← Work with Erika Ayers Badan
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- [00:00]
A
Oh, we can launch anything and people will buy it.
- [00:02]
B
Yeah.
- [00:02]
A
And it's just like, not the. Not the case.
- [00:04]
B
Right.
- [00:05]
A
Like, I think that there's such an interesting thing to be said about launching a brand and launching a product that people are actually in need of.
- [00:25]
B
Welcome back to work conversations. I have a special guest today. I love an impromptu guest. So just to like, break down how we got here, here, Danielle, who's on the board of Work, like a girl is like, hey, do you know this company Half Days? And I'm like, I'm obsessed with half days. Like, I scroll on net a porte or whatever, and I'm like, ooh, the ski gear, the ski gear, the ski gear. And then I imagine myself like £5 skinnier on the slope somewhere and like a fabulous skier. And she was like, hey, I know the founder. And I was like, I would love to meet with the founder. So Ariana and I get connected. We connect this morning. I'm like, random. I'm in the office today. Do you want to connect? She's like, let's do it. So I think it's the happiest thing ever. So Ariana for Worda, who. She has a what I call a porn star name, which is probably inappropriate, but give us your story and give us the story of Half Days.
- [01:20]
A
Absolutely. First of all, thanks so much for having me. I'm so happy we could make this work. So Half Days, as you described, is a women's ski and outdoor apparel brand. We launched the business about five years ago, so November 2020. And the genesis was really, we felt that there was a gap in the women's ski wear market first and foremost. So I grew up skiing in Michigan. After college, I moved to Colorado, was working for a retail consulting firm at the time, so learned a lot about retail through that, but ultimately was going shopping for ski wear for the first time as an adult. And I was going into like REI and the North Face and all these stores. And I was like, why is everything so bad? Like, so masculine, so ill fitting chartreuse suit, Patagonia suit that, like, made me feel and look like the Michelin man.
- [02:08]
B
Yep, yep.
- [02:10]
A
And I then met my co founder, Kylie, who's a former Olympic skier, and she was like, oh, I couldn't agree more. Like, I've been sponsored by all these legacy brands and really feel the exact same way as you. So it was a light bulb moment for the two of us where I was a very recreational skier and she was on the other end of the spectrum with pink. Like a professional Skier competing on the world stage and feeling like she didn't really resonate with any of these brands or like the product herself. So, yeah, we launched the brand in 2020, which was crazy. Like, that's a whole topic in and over.
- [02:42]
B
Yeah, I was going to say, how'd that go?
- [02:45]
A
But all things went well. We launched into market, found product, market fit really quickly, have since expanded into other categories, like just lifestyle, outdoor activewear, hiking apparel, all of the things. But yeah, we've really kind of like, exploded, I would say, in the skiwear space for women.
- [03:00]
B
And how did you raise money? So you come up with. You and Kylie come together and. And you and Kylie are like, women's snowsuits suck. Ugly Betty, I think was Ugly Betty or Sweaty Betty. Sweaty Betty.
- [03:14]
A
Sweaty Betty.
- [03:15]
B
Sweaty Betty had that, like, hot minute, but then it was kind of like the stuff you wear under your ski stuff. I am also always searching for ski stuff. Like, I'm a big, peak performance person. I like the peak performance brand. But I think that there's something. Women's ski wear actually is a small tangent. It's kind of a funny place because you want to be warm. A lot of women want to look sexy, you want to look sporty. It needs to be quality. You got to be able to fit in. It can't be uncomfortable. Like, it has to serve. It's a difficult place. So. But before we get into the size and the fit and the brand of it all, talk about the raising money process. You guys come together, you girls come together, you have this big idea, then what happens?
