensive.
And it's really it's like reallyhard to get something right.
Um and I didn't want to put acrap product out in the world.
(06:44):
Um so that's sort of the genesisstory of of of me and how I came
to start dust.
SPEAKER_02 (06:53):
So let's let's backtrack a little bit.
I want to talk about your timein Boulder because I feel like
that's very I mean, I feel likethat shapes a lot of people for
their time in the mountain west,especially if they come from a
different area.
Um is that how you bumped intoKyle?
Uh that's my curiosity.
I didn't actually ask him this.
SPEAKER_00 (07:08):
Uh yeah, it is.
Okay.
Um, just through through me fromBuddies and Air.
I mean, Boulder's obviously asmall town.
SPEAKER_01 (07:14):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (07:14):
Um, so and I actually, I mean, my first year
in Boulder, I wasn't like fullgo runner guy yet.
Um, but I I obviously spent alot of time on the trails.
But but yeah, that is how I howI met Kyle.
SPEAKER_02 (07:27):
It's it's dude, it's it's an interesting thing.
He's a legend, yeah.
Oh yeah, he absolutely is.
We'll we'll talk about him alittle bit more later.
But it's just interesting thatlike the Genesis 4 a product
came to mind.
I just find it reallyinteresting too, because I mean
it's got to be going throughyour head, like I want to start
something.
I feel like I can do what wasthe idea like I can do something
and I can do it better, I can doit different.
(07:49):
Because it's it's a toughenvironment.
I mean, there's all these crazybrands out there.
You got satisfy, you've got nowcoming up that's like kind of
posh and doing its thing, orit's kind of like punk rock, and
then you've got all these likeestablished brands out there.
It's a very interesting thing tokind of bring something new to
the market.
I like it because it's verywestern, it's very different.
It seems to me like it's got itsroots a little bit, maybe in
(08:11):
something like a Rourke runamuck kind of thing.
Maybe talk about just the ummaybe like the I don't know.
You can you can kind of threadthat for a minute.
So like brand positioning, yeah,yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (08:24):
Yeah.
Yeah, I would say Rourke is is ais probably the closest comp in
the space.
Um, I'm definitely not trying tobe as sort of like graphic heavy
as them.
Um, but they are sort of thatWestern renegade um kind of
mountain man aesthetic.
Um but but yeah, that's the goalis to, I mean, I s just looking
(08:47):
at the market, and as I got moreinto running, I got more into
these brands and learning moreabout them and sort of what
their value proposition is ortheir emotional proposition.
Um and I did see, I I felt thegap was there in that no one had
done like the mountain west andthe western United States sort
of version of you know, thebandits and satisfies that blew
(09:11):
up during the COVID runningboom, essentially.
Or tracksmith, kind of thatlegacy urban um aesthetic, like
all the cool run club kids onInstagram were wearing like all
black, like represent 247 andthat kind of brand.
And I I just feel like thathasn't made its way to the West
(09:33):
yet.
I think partially becausemountain people are less into
that like Instagram cool guyculture.
Yeah, um, and so I I I did thinkthere is room in the market.
As you said, it is hard, likeit's super competitive industry,
but at the same time, youngerconsumers are looking for
(09:55):
something that's like more nicheand more representative of their
personalities.
And so I think the big brandsare just going to lose market
share to all these smallerbrands, and there's just a lot
more room for more smallerbrands generally, just because
the barriers to entry are muchlower than they've ever been.
SPEAKER_02 (10:13):
Yeah.
Let's talk about that barrier toentry.
Like, how much did you knowabout starting a business when
you started business?
Like going through the whole CCorp, S Corp, LLC thing, and
then supply chain management,trying to figure out how to
source a supply chain.
Like, how much did you knowabout that like when you first
started?
And did you have to kind of likelearn as you went?
SPEAKER_00 (10:31):
Yeah, I'd I'd been kind of a political entrepreneur
for lack of a better word.
Like I worked in third party andindependent politics.
So it was a lot of really smallcampaigns, um, a lot of like
people with no infrastructure.
So I was comfortable sort offiguring out kind of
administrative and operationalproblems, at least as far as you
(10:54):
know, standing up an entity witha state and like filing your
forms and doing taxes and doingaccounting and kind of that side
of the business.
But the supply chain was like inin retrospect, it's honestly
kind of hilarious how delusionalI was.
Um like it is really hard tomake something good.
(11:18):
Um you can go online and andfind a factory and order a
sample, and I have so many, somany bad samples.
Um and a lot of the goodfactories like aren't aren't
working with small brands, theywon't work with you unless
you're ordering a milliondollars worth of product, and
you do kind of have to sortthrough because there's I mean,
(11:40):
there's so many factories outthere, and there's so many
amazing factories, and there's alot of bad factories.
Um, and just figuring that outkind of without any industry
connections was hard.
So eventually I eventually youyou basically have to do it
through networking, or like um,so that I worked, I ended up
working with um a designer whohad worked in clothing
(12:01):
development before and had arelationship with a factory, and
um so that was a long-windedanswer of saying like standing
up a business I could do,figuring out how to make good
clothes and good product, verydifferent problem.
That took me, you know, over ayear to figure out really.
SPEAKER_02 (12:21):
See, that's interesting.
And uh so just a matter of likebeing able to source the
factory, like how long did thattake just to figure out like,
okay, like this this particularfactory can make this particular
product, and then going back andforth trying to get because,
like, for instance, like yousent me the mechanic shirt,
dude.
That is one of the nicest likerunning shirts I have ever tried
in my life.
Like, I I was thoroughlyimpressed.
(12:42):
Like, you nailed it, it's it'slegit for because dude, I'm
always trying to find like agood button down.
Like, I I do have a roar shirt,like I've been spotted wearing
roar shirts and stuff like thatbefore, but it just didn't have
it's it's more like that's moreof a going out shirt than
something I'm gonna run a racein or something like that.
Like I can run a race in thedust shirt and the mechanic
shirt and get away with that,and like it's comfortable, it's
(13:04):
light, it breathes, it's just Idon't know, it's like the
whatever material you use islegit.
So, like, how long did it taketo try to like kind of figure
that part out to uh just go backand forth?
SPEAKER_00 (13:17):
Yeah, so actually finding the factory, once I um
got connected with Peter, thedesigner, um he was business
partners with a guy I went tocollege with.
Um their business is calledparty practice.
Uh they're in Austin's supercool dudes.
Um they he had the connectionwith the factory, so then once
(13:38):
we got the factory, then thenit's kind of you hit the next
part of the development process,which is basically like, okay,
yeah, we need to find fabric.
You know, we have we have anidea of what the shirt wants to
look like.
But then it's basically there'sa and there's a few different
ways you can do it.
Um you can and what we did washave the factory source the
fabric.
(13:58):
So we sent over a bunch ofcomps, and we're basically like,
we we want, you know, this isroughly the composition that we
want, this is roughly the weightthat we want.
See what you guys have.
And that that's a less expensiveway of doing it than you can
also go to a mill or a fabricmaker and purchase whatever,
5,000 yards of fabric, and thensend that to the factory and
(14:19):
say, hey, here's the fabricwe're using.
Um so but at the at my orderquantities, like I'm a small
brand, that's it's a much harderto do.
Like a lot in a lot of the bigfabric makers, you have to order
a massive quantity of fabric.
Um so then, and it's it's justkind of a back and forth then
with the factory, too.
(14:40):
It's tweaking things and ittakes a while, you know.
Because my my factory's inChina, um, you know, you're
losing a day basically becauseyou're it's essentially a
12-hour time difference.
Um so that that wholedevelopment process does take a
few months.
Um then you get samples and youdon't like it, and you tweak
something, and that takesanother couple weeks and has to
(15:01):
you know get shipped over.
So it's um yeah, coming fromcoming from a world where I my
previous job, it's just like ifif you were if this wasn't done
yesterday, it's late.
To like having to re-jigger mybrain to be like, okay, this is
actually gonna take six monthsto get right was frustrating at
(15:21):
first, but um it also makes youso stoked when the mechanics
regards you're like, wow, thisthing is sick.
Yeah, I'm gonna go for a runright now.
SPEAKER_02 (15:30):
Yeah, it's legit.
I should have worn it.
It's a little cold out today,right?
And put it on, but I wasthinking about wearing it for
the pod.
But I I I'll get some I'll getsome photos in it out there for
you.
I um dude, so uh you justlaunched obviously in October,
so just we're just a few weeksremoved from that.
How long did it take to getyourself ready for that?
Like you have to have everythingin.
Like, how how do you go ahead asa founder setting, okay, like
(15:52):
I'm gonna set this date ofOctober 15th as the launch date?
Like it's just like uh you haveto have all your ducks in a row.
Like, what goes into that?
SPEAKER_00 (16:00):
Yeah.
Um little peek behind thecurtain that did get pushed back
a few times.
Um, but it was basically, Imean, I had the inventory all at
my apartment um uh in lateAugust.
Um, and then it was like I'mstill a one-man show, so it was
(16:22):
basically like where can I wherecan I fit this in between like
traveling to a couple weddingsand like I need to be at home to
then ship all the stuff outafter I launch, because like
that's obviously when the mostsales are gonna happen or those
whatever four days afterwards.
So it was it was essentiallypush putting a date on a
(16:43):
calendar and then workingbackwards from there.
Um then yeah, I eventually movedit back a week because like I
needed to get some more photosdone.
Um and yeah, it was it wasessentially just putting putting
something on a calendar andsaying we're we're doing it.
Um how does it because I had Ihad the website basically ready
(17:05):
before then.
Um and and then it was just likeloading all the stuff in the
back end into Shopify and andthen it was just saying, all
right, here press, press play.
SPEAKER_02 (17:17):
I've never messed with a Shopify account, but like
it from an inventoryperspective, like you put in
like X amount you have ininventory, and then it after it
sells out, it says it sells out,right?
