Importance of Authenticity with Stephen Sullivan, Founder and CEO of Stio®

“You can’t fake real.” - Stephen Sullivan on the importance of authenticity

Our webcast guest launched an outdoor apparel brand in 2011 with eight employees. Twelve years later, he has grown his team to 180 employees, annual revenue will exceed $100M in 2023, and his brand competes with industry giants like Patagonia and The North Face.
Stephen Sullivan, Founder and CEO of Stio®, joined Willy to discuss the competitive landscape of the outdoor industry, creating an inherently authentic brand, what drives the design and function of his business, pulling inspiration from the Jackson Hole, Wyoming lifestyle, and so much more.

Watch the replay

If you have any comments or questions, please reach out to your main Walker & Dunlop point of contact. We are all available to answer questions and provide assistance. Additionally, if you have topics you would like covered during one of our future webcasts, we would be happy to take your suggestions.

Key Points In The Webcast:
03:04 Willy welcomes Stephen Sullivan
04:02 Stephen’s green tracksuit and a love for the outdoors
07:21 First exposure to retail and surfing
12:08 The ups and downs of Cloudveil
18:15 Launching Stio®
23:05 Online vs. physical catalogs
24:41 What sets Stio® apart from Patagonia?
27:33 Cons of living in the mountains
30:33 Scaling under credit
33:20 Why no hunting gear?
34:40 Stio's color and fabric choices
39:12 Surviving supply chain issues
41:45 The benefit of direct-to-consumer
43:58 Building an authentic brand
47:54 Focusing on the client and athlete sponsorships
52:34 The Stio® logo
54:55 Sustainability in fashion
57:01 Any future collaborations?
58:46 Expanding the brand
01:00:58 How about school sports?

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