Building the Brand Through People, Not Just Product

Building the Brand Through People, Not Just Product
A big part of this shift came from my time in the classroom. My philosophy class with Dr. Foster, along with a marketing paper for Dr. G… I wrote on the Hero’s Journey, helped reframe how I think about storytelling, struggle, and success. It made me realize that even in the messiness of social media and branding, people can fail publicly and still win in the long run if the story is real. That’s what I want for Klava—a brand grounded in authenticity, where the product is simply a thread in a much bigger narrative.

I reached out to athletes, shops, and partners I’ve worked with over the years

Olympians like Billy Demong, trailblazers like Deena Kastor, the Mammoth Track

Club, trail running races, bike shops. I began with special editions for USA

Nordic, Ski-Mo.CO or SLC, Telluride, and events like the Teton Ridge Classic.

These early partnerships are easier since I already had my foot in the door. They

all have proof-of-concept and get that storytelling fuel. This was the low hanging

fruit of the project.

But I don’t just want historic wins. I’m also seeking out the stories that haven’t been told yet—the athletes and individuals at the beginning of their journey, in the middle of the grind, still figuring it out. Klava isn’t just for podiums. It’s for the ones who show up every day, whether they’re winning gold or building toward something meaningful.