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Women in the Biz: How the Ladies are Making Their Mark on Triathlon, Part 3
By Betsy Delcour
8/15/2008 |
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Earlier this week, we've seen the impact made by Nicole DeBoom in her entrepreneurial role with Skirt Sports and Judy Molnar's positive influence on female triathletes through Iron Girl. Today we speak with Eli Carlson, Marketing Director at Zoot Sports to hear how triathlon influenced her life, and how women have influenced triathlon...
Eli Carlson, Director of Marketing, Zoot Sports
1. What’s your business and athletic background?
a. Athletic – I was a Varsity Coxswain (pronounced “cox’n”) for the Princeton Women’s Crew from 1996-1999. I won a National Championship in ’96 and was named first team All-American in ’99. My passion for endurance sports began after college when I realized I could combine the mental discipline from coxing/rowing with the physical competition of running and triathlon. Since 2001, I’ve competed in 3 marathons, 6 half-ironmans and Ironman CDA in 2005 where I finished in 12:37.
b. Business – I’ve always loved working in sports. After college, I worked in the television division of IMG in NYC in sponsorship and media sales for sports programming. Ironically enough, one of the shows we produced was the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon, a year when Lamisil AT was the title sponsor of the event. My husband and I then moved to Providence, RI for his job and I landed at Reebok’s world HQ in Canton, MA where I worked with the NBA and NFL to outfit the teams and specific athletes.
2. How did you decide to get involved in the multisport industry?
I’ve loved sports marketing since I was young. At the age of 10, I’d travel with my dad internationally and help him promote and execute global soccer tournaments. I would help him fulfill athlete logistics, get the teams into their hotels and even book major fields for tournaments. After graduating college, I went on to manage a couple national soccer tournaments and eventually landed at Reebok, where I worked with NBA and NFL teams. Along the way I met this crazy man by the name of John Duke (Publisher and CEO of Triathlete Magazine), a consultant for Reebok at the time and he somehow talked me into transitioning from NBA/NFL into Reebok running and triathlon. (Anyone that knows Duke knows that he can basically talk anyone into doing anything.) Having grown up in CA, it was time to move back west and The Active Network was the company for me in the right place at the right time. At Active, I worked on several online and offline grassroots programs for brands such as Degree, Nike and Timex. The opportunity to work with Zoot came about and I couldn’t be in a better place.
3. How does working at Zoot differ from other jobs you’ve had?
Working for Zoot is a blast. Zoot is the smallest company I’ve ever worked for and it’s the best. It’s different because I don’t consider it “work,” but rather, a really cool (and challenging!) part of my life. Everyone at Zoot is extremely passionate about our brand and we work very hard because we’re accountable for our direct actions. Rather than having to run an idea or a plan by many levels of the “corporate ladder,” we all work together, decide on what is best for the brand, and work as hard as we can to make it happen. We are also all athletes in the office so continually test our product and more important, socialize and have fun in training and on the race course together. It ‘s like working with one big a family!
4. Triathlon is one of the fastest-growing sports in existence, and the number of women getting involved is growing. What is it about triathlon that’s attractive to women?
The participation of women in triathlon has certainly skyrocketed, and it continues to do so. I attribute a lot of this to the cause races (i.e. for Ovarian Cancer, for Team in Training, etc.) and to the Women’s Specific races. The variety in the sport of triathlon (swim, bike and run) ends up being a fun challenge and it’s the next step beyond running a 5k or 10k. In addition, many women specific sport vehicles have emerged in the last few years to support women in their mission to be athletes. Be it women specific retailers, such as Betty Sport or Team Estrogen, or women specific publication, such as HerSports + Fitness, most of the resources – from training to training groups – are at an arm’s reach.
5. Zoot was started by a woman, Crystal Nylin, in 1983. How have things changed for women since then – as far as the sport in general, business, and athletic apparel?
Women have come a long way in sports since 1983. Retailers and manufacturing companies have marketed many women’s specific products and have been very successful at it. For example, women’s specific bike gear, women’s specific watches and even women’s specific nutrition. Women are very perceptive to these trends and even more so, to the education of these products. If you can “sell them” on it, they’re more likely to make the purchasing decision on the spot, than a man is. From a general view, Title IX has accomplished a lot for female collegiate athletics and the growth in female sports across the country has given awareness and education to more women, and applauded them for being athletes. The WNBA is a perfect example of how a “men’s” sport is also a women’s sport, as is Women’s Soccer. Just think of Mia Hamm or Brandy Chastain. As for triathlon, think of how many men Natascha Badmann can beat on the bike…too many to count, right? 25 years ago, women were competing in sports; however, they did not have the resources nor were they being targeted by manufacturers the way they are now. Regarding athletic apparel, women are purchasing more than men because as women, we want to be comfortable and look good. If we are motivated and accomplishing our athletic goals, we don’t mind spending money on more run or cycling outfits. It’s not that more women are buying apparel than they were in 1983, but rather, there is more attention and focus on this market, and women are celebrating it.
For more info, check out www.zootsports.com. Thanks to Eli, Nicole and Judy for taking time out to share their insights!
Photos
1. Eli with Zoot athletes Luke Bell and Kate Major
2. Racing at the Vineman 70.3
3. Eli with Zoot CEO Brian Enge, Kona 2006
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