Customer Growth Sessions · 2026-06-17 · 35 min
Breaking into a tradition-bound industry requires more than just a great product; it demands the right business model. In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, Pat Ahern sits down with Brian Ellwood, the CFO and COO of Apex Ski Boots, to discuss the company’s dramatic evolution from a wholesale-reliant brand to a direct-to-consumer (D2C) hybrid success story. Brian opens up about stepping into the company during a period of operational turmoil and cash flow challenges, navigating the high costs of a flat wholesale channel, and the necessity of launching a D2C model for an innovative ski-snowboard hybrid boot. He shares powerful operational insights on shifting resources away from an expensive road sales force to build a high-touch, hyper-personalized customer service center in Golden, Colorado. From cutting overhead liabilities like company vehicles to auditing internal infrastructure, Brian outlines exactly how Apex built leverage, reclaimed its line of communication with consumers, and turned their big-box retail relationships into a complementary, trust-building asset. Want to know more about Apex Ski Boots?
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