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Sports + Outdoor Mentors

Sports + Outdoor Mentors

Written by: Dan Trapp
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Join our community as we build the definitive content source to inspire and motivate sports and outdoor industry leaders, providing practical career and business insights.

We started with a podcast and YouTube channel, and in 2025, we’ll be adding the following:

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You can watch the podcast on YouTube and Spotify or listen to it on your favourite podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify.

Thanks for your support, and see you soon. 🙏Copyright 2023 All rights reserved. Careers Economics Personal Success
Episodes
  • Why the Best Leaders Move Faster on Tough Decisions with Georgina Kirby General Manager at Kari Traa

    Why the Best Leaders Move Faster on Tough Decisions with Georgina Kirby General Manager at Kari Traa
    May 12 2026
    The reality of building a career in founder-led businesses and then stepping into leadership yourself. Today’s guest is Georgina Kirby, General Manager at Kari Traa. Georgina is an experienced outdoor industry leader with over 20 years in premium brand-led businesses. She’s built her career across fast-growing, founder-led brands and now leads the instantly recognisable base layer brand, Kari Traa, part of the PE-backed Active Brands. Her background spans senior marketing and general management leadership roles at brands including Icebreaker, Le Chameau, and Bradshaw Taylor, where she has worked across strategy, brand development, and commercial delivery. We talk about working with founders, the energy, the pace, and the freedom that comes with it, but also the challenges that sit underneath that, and how those early experiences shape the way you lead. People and decision-making, especially hiring, getting it wrong, spotting it too late, and what it costs the team. As you move into more senior roles, expectations increase, the environment becomes more structured, and imposter syndrome doesn’t really disappear even at a senior level, but instead becomes something you learn to manage through preparation and awareness. We also spend time on something that doesn’t get talked about enough: balancing ambition with life outside of work. Georgina shares her experience stepping back at points in her career, navigating personal challenges, and what she’s learned about support, flexibility, and the environments that actually allow people to perform well. If you’re leading a team, working with founders, or stepping into a bigger role yourself, there’s a lot in here that will feel familiar. Episode Highlights [00:00] Stepping into leadership while relocating your entire life [02:20] What Kari Traa actually is beyond a base layer brand [05:46] Learning retail from the shop floor at live events [10:38] When founder energy drives chaos and rapid pivots [16:11] Why global leadership is about communication, not language [20:21] The upside and volatility of working with founders [26:29] Moving from founder-led speed to private equity discipline [30:01] Why good leaders fail by not acting fast enough on people issues [33:41] What she would do differently in hindsight (career advice reflection) [35:59] The hardest leadership mistake: keeping the wrong people too long [41:21] The hidden cost of underpricing yourself as a leader [45:05] Imposter syndrome doesn’t disappear, it just gets managed Notable Quotes “The best thing about founders is the passion. The hardest part is managing the emotion that comes with it.” Georgina“You don’t need to be perfect as a leader. You need to create clarity and bring people with you.” Georgina“Imposter syndrome never really goes away, you just get better at managing it.” Georgina“If someone isn’t the right fit, waiting too long helps no one.” Georgina“You can step back in role, but you don’t have to step back in value.” Georgina Episode Takeaways Working with founders brings energy and purpose but also complexityHiring decisions have a huge impact, and timing matters more than you think Culture and people drive performance more than strategy aloneImposter syndrome is normal even at senior levelsPreparation and clarity are key leadership toolsCareer paths aren’t always linear and that’s okayThe right environment and support system make a big differenceGreat teams are built through diversity of thinking, not similarity Our Host Dan Trapp is the Founder of Sports+Outdoor Search recruitment business and host of the Sports+Outdoor Mentors podcast. With 30 years of leadership experience in the sports and outdoor industry, he has built and led global teams and, more recently, developed a strong reputation for helping brands and retailers source, assess, attract and retain exceptional leadership talent. Having lived and worked in the UK, Switzerland, France, and Finland, for businesses owned by stakeholders from North America, Europe, and Asia, Dan brings a global lens to every conversation. On the podcast, he connects with industry leaders to share the real lessons, hard-won insights, and career advice shaping the future of sports and outdoor. When he’s not working, you’ll usually find him having fun on the trail, water or snow with his family. Resources and Links Sports + Outdoor Mentors PodcastYouTube Georgina Kirby LinkedInKari Traa Dan Trapp WebsiteLinkedin Subscribe to Sports+Outdoor Mentors for more insights on leadership, culture, and mentorship in the sports and outdoor industries.
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    49 mins
  • The mistakes no one talks about, with Bergans of Norway CEO, Silje Garberg Ree

    The mistakes no one talks about, with Bergans of Norway CEO, Silje Garberg Ree
    Apr 14 2026

    What does it actually feel like to step into a CEO role for the first time… especially when the business needs fixing fast?

