Second Nature

Annijke Wade became an adaptive mountain biker in 2021 after a downhill accident left her with a spinal cord injury. Four years later, she's racing at events like SBT Gravel and Sea Otter Classic, running a nonprofit called Dirt Bound that develops para athletes, building a content strategy sophisticated enough to land her in a Meta Creator program, and already planning for goals she can't quite reveal yet for 2027 and 2028.
In this conversation, Annijke and Aaron dig into what's changed in adaptive mountain biking over the last five years, how she thinks about building a career that doesn't depend on race results or viral moments, and what it actually takes to convince race organizers to include para athletes. They also get into her content strategy — from 822 followers to 10,000, the loop format, and working with Meta on creator growth — and what brands should look for when building long-term athlete partnerships.
Show Notes:
Annijke Wade: https://www.instagram.com/geodesicdome/
Bowhead Bikes: https://www.bowheadcorp.com/
Martyn Ashton: https://www.instagram.com/martynashton/
Rideable Now: https://www.rideablenow.com/
Rebecca's Private Idaho: https://www.rebeccasprivateidaho.com/
Annijke's Shreddit Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE8_RpvGO6c
Dirt Bound: https://www.dirtboundcycling.com/
Dialed Creator Program: https://www.skool.com/dialedcreator/about
BPC - Brand, Product, Content:
Lael Wilcox: https://www.instagram.com/laelwilcox/
Matador - refillable toothpaste: https://www.matadorequipment.com/products/refillable-toothpaste-tubes
Ozlo Sleepbuds: https://ozlosleep.com/
TRTL Neckwrap: https://amzn.to/4pVM8Y0
Any One Of Us (Film): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kKJdHMJJJU
Join us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/second-nature-media
Meet us on Slack: https://www.launchpass.com/second-nature
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secondnature.media
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#podcast #secondnature #outdoor #businesspodcast #outdoorpodcast #industry #athlete #business

Jill Nazeer is the brand marketing manager at Salsa Cycles and one of the most experienced athlete and content marketers in the bike industry. Before Salsa, she was at Diamondback during one of the most interesting periods in mountain bike content history: when Seth from Berm Peak was just a guy with a cool YouTube channel, and Eric Porter was figuring out what adventure content could look like. She helped build what became one of the most effective creator rosters in the industry, almost by accident.
In this conversation, Jill walks through what she learned about athlete marketing at Diamondback, how Salsa's relationship with parent company QBP gives them an unusual data advantage in the industry, and why she spent two years making penny farthing jokes before becoming a true believer in 32-inch wheels. She also gets into what brands get wrong about the DTC vs. bike shop debate, why the bike shop still matters more than most people think, and the Columbia Flat Earther campaign — which might be the most creative brand marketing move of the year.
Show Notes:
Jill Nazeer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-nazeer-a05b554/
Salsa Cycles: https://www.salsacycles.com/
Eric Porter: https://www.youtube.com/@PorterMTB
Berm Peak: https://www.youtube.com/@SethsBikeHacks
Mike Hopkins - Dream Ride: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn1dcZTSAzk
Micayla Gatto: https://www.instagram.com/micaylagatto/
QBP: https://www.qbp.com/
Surly: https://surlybikes.com/
Salsa Fargo 32: https://www.salsacycles.com/collections/fargo-32
Unbound Gravel: https://www.unboundgravel.com/
Wanderosa: https://www.salsacycles.com/collections/wanderosa
SENIQ on Second Nature: https://youtu.be/LUkiabROzdg
BPC - Brand, Product, Content:
Columbia Expedition Impossible: https://www.columbia.com/expedition-impossible.html
Backcountry Slickrock Kit: https://backcountrycreator.tnu8.net/1G2WPB
Wild Rye: https://wild-rye.com/
Shredly: https://shredly.com/
Join us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/second-nature-media
Meet us on Slack: https://www.launchpass.com/second-nature
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secondnature.media
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.secondnature.media
Subscribe to the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@secondnaturemedia
#podcast #secondnature #outdoor #businesspodcast #outdoorpodcast #industry #athlete #business

Tina and Madison started SENIQ after nearly a decade building careers at Victoria's Secret and Backcountry — and it turns out the most important lessons they carried into their brand came from a lingerie company, not an outdoor retailer. Growing up in a world where women sat on every leadership team and product innovation was the quarterback of the business shaped how they think about building SENIQ from the ground up.
In this conversation, the co-founders of SENIQ walk through the full story — writing their business plan on a template they found online, moving into their parents' basements in Columbus, Ohio to launch, and trusting their gut to launch a ski collection six months in, despite every mentor telling them not to. They also get into how low-res iPhone content consistently outperformed expensive campaign shoots, why co-founders who disagree on everything make better brands, and how to figure out which voices to ignore when you're building something nobody has built before.
Second Nature is proudly supported by:
Halo: https://poweredbyhalo.com/
Popfly (for brands): https://popf.ly/secondnaturebrands
Popfly (for creators): https://popf.ly/secondnaturecreators
Show Notes:
Tina Thompson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valentinathompson/
Madison Hilson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madison-hilson/
SENIQ: https://seniqbrand.com/
Backcountry: https://www.backcountry.com
Business Plan Template: https://offers.hubspot.com/business-plan-template
SENIQ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seniq
Mattie Sims on Second Nature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJl441qcZLk
BPC - Brand, Product, Content:
Primally Pure Deodorant: https://primallypure.com/
Gorpgirls x Oboz: https://obozfootwear.com/pages/oboz-x-gorp-girls
Never Slept - Nike Knicks Ad: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DZjR_dosb9x/
Dream Crazier - Nike Ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWfX5jeF6k4
Garmin 970: https://backcountrycreator.tnu8.net/L0rY60
Detours With Valentina: https://valentinathompson.substack.com/
Join us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/second-nature-media
Meet us on Slack: https://www.launchpass.com/second-nature
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secondnature.media
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.secondnature.media
Subscribe to the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@secondnaturemedia