- [03:59]
A
Yeah, I mean, I would love to get into all the things that you just said as well, because it's so, so accurate. It's such an interesting category, but when we first started working on the Idea, we were 23 when we met and, like, pretty much were coming up with this, and we didn't have a ton of savings to, like, put into this, so we had to raise capital really early. And skiwear, most people don't know this, but, like, it's incredibly expensive to produce. And most of the factories. It's funny that you say peak performance. We manufacture in the same factory as peak performance, and the factories at this scale produce thousands and thousands of units. So the first production run that we made back in 2020 was 7,000 units. Okay, so just like, imagine trying to buy that. It was hundreds of thousands of dollars.
- [04:44]
B
Sure, it's expensive.
- [04:45]
A
So we're like, how are we going to do this? No one's giving, like, these two 23 year olds a loan for skiwear. So we pretty much raise a pre seed round from venture capital firms. In 2020, like a few months before launching, we raised $850,000. And that's what we used to like, secure the inventory, get a website up and running, be able to pay ourselves a little bit of money, and then kind of off to the races from there. And we've since raised more. That was kind of like the first of it.
- [05:14]
B
Yep. And how big is the company and what do you put your money towards?
- [05:20]
A
So Today we're about 30 full time employees and we're all here in Denver, Colorado.
- [05:24]
B
Okay.
- [05:25]
A
And when we raise money, I mean, the things that we're really looking at are team expansion, getting into wholesale accounts. We're carrying a lot of retailers at this point, and then just overall brand building. We spend a lot on community marketing, social media marketing, all of the good things, partnerships, collaborations. Yeah, yeah.
- [05:46]
B
And who does your design?
- [05:49]
A
Yeah, so we at the very, very early stages, my co founder and I basically found these designers from Archeterics and Lululemon on LinkedIn, which is like we're messaging people on LinkedIn, trying to find people to help us get it off the ground. And we started working with them. So pretty much Kylie and I had like a vision for what the product, what we wanted it to look like. You made such a good point earlier. Like, you want to look sporty and like you know what you're doing on the mountain, but you also like want to feel hot and like, feel like yourself and have something that fits well.
- [06:16]
B
Yeah.
- [06:17]
A
So that was really this like, balance we had to strike. And so, yeah, it was kind of like a collaborative process early on. But today we have a full design team, product development, all of the things in house.
- [06:27]
B
And whose idea was the brand?
- [06:30]
A
It was kind of a. It was like, I would say between Kylie and I. Like, I met Kylie through her brother who I was friends with in Denver. And I had said to him at some point, like, ski wears are so bad. And he's like, oh my God, like, you have to meet my sister. Like, she's a former Olympic skier. She had the same thoughts. We've always talked about how bad the ski wear market is. So he put us in touch and that was really kind of like how it escalated. So.
- [06:53]
B
Okay, that's cool. I love the brand. I think Half Days is like a perfect, it's a perfect brand. I also think, you know, it's funny. It's like, I think in ski wear, you don't want to feel bulky. It's uncomfortable. Skiing is uncomfortable. Like, it's like the boots are. It's. It's heavy. It's a lot of lift. You got to move yourself. You're, like, sweating, you're hot, you're cold. But I also think there's. There just hasn't been a lot of style around it. And I think you all have done, you know, you kind of. You've come on the scene. You're a brand that you appeal to someone my age. You appeal to someone in her late, you know, late teens, early 20s. What's been the thing that's surprised you the most about how the brand's taken off?
- [07:39]
A
Oh, yeah, that's such a good question. I would say it's been a few things. I would say that it was interesting to have something that we launched into market that found product market fit so quickly.
- [07:52]
B
Yep.
- [07:53]
A
And then when you launch into other categories, I think what you assume is just that, oh, we can launch anything and people will buy it.
- [07:59]
B
Yeah.
- [07:59]
A
And it's just, like, not the. Not the case.
- [08:01]
B
Right.