    In this episode, I sit down with Silje Garberg Ree, CEO of Bergans of Norway, to talk about what it actually looks like to step into a CEO role for the first time.

    We get into the shift from consulting to “real business,” why strategy is often the easy part, and what it really takes to actually make things happen inside an organisation. Silje shares what surprised her most stepping into the CEO role, why clarity is everything, and how quickly you sometimes have to make the hard calls.

    We also talk about one of the toughest parts of leadership: making decisions that affect people’s jobs and how to handle them effectively.

    Silje is refreshingly open about the mistakes she’s made along the way, especially when it comes to hiring the wrong people, and why waiting too long to act can cost more than making the wrong call.

    There’s also a bigger conversation here around culture, trust, and why people, not strategy, are what drive results.

    If you’re leading a team, stepping into a bigger role, or thinking about it… this one’s worth your time.

    Episode Highlights

    [00:00] The reality of stepping into a CEO role [03:29] From consulting to “real business”: What changes [07:29] Why Execution Is Harder Than Strategy [09:44] Letting go of perfection and moving faster [14:37] Big company vs private equity: what actually changes [18:43] The shift from execution to clarity as a CEO [22:53] Why communication is the most important leadership skill [28:01] Making tough calls early (and why timing matters) [31:24] Connecting with Consumers and Driving Industry Innovation [36:38] Why culture and energy matter more than you think [41:40] Trusting your instincts vs waiting for perfect data [47:07] The real cost of hiring the wrong people [50:08] Advice for future female leaders

    Notable Quotes
    • [07:29] “The hard thing isn’t making the strategy, it’s making it happen.” - Silje
    • [49:48] “Perfection is the enemy of action.” - Silje
    • [45:08] “If you promise something, you deliver. That’s non-negotiable.” - Silje
    • [25:56] “You can’t wait for perfect data, sometimes you just have to trust your instincts.” - Silje
    Episode Takeaways
    • Strategy is the easy part; execution is where things break down
    • Clarity and direction are a CEO’s most important jobs
    • Hiring the wrong people is one of the most expensive mistakes you can make
    • You can’t wait for perfect data. Speed matters
    • Culture and trust are critical, especially during tough periods
    • Communication builds alignment and momentum
    • Leadership is about people first, always

    Our Host

    Dan Trapp is the Founder of Sports+Outdoor Search recruitment business and host of the Sports+Outdoor Mentors podcast. With 30 years of leadership experience in the sports and outdoor industry, he has built and led global teams and, more recently, developed a strong reputation for helping brands and retailers source, assess, attract and retain exceptional leadership talent. Having lived and worked in the UK, Switzerland, France, and Finland, for businesses owned by stakeholders from North America, Europe, and Asia, Dan brings a global lens to every conversation. On the podcast, he connects with industry leaders to share the real lessons, hard-won insights, and career advice shaping the future of sports and outdoor. When he’s not working, you’ll usually find him having fun on the trail, water or snow with his family.

    Resources and Links

    Sports + Outdoor Mentors

    • Podcast
    • YouTube

    Silje Garberg Ree

    • LinkedIn
    • Bergans website

    Dan Trapp

    • Website
    • Linkedin

    Subscribe to Sports+Outdoor Mentors for more insights on leadership, culture, and mentorship in the sports and outdoor industries.
    Show More Show Less
    52 mins
  • What 20 Years as CEO Teaches Us About Leadership with Martin Axelhed, CEO of Fjällräven