Like you don't have like yeah, II always wondered about that,
like, oh my gosh, what happensif we don't have enough or we
don't have too much, or thingslike I yeah, I guess Shopify
kind of solves that problem.
SPEAKER_00 (17:35):
Yeah, and that exactly, yeah, that's an example
of like a barrier to entrythat's been lowered.
Like Shopify does make it supereasy um to run a one-man band
operation.
SPEAKER_02 (17:47):
Yeah.
It's interesting, man, becauselike you get the whole kind of
perspective as an entrepreneur,like you get the finance and
accounting part, you get thisuh, you know, the supply chain
aspect of it, and as thebusiness grows, then you'll have
employees, and like that adds awhole different component.
Like it's kind of I don't know.
I always found theentrepreneurship aspect of the
business like really fun.
Um, I gotta ask you this: where'd you come up with the (18:06):
undefined
name at?
The name is pretty dope.
SPEAKER_00 (18:10):
Yeah, thank you.
Um it was it would I had a bunchof kind of names written down,
um just sort of brainstorming.
And it the idea had beenpercolating like for a couple
months before I before it wasserious.
And there were there were alwayskind of names and spitballing.
(18:32):
And then when I wrote dust down,I was just like, that's it.
That's and then it was kind ofinvestigating like, okay, are
there any other clothing brandsnamed Dust?
And okay, there's one inPakistan.
Okay, I'm probably fine.
I'm probably fine from a from acopyright perspective in the US.
And then it's like, okay, whichwhich website handles can I get?
(18:53):
Which social handles can I get?
But but I think the the worditself is just a good word, and
it it kind of captures thebrand's Western roots, it
captures the kind of rawness ofthe trail, and I think it works
literally and metaphorically,and like the word dust can mean
(19:13):
a lot of different things to alot of different people, which I
think is useful.
And I think having it be onesyllable is just like great for
a brand.
Um it's easy to say, it's easyto remember.
Um so so as soon as I wrote itdown, I was like, if that works,
that's it.
SPEAKER_02 (19:31):
Simple yet significant.
That's cool, man, that you cameup with it.
And like it's usually like Idon't know, like when I started
this podcast, like the I came upwith the name, and it's always
like when you come up with yourthing, like it's there's a lot
more ownership of it instead oflike asking 10,000 people to get
what they think and everybody'sgot a different perspective, and
it's like you know, it's uh whenyou find what sticks and what
(19:52):
works, you you know what whatworks, which is kind of cool,
right?
Um, dude, so I want to pivot alittle bit.
I want to talk about the sport.
Like this past year, I know youwere at Broken Arrow, you got to
check out the triple crown andand race that.
Like, what do you think of thesport as a whole now?
Like now that you're you're anentrepreneur, you're a business
owner in the sport, like what doyou like more?
The short stuff, the long stuff,like what gets you stoked?
SPEAKER_00 (20:15):
Yeah, I um it's funny you say that because I've
done two ultras this year.
It's like I think I'm ready todo some shorter stuff.
Um just it those take so long totrain for and and just like eats
up a lot of your time.
Um but I don't know.
This is as I mentioned earlier,like I I wasn't like a two feet
(20:40):
in on this sport for my entireadult life.
Like I'm I'm relatively new tolike this being my main thing.
Um, so it's it's kind of beenfun to explore um different
distances, kind of and and it'salso like I didn't come to this
as a fan of like the pro sporteither.
So now it's not like learningthe big races and learning the
top athletes, where it's likethat wasn't my entry into the
(21:04):
sport.
My entry into the sport was likeI love being on trails, I love
being outside with my friends, Ilove clothes.
You know, how do we put thesethings together?
So it's been fun to discover thesport and learn the
personalities and you know, meetpeople who are at the top of the
sport and just see the differentways that that I don't know,
(21:27):
people interact with it as aslike an elite athletic pursuit,
as opposed to like I'm outsidehaving fun with my friends kind
of thing.
And I think it's it's cool to tosee both poles of that.
Um and to have have Dus likespeak to people at both those
poles.
SPEAKER_02 (21:45):
Did you now I know this was pre-launch, but at
Broken Arrow, did you get achance to like connect with
people, talk about it at all, orwas that was it more of uh just
there to be racing?
SPEAKER_00 (21:57):
Yeah, yeah, a little bit.
Um, I mean, yeah, I did I did doall three races, so I was kind
of um focused on that.
But I was also just coming backfrom a little bit of an injury,
so I I wasn't really racing, Iwas just kind of hanging and
running.
And we had an Airbnb up therewith 12 friends, so we were just
and I actually didn't have theproduct, I didn't have anything
(22:19):
except samples then.
So I was but I did I did talk topeople about the brand and then
went to TrailCon, which was youknow, whatever the two days
after Broken Arrow, and thentalked to talked to a bunch of
people in the industry, youknow, was wearing the gear
around, had people ask about it.
Um so that was that was superfun.
And that this is a bit of asegue, but like going out into
(22:45):
the world after being headsdown, kind of by myself as a
solo entrepreneur, has been sofun.
Um just like that.
That made kind of the year ofheads-down work really
gratifying, just like people,hey, what is that shirt?
And get to tell them, Yeah, it'sit's actually my shirt, it's my
brand.
SPEAKER_02 (23:01):
Um yeah, it's cool to see it's cool to see.
I mean, I've been excited to seeso many people interacting with
with the gear, and it must bereally rewarding too.
Like I just saw Jackson post aphoto of someone recently.
Jackson Cole was wearing a uh amechanic shirt too, and I was
like, oh dude, you got one too.
(23:22):
Like, that's awesome.
So yeah, it's uh it's very it'scool.
I and this kind of makes mepivot a little bit towards like
marketing.
Like, how do you approach thisfrom like a marketing
perspective?
Because like you always have toput that hat on as well.
Obviously, your photo, yourphotos, your Instagram is
awesome.
Um, just like everything aboutit is kind of the way I would go
(23:42):
about marketing a brand.
Like, what is how do you how doyou plan to do this?
Like, do you just try to getshirts on as many people as
possible?
Um races, like how do you like Idon't know, you gotta have some
sort of scheme for it, right?
SPEAKER_00 (23:55):
Yeah, so I guess note on the photos.
Um, my buddy, do you knowBrendan Davis?
SPEAKER_02 (24:01):
I do know that name, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (24:02):
Boulder guy.
Well, he lives in New York now,but one of my buddies, he's
incredible photographer, youknow, photographs for you know,
some of the biggest brands in inthe world in the running space.
Um and he he took a bunch of thephotos that we did in Boulder.
Um, just been a complete homiein in helping helping the brand
out and making it really pop.
(24:24):
Um so shout out to Brendan.
Um but then yeah, as far as asfar as the lead up to launch, I
didn't do a ton of like I didn'tdo any paid marketing.
Um and kind of tried to just doword of mouth.
Um since launch, I've started todo like a little bit of boosting
(24:45):
on Instagram and like seeing ifthat's worth it at all.
And then have sent have justceded product to some people.
Um, like obviously Kyle andKyle's Kyle is a wearing it
before launch, um, gettingpeople in the top of the funnel
to use a some marketing jargon.
(25:06):
Um but then yeah, my plan is totry to do as much in-person
stuff as possible.
So I don't I don't know if yousaw this post, but I I bought
the Dust Bus.
Yes, which is uh 1995 Ford Iconoline XL, former Sonoma County
Sheriff tactical vehicle.
(25:26):
What?
Um Facebook Marketplace, believeit or not.
SPEAKER_01 (25:31):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (25:32):
Um, so I'm gonna put some decals on the side of that,
baby, and um start heading toraces.
Um I've done a few events.
I did like a beer mile inBoulder and Bend and Seattle.
Um gonna do something here in SFin a few weeks.
So the plan is to to do as muchin-person stuff as I can, just
(25:55):
because like that's where I finda lot of joy, and like that's
where I have great interactions,and I think that's where you can
really establish brand loyalty.
Um like if you talk to face toface with a founder, you're
like, oh wow, this is a this isa real human doing a real thing,
and humans like that.
Um so so all I have to say isthe plan is to do as much
(26:20):
in-person stuff as possible, andthen uh I'm also gonna work with
Brendan a little bit more.
I think we're gonna do some somemagazine stuff to go back a
little bit to that analog umprint stuff, just because a lot
of the brand is also sort oflike I don't want it to live
online, I don't want it to bethat Instagram-y kind of
(26:44):
Facebook meta ads brand.
Um so, but a lot of it's justfiguring it out, like like and
like it's still entrepreneurial.
I'm figuring out what works,what doesn't, what products
people like, what productspeople don't like.
Um so it's I think it's aboutjust keeping my foot on the gas
and keeping just keep showing upat these places.
SPEAKER_02 (27:06):
Yeah.
Um what uh what races do youthink will see you out the
summer?
Anything in particular thatyou've got like you're that
you're like I have to get to?
SPEAKER_00 (27:15):
Uh I think Black Canyon in in February.
I think anything that's in, I'llprobably be back at Broken
Arrow.
Okay.
Um obviously Western states isrelatively close here.
So those are sort of the three Ihave on my on my calendar, but
(27:36):
but having a van and having likeflexibility, it's just like I
can I'll I'll hit it, I'll gohit up a you know a local trail
half marathon in the North Bay,probably just um but yeah.
So still I wish I'd plan thingsout till next summer already,
(27:59):
but I I've got the big ones onthe calendar, but the the other
interesting thing with clothesis like I already I have to
start development on like thenext round of stuff.
So that's already happening inthe background right now, too.
SPEAKER_02 (28:09):
Yeah.
Well, actually on that topic, Ihad a thing written down to
actually ask you about this.
Like I had seen on you had a jobopening for um, I think it was
for women's apparel.
Is that something that you planto expanding?
I it's funny you like that itgets brought up because I've had
so many people, I mean, justfriends on the pop of the
podcast and just friends andfriends like bring up like how
there's not a lot of reallysolid like women's apparel stuff
(28:32):
out there.