- [08:01]
A
Like, I think that there's such an interesting thing to be said about launching a brand and launching a product that people are actually in need of. And that was our experience with ski. And then we kind of launched like, okay, we'll launch, like, puffers. It's like, well, people, like, we aren't in dire need of, like, better looking or better fitting puffers. Right. And we do a good job with puffers and, like, they sell whatever. But it's like, we just found this immediate product market fit with the niche we were filling. And it's something that I talk so much to early stage founders about because they're like, why is my product not, like, working? And I'm like, are you solving a real problem? Or you're just, like, trying to start a company? To start a company? So I would say that that definitely surprised me, just kind of after being in it for five years. And then the second thing I would say is there is this preconceived notion in the outdoor industry that if something looks cute or fashion forward or is pink or has like a belt around the waist, that it also can't be technical. And that's just this, like, barrier that we've had to overcome of telling people, actually, you can take any technical material and dye it any color and it still maintains technicality.
- [09:06]
B
Yeah, it doesn't. That's interesting. And do you think it's because it's mostly male dominated, or do you think that seems kind of obvious?
- [09:15]
A
Is that why it is that there's this, like, really interesting dynamic in the outdoor space that's like, you have to be in the club or you're not allowed to be there. Like, if you didn't grow up skiing, it's kind of this, like, experts only, insiders only culture that exists. And, like, if you don't have the best gear or if you are just learning how to do it as an adult, like, people look down upon you. And it's really something that my co founder and I have tried to build the entire brand around combating because it's so silly. It's like the outdoors, the mountains are for everyone.
- [09:47]
B
Yeah, totally.
- [09:48]
A
It's just such, like, an entitled view to be like, oh, like, if you haven't done it since you were a kid. I'm just like, I hate that mentality. And, like, it's really the thing that we've built the entire brand around. Everyone deserves to be in the mountains and should have access to them. And it's really, like, one huge thing that we're on a mission to do at half days.
- [10:04]
B
And do you think that's true in the industry, or do you think it's true with consumers? Like, I think I ski. I ski a lot. I'm from Colorado originally. Like, I grew up skiing. I also feel like. I feel like it's a. I think women's skiing is a whole thing in its own right. Like, you kind of have, like, the hardo girls who are, like, crazy into it, and they've got, like, chapped lips and runny noses. And then you've got the group that's like, hey, I just want to look cute. After, I'll show up at three and do two runs and then do the opera. And then you got, like, the group in the middle. I'm like a three in lodge person. But do you think the perception is with skiers, like, the skiing community, or do you think it's with the industry, or do you think it's with both?
- [10:54]
A
It's such a good question. I feel like it's all over the place. Like, it exists in different communities. It exists in, like, the people who've been a skier their entire life. It exists in the people who are, like, super hardcore. I think it just depends. And I think what I've realized, and one of our theories early on with half days, is that most of the people are kind of in the middle. They're kind of just like, we want to go and have a good time on the mountain and get out there with our Friends and like, have a good time. Then you have like these people kind of on the far end of the spectrum, which to a degree is some of the skiers and some of the industry people. I think there's like overlap within those things that are like, oh, like half days isn't technical or like perfect moment isn't technical or whatever. It is like these more like feminine, approachable, making it more just about like getting out there and having a good time. They just like look down upon it. I think that there's, I think that it's changing, but I do think that there is this like, mentality in the space that not everyone's welcome. And that's just like something we've been so, so forward about changing in the outdoor industry and skiers at large.
- [12:01]
B
Yeah, it's funny, my brother's a big skier and it's like it is a fashion parade. And it's also, skiing is like oddly a fashion parade for men, I think, as much as it is for women. Like, I'd be curious if you start to make men's stuff, because I think they care. Like, it's the, it's the chartreuse Patagonia with the light brown that like, it looks like the whole thing looks like diarrhea, but it clearly is like, thoughtful about how it goes together. But what about like brands like sweaty. Like what happened to Sweaty Betty? Like, what about brands like who do you compete with?
