Louie Vito is a badass snowboarder. He’s an Olympian, a US Grand Prix Champion, a Dew Tour Champion, an X Games medalist, and he comes from a 300 vertical foot hill in Ohio. He also seems to know everyone form celebrities to pro athletes, he’s competed in Dancing With The Stars, he’s been in a Hollywood blockbuster movie and he’s pretty humble about it all. On the podcast, we talk being Italian, his crazy work ethic, this influence of his dad, and so much more. Chris Beresford asks the Inappropriate Questions. 

Louie Vito Show Notes:

3:30: Competing for Italy, painful citizenship process, speaking the language, and his Olympic history  

 22:00:  Stanley:  Get 30% off site wide with the code drinkfast

Peter Glenn Ski and Sports:  Over 60 years of getting you out there

10 Barrel Brewery:  Buy their beers, they support action sports more than anyone

24:15: Italian roots, his dad, inspirational quotes, and being competitive    

38:00: Team sports and snowboarding

42:00:  Rollerblade: Ski season may be over but that feeling lasts all year with inline skating

Elan Skis:  Over 75 years of innovation that makes you better

44:00: Ohio sports and has he met Lebron, Midwest snowboarding, Woodward Gymnastics, Space Camp, and once in a lifetime experience   

64:00: Monster v Red Bull, Windell’s, Tim Windell, Steven Fox, Jeremy Jones, JP Walker,

77:00: Inappropriate Questions with Chris Beresford

Tyler Bereman is a badass when it comes to riding his dirkbike but that is only part of what makes Tyler so special. He’s the kid who was born into a motorcycle family and while he didn’t have the same finances as his competitors to make his supercross dreams happen, after some ups and downs, he made it. But Tyler is so much more than that: He’s a 10 time X Games Medalist, a content creator, and an event visionary who’s imagination creates some of the most unique features on the planet. It’s a great story and Ryan Runke asks the Inappropriate Questions. Tyler Bereman Show Notes: 3:30: His people, Captain Ron, and the Bereman family 9:00: Templeton, “The House That Built Me”, Salinas Ramblers, and other sports 13:00: Grom days, from flat track to moto, being at a different level financially, and FMX 21:00: Stanley: Get 30% off site wide with the code drinkfast Peter Glenn Ski and Sports: Over 60 years of getting you out there 10 Barrel Brewery: Buy their beers, they support action sports more than anyone 23:00: Why events went away, the vibe between racing and freestyle, and injuries 30:00: Winning Nationals, Supercross, quitting racing, Robbie Madison, Twitch, and the DC Team 41:00: Rollerblade: Ski season may be over but that feeling lasts all year with inline skating Elan Skis: Over 75 years of innovation that makes you better 43:00: The stigma of weed, Red Bull, content creation, stunt work, money stuff, and X Games 57:00: Inappropriate Questions with Ryan Runke

Gabe Schroder is the most passionate behind-the-scenes player I know in snow business. While he’s always been a talented marketer, he’s really made his money over the years through building relationships and spreading his stoke for the love of skiing to the masses. Between his jobs with Powder Magazine, Smith Optics, and Dakine, Gabe has made a career out of working with the best athletes in the world, but more importantly, chasing Powder with them.

Gabe Schroder Show Notes:

3:30:  Super G, first performance, riding on the ski train at 6, and going to Vail in HS

12:00:  Whitman College, living in Vail, people he met in town, and the US Extreme’s in 99

21:00:  Stanley:  Get 30% off site wide with the code drinkfast

Peter Glenn Ski and Sports:  Over 60 years of getting you out there

10 Barrel Brewery:  Buy their beers; they support action sports more than anyone

23:00:  Winning a Powder Mag essay contest, unpaid internship, and the Powder to the People RV Tour

31:00:  Native American dream stuff, Rossignol, Smith, and the athlete program

39:00:  Rollerblade: Ski season may be over, but that feeling lasts all year with inline skating

Elan Skis:  Over 75 years of innovation that makes you better

41:00:  Inundated with emails, signing athletes, POV pioneer, and Smith is moving

50:00:  Losing athletes, managing dog shows, back to the shop floor, and Dakine   

57:00:  Inappropriate Questions with Cody Townsend, Zach Crist, and Mike Powell

Mark Fankhauser has been a creative force in snow for over 20 years. “Fank” grew up worshipping Glen Plake, Scot Schmidt, and Mike Hattrup before he found the opportunity that came with snowboarding. From there, Fank chased Peter Line down the mountains of the PNW before landing his gig at Ride Snowboards while still in college. Eventually, Fank created and led the in-house design agency at K2 Sports; he spent time inside the walls of DOE, Mystery Made, and REI. These days Fank is a part-owner and head of design over at J Skis, and his story is a fun business episode.

Mark Fankhauser Show Notes:

3:30:  Embarrassing story, growing up in Woodinville, getting into skiing, and the ski bus

9:00:  Falling in love with surf culture, inline skating, ski culture, being a super grom, and skiing with a mohawk

14:00: Rave life, the Seattle music scene, seeing snowboarding, the opportunity it created, seeing Peter Line, and Art

21:00:  Stanley:  Get 30% off site wide with the code drinkfast

Peter Glenn Ski and Sports:  Over 60 years of getting you out there

10 Barrel Brewery:  Buy their beers; they support action sports more than anyone

23:00:  Picking a college, Styk speaks to your class, getting hired to do freelance for Ride, seeing his product in the field, and getting a job offer while he’s still in school

30:00:  What it was like at Ride when he first got there, the cool factor of Ride, the K2 acquisition, ad how did the Ride folks take it

40:00:  Rollerblade: Ski season may be over, but that feeling lasts all year with inline skating

Elan Skis:  Over 75 years of innovation that makes you better

42:00:  Reinventing the snowboard ad, F the Ferry, going to Department of Energy, getting recruited back to K2, and differentiating brands

58:00:  Planet Earth, J Skis, Mystery Made, REI, and back to J Skis

69:00:  Inappropriate Questions with Mike Styskal