Outdoor Insight

GRASSROOTS P E R S P E C T I V E S On her passion for the outdoors "I started as most others do, with cross-coun- try road trips and summers camping with my family. The sound of a tent zipper is still the best way to wake up in the morning." On the best kinds of adventures "My first backpacking trip was meeting Joe (husband) and Bryan (cousin) in January on the Appalachian Trail in sub-zero temps during a winter thru-hike. In 2015 Joe and I tried our first Hut-to-Hut trek in the Swiss Alps. The Haute route is an established trail and each day you end up in a picturesque Swiss mountain town surrounded by mountains eating and drinking the best food and wine you've ever had. The trail was not easy … but the combination of the scenery, the challenge and the food was truly my perfect adventure." On her path to store ownership "When other girls were playing with dolls, I was playing business. I had always dreamt of having my own business. I really love working. I spent 11 years (right out of high school) with a local family-owned high-end jewelry company. I worked my way up to management while get- ting a business degree. Despite my success, I never had my ears pierced and I wasn't happy with the path it created. I was a country girl at heart. I needed an escape, an adventure to truly be myself, and I found that at RRT." On the best things about owning an out- door store "I love helping customers and I've been told my enthusiasm is contagious. I have customers come in regularly to show me pictures from the trips they took and thank me for helping them. One woman bragged once that because of our training, trip-mates were asking her for help, when it was her first time out. We offer free classes and trip planning. The goal is not only to make people more confident to plan trips, but to increase the chances of a great experience in the outdoors." On how outdoor brands design for women "Outdoor brands are getting much better at catering to female figures and fashions. The motto used to be pink it and shrink it, but women are not built like men and not all of us look good in pink. Brands like Arc'teryx and Rab have taken big strides in making clothing that really fits a woman's figure. Other brands like Kuhl, Aventura and prAna are making quality clothing for women in plus sizes, too. There's a small percentage of my customers that are under a size four and a larger percentage that are size 12 and up. It's good to see this shift in production and marketing." On opportunities for women in the out- door industry "I understand that gender inequality exists and that there is a lack of female leadership in the outdoor industry. However, I own Roads Rivers and Trails with two men, and since we opened in 2010 I have been offered more board positions, committee positions and interviews than both of them combined. I can't help but to wonder if these things have been offered to me because I'm a female in the outdoor industry. My male counterparts are just as talented and intelligent as I am — if not more. It's almost as if the scales have been tipped in the wrong direction. I might not be the person to ask this question, but I've only seen my gender work in my favor — not against me. My tip for women would be: Set your goals high, invest tenacity in your work and if your path doesn't exist, make one. Dream – Plan – Live." On the women who inspire her "I am a combination of the women who raised me. My mother taught me to find the joy and beauty in everything around me and she instilled in me a sense of adventure. A flower-child of the '70s, she gave me her enthusiasm for life and a glass-half-full view of the world. To this day, she inspires me in the way she greets a stranger or goes out of her way to help a long-lost friend. She is my guru. The other woman, a close family friend, gave me my tenacity. She taught me that with hard work and determination I could be any- thing I wanted. She came from nothing and made herself into one of the most successful women I know. On top of this, she also taught me patience and grace in all thing business and personal. She taught me to handle chaos with a steady hand and a clear mind. She is my mentor." On Dreaming, Planning, Living "We follow the Dream – Plan – Live motto. This motto represents our life and our work. It is a cyclical practice of continuing self-growth and exploration. The motto is a call to action wherein one process fuels the next, as one adventure sets dreams for another. We offer free presentations on trips to help fuel the dream, maps and resources to aid in planning and the gear to help you live it. We believe that once you step foot into the cycle, you'll never really get out of it — and it's a great way to live." Q s /UTDOOR )NSIGHT s *ULY OUTDOORINSIGHTMAGCOM Emily White co-owns Milford, OH-based Roads Rivers and Trails with her husband Joe White and Joe's cousin Bryan Wolf. They opened the now thriving store as three 20-somethings with a dream in 2010 — they used 13 credit cards to get the business off the ground. Here, Emily White shares her perspective on the industry. Women Taking the Lead By Cara Griffin Dreaming, Planning, Living %MILY 7HITE WITH HER MOM IN !LASKA EMILY WHITE, CO-OWNER, ROADS RIVERS AND TRAILS, MILFORD, OH

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