Tommie Runz started running in 2018, a year after choosing sobriety, and began documenting the journey simply because it felt good to share progress and get encouragement. Seven years later, he's built an audience of over 30,000 through nothing but consistency and honesty — no viral moments, no big follower jumps, just a steady climb built entirely on trust.
In this conversation, Tommie and Aaron pick up where they left off after a live panel at TrailCon, digging into what it actually looks like to build a career as an athlete-creator without compromising who you are. Tommie breaks down why he's turned down "ambassador" deals that undervalue creators, how relationships with brands often take years rather than emails to develop, and the moment he realized his content needed to sound exactly like him or it wasn't worth doing at all.
Second Nature is supported by Popfly:
Popfly for Creators: https://popf.ly/secondnaturecreators
Popfly for Brands: https://popf.ly/secondnaturebrands
Show Notes:
Tommie Runz: https://www.tommierunz.com/
Tommie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Tommie_Runz
Tommie on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Tommie_Runz
PR Project (Podcast): https://www.youtube.com/c/PRProject/videos
Asics: https://www.asics.com/
Mack Baker (Asics): https://www.linkedin.com/in/mack-baker-b6218717/
Cosign Creatives: https://cosignmag.com/cosign-creative-agency/
Tommie Runz Show (Podcast): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tommie-runz-show/id1538233660
Broken Arrow: https://www.brokenarrowskyrace.com/
Tommie on Freetrail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7lJd4t12a8
TrailCon: https://www.trailconference.com
BPC - Brand, Product, Content:
Currently: https://currentlyrunning.com/
Best Running Podcasts: https://bestrunningpodcasts.com/
Precision Fuel & Hydration: https://www.precisionhydration.com/
Aaronnomics: https://www.instagram.com/aaronnomics/
Join us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/second-nature-media
Meet us on Slack: https://www.launchpass.com/second-nature
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secondnature.media
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.secondnature.media
Subscribe to the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@secondnaturemedia

Steve Holmberg and Matt Trappe are back for a debrief on one of the biggest weeks in trail running — Broken Arrow, Western States, and everything in between at TrailCon. Steve breaks down his state-of-the-industry analysis: why trail running's rebrand from "ultra running" unlocked massive new participation, why the sport is about to fragment the way mountain biking did decades ago, and why brands chasing "max" specs are about to pivot to "right" specs built specifically for trail.
Then Matt takes listeners inside a project few people got to experience firsthand — a house in Tahoe built with Skratch and other partners, designed to bring brand leaders, athletes, and creators together without competitive walls. He explains the intention behind it, what happened when 37 of 40 people in the room spoke up during an unscripted conversation, and why some of the best moments of the week happened specifically because they weren't being recorded.
Show Notes:
Popfly for Brands: https://popf.ly/secondnaturebrands
Popfly for Creators: https://popf.ly/secondnaturecreators
Steve Holmberg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenholmberg/
Matt Trappe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-trappe/
Insight Accelerator: https://insight-accelerator.com/
Matter of Brand: https://amatterofbrand.substack.com/
TrailCon: https://www.trailconference.com
Tommie Runz: https://www.instagram.com/tommie_runz/
Salomon TV - Trail Dogs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05sUhlxFBk0
Salomon TV - Bill Dooper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OF8ZdwpnTLQ
WSJ on Trail Runners: https://www.wsj.com/style/fashion/trail-running-footwear-9d39a2c6
Broken Arrow: https://www.brokenarrowskyrace.com/
ACG: https://www.nike.com/acg
Freetrail: https://www.freetrail.com
Tantrums: https://tantrums.run/
Amazfit: https://us.amazfit.com/
Skratch: https://www.skratchlabs.com/
SF Run Co: https://store.sfrunco.com/
BPC - Brand, Product, Content:
Hilary Yang "Raise The Bar": https://www.thehilaryann.com/raise-the-bar
Marin Rift Zone EL XR: https://marinbikes.com/products/2025-rift-zone-el-xr-int
Golden Hour Racing Shirt: https://auteursportif.com/collections/golden-hour-racing-capsule
Join us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/second-nature-media
Meet us on Slack: https://www.launchpass.com/second-nature
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secondnature.media
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.secondnature.media
Subscribe to the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@secondnaturemedia