Like it's usually just likedoesn't fit correctly or it's
just not that great.
Um yeah, maybe talk about thator how you plan to expand on
that.
SPEAKER_00 (28:40):
Uh yeah, we're we're gonna launch women's hopefully
late in the spring, maybeearlier in the summer.
Um, kind of in the early stagesof of development now.
Um but but that is that is inthe plan.
Have a rad female designer I'mworking with.
Um so yeah, that's in the that'sin the cards.
SPEAKER_02 (29:05):
Nice.
SPEAKER_00 (29:06):
Um because I was I will say I did I did no no I
interrupted you.
Um I did uh I did hear thatquestion a lot.
Um also just like this stuff israd and like where but where's
the women's stuff?
Um and it just it didn't makesense.
I couldn't take that big of aswing on the first go just
(29:28):
financially.
Um but now that with a littlebit momentum and now I have
revenue, um, can start can startdoing those, you know, forward
more forward looking adventures.
SPEAKER_02 (29:41):
Yeah.
What is your what's your goalwith this thing, dude?
Like obviously this is like thecoolest job ever to be able to
just like go to races and pitchyour product and talk about it.
Like, I mean, is the goal tolike make this like a gigantic
thing or keep it grassroots?
Like, like what's your like whatis your ultimate kind of plan?
For this thing.
SPEAKER_00 (30:00):
Yeah.
I mean, my ultimate personalgoal is to create a life and
career in the outdoor industry.
Um, like at bottom, that's why Ikind of started this venture.
And at the end of the day, thatthat's the most important goal.
Um would I love to, you know, bethe Mountain West trail running
(30:22):
brand?
Absolutely.
I'm not gonna shy away fromsaying I'd love to grow this
thing and make it big.
Like that would be that would beawesome and fun and a cool
journey.
And it would just lead to somany interactions within this
industry that I love that I'vemet already so many cool people
in.
Um and that just sounds like alike a working life as a life
(30:46):
well lived kind of thing.
Um, so so yeah, I mean, thoseare sort of the two tent post
school.
It's like a personal, like Ilove this, I love being outside,
I love interacting with the coolpeople who also love being
outside.
And then two, I started abusiness.
Of course I'd love to have awildly successful business.
SPEAKER_02 (31:07):
Yeah.
Is it is it stressful so far?
SPEAKER_00 (31:11):
It's definitely stressful.
Um I wouldn't say I mean it isstressful for sure.
Just like pressing that, likethe day before launch, it's just
like, okay, I hope people buythis tomorrow.
Like I know my mom and dad will,but but uh and I know I know
(31:36):
some of my friends will, butthen it was just like it was so
gratifying to see like, I don'tknow, a bunch of strange a bunch
of people's names who I didn'tknow orders come through, just
like, oh, that's so cool that Iput this out into the world and
someone vibed with it and spenttheir money on it.
Like so definitely, definitelyhighs and lows of like any solo
(31:58):
project and any venture likedoes require a bit of bit of
vulnerability, but um it'sreally fun too.
Like it is a super fun job.
SPEAKER_02 (32:09):
Yeah, so it's amazing.
And one of the things that likestuck out to me the most, like I
really loved, like I vibed withon the website.
Like you wrote, I don't know ifyou wrote this or I guess this
is the tagline, but based on thecelebration of life outside,
trails, dirt, good friends, oldvans, and cold beer.
Like I was like, that's that'slegit.
I like that.
That sticks, that's that likehow can you not vibe with that?
SPEAKER_00 (32:30):
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Um, so yeah, and I think likeI'm just trying to stay true to
myself in building the brand.
Like that is sort of how I justlive my life.
And I think, you know, if I canfind a few other thousand people
who like that, then then there'sa business there.
Yeah.
And I just based on all my timeon the trails and outside, like
(32:53):
those people are there for sure.
SPEAKER_02 (32:56):
Yeah.
Is there uh a chance we get youback like in the mountain west?
Like you think you make a returnto Boulder, or are you probably
based in San Fran for theremainder of your time?
SPEAKER_00 (33:07):
Uh I think it's definitely possible eventually.
Um mostly moved out west for myfiance's career.
Um but we had met in SanFrancisco, she's a California
girl.
Um so we're we're out here for afew years at least, but I I love
(33:28):
Colorado.
I both my brothers live inColorado.
Um my folks are in in KansasCity, so there's definitely a
drawback there.
And I love I love getting backthere as much as I can.
And obviously I've made it apoint to to do as much dust
stuff as I can in the inColorado and in the front range.
So um definitely will be thereplenty, if not uh back
(33:55):
permanently at some point downthe line.
SPEAKER_02 (33:58):
Yeah.
Well, the reason I ask is likebecause you know, I don't know.
I I I think when you go on thewebsite and we go on the
Instagram, for instance, I thinkmost of the listeners will
probably pander over to, youknow, pander over to both.
And there's a lot of KyleRichardson, who I and and Tate
Knight, well, I think are twovery good selections for like
that just kind of embody what Ithink of when I think of the
(34:18):
brand.
I don't know, it just kind oflike fits really well.
Like Kyle is this interestingcharacter, um, you know, not
just a runner, also gets out onthe bike a lot, but very
Mountain West vibes, you know,very um artistic in what he
does.
Uh I don't know, it just it fitsvery well.
So I think that was a very good,good selection for uh for the
brand itself.
SPEAKER_00 (34:39):
Yeah, yeah.
Kyle's Kyle's a legend anddefinitely personifies the brand
well, like the true definitionof a of a soul runner, like he's
just out there crushing in themountains every day.
Um, and it's like no big deal.
Yeah, like he'll just go up andit'll just be a random Tuesday,
and he'll you know run one ofthe top ten times up Long Speak
(35:03):
ever.
Like he's he's just the beast.
SPEAKER_02 (35:07):
Yeah, he's a super gifted athlete.
Well, what one of the things toothat I thought was really cool
is that on his um East Coasttrip that he did, and and I I'll
I'll link this in the show notesfor listeners to go check out as
well.
Like when I had him on, wetalked a lot about this.
Um he basically rode near fromNew York City to Maine um and
ended his trip in New Hampshire,but he had a mechanic shirt that
(35:27):
he wore like a good chunk of itand didn't wash it, like held up
really well and like survivedkind of the east coast, which is
kind of notorious for some ofthe worst weather, you know, in
the time of the year.
Um which I thought I thought waskind of cool.
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (35:43):
Yeah, that was that was the I mean he had like a
sleep shirt, but he's that wasthe only shirt he brought.
And um yeah, he's we we talkedafter the trip and he was like,
dude, can you send me anotherone?
I kind of want to get this shirtframed after the trip.
SPEAKER_02 (35:56):
It's very kind of frame it like that.
SPEAKER_00 (35:58):
We'll we'll put that up.
We'll put that as that'd be agreat post.
Yeah.
Um but yeah, it's uh um thefabric is is great.
Like the the factory did anamazing job finding this fabric.
Um it is just it's bomber, likeso durable, so so durable.
And um you can you can you canput it through the ringer, you
(36:20):
can you can take it on a youknow two and a half week trip
and not watch it and just likeput it in the stream and then
put in the laundry at the end ofit and it'll come out and look
basically the same.
Um so yeah, it's I I'm stokedwith how how the shirt turned
out for sure.
SPEAKER_02 (36:39):
Yeah, yeah.
I mean the whole lineup, dude.
I mean, I'll dig in the hatstoo.
Hats are cool.
Um yeah, I feel like it's veryyou can do it with a lot of um
it's not just for running too.
Like I feel like it it's got agood aesthetic for mountain and
gravel cycling.
Um there's a lot of like it,it's it's all over the place,
which is kind of neat.
Like it's very transferable.
SPEAKER_00 (36:58):
Yeah, yeah.
And that was kind of the goal,as like going back to my point
about you know, trail running ismy thing right now, but at the
end of the day, I'm I'm justlike a trail athlete.
Um, I do ride bikes a lot still.
I I think it's great for biking.
Um the mechanic shirt has beenon a gravel podium.
(37:20):
My dad, second place, 70 plusbig sugar in October.
SPEAKER_02 (37:27):
Let's go.
That's awesome.
SPEAKER_00 (37:29):
Um but yeah, I that was in designing sort of the
fruit the launch collection, itwas like, how do I want to
design?
Like, how does my wardrobe look?
It's it's a lot of really solidquality basics, and then a few
pieces that are kind of morestandout or that juge it up a
little bit.
Um, you know, if you're feelingyourself or you want to rock
(37:51):
that special shirt on race day.
Um so that's that's sort of mydesign philosophy behind it, and
how I how I'm gonna, you know,keep doing the collections
moving forward.
SPEAKER_02 (38:02):
Very cool, very cool.
Do you think um, like is there achance you get more into like
technical apparel, like morelike belts?
I see like a big everybody'sdoing the belts or the or the
vest snail.
It seems like a popular thing.
Like, do you see a space inwhich you kind of get into that
as well?
SPEAKER_00 (38:18):
Yeah.
Um, I think a belt is apossibility.
Um the shorts we released arelike extremely basic shorts,
unlined, two pockets, one, threepockets, well, two side pockets
and one rear zip pocket, butjust like about as simple as you
can get in terms of a short.
(38:39):
It's a really nice short.
Um, but you know, some peoplewant liners, some people want a
shorter short, some people wanta perforated fabric.
Um so we are gonna do in when werelease women's, we're also
gonna do like a techier outlineshort and also some some tights,
um, some half-tights for formen, and then some full leggings
(39:04):
for for women, and then like akind of fun techier uh short for
women as well.
Um and that like figuring thatout is much like talking about
all the problem.
I mean I was already going intohow many issues I had getting
like a shirt and like simpleshorts developed, getting
(39:25):
something techie figured out islike all of that times five,
basically.
