How Halfdays Turned Community into a Growth Engine

Podcast: Marketing Operators
Episode: 75
Hosts: Connor Rolain, Connor MacDonald, Cody Plofker
Guest: Ariana Ferwerda (CEO & Co-Founder, Halfdays)
Date: September 2, 2025

Overview

This episode dives into how the women-led outdoor apparel brand Halfdays, under CEO Ariana Ferwerda, built community into the very DNA of its business—and how that community has driven massive growth and brand affinity. From unique retail launches and mission-driven community events to innovative collaborations, Ariana shares the brand’s journey, tactics, and the nuanced philosophy behind making “community” a real engine, not just a buzzword.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ariana’s Path to Halfdays & Unique Industry Perspective

• Background: Ariana worked at the NPD Group (now Circana), learning to leverage retail sales and trend data to inform decisions for major retailers like Target, Amazon, and Walmart ([14:08]).
• Insight: “You have to know the difference between a fad and a long-term trend ... I got to see that up close.” ([19:16])
• Founding Spark: Frustration shopping for ski wear combined with observing an insular, male-driven outdoor industry revealed a gap in the market for women-focused, stylish, approachable ski apparel ([16:00]-[17:11]).
• Met Olympic skier Kylie (co-founder), sharing a mutual frustration and quickly deciding to launch Halfdays.

2. Defining a Community-First Brand

• Customer Insight—Barrier to Entry: Their research found women felt excluded and intimidated by skiing and the outdoor industry due to gear, culture, and jargon ([34:10]).
• Mission Statement: “Bringing more women to the outdoors is our mission … making it more approachable and more fun.” ([34:34])
• Exclusion to Inclusion: Language and branding intentionally avoid technical jargon to welcome beginners and “recreational” skiers.

3. Community as a Growth Engine: How & Where It Lives

• Community Channels:
  • Slack: Regional channels for localized meet-ups and sharing ([46:31]).
  • Social: Instagram and others to broadcast events, news, and content.
  • Ambassador Program: Paid (mostly via product), regionally-based brand advocates organize 8–10 events/month across the country ([49:04]).
  • VIP Customers: Private channel for product feedback and insights ([47:28]).
• Event Spectrum:
  • Ambassador-led events: Hikes, ski days, happy hours—low lift, frequent, local, inclusive.
  • Brand Activations: Large-scale, destination events and partnerships (e.g., retail store launches, collaborations with The Cowboy Bar in Jackson Hole) ([58:42], [61:48]).
  • Collaborations: Cross-category campaigns, e.g., Ilia Beauty makeup/skincare collab, building 360-degree digital and IRL presence ([26:44],[19:19]).
• Quote: “We decided to build a brand around this insight of just making the outdoors more approachable and more fun for women.” —Ariana ([34:34])

4. The Philosophy: When & Why Community Works

• Not For Everyone: “Community is a lot of work ... I wouldn’t do it if there wasn’t a true mission or friction to solve.” ([34:53])
• Mission Fit: Community-first only makes sense if it ladders into your why—otherwise it’s not worth the effort or cost.
• Examples:
  • Community is right: Wine recommendation app with education/events ([44:06])
  • Not right: Phone cases, simple commoditized goods ([44:06])

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “We were very intentional about not hiring anybody from the outdoor industry … we were so dead set on just doing it differently.” —Ariana ([28:21])
• “Community is such a buzzword … you have to have a reason for doing it.” ([34:53])
• “If I was launching a phone case brand, I would not build a community around it.” ([44:06])
• “Try to create this feeling of like you’re seeing Halfdays everywhere.” —Ariana ([73:13])
• “We just kind of plopped on the street with all the legacy outdoor brands with like a yellow store and we’re like, hello, here we are.” ([32:49]) —On standing out with retail in Denver

Important Segments & Timestamps

| Topic | Speaker | Timestamp | |---|---|---| | Ariana’s Background & Market Research Experience | Ariana | 14:08–21:47 | | Identifying the Gap in Women’s Skiwear | Ariana | 16:00–18:49 | | Meeting Co-Founder Kylie & Brand Genesis | Ariana | 17:15–18:49 | | First-Season Product-Market Fit & Tactical Launch | Ariana | 22:44–25:09 | | Product & Brand Inspiration (Glossier, Outdoor Voices, et al.) | Ariana | 28:21–31:09 | | Philosophy on Community-First Branding | Ariana | 34:10–37:34, 44:06 | | Community Infrastructure—Channels & Events | Ariana | 46:31–51:38 | | Operationalizing IRL Events | Ariana | 49:04–51:08, 58:42 | | Brand Activations (Cowboy Bar, Ilia collab) | Ariana | 58:42–64:26 | | Community vs. Performance Marketing | Ariana | 67:39–69:44 | | Team & Internal Structure | Ariana | 74:58–77:28 | | Measuring Impact of Community | Ariana | 78:42–85:45 |

Community Activation Playbook (Practical Tactics)

• Start with Research: Interview your audience to diagnose real friction/motivation ([34:10])
• Choose the Right Platform: Use channels where your audience already spends time (Slack for professionals; maybe Facebook or Broadcast Channels for older demos) ([54:09])
• Regionalization Matters: Local channels/events for greater connection ([46:31])
• Ambassadors > Influencers: Your best customers love to lead; empower them with product and light incentives ([49:04], [51:08])
• Hybrid Approach: Mix low-lift, frequent IRL meetups and big, splashy collaborations or retail events.
• Mission-First: Let your mission and customer insight dictate whether—and how—you should pursue community ([34:10], [44:06])

Performance, Measurement & Results

• Attribution Tactics:
  • Track discount/codes at events
  • Convert event attendees into affiliates for sales tracking
  • Monitor list growth (esp. via event RSVPs/engagement)
  • Use CDPs to match event signups to future sales (“long tail attribution”) ([81:08])
• Awareness Is Key Metric: Community’s power is in long-term awareness; direct revenue attribution is messy ([34:10], [78:42])
• List Growth: Active tactic—12,000+ event RSVPs/year drive lead generation at near-zero cost ([85:20])
• “You shouldn’t NOT do good marketing just because it’s hard to measure.” —Connor ([77:51])

Notable Collaborations & Activations

• Ilia Beauty: Co-branded product and influencer trip to Whistler for ski season ([26:44], [65:59])
• Cowboy Bar (Jackson Hole): Turned into “Cowgirl Bar” for merch launch/activation, paired with in-market event ([58:42]–[64:26])
• AllTrails Partnership: Gifting memberships to event attendees; all monthly meetups co-branded ([49:04])
• Retail Presence: Vibrant Denver flagship store positioned among legacy outdoor brands ([32:49])

Closing Thoughts

Halfdays’ explosive growth and loyal following aren’t just about filling a market gap—they’re the result of focusing on authentic community built on actionable insights, a lived mission, and relentless creative execution. Not every brand should rush to “do community,” but for Halfdays, it’s become a compounding engine driving both revenue and deep affinity.

Further Resources

• Halfdays Website
• @halfdays Instagram for updates and community events
• Past campaigns with Ilia Beauty, AllTrails, Cowboy Bar featured across Halfdays channels