- [12:35]
A
It's so funny. We, we compete with two ends of the spectrum so we can sit alongside brands like the North Face and compete with the North Face because our products are just as technical, but they're like generally better fitting and in my opinion, better looking, better colors, cuter for women. So we can sit alongside them and compete. And then we can also sit alongside some of the more fashion leaning brands like Wagner, Goldberg, Moncler, because our products aesthetically sit alongside them, but we're just have a much better price point. So we kind of can compete with both of them. So I would say that those are like a few of the.
- [13:09]
B
That's kind of your window. Yep, that makes sense to me. I think, I think. And then what about like, vintage. Are you. How do you think about vintage inspiration and what you do?
- [13:20]
A
That's such a good question. From the super early early days with Half Days, my co founder and I both have always been into like vintage ski esthetic.
- [13:29]
B
Yeah. Like the 70s retro.
- [13:32]
A
Nothing that feels like cheesy though. Like, I think that we, I think that there's like this era of like the 80s ski that's retro and like neon pink. It's like, that's not where we get info from. It's more like 60s, like super cool, mid century. Like slim errands.
- [13:46]
B
Yeah, slim errands. Like the semiritz. Like, that is a great vibe.
- [13:51]
A
Yeah, I think that. And then very sexy. Early on, like, started taking color inspiration from just things that we were inspired by, like vintage Porsches, like 911s and 100% like, I think that was a really fun thing we did early on. But yeah, that's how we think about also, like the silhouettes themselves. We have this super cool ski suit that's kind of like billowed on top and like a belt and like, it feels a little bit retro inspired, but with a modern take. So, yeah, we definitely.
- [14:18]
B
That's so great. And then how stressful is inventory? I sit in an inventory business. It is such a stress.
- [14:25]
A
It totally is. I think that the past year or so for our business has gotten a lot better on the inventory front because we finally have, like a better merchandising team built out. We have a really strong demand planner and we're just getting a lot like, tighter on how we think about all of it and just being way more data driven than we have in the past. But certainly the first few years, it was like, insane because you're having to buy these really, really high numbers of ski wear. But, like, you don't even need that amount of inventory quite yet. So. Yeah, but it's. I don't think I. I say this now. I'll probably launch another business at some point, but I'm like, I don't ever want to be in an inventory business again.
- [15:03]
B
Same. I cannot get out of inventory 100%. I'm like, it's the worst. Okay, that's awesome. So tell people where they can find you.
- [15:14]
A
Yes. So halfdays.com is our website. You can buy everything we make on halfdays.com and then we also are carried in a lot of retailers around the US And Canada today. So we're in like Nordstrom, rei, Dick's Sporting Goods. We're also available on like, Revolve and Shopbop. So, yeah, lots of stores. You can find us on mountain at most places too.
- [15:32]
B
I think that actually one thing you should think about, which I'm sure you already are, is the ski shop. Shopping experience is also not particularly sexy. Like, I like you guys on Shopbop. Like, Shopbop. I don't love Shopbop because it's Amazon and I'm a little bit like, eh, do I want to like support the Bezos, which I have like a daily dilemma on. But I do like it in the, in a, in an aesthetic environment. Right. Where it's like I'm thinking about fashion, I'm thinking about color, I'm thinking about fit. I think the ski, you know, like the ski shops really are mostly mom and pop shops, the individual ones. Right. And it's like chock a block full. You've got, you know, your gaiters and your pants and your jackets and it's. They're actually, it's not. There hasn't been something new for women in that that I think would be super cool. Like Dix is amazing. Dix does such a great job of showcasing and featuring and creating brand worlds and dick's. But I think it's interesting. I bet your go to market strategy could be super cool. Like pop. Like I look at like Marfa Stance and like you could do what Marfa Stance is doing at ski mountains. Like I think that would be incredible. Like, I think there's a lot of opportunity with that.
- [16:48]
A
Yeah, I love that. We definitely have been thinking more about like in mountain town.
- [16:53]
B
Yeah.
