Bagnes, Valais, Switzerland
I built a $50M global brand - and learned the hard way how quickly it can unravel. Now I help outdoor and lifestyle companies scale, stabilise and execute with clarity. In 2003 I started Faction Skis in my bedroom in Verbier with no business plan, no investors, and no idea what I was getting into. Fifteen years later it was a $50 million global brand — seven Olympic athletes, a team of fifty, offices in three countries, $10M raised, 40% year-on-year growth. Then I lost it overnight. Not because the brand failed. Because I didn't understand equity, dilution, board dynamics, or what happens when the people around the table want different things. I had built something extraordinary and didn't have the language to protect it. What came next taught me more than the fifteen years before it. I spent the following seven years rescuing other founders' companies - turning $1.5M in debt into $1M positive revenue, negotiating with factories and investors across four countries, helping a CEO shut down his family business with dignity. Each time the pattern was the same: a creative founder with something real, facing a moment they weren't prepared for, with no one in the room who had actually lived it. That's the gap I fill. Today I work as a remote advisor and fractional GM for outdoor and lifestyle brand founders at the 3–5 year mark - the moment success gets serious. The moment investment conversations begin, partnerships get complicated, and the decisions you make will define whether you keep what you built. I take on 2–3 founders at a time. I only work with people building things I believe in. I am also writing The Founder Myth - a book for creatives, designers, engineers, and makers who started a business and found themselves in rooms they weren't prepared for. The book I needed in year three of Faction and didn't have. If you are building something real in the outdoor or lifestyle world and approaching the moment where it gets complicated, find out more → www.thewoods.agency
– Relaunched a dormant outerwear brand from the ground up — brand strategy, product design, sales network and day-to-day operations managed entirely remotely. – Built international sales presence across France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Sweden, USA, Australia and Japan within the first 18 months. – Established Swiss SA legal entity, head office infrastructure and full operational systems from scratch. – On track to reach $1M revenue in 2026 — growing from zero.
– Advisory practice for outdoor and lifestyle brand founders navigating investment, scale, turnaround and partnership. – Work with 2–3 founders at a time as remote fractional advisor or strategic retainer. – Client work spans brand strategy, GM, supply chain, fundraising, sales network development and crisis management. – Clients include: Forward Outdoor Apparel, Candide Skis, Nidecker, Season Equipment, Movement Skis, Pit Viper and more.
– Designed and launched an entirely new range of high-performance freeride/freestyle skis from concept to market. – Built international sales network across 11 territories including France, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, USA, Canada, Australia and Japan. – Negotiated with factories, logistics providers and creditors to keep the business operational during financial crisis — often without payment guarantees. – Managed all operations with a two-person team: brand, sales, accounts receivable, website, HR and daily management.
– Facilitated an industry-first three-way joint venture between Swiss manufacturer Nidecker, US retailer EVO and legendary freeskier Eric Pollard. – Aligned three organisations with entirely different cultures, structures and agendas around a shared brand vision before a dollar was invested. – Oversaw brand strategy, product line planning and supplier introductions.
Started Faction Skis in my bedroom in 2003 with no business plan and no investors. Built it over 15 years into one of the most recognised brands in freeskiing. – $10M revenue, $50M+ valuation, 25,000 pairs sold across 500 stores in 35 countries at peak – Raised $10M+ through VC firms, HNW individuals, angel networks and crowdfunding – Built and led teams across three offices: Verbier, London and Breckenridge – Managed $1.5M annual marketing budget across campaigns, athletes, content and trade – Grew Instagram to 1.3M followers; produced feature film with 1M+ views and 300-event global tour – Oversaw full design, development and manufacturing of skis, outerwear and accessories – Won licensing agreement for Roxy Skis from Quiksilver EU – Seven athletes competed under the brand at the Winter Olympics in Milan 2026