Unite Your Community & Elevate Your Brand: Join the Adventure Sports Virtual Challenge Fundraiser!
Attention skate, surf, and paddle shop owners! I'm Bill Ennis. I started a paddle shop in the desert 15 years ago. What a ride... There are two things I'd like to share with you that I think will boost your business this year. One, look up boardretailers.org and sign up. It's free. Great resources for board sports shops are at the ready. Two, get your customers to join an upcoming virtual event, that can be done anywhere. Adventure Sports USA in Miami invites you to be part of a virtual event that builds community, strengthens customer relationships, and positions your store as a hub for adventure sports enthusiasts. The Adventure Sports Virtual Challenge Fundraiser is your opportunity to engage your customers, drive brand loyalty, and make a lasting impact.
The Power of Community & Belonging
The heartbeat of any great shop is the community it fosters. When you take advantage of another shop's event by encouraging your customers to participate in The Challenge, you’re not just telling them about a remote competition that they can participate in locally, you are offering them a way to connect, compete, and collaborate with like-minded individuals all over the country, and the opportunity to connect with YOU and buy YOUR shop's good gear. Cross-pollinating between disciplines (kayak, SUP Skate, kiting, foiling, stand up paddleboarding, etc.), this party unites enthusiasts of all levels in a shared experience of athleticism and adventure, reinforcing a deep sense of belonging within the action sports/board sports tribe and reinforces your position as the local "arbiter of stoke".
How It Works
Throughout March 2025, participants will engage in various skateboarding, surfing, and paddling challenges that they can complete anywhere in the world. Whether they’re casual riders or seasoned competitors, there’s something for everyone. The virtual format ensures inclusivity, allowing people from all backgrounds to join, while also providing high-level competitors the opportunity to showcase their skill and stamina.
Here's a link to 2024's event board for SUP Skate. I was 6th. Don't know what that is? Pushing yourself along with an incredible carbon fiber, rubber-tipped pole. It's a blast and a worthy effort. Worthy of 6th!
The Benefits to Your Shop
- Stronger Customer Engagement – Foster deeper relationships by inviting customers to participate and represent your store in The Challenge.
- Brand Exposure & Loyalty – As a local shop backing this event, you position your business as an integral part of the adventure sports lifestyle.
- Increased Foot Traffic & Sales – Hosting in-store sign-ups, promotions, or Challenge kickoff events can drive more customers through your doors.
- Social Media & Online Visibility – Get featured in Adventure Sports USA’s event promotions and create user-generated content as participants tag your shop.
- Giving Back While Growing – The event raises funds for a great cause, showing your customers that your shop stands for more than just sales—it stands for community.
How to Participate
Getting involved is simple!
- Promote The Challenge in your shop and on your social media channels.
- Encourage Customers to Sign Up under your shop’s name and form teams.
- Host In-Store or Local Meet-Ups to build camaraderie and help customers prep for their challenges.
- Celebrate & Share Achievements by featuring participants’ progress and victories on your digital platforms.
Be the Spark That Ignites the Movement
Your shop is more than a place to buy gear—it’s a home for adventure sports culture. By joining The Challenge, you help create an unforgettable, shared experience that strengthens your customer base, fuels the spirit of competition, and elevates your brand’s role in the industry.
Join Board Retailers Association
It's all about helping specialty retailers throughout the USA and its territories to survive and thrive in an ever-changing retail landscape. I joined a couple of years ago. This is "my tribe". It's comprised of retailers that love board sports "...that promote surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, SUPing, wakeboarding, skimboarding, kiteboarding, windsurfing, outdoor adventure activities, and/or lifestyles all share a central theme as board specialty retailers. BRA organizes and expresses the views and concerns of independent board specialty and outdoor specialty retailers in an effort to help promote our industry and support the independent specialty retailers."
Read more about BRA Retail Membership options via this link.
You Have Two Homework Assignments
Sign up today for the Virtual Challenge, share it with your shop's customers, and make March 2025 a month to remember! Together, we’ll ride, paddle, and skate towards a stronger, more connected community. Consider putting your own virtual competition together, and let us know, when you do!
Then, join Board Retailers Association, get the benefits of huge shipping cost discounts and a host of other great resources for your business.
Much success to us all in 2025!
- B. E.
