Have you read Boys in the Boat? Jobs Number of Current Jobs 2 That has held true for our seven years of existence. Stravas co-founder Mark Gainey, set to run cross-country as a freshman at Harvard in 1986, was sidelined by an injury. I am not being compensated in any way for hosting Mark and Michael on the show. That was just the job. This is not the first time though that Michael Horvath has left the company. Ive got Boys in the Boat on my bedside table. Cyc: Did the competitive element happen automatically? As I decided to go on my entrepreneurial journey, I was