- [16:54]
A
Retail activations. But we are sold into some of those like mom and mom and pop ski shops today. And you're so right though. It's kind of just like you go in there and you're inundated with so much product. But it also is where the customer is buying oftentimes if they like forgot their ski sty.
- [17:07]
B
Yeah, no, totally.
- [17:08]
A
Whatever it might be. So it's like a discoverability thing. But I completely agree with you.
- [17:12]
B
Do you want to hear my ski business idea?
- [17:14]
A
Yes.
- [17:15]
B
Okay. So I'm so my idea when I get out of the inventory business is that I'm going to park like a little cute vintage somethingy truck car, something on the mountain road, wherever it may be. So like I ski at Stowe. So it's like I park something on the mountain road and I'm going to make hot chocolate, like gourmet lunch. You order it ahead of time with an app and then you just like as you're in the car on the way to the mountain, it wouldn't, it wouldn't help the ski and ski out people. But as you're like on the way to the mountain, you, you like stop by and you pick up your thing.
- [17:56]
A
I love that.
- [17:57]
B
I don't know if it'd be like a drinking and driving thing, but I would also do like on the way home you could get. You could do dinner or you could do, like, a little opera. You could have, like, a signature cocktail. But I'm like, there is a super inefficient. I'd have, like, college kids do it at, like, 6 in the morning. I think it'd be. We could sell half days there.
- [18:20]
A
Totally. I love that idea. I think it would do a killing.
- [18:23]
B
Are you gonna do collabs? So many people drive in, like, in, like, in Colorado. Everybody's driving in.
- [18:30]
A
Totally everybody.
- [18:32]
B
Okay. Have you done any collabs?
- [18:34]
A
We have. So we just launched a collaboration with Hoka.
- [18:37]
B
Okay.
- [18:38]
A
Weeks ago. So congratulations. Like, puffy winter shoe with, like, a Vibram outsole. So great for, like, slipping on as you're getting off the mountain kind of to and the from, like, morning winter walks, that type of thing. Which was definitely, like, our biggest brand collab. We've also done a collaboration with Ilia, the beauty brand.
- [18:57]
B
Okay.
- [18:57]
A
So fun. We did, like, a collaboration ski suit where we did it in their pink kind of like head to toe.
- [19:02]
B
So cool.
- [19:04]
A
So fun. And then a few other smaller ones, but we've got a few more that we're cooking up right now, so we're really excited.
- [19:12]
B
So fun. Do you know Skeeta? Yes, I love Skeeta.
- [19:15]
A
Yeah, I actually know the founder.
- [19:17]
B
They're cute. There's two female founders. Okay, awesome. I wish you the best of luck. I'm gonna go shop. I'm gonna go shop half days now.
- [19:27]
A
I love it.
- [19:28]
B
We are so excited to follow you and have a great ski season.
- [19:32]
A
Thank you so much. It was so great to be here.
- [19:34]
B
Okay. Great to meet you. Okay, have a great day now.
- [19:38]
A
Work.
- [19:43]
B
That was Ariana. What a great conversation. You can find her on Shopbop. You can find her hopefully at your mom and pop ski retailer. You can find her on the Internet. I love what she had to say about a like, combining fashion and technicality and. And finding a gap in the market and seeing if she could strike a fit. I think it'll be interesting to see what happens as she tries to get or they try to get into other categories where there is less obvious a f. I thought she was super astute how she thought about that. But I love a female founder. I obviously love winter and skiing and wool. I'm still a fan of people skiing in jeans, so I'm gonna stick with that. So go check her out and maybe go get on the mountain. And if you feel like it, you can put us in your ears so you can find us on substack. We have all sorts of different episodes. We've got work conversations, we've got underlined, we've got net net. We've got unsolicited advice, which I always love to give you. And you can find us on Substack, you can find me on Instagram and Tikt, you can find us on YouTube, and all you have to do is look up the word work.