Building Brands & Creating Community with Bob Rief
For just about any outdoor sports or active lifestyle brand that you like, own, or want, there’s a good chance that Bob Rief has been involved. He was behind Merrell Footwear, Reef Sandals, and Sanuk,. As head of Nike Golf, he signed a college kid called Tiger Woods. Bob was also part of Callaway Golf, K2, Nordica, and Raichle-Molitor. A lifelong waterman, Bob knows the sense of authenticity and community inherent in the culture and he’s built it into every brand. He’s a held many titles: board member, CEO, founder, GM, marketing director, president, and sales manager. And he started as a gold miner.
Bob’s rare talent is maybe only matched by his commitment to help emerging entrepreneurs build their dreams. These days, he serves as executive director of San Diego Sports Innovators, a nonprofit that supports healthy living companies by fostering innovation, providing business mentorship, and building communities.
In this episode of What I Wish I Knew with Mike Irwin & Simon Daw, Bob talks about creating a brand, building a business, and the power of community.
Connect with Bob: LinkedIn // San Diego Sport Innovators
Video Highlights: Brand builder, entrepreneur, mentor Bob Rief
“The opposite of love isn’t hate. It’s indifference. And that’s a bad place for a brand.”
"Find benign money. The best partner is one you can pay off.”
“Find out who you are. Creator or commercial person. Both are important.”