Building an Outdoor Lifestyle Brand with Stephen Sullivan of Stio®

06/10/2025 17 min
Building an Outdoor Lifestyle Brand with Stephen Sullivan of Stio®

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Episode Synopsis

We sat down with Stephen Sullivan, Founder and CEO of Stio®, to share his journey from building outdoor apparel brands to shaping one of today’s most authentic lifestyle companies. Stephen reflects on entrepreneurship, maintaining brand identity through growth, and the pursuit of true wealth beyond financial success. Key Takeaways: 00:00 Introduction. 01:34 Stio® expands through e-commerce, retail, and wholesale. 03:23 The brand launched in 2012 with a catalog, website, and store. 05:58 Even without certainty, experience brings confidence. 09:09 Protecting brand identity becomes harder as the company scales. 11:02 A move from the Midwest to Colorado sparked an outdoor passion. 13:56 Life in Jackson, ski town jobs, and launching a first business. 15:02 True wealth means balance. 16:48 True wealth is to be found outdoors. Resources Mentioned: Stephen Sullivan https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-sullivan-25695010/ Stio® | LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/stio-/ Stio® | Website https://www.stio.com/?utm_source=&utm_medium=st-organic-social&utm_campaign=st-product “Good to Great” by Jim Collins https://www.amazon.com/Good-to-Great-Jim-Collins-audiobook/dp/B003VXI5MS/   Thanks for joining us for the latest episode of “Day in a Canoe.” If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any of our insightful conversations. If you’d like us to help you define what true wealth means to you, go to www.planningalt.com and take our assessment. Planning Alternatives is an investment advisory firm registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any opinions expressed may not reflect those of Planning Alternatives. #BrandIdentity #DirectToConsumer #Omnichannel #OutdoorIndustry #Profitability

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