SPEAKER_01 (39:30):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (39:31):
Um but now that I've sort of figured out how to
communicate these things, thedesign language, figuring out
how to tweak, figuring out howto like um just the process
generally, it just it itstreamlines it a little bit, but
it's still a lot of back andforth and but but yeah, all that
to say super long answer.
(39:52):
We are gonna do some techierstuff.
I would love to eventually do abelt.
I I was talking to Kyle actuallya lot about that.
Um I do think there is a I don'tknow if it's a gap in the
market, but like a reallylightweight basic belt.
I think and I think the nakedbelts are pretty good.
Um but something like that,that's you know, it's not the
(40:15):
like super, it's not the rainbelt, it's not like the
techkiest, most bomber likething you need if you're going
out for a full day, butsomething that's like really
light and really good.
SPEAKER_02 (40:29):
Simple yet significant.
Yeah, I I think there isdefinitely a space for that.
I mean, Kyle's the best persontoo, because he I know he played
a huge role in helping developthe black diamond belt that I
don't know saw the light of day.
I I know he's got one, and I'veseen them pop up here and there
from like back in the day.
SPEAKER_00 (40:46):
Yeah, I think Kyle has one of those too.
SPEAKER_02 (40:48):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (40:48):
Well, he but he Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (40:50):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (40:50):
Uh sorry, I thought you were talking, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (40:52):
Yeah, yeah.
No, but not Kyle, uh yeah, yeah.
Anyway, yeah.
Kyle Richardson.
Yeah.
Lots of Kyle's floating around.
Um, but yeah, dude, that's athat's a space uh and like I've
worked with um uh a brand to tryand get that to see the light of
day.
And I the brand that I've workedwith particularly is just a like
a lot of moving parts to it, soit's difficult to do.
(41:12):
But yeah, if someone could justfigure out the light, simple,
significant belt, like it's justdoesn't have to be rocket
science.
Just get it right, you know,right materials, you know, right
space, and then also have like asmall zipper pocket for for your
keys or your key fob orwhatever, that's all you need.
You know, nothing too crazy.
So yeah, putting that one intoit.
SPEAKER_00 (41:33):
Yeah, yeah.
I've I've I've dreamed about it.
It's on it's in the it's in thedocuments, my litany of Google
Docs somewhere.
Um yeah, focused on focused onthe women's stuff and the
techier techier shorts rightnow.
And you know, if those do welland we're bringing more people
into the brand, then then yeah,cool.
(41:54):
I'd love to because yeah, I'deventually love to just like
make my whole kit dust.
SPEAKER_02 (41:58):
Like that'd be awesome.
Yeah, yeah, I I totally agree.
Um, all right, man, we're atabout 40 minutes.
I want to get to like as westart to wind down, um, yeah,
what what is what's somethingyou want the listeners to
resonate with?
Like what what what really isone thing about the brand that
you want to get out there to theworld, like that that's gonna
set you guys, make you guysdifferent, and that you just
(42:21):
want them to know about you.
SPEAKER_00 (42:24):
Yeah, I I think it is that kind of soul runner
attitude that we talked about.
Like it's it's gear that's greatthat you can go run a really
fast race in, but but at thebottom it's it's more of the
celebration of the feeling youget when you're outside on the
trail.
And the reason like that we alllove this sport or whatever
(42:47):
outdoor sport that we love.
Um like at bottom, that feelingis what I want to have baked
into the brand, and what I'mtrying to convey with the copy
and the photos and the peopleI'm sponsoring or sending gear
to are the people who I think umwho I think really get that that
(43:13):
a life outside is a is a lifewell lived.
Um so yeah, I think I that atthe at the core of it, that's
what that's what this brand isabout.
It's like the I know I know thisfeeling personally, and
everyone, you know, everyone hastheir own feelings in
relationship with with theoutdoors, but um that feeling of
(43:37):
being outside and being withyour friends and having a beer
and doing like fun, cool shit inthe woods.
That's what I love.
Yeah, and that's what I that'swhat I want to celebrate and I
want to empower other people todo.
SPEAKER_02 (43:52):
I love it.
I love it.
Zach, I'm such a fan, dude.
Thank you for coming on.
Great conversation.
Um, and yeah, man, I think it'sa good spot to stop.
And we got to pick this up onceyou drop or once you drop the
women's stuff, and as new stuffcomes out, anytime you want to
talk about it, we'll bring youback on and we'll uh we'll have
a conversation.
SPEAKER_00 (44:10):
So awesome.
SPEAKER_02 (44:11):
Yeah, thanks, man.
SPEAKER_00 (44:12):
Well, very much appreciate you having me on,
James.
And yeah, hopefully we get a geta run together.
SPEAKER_02 (44:16):
Dude, I'd love it.
Here soon.
Absolutely.
Appreciate you.
What'd you guys think?
Oh man, I'm really sorry aboutmy voice.
I've been sick all week.
And uh yeah, it was it waspretty evident in uh it was
pretty evident, not just in myinterviewing, but also in my
voice.
So I uh apologize for that.
Hoping to uh it seems like todayI'm I'm on the up and up.
(44:38):
So yeah.
Um guys, if you uh wouldn'tmind, the best way you can
support Zach is to check outDust.
Uh you can find him atWeirdust.com.
That's the best way you cansupport.
Go ahead and jump onwhereDust.com and also give Dust
a follow on Instagram.
You can just find them at Dust.
It's gonna be linked in the shownotes.
If you toggle on over to the umuh if you toggle on over to the
(45:01):
website, you can shop all andyou that's where you can find
that really dope mechanic shirtthat I was talking about uh that
you've seen a bunch of peoplewearing.
Also check out the online short.
I'm gonna throw an order forthat in today because I'm stoked
to see what that's all about.
Uh also digging the hat.
Um yeah, all kinds of good stuffthere.
Again, not a sponsored episodeby Dust.
I just uh really enjoy talkingto founders and people that uh
(45:23):
create things and uh you know goout and and and you know risk it
all for a business that they'reexcited about and for something
that they get stoked on.
So yeah, I really got to commenduh Zach for what he's doing.
And yeah, I would love to seethis brand uh continue to grow
and get some love.
Uh yeah, like I said, you canalso find them on Dust on
Instagram.
(45:43):
Best way you can support us isto give us a five-star rating
and review on Apple, Spotify,YouTube, or wherever you consume
your podcast.
And very last but not least, youcan also support us by
supporting our brand partner,Ultimate Direction.
Big shout out to UltimateDirection.
Right now, you guys can get 25%off your cart.
That's gonna get you 25% off byusing code Steep StuffPod.
That's one word, Steep StuffPod.
(46:05):
And um, yeah, all kinds of goodstuff out there on the horizon.
Uh UD just launched, like Isaid, their new uh six-liter
race vest and a 12-liter ultravest, as well as a new pole
quiver to accommodate any vestthat you might have right now.
Um, it fits on just about anyvest.
And on top of that, they've gota great belt selection as well.
Guys, thanks so much.
(46:26):
Um I really appreciate you guysstaying tuned and following uh
following along.
Uh we took a little bit lessepisodes this week uh because
we're working on a bunch of newstuff.
We've got some new brandingcoming out.
Um, working right now on somenew stuff for all new video
episodes, and we're just kind ofplanning the next iteration of
the Steep Stuff podcast as itcontinues to evolve and grow.
(46:49):
So that's taking a lot of timeas well as being sick this week.
So thanks for uh tuning alongand following along and tuning
in.
And uh yeah, appreciate you all.
Thanks, guys.
Welcome back to the Steep Stuff Podcast.
I'm your host, James Lariello.
And today I'm so excited towelcome Zach Colby to the show.
Zach is the founder of ViralWestern apparel brand Dust.
That's right, the brand youmight see guys like Kyle
Richardson, Taton Knight,myself, and Jackson Cole
sporting the mechanic shirtthat's kind of taken the
(00:22):
internet by storm.
Really, really excited aboutthis brand.
We had Zach on to talk all aboutthe founding of the business, uh
kind of its roots, theinspiration for where it came
from, all the way back inBoulder, Colorado, where Zach
had spent some time living andgot a lot of inspiration from,
not just uh as far as trailrunning goes, but also kind of
from the gravel and bikingscene, uh, amongst many other
(00:44):
kind of mountain west sports.
Um, yeah, we talked all aboutbuilding the business, founding
it, the idea for where the namecame from, supply chain, all
kind of the little nuts andbolts.
I love these types of episodes,and anywhere I absolutely can
fit in a uh kind of more of abusiness side episode, I think
that uh the audience always getsa lot away from that.
So uh without further ado, Ihope you guys enjoyed this one.
(01:06):
I really, really have enjoyedthe brand itself.
Um, and uh I really enjoyedtalking to Zach.
So uh this is something I thinkyou guys are gonna get a kick
out of.
Without further ado, Zach Colby,the founder of Dust.
(02:16):
Ladies and gentlemen, ZachColby.
Welcome to the Steep StuffPodcast.
How's it going, man?
SPEAKER_00 (02:27):
I'm good, James.
I'm good.
How are you?
Thanks for having me.
SPEAKER_02 (02:30):
I'm doing great, man.
Thanks for coming on.
Sorry if I sound a little uh notmy normal stuff.
I'm just getting over a cold, soI sound like uh sound horrible.
SPEAKER_00 (02:40):
Um I'm I'm actually I'm actually in the same boat.
I was uh on a couple planes overthe weekend and I think I picked
up uh yeah, bug.
SPEAKER_02 (02:48):
That seems to be some East Coast terms.
Seems to be the jam, man.
Well, dude, thanks for comingon.
I'm super excited to have aconversation.
Uh, for the audience thatdoesn't know, like you are the
founder of Dust, which is thisfun brand that just launched in
October as far as product goes.
Uh Kyle Richardson, Tate Knight,I've seen a lot of guys in the
boulder community repping yourgear.
(03:09):
Um really like what you put out.
We could talk about the productsin a little bit, but um maybe
just to get started, talk alittle bit about yourself.