    What 20 Years as CEO Teaches Us About Leadership with Martin Axelhed, CEO of Fjällräven
    Mar 19 2026
    Becoming a CEO is challenging under any circumstances. Doing it at 29, after a phone call from the company’s founder, is something else entirely. In this episode of Outdoor Voices, host Dan Trapp sits down with Martin Axelhed, CEO of Fjällräven, to explore a leadership journey that began on the shop floor of a retail store and eventually led to running one of the world’s most respected outdoor brands. Martin has spent more than three decades with the company and over 20 years as CEO, giving him a rare perspective on how brands grow while staying true to their roots. Martin shares the story of how his early retail experience shaped the way he still thinks about customers, products, and leadership today. He also reflects on the mentorship he received from Fjällräven founder Åke Nordin and the moment during an Arctic expedition when Nordin asked if he would one day lead the company. The conversation dives into the realities of leading a global brand through decades of change. Martin discusses why consistency matters in brand building, how strong ownership influences long term decisions, and why protecting a clear strategy can be more difficult than creating one. He also speaks candidly about failure, including a centralization effort during COVID that did not work as expected and the lessons the company learned from that experience. Martin also explains Fjällräven’s approach to retail, manufacturing, and product development, as well as the values that guide decision making through the company’s compass of Nature, Well being, Economics, and Society. Tune in to hear Martin’s lessons on long-term leadership, navigating failure, protecting a brand’s identity, and building a company designed to last for generations. Key Takeaways How Martin Axelhed rose from retail employee to CEO at 29The Arctic moment that set his leadership journey in motionWhy consistency matters more than chasing industry trendsHow Fjällräven expanded from Sweden to more than 70 marketsThe organizational change that failed and what it taught himWhy every employee is encouraged to work in a retail storeWhy patience and craftsmanship still matter in modern leadership In This Episode: [00:00:02] The mindset of taking action today[00:00:20] Introduction to Martin Axelhed and Fjällräven[00:01:55] Describing Fjällräven in one sentence[00:03:09] 2026 industry outlook and challenges ahead[00:06:26] Leading in a volatile and uncertain world[00:08:36] Lessons from early retail experience[00:10:06] Family influence and entering the business[00:15:04] The Arctic conversation that changed everything[00:21:31] Early ambitions and career vision[00:24:25] The challenge of staying consistent as a leader[00:25:30] Navigating COVID and leadership under pressure[00:27:34] A major failed decision and lessons learned[00:30:43] The most valuable leadership advice ever received[00:34:20] What it takes to stay CEO for over 20 years[00:36:50] Innovation vs consistency in business[00:37:14] The future of manufacturing and supply chains[00:43:09] Managing complex business channels[00:47:44] Living the mission: getting people outdoors[00:50:41] The compass decision-making tool.[00:53:36] Confidence, growth, and mindset as a leader[00:55:38] Three pieces of advice for future leaders.[00:59:10] Martin’s message for the next generation[01:00:25] Next episode teaser Notable Quotes [00:00:02] “One thing that I always bring with me is do it today. Tomorrow it might be too late.” — Martin Axelhed[00:31:49] “Stop doing that. Stop taking away zeros. Because the same second you do that, you lose respect for the money.” — Martin Axelhed[00:31:58] “Keep the zeros. Then you understand the scope and the size of the cost.” — Martin Axelhed[00:48:34] “A mission statement is something that I think you'd really need to live and not just preach, but actually practice.” — Martin Axelhed[56:50] “We have a saying that do not just show how, but know how.” — Martin Axelhed[00:59:12] "We are building this company for the future. Our founder built it for the second generation, now we are building it for the third." — Martin Axelhed Our Host Dan Trapp is the Founder of Sports+Outdoor Search and host of Sports+Outdoor Mentors. With 30 years of experience in the sports and outdoor industry, he has built and led teams across Europe and developed a strong reputation for helping brands find and grow exceptional leadership talent. Having lived and worked in the UK, Switzerland, France, and Finland, Dan brings a global lens to every conversation. On the podcast, he connects with industry leaders to share the real lessons, hard-won insights, and career advice shaping the future of sports and outdoor. When he’s not working, you’ll usually find him skiing, canoeing, or paddling with his family. Our Guest Martin Axelhed is the CEO of Fjällräven, a role he has held for over 20 years, and a 32-year veteran of the company. His...
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    1 hr and 1 min
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