Second Nature

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

Matt Oesterle built his first company, Callisto Media, from zero to $85 million in revenue by using data to disrupt the book publishing industry. Then he sold it to Penguin Random House and asked himself: what's the next industry that hasn't been forced to evolve? The answer was camping — an industry whose biggest brands were founded in the 1960s and haven't changed much since.
In this conversation, Matt walks through the framework he uses to pick businesses, how he designed the Ramble campground experience from scratch, and what it takes to build a hospitality brand that maintains a 4.98-star review score while scaling to 100+ locations. He also gets into the role of data versus instinct in entrepreneurship, why type two fun is a hiring requirement for his team, and why you don't have to be a sociopath to build something great.
If you've ever looked at an industry and thought "someone should fix this" — this is the episode for you.
Show Notes:
Popfly for Brands: https://popf.ly/secondnaturebrands
Popfly for Athletes: https://popf.ly/secondnaturecreators
Matt Oesterle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oesterle/
Ramble Campgrounds: https://ramble.camp/
Next Ventures: https://www.nextventures.com/
Mel Strong on Second Nature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlcjUzrM3Jg
Callisto Media: https://www.sourcebooks.com/callisto
HipCamp: https://www.hipcamp.com/
Net Promoter Score (Term): https://www.qualtrics.com/articles/customer-experience/net-promoter-score/
Solo Stove: https://www.solostove.com/
Zendesk: https://www.zendesk.com/
The Everything Store (Book): https://amzn.to/4vpM8kx
BPC - Brand, Product, Content:
RAB: https://rab.equipment/
The Algorithm (Book): https://amzn.to/4aOzKTJ
MFM Pod - The Algorithm Author: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG4TwQEYdBY
New Yorker Profile - Sam Altman: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/04/13/sam-altman-may-control-our-future-can-he-be-trusted
***
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

Martyn Ashton spent two decades as one of the most influential trials riders in the world — making the smallest, most niche discipline of mountain biking accessible and exciting for a global audience through videos, shows, and a personality that made everyone feel like they could try it. In 2013, a crash during a stunt show left him paralyzed. Now he's doing the exact same thing all over again — this time for adaptive mountain biking.
In this conversation, Martyn walks through the founding of Rideable Now, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping people with disabilities and life-changing injuries access adaptive mountain bikes. He explains why modern adaptive bikes aren't a watered-down version of mountain biking — they're genuinely terrifying, capable machines that unlock every trail in the world for people who never thought they'd ride again. He also gets into the economics of £25,000 bikes, why the e-bike power race could go too far, and the moment he gave away Rideable Now's first complete bike to a father of three who had no idea it was coming.
Show Notes:
Popfly for Brands: https://popf.ly/secondnaturebrands
Popfly for Athletes: https://popf.ly/secondnaturecreators
Martyn Ashton: https://www.instagram.com/martynashton/
Rideable Now: https://www.rideablenow.com/
Bowhead Bikes: https://www.bowheadcorp.com/
Cole Bernier: https://www.instagram.com/cbreezyrides/
Annijke Wade: https://www.instagram.com/geodesicdome/
Random Tandem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onoeq45G6ec
Dirty Tricks and Cunning Stunts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd3n8-0tuHU
GMBN: https://www.gmbn.com/
Rideable Now Membership: https://www.rideablenow.com/join
Disabled Dad Of Three: https://www.instagram.com/disableddadof3/
High Fives Foundation: https://highfivesfoundation.org/
BPC - Brand, Product, Content
Topeak Digital Tire Pump: https://backcountrycreator.tnu8.net/DWBMvq
Stashed Spacerail (10% discount link): https://www.stashedproducts.com/superrider
***
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