Give me like give me like thefive-minute elevator pitch on
your background and uh kind ofyour backstory.
SPEAKER_00 (03:23):
Yeah.
Uh so Dust was a a totalprofessional 180 for me.
I I worked actually in politicsfor the first kind of eight
years of my career out ofcollege, um, and left that
industry for a variety ofreasons that we don't probably
need to get into on on thispodcast, but I'm sure um many of
(03:47):
them are a parent.
Just wasn't wasn't for me longterm.
Um and knew I wanted to get intothe outdoor industry.
I've been a lifelong athlete.
Um played sports in in highschool, played soccer in
college, um lived in SanFrancisco for a year out of
school, then moved to Colorado,whereas where I really kind of
(04:10):
fell in love with the trails.
Um and I wasn't only a runnerright away.
I was kind of a jack of alltrades.
I mean I wasn't good at any ofthem, but I liked like doing all
of them.
Um so biking, hiking,backpacking, you know, kind of
all the classic Colorado stuff.
Um and then and that was allwhile I was that that's all
(04:35):
separate from my career then.
Um when I decided I want to getout of politics and and go I
wanted to get into the outdoorindustry.
Like that was that was my goal.
Um did some networking and itwas it was kind of a hard pitch
as as to like why should I, asthis guy with no experience in
the industry, do anything exceptsome type of entry-level job in
(04:57):
a store, basically.
Um, and that this was in 2023when I left that job.
And I'd sort of gone all in ontrail running at that point.
Like I had sort of become mymain thing after I got big into
bikes, like during COVID.
That was sort of my like so manyother people.
(05:19):
Um, and then really fell in lovewith running after that.
And I've always been a gearhead,and I've I've always worn
clothes, like most of us.
Um so fair enough.
So it was it was a confluence ofof all those different factors
um that led to the idea of dustsort of percolating in my mind.
(05:40):
Um and I was living in Boulderat the time.
And I do joke that I feel like Ihad so many conversations about
starting this kind ofwestern-oriented quote unquote
third wave uh trail brand orrunning brand.
Um and one day I just decidedI'm just gonna do this.
I'm just gonna try to figure itout and do it.
(06:01):
Um and that was at in the springof 2024, so a little over a year
ago.
Um, I was still doing some likeconsulting work on the side to
keep some money coming throughthe door.
Um and I decided to go all in.
And funny, I was like, allright, I'm I'm doing this, I'm
(06:22):
gonna be selling clothes by thefall of 2024.
Um, just kind of went two feetin trying to figure it out.
And that's when I learned thatit's a lot more complicated to
figure out how to make clothesand expensive.
And it's really it's like reallyhard to get something right.
Um and I didn't want to put acrap product out in the world.
(06:44):
Um so that's sort of the genesisstory of of of me and how I came
to start dust.
SPEAKER_02 (06:53):
So let's let's backtrack a little bit.
I want to talk about your timein Boulder because I feel like
that's very I mean, I feel likethat shapes a lot of people for
their time in the mountain west,especially if they come from a
different area.
Um is that how you bumped intoKyle?
Uh that's my curiosity.
I didn't actually ask him this.
SPEAKER_00 (07:08):
Uh yeah, it is.
Okay.
Um, just through through me fromBuddies and Air.
I mean, Boulder's obviously asmall town.
SPEAKER_01 (07:14):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (07:14):
Um, so and I actually, I mean, my first year
in Boulder, I wasn't like fullgo runner guy yet.
Um, but I I obviously spent alot of time on the trails.
But but yeah, that is how I howI met Kyle.
SPEAKER_02 (07:27):
It's it's dude, it's it's an interesting thing.
He's a legend, yeah.
Oh yeah, he absolutely is.
We'll we'll talk about him alittle bit more later.
But it's just interesting thatlike the Genesis 4 a product
came to mind.
I just find it reallyinteresting too, because I mean
it's got to be going throughyour head, like I want to start
something.
I feel like I can do what wasthe idea like I can do something
and I can do it better, I can doit different.
(07:49):
Because it's it's a toughenvironment.
I mean, there's all these crazybrands out there.
You got satisfy, you've got nowcoming up that's like kind of
posh and doing its thing, orit's kind of like punk rock, and
then you've got all these likeestablished brands out there.
It's a very interesting thing tokind of bring something new to
the market.
I like it because it's verywestern, it's very different.
It seems to me like it's got itsroots a little bit, maybe in
(08:11):
something like a Rourke runamuck kind of thing.
Maybe talk about just the ummaybe like the I don't know.
You can you can kind of threadthat for a minute.
So like brand positioning, yeah,yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (08:24):
Yeah.
Yeah, I would say Rourke is is ais probably the closest comp in
the space.
Um, I'm definitely not trying tobe as sort of like graphic heavy
as them.
Um, but they are sort of thatWestern renegade um kind of
mountain man aesthetic.
Um but but yeah, that's the goalis to, I mean, I s just looking
(08:47):
at the market, and as I got moreinto running, I got more into
these brands and learning moreabout them and sort of what
their value proposition is ortheir emotional proposition.
Um and I did see, I I felt thegap was there in that no one had
done like the mountain west andthe western United States sort
of version of you know, thebandits and satisfies that blew
(09:11):
up during the COVID runningboom, essentially.
Or tracksmith, kind of thatlegacy urban um aesthetic, like
all the cool run club kids onInstagram were wearing like all
black, like represent 247 andthat kind of brand.
And I I just feel like thathasn't made its way to the West
(09:33):
yet.
I think partially becausemountain people are less into
that like Instagram cool guyculture.
Yeah, um, and so I I I did thinkthere is room in the market.
As you said, it is hard, likeit's super competitive industry,
but at the same time, youngerconsumers are looking for
(09:55):
something that's like more nicheand more representative of their
personalities.
And so I think the big brandsare just going to lose market
share to all these smallerbrands, and there's just a lot
more room for more smallerbrands generally, just because
the barriers to entry are muchlower than they've ever been.
SPEAKER_02 (10:13):
Yeah.
Let's talk about that barrier toentry.
Like, how much did you knowabout starting a business when
you started business?
Like going through the whole CCorp, S Corp, LLC thing, and
then supply chain management,trying to figure out how to
source a supply chain.
Like, how much did you knowabout that like when you first
started?
And did you have to kind of likelearn as you went?
SPEAKER_00 (10:31):
Yeah, I'd I'd been kind of a political entrepreneur
for lack of a better word.
Like I worked in third party andindependent politics.
So it was a lot of really smallcampaigns, um, a lot of like
people with no infrastructure.
So I was comfortable sort offiguring out kind of
administrative and operationalproblems, at least as far as you
(10:54):
know, standing up an entity witha state and like filing your
forms and doing taxes and doingaccounting and kind of that side
of the business.
But the supply chain was like inin retrospect, it's honestly
kind of hilarious how delusionalI was.
Um like it is really hard tomake something good.
(11:18):
Um you can go online and andfind a factory and order a
sample, and I have so many, somany bad samples.
Um and a lot of the goodfactories like aren't aren't
working with small brands, theywon't work with you unless
you're ordering a milliondollars worth of product, and
you do kind of have to sortthrough because there's I mean,
(11:40):
there's so many factories outthere, and there's so many
amazing factories, and there's alot of bad factories.
Um, and just figuring that outkind of without any industry
connections was hard.
So eventually I eventually youyou basically have to do it
through networking, or like um,so that I worked, I ended up
working with um a designer whohad worked in clothing
(12:01):
development before and had arelationship with a factory, and
um so that was a long-windedanswer of saying like standing
up a business I could do,figuring out how to make good
clothes and good product, verydifferent problem.
That took me, you know, over ayear to figure out really.
SPEAKER_02 (12:21):
See, that's interesting.
And uh so just a matter of likebeing able to source the
factory, like how long did thattake just to figure out like,
okay, like this this particularfactory can make this particular
product, and then going back andforth trying to get because,
like, for instance, like yousent me the mechanic shirt,
dude.
That is one of the nicest likerunning shirts I have ever tried
in my life.
Like, I I was thoroughlyimpressed.
(12:42):
Like, you nailed it, it's it'slegit for because dude, I'm
always trying to find like agood button down.
Like, I I do have a roar shirt,like I've been spotted wearing
roar shirts and stuff like thatbefore, but it just didn't have
it's it's more like that's moreof a going out shirt than
something I'm gonna run a racein or something like that.
Like I can run a race in thedust shirt and the mechanic
shirt and get away with that,and like it's comfortable, it's
(13:04):
light, it breathes, it's just Idon't know, it's like the
whatever material you use islegit.
So, like, how long did it taketo try to like kind of figure
that part out to uh just go backand forth?
SPEAKER_00 (13:17):
Yeah, so actually finding the factory, once I um
got connected with Peter, thedesigner, um he was business
partners with a guy I went tocollege with.
Um their business is calledparty practice.
Uh they're in Austin's supercool dudes.
Um they he had the connectionwith the factory, so then once
(13:38):
we got the factory, then thenit's kind of you hit the next
part of the development process,which is basically like, okay,
yeah, we need to find fabric.
You know, we have we have anidea of what the shirt wants to
look like.
But then it's basically there'sa and there's a few different
ways you can do it.
Um you can and what we did washave the factory source the
fabric.
(13:58):
So we sent over a bunch ofcomps, and we're basically like,
we we want, you know, this isroughly the composition that we
want, this is roughly the weightthat we want.
See what you guys have.
And that that's a less expensiveway of doing it than you can
also go to a mill or a fabricmaker and purchase whatever,
5,000 yards of fabric, and thensend that to the factory and
(14:19):
say, hey, here's the fabricwe're using.
Um so but at the at my orderquantities, like I'm a small
brand, that's it's a much harderto do.
Like a lot in a lot of the bigfabric makers, you have to order
a massive quantity of fabric.
Um so then, and it's it's justkind of a back and forth then
with the factory, too.
(14:40):
It's tweaking things and ittakes a while, you know.
Because my my factory's inChina, um, you know, you're
losing a day basically becauseyou're it's essentially a
12-hour time difference.
Um so that that wholedevelopment process does take a
few months.
Um then you get samples and youdon't like it, and you tweak
something, and that takesanother couple weeks and has to
(15:01):
you know get shipped over.
So it's um yeah, coming fromcoming from a world where I my
previous job, it's just like ifif you were if this wasn't done
yesterday, it's late.
To like having to re-jigger mybrain to be like, okay, this is
actually gonna take six monthsto get right was frustrating at
(15:21):
first, but um it also makes youso stoked when the mechanics
regards you're like, wow, thisthing is sick.
Yeah, I'm gonna go for a runright now.
SPEAKER_02 (15:30):
Yeah, it's legit.
I should have worn it.
It's a little cold out today,right?
And put it on, but I wasthinking about wearing it for
the pod.
But I I I'll get some I'll getsome photos in it out there for
you.
I um dude, so uh you justlaunched obviously in October,
so just we're just a few weeksremoved from that.
How long did it take to getyourself ready for that?
Like you have to have everythingin.
Like, how how do you go ahead asa founder setting, okay, like
(15:52):
I'm gonna set this date ofOctober 15th as the launch date?
Like it's just like uh you haveto have all your ducks in a row.
Like, what goes into that?
SPEAKER_00 (16:00):
Yeah.
Um little peek behind thecurtain that did get pushed back
a few times.
Um, but it was basically, Imean, I had the inventory all at
my apartment um uh in lateAugust.
Um, and then it was like I'mstill a one-man show, so it was
(16:22):
basically like where can I wherecan I fit this in between like
traveling to a couple weddingsand like I need to be at home to
then ship all the stuff outafter I launch, because like
that's obviously when the mostsales are gonna happen or those
whatever four days afterwards.
So it was it was essentiallypush putting a date on a
(16:43):
calendar and then workingbackwards from there.
Um then yeah, I eventually movedit back a week because like I
needed to get some more photosdone.
Um and yeah, it was it wasessentially just putting putting
something on a calendar andsaying we're we're doing it.
Um how does it because I had Ihad the website basically ready
(17:05):
before then.
Um and and then it was just likeloading all the stuff in the
back end into Shopify and andthen it was just saying, all
right, here press, press play.
SPEAKER_02 (17:17):
I've never messed with a Shopify account, but like
it from an inventoryperspective, like you put in
like X amount you have ininventory, and then it after it
sells out, it says it sells out,right?
Like you don't have like yeah, II always wondered about that,
like, oh my gosh, what happensif we don't have enough or we
don't have too much, or thingslike I yeah, I guess Shopify
kind of solves that problem.
SPEAKER_00 (17:35):
Yeah, and that exactly, yeah, that's an example
of like a barrier to entrythat's been lowered.
Like Shopify does make it supereasy um to run a one-man band
operation.
SPEAKER_02 (17:47):
Yeah.
It's interesting, man, becauselike you get the whole kind of
perspective as an entrepreneur,like you get the finance and
accounting part, you get thisuh, you know, the supply chain
aspect of it, and as thebusiness grows, then you'll have
employees, and like that adds awhole different component.
Like it's kind of I don't know.
I always found theentrepreneurship aspect of the
business like really fun.
Um, I gotta ask you this: where'd you come up with the (18:06):
undefined
name at?
The name is pretty dope.
SPEAKER_00 (18:10):
Yeah, thank you.
Um it was it would I had a bunchof kind of names written down,
um just sort of brainstorming.
And it the idea had beenpercolating like for a couple
months before I before it wasserious.
And there were there were alwayskind of names and spitballing.
(18:32):
And then when I wrote dust down,I was just like, that's it.
That's and then it was kind ofinvestigating like, okay, are
there any other clothing brandsnamed Dust?
And okay, there's one inPakistan.
Okay, I'm probably fine.
I'm probably fine from a from acopyright perspective in the US.
And then it's like, okay, whichwhich website handles can I get?
(18:53):
Which social handles can I get?
But but I think the the worditself is just a good word, and
it it kind of captures thebrand's Western roots, it
captures the kind of rawness ofthe trail, and I think it works
literally and metaphorically,and like the word dust can mean
(19:13):
a lot of different things to alot of different people, which I
think is useful.
And I think having it be onesyllable is just like great for
a brand.
Um it's easy to say, it's easyto remember.
Um so so as soon as I wrote itdown, I was like, if that works,
that's it.
SPEAKER_02 (19:31):
Simple yet significant.
That's cool, man, that you cameup with it.
And like it's usually like Idon't know, like when I started
this podcast, like the I came upwith the name, and it's always
like when you come up with yourthing, like it's there's a lot
more ownership of it instead oflike asking 10,000 people to get
what they think and everybody'sgot a different perspective, and
it's like you know, it's uh whenyou find what sticks and what
(19:52):
works, you you know what whatworks, which is kind of cool,
right?
Um, dude, so I want to pivot alittle bit.
I want to talk about the sport.
Like this past year, I know youwere at Broken Arrow, you got to
check out the triple crown andand race that.
Like, what do you think of thesport as a whole now?
Like now that you're you're anentrepreneur, you're a business
owner in the sport, like what doyou like more?
The short stuff, the long stuff,like what gets you stoked?
SPEAKER_00 (20:15):
Yeah, I um it's funny you say that because I've
done two ultras this year.
It's like I think I'm ready todo some shorter stuff.
Um just it those take so long totrain for and and just like eats
up a lot of your time.
Um but I don't know.
This is as I mentioned earlier,like I I wasn't like a two feet
(20:40):
in on this sport for my entireadult life.
Like I'm I'm relatively new tolike this being my main thing.
Um, so it's it's kind of beenfun to explore um different
distances, kind of and and it'salso like I didn't come to this
as a fan of like the pro sporteither.
So now it's not like learningthe big races and learning the
top athletes, where it's likethat wasn't my entry into the
(21:04):
sport.
My entry into the sport was likeI love being on trails, I love
being outside with my friends, Ilove clothes.
You know, how do we put thesethings together?
So it's been fun to discover thesport and learn the
personalities and you know, meetpeople who are at the top of the
sport and just see the differentways that that I don't know,
(21:27):
people interact with it as aslike an elite athletic pursuit,
as opposed to like I'm outsidehaving fun with my friends kind
of thing.
And I think it's it's cool to tosee both poles of that.
Um and to have have Dus likespeak to people at both those
poles.
SPEAKER_02 (21:45):
Did you now I know this was pre-launch, but at
Broken Arrow, did you get achance to like connect with
people, talk about it at all, orwas that was it more of uh just
there to be racing?
SPEAKER_00 (21:57):
Yeah, yeah, a little bit.
Um, I mean, yeah, I did I did doall three races, so I was kind
of um focused on that.
But I was also just coming backfrom a little bit of an injury,
so I I wasn't really racing, Iwas just kind of hanging and
running.
And we had an Airbnb up therewith 12 friends, so we were just
and I actually didn't have theproduct, I didn't have anything
(22:19):
except samples then.
So I was but I did I did talk topeople about the brand and then
went to TrailCon, which was youknow, whatever the two days
after Broken Arrow, and thentalked to talked to a bunch of
people in the industry, youknow, was wearing the gear
around, had people ask about it.
Um so that was that was superfun.
And that this is a bit of asegue, but like going out into
(22:45):
the world after being headsdown, kind of by myself as a
solo entrepreneur, has been sofun.
Um just like that.
That made kind of the year ofheads-down work really
gratifying, just like people,hey, what is that shirt?
And get to tell them, Yeah, it'sit's actually my shirt, it's my
brand.
SPEAKER_02 (23:01):
Um yeah, it's cool to see it's cool to see.
I mean, I've been excited to seeso many people interacting with
with the gear, and it must bereally rewarding too.
Like I just saw Jackson post aphoto of someone recently.
Jackson Cole was wearing a uh amechanic shirt too, and I was
like, oh dude, you got one too.
(23:22):
Like, that's awesome.
So yeah, it's uh it's very it'scool.
I and this kind of makes mepivot a little bit towards like
marketing.
Like, how do you approach thisfrom like a marketing
perspective?
Because like you always have toput that hat on as well.
Obviously, your photo, yourphotos, your Instagram is
awesome.
Um, just like everything aboutit is kind of the way I would go
(23:42):
about marketing a brand.
Like, what is how do you how doyou plan to do this?
Like, do you just try to getshirts on as many people as
possible?
Um races, like how do you like Idon't know, you gotta have some
sort of scheme for it, right?
SPEAKER_00 (23:55):
Yeah, so I guess note on the photos.
Um, my buddy, do you knowBrendan Davis?
SPEAKER_02 (24:01):
I do know that name, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (24:02):
Boulder guy.
Well, he lives in New York now,but one of my buddies, he's
incredible photographer, youknow, photographs for you know,
some of the biggest brands in inthe world in the running space.
Um and he he took a bunch of thephotos that we did in Boulder.
Um, just been a complete homiein in helping helping the brand
out and making it really pop.
(24:24):
Um so shout out to Brendan.
Um but then yeah, as far as asfar as the lead up to launch, I
didn't do a ton of like I didn'tdo any paid marketing.
Um and kind of tried to just doword of mouth.
Um since launch, I've started todo like a little bit of boosting
(24:45):
on Instagram and like seeing ifthat's worth it at all.
And then have sent have justceded product to some people.
Um, like obviously Kyle andKyle's Kyle is a wearing it
before launch, um, gettingpeople in the top of the funnel
to use a some marketing jargon.
(25:06):
Um but then yeah, my plan is totry to do as much in-person
stuff as possible.
So I don't I don't know if yousaw this post, but I I bought
the Dust Bus.
Yes, which is uh 1995 Ford Iconoline XL, former Sonoma County
Sheriff tactical vehicle.
(25:26):
What?
Um Facebook Marketplace, believeit or not.
SPEAKER_01 (25:31):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (25:32):
Um, so I'm gonna put some decals on the side of that,
baby, and um start heading toraces.
Um I've done a few events.
I did like a beer mile inBoulder and Bend and Seattle.
Um gonna do something here in SFin a few weeks.
So the plan is to to do as muchin-person stuff as I can, just
(25:55):
because like that's where I finda lot of joy, and like that's
where I have great interactions,and I think that's where you can
really establish brand loyalty.
Um like if you talk to face toface with a founder, you're
like, oh wow, this is a this isa real human doing a real thing,
and humans like that.
Um so so all I have to say isthe plan is to do as much
(26:20):
in-person stuff as possible, andthen uh I'm also gonna work with
Brendan a little bit more.
I think we're gonna do some somemagazine stuff to go back a
little bit to that analog umprint stuff, just because a lot
of the brand is also sort oflike I don't want it to live
online, I don't want it to bethat Instagram-y kind of
(26:44):
Facebook meta ads brand.
Um so, but a lot of it's justfiguring it out, like like and
like it's still entrepreneurial.
I'm figuring out what works,what doesn't, what products
people like, what productspeople don't like.
Um so it's I think it's aboutjust keeping my foot on the gas
and keeping just keep showing upat these places.
SPEAKER_02 (27:06):
Yeah.
Um what uh what races do youthink will see you out the
summer?
Anything in particular thatyou've got like you're that
you're like I have to get to?
SPEAKER_00 (27:15):
Uh I think Black Canyon in in February.
I think anything that's in, I'llprobably be back at Broken
Arrow.
Okay.
Um obviously Western states isrelatively close here.
So those are sort of the three Ihave on my on my calendar, but
(27:36):
but having a van and having likeflexibility, it's just like I
can I'll I'll hit it, I'll gohit up a you know a local trail
half marathon in the North Bay,probably just um but yeah.
So still I wish I'd plan thingsout till next summer already,
(27:59):
but I I've got the big ones onthe calendar, but the the other
interesting thing with clothesis like I already I have to
start development on like thenext round of stuff.
So that's already happening inthe background right now, too.
SPEAKER_02 (28:09):
Yeah.
Well, actually on that topic, Ihad a thing written down to
actually ask you about this.
Like I had seen on you had a jobopening for um, I think it was
for women's apparel.
Is that something that you planto expanding?
I it's funny you like that itgets brought up because I've had
so many people, I mean, justfriends on the pop of the
podcast and just friends andfriends like bring up like how
there's not a lot of reallysolid like women's apparel stuff
(28:32):
out there.
Like it's usually just likedoesn't fit correctly or it's
just not that great.
Um yeah, maybe talk about thator how you plan to expand on
that.
SPEAKER_00 (28:40):
Uh yeah, we're we're gonna launch women's hopefully
late in the spring, maybeearlier in the summer.
Um, kind of in the early stagesof of development now.
Um but but that is that is inthe plan.
Have a rad female designer I'mworking with.
Um so yeah, that's in the that'sin the cards.
SPEAKER_02 (29:05):
Nice.
SPEAKER_00 (29:06):
Um because I was I will say I did I did no no I
interrupted you.
Um I did uh I did hear thatquestion a lot.
Um also just like this stuff israd and like where but where's
the women's stuff?
Um and it just it didn't makesense.
I couldn't take that big of aswing on the first go just
(29:28):
financially.
Um but now that with a littlebit momentum and now I have
revenue, um, can start can startdoing those, you know, forward
more forward looking adventures.
SPEAKER_02 (29:41):
Yeah.
What is your what's your goalwith this thing, dude?
Like obviously this is like thecoolest job ever to be able to
just like go to races and pitchyour product and talk about it.
Like, I mean, is the goal tolike make this like a gigantic
thing or keep it grassroots?
Like, like what's your like whatis your ultimate kind of plan?
For this thing.
SPEAKER_00 (30:00):
Yeah.
I mean, my ultimate personalgoal is to create a life and
career in the outdoor industry.
Um, like at bottom, that's why Ikind of started this venture.
And at the end of the day, thatthat's the most important goal.
Um would I love to, you know, bethe Mountain West trail running
(30:22):
brand?
Absolutely.
I'm not gonna shy away fromsaying I'd love to grow this
thing and make it big.
Like that would be that would beawesome and fun and a cool
journey.
And it would just lead to somany interactions within this
industry that I love that I'vemet already so many cool people
in.
Um and that just sounds like alike a working life as a life
(30:46):
well lived kind of thing.
Um, so so yeah, I mean, thoseare sort of the two tent post
school.
It's like a personal, like Ilove this, I love being outside,
I love interacting with the coolpeople who also love being
outside.
And then two, I started abusiness.
Of course I'd love to have awildly successful business.
SPEAKER_02 (31:07):
Yeah.
Is it is it stressful so far?
SPEAKER_00 (31:11):
It's definitely stressful.
Um I wouldn't say I mean it isstressful for sure.
Just like pressing that, likethe day before launch, it's just
like, okay, I hope people buythis tomorrow.
Like I know my mom and dad will,but but uh and I know I know
(31:36):
some of my friends will, butthen it was just like it was so
gratifying to see like, I don'tknow, a bunch of strange a bunch
of people's names who I didn'tknow orders come through, just
like, oh, that's so cool that Iput this out into the world and
someone vibed with it and spenttheir money on it.
Like so definitely, definitelyhighs and lows of like any solo
(31:58):
project and any venture likedoes require a bit of bit of
vulnerability, but um it'sreally fun too.
Like it is a super fun job.
SPEAKER_02 (32:09):
Yeah, so it's amazing.
And one of the things that likestuck out to me the most, like I
really loved, like I vibed withon the website.
Like you wrote, I don't know ifyou wrote this or I guess this
is the tagline, but based on thecelebration of life outside,
trails, dirt, good friends, oldvans, and cold beer.
Like I was like, that's that'slegit.
I like that.
That sticks, that's that likehow can you not vibe with that?
SPEAKER_00 (32:30):
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Um, so yeah, and I think likeI'm just trying to stay true to
myself in building the brand.
Like that is sort of how I justlive my life.
And I think, you know, if I canfind a few other thousand people
who like that, then then there'sa business there.
Yeah.
And I just based on all my timeon the trails and outside, like
(32:53):
those people are there for sure.
SPEAKER_02 (32:56):
Yeah.
Is there uh a chance we get youback like in the mountain west?
Like you think you make a returnto Boulder, or are you probably
based in San Fran for theremainder of your time?
SPEAKER_00 (33:07):
Uh I think it's definitely possible eventually.
Um mostly moved out west for myfiance's career.
Um but we had met in SanFrancisco, she's a California
girl.
Um so we're we're out here for afew years at least, but I I love
(33:28):
Colorado.
I both my brothers live inColorado.
Um my folks are in in KansasCity, so there's definitely a
drawback there.
And I love I love getting backthere as much as I can.
And obviously I've made it apoint to to do as much dust
stuff as I can in the inColorado and in the front range.
So um definitely will be thereplenty, if not uh back
(33:55):
permanently at some point downthe line.
SPEAKER_02 (33:58):
Yeah.
Well, the reason I ask is likebecause you know, I don't know.
I I I think when you go on thewebsite and we go on the
Instagram, for instance, I thinkmost of the listeners will
probably pander over to, youknow, pander over to both.
And there's a lot of KyleRichardson, who I and and Tate
Knight, well, I think are twovery good selections for like
that just kind of embody what Ithink of when I think of the
(34:18):
brand.
I don't know, it just kind oflike fits really well.
Like Kyle is this interestingcharacter, um, you know, not
just a runner, also gets out onthe bike a lot, but very
Mountain West vibes, you know,very um artistic in what he
does.
Uh I don't know, it just it fitsvery well.
So I think that was a very good,good selection for uh for the
brand itself.
SPEAKER_00 (34:39):
Yeah, yeah.
Kyle's Kyle's a legend anddefinitely personifies the brand
well, like the true definitionof a of a soul runner, like he's
just out there crushing in themountains every day.
Um, and it's like no big deal.
Yeah, like he'll just go up andit'll just be a random Tuesday,
and he'll you know run one ofthe top ten times up Long Speak
(35:03):
ever.
Like he's he's just the beast.
SPEAKER_02 (35:07):
Yeah, he's a super gifted athlete.
Well, what one of the things toothat I thought was really cool
is that on his um East Coasttrip that he did, and and I I'll
I'll link this in the show notesfor listeners to go check out as
well.
Like when I had him on, wetalked a lot about this.
Um he basically rode near fromNew York City to Maine um and
ended his trip in New Hampshire,but he had a mechanic shirt that
(35:27):
he wore like a good chunk of itand didn't wash it, like held up
really well and like survivedkind of the east coast, which is
kind of notorious for some ofthe worst weather, you know, in
the time of the year.
Um which I thought I thought waskind of cool.
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (35:43):
Yeah, that was that was the I mean he had like a
sleep shirt, but he's that wasthe only shirt he brought.
And um yeah, he's we we talkedafter the trip and he was like,
dude, can you send me anotherone?
I kind of want to get this shirtframed after the trip.
SPEAKER_02 (35:56):
It's very kind of frame it like that.
SPEAKER_00 (35:58):
We'll we'll put that up.
We'll put that as that'd be agreat post.
Yeah.
Um but yeah, it's uh um thefabric is is great.
Like the the factory did anamazing job finding this fabric.
Um it is just it's bomber, likeso durable, so so durable.
And um you can you can you canput it through the ringer, you
(36:20):
can you can take it on a youknow two and a half week trip
and not watch it and just likeput it in the stream and then
put in the laundry at the end ofit and it'll come out and look
basically the same.
Um so yeah, it's I I'm stokedwith how how the shirt turned
out for sure.
SPEAKER_02 (36:39):
Yeah, yeah.
I mean the whole lineup, dude.
I mean, I'll dig in the hatstoo.
Hats are cool.
Um yeah, I feel like it's veryyou can do it with a lot of um
it's not just for running too.
Like I feel like it it's got agood aesthetic for mountain and
gravel cycling.
Um there's a lot of like it,it's it's all over the place,
which is kind of neat.
Like it's very transferable.
SPEAKER_00 (36:58):
Yeah, yeah.
And that was kind of the goal,as like going back to my point
about you know, trail running ismy thing right now, but at the
end of the day, I'm I'm justlike a trail athlete.
Um, I do ride bikes a lot still.
I I think it's great for biking.
Um the mechanic shirt has beenon a gravel podium.
(37:20):
My dad, second place, 70 plusbig sugar in October.
SPEAKER_02 (37:27):
Let's go.
That's awesome.
SPEAKER_00 (37:29):
Um but yeah, I that was in designing sort of the
fruit the launch collection, itwas like, how do I want to
design?
Like, how does my wardrobe look?
It's it's a lot of really solidquality basics, and then a few
pieces that are kind of morestandout or that juge it up a
little bit.
Um, you know, if you're feelingyourself or you want to rock
(37:51):
that special shirt on race day.
Um so that's that's sort of mydesign philosophy behind it, and
how I how I'm gonna, you know,keep doing the collections
moving forward.
SPEAKER_02 (38:02):
Very cool, very cool.
Do you think um, like is there achance you get more into like
technical apparel, like morelike belts?
I see like a big everybody'sdoing the belts or the or the
vest snail.
It seems like a popular thing.
Like, do you see a space inwhich you kind of get into that
as well?
SPEAKER_00 (38:18):
Yeah.
Um, I think a belt is apossibility.
Um the shorts we released arelike extremely basic shorts,
unlined, two pockets, one, threepockets, well, two side pockets
and one rear zip pocket, butjust like about as simple as you
can get in terms of a short.
(38:39):
It's a really nice short.
Um, but you know, some peoplewant liners, some people want a
shorter short, some people wanta perforated fabric.
Um so we are gonna do in when werelease women's, we're also
gonna do like a techier outlineshort and also some some tights,
um, some half-tights for formen, and then some full leggings
(39:04):
for for women, and then like akind of fun techier uh short for
women as well.
Um and that like figuring thatout is much like talking about
all the problem.
I mean I was already going intohow many issues I had getting
like a shirt and like simpleshorts developed, getting
(39:25):
something techie figured out islike all of that times five,
basically.
SPEAKER_01 (39:30):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (39:31):
Um but now that I've sort of figured out how to
communicate these things, thedesign language, figuring out
how to tweak, figuring out howto like um just the process
generally, it just it itstreamlines it a little bit, but
it's still a lot of back andforth and but but yeah, all that
to say super long answer.
(39:52):
We are gonna do some techierstuff.
I would love to eventually do abelt.
I I was talking to Kyle actuallya lot about that.
Um I do think there is a I don'tknow if it's a gap in the
market, but like a reallylightweight basic belt.
I think and I think the nakedbelts are pretty good.
Um but something like that,that's you know, it's not the
(40:15):
like super, it's not the rainbelt, it's not like the
techkiest, most bomber likething you need if you're going
out for a full day, butsomething that's like really
light and really good.
SPEAKER_02 (40:29):
Simple yet significant.
Yeah, I I think there isdefinitely a space for that.
I mean, Kyle's the best persontoo, because he I know he played
a huge role in helping developthe black diamond belt that I
don't know saw the light of day.
I I know he's got one, and I'veseen them pop up here and there
from like back in the day.
SPEAKER_00 (40:46):
Yeah, I think Kyle has one of those too.
SPEAKER_02 (40:48):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (40:48):
Well, he but he Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (40:50):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (40:50):
Uh sorry, I thought you were talking, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (40:52):
Yeah, yeah.
No, but not Kyle, uh yeah, yeah.
Anyway, yeah.
Kyle Richardson.
Yeah.
Lots of Kyle's floating around.
Um, but yeah, dude, that's athat's a space uh and like I've
worked with um uh a brand to tryand get that to see the light of
day.
And I the brand that I've workedwith particularly is just a like
a lot of moving parts to it, soit's difficult to do.
(41:12):
But yeah, if someone could justfigure out the light, simple,
significant belt, like it's justdoesn't have to be rocket
science.
Just get it right, you know,right materials, you know, right
space, and then also have like asmall zipper pocket for for your
keys or your key fob orwhatever, that's all you need.
You know, nothing too crazy.
So yeah, putting that one intoit.
SPEAKER_00 (41:33):
Yeah, yeah.
I've I've I've dreamed about it.
It's on it's in the it's in thedocuments, my litany of Google
Docs somewhere.
Um yeah, focused on focused onthe women's stuff and the
techier techier shorts rightnow.
And you know, if those do welland we're bringing more people
into the brand, then then yeah,cool.
(41:54):
I'd love to because yeah, I'deventually love to just like
make my whole kit dust.
SPEAKER_02 (41:58):
Like that'd be awesome.
Yeah, yeah, I I totally agree.
Um, all right, man, we're atabout 40 minutes.
I want to get to like as westart to wind down, um, yeah,
what what is what's somethingyou want the listeners to
resonate with?
Like what what what really isone thing about the brand that
you want to get out there to theworld, like that that's gonna
set you guys, make you guysdifferent, and that you just
(42:21):
want them to know about you.
SPEAKER_00 (42:24):
Yeah, I I think it is that kind of soul runner
attitude that we talked about.
Like it's it's gear that's greatthat you can go run a really
fast race in, but but at thebottom it's it's more of the
celebration of the feeling youget when you're outside on the
trail.
And the reason like that we alllove this sport or whatever
(42:47):
outdoor sport that we love.
Um like at bottom, that feelingis what I want to have baked
into the brand, and what I'mtrying to convey with the copy
and the photos and the peopleI'm sponsoring or sending gear
to are the people who I think umwho I think really get that that
(43:13):
a life outside is a is a lifewell lived.
Um so yeah, I think I that atthe at the core of it, that's
what that's what this brand isabout.
It's like the I know I know thisfeeling personally, and
everyone, you know, everyone hastheir own feelings in
relationship with with theoutdoors, but um that feeling of
(43:37):
being outside and being withyour friends and having a beer
and doing like fun, cool shit inthe woods.
That's what I love.
Yeah, and that's what I that'swhat I want to celebrate and I
want to empower other people todo.
SPEAKER_02 (43:52):
I love it.
I love it.
Zach, I'm such a fan, dude.
Thank you for coming on.
Great conversation.
Um, and yeah, man, I think it'sa good spot to stop.
And we got to pick this up onceyou drop or once you drop the
women's stuff, and as new stuffcomes out, anytime you want to
talk about it, we'll bring youback on and we'll uh we'll have
a conversation.
SPEAKER_00 (44:10):
So awesome.
SPEAKER_02 (44:11):
Yeah, thanks, man.
SPEAKER_00 (44:12):
Well, very much appreciate you having me on,
James.
And yeah, hopefully we get a geta run together.
SPEAKER_02 (44:16):
Dude, I'd love it.
Here soon.
Absolutely.
Appreciate you.
What'd you guys think?
Oh man, I'm really sorry aboutmy voice.
I've been sick all week.
And uh yeah, it was it waspretty evident in uh it was
pretty evident, not just in myinterviewing, but also in my
voice.
So I uh apologize for that.
Hoping to uh it seems like todayI'm I'm on the up and up.
(44:38):
So yeah.
Um guys, if you uh wouldn'tmind, the best way you can
support Zach is to check outDust.
Uh you can find him atWeirdust.com.
That's the best way you cansupport.
Go ahead and jump onwhereDust.com and also give Dust
a follow on Instagram.
You can just find them at Dust.
It's gonna be linked in the shownotes.
If you toggle on over to the umuh if you toggle on over to the
(45:01):
website, you can shop all andyou that's where you can find
that really dope mechanic shirtthat I was talking about uh that
you've seen a bunch of peoplewearing.
Also check out the online short.
I'm gonna throw an order forthat in today because I'm stoked
to see what that's all about.
Uh also digging the hat.
Um yeah, all kinds of good stuffthere.
Again, not a sponsored episodeby Dust.
I just uh really enjoy talkingto founders and people that uh
(45:23):
create things and uh you know goout and and and you know risk it
all for a business that they'reexcited about and for something
that they get stoked on.
So yeah, I really got to commenduh Zach for what he's doing.
And yeah, I would love to seethis brand uh continue to grow
and get some love.
Uh yeah, like I said, you canalso find them on Dust on
Instagram.
(45:43):
Best way you can support us isto give us a five-star rating
and review on Apple, Spotify,YouTube, or wherever you consume
your podcast.
And very last but not least, youcan also support us by
supporting our brand partner,Ultimate Direction.
Big shout out to UltimateDirection.
Right now, you guys can get 25%off your cart.
That's gonna get you 25% off byusing code Steep StuffPod.
That's one word, Steep StuffPod.
(46:05):
And um, yeah, all kinds of goodstuff out there on the horizon.
Uh UD just launched, like Isaid, their new uh six-liter
race vest and a 12-liter ultravest, as well as a new pole
quiver to accommodate any vestthat you might have right now.
Um, it fits on just about anyvest.
And on top of that, they've gota great belt selection as well.
Guys, thanks so much.
(46:26):
Um I really appreciate you guysstaying tuned and following uh
following along.
Uh we took a little bit lessepisodes this week uh because
we're working on a bunch of newstuff.
We've got some new brandingcoming out.
Um, working right now on somenew stuff for all new video
episodes, and we're just kind ofplanning the next iteration of
the Steep Stuff podcast as itcontinues to evolve and grow.
(46:49):
So that's taking a lot of timeas well as being sick this week.
So thanks for uh tuning alongand following along and tuning
in.
And uh yeah, appreciate you all.
Thanks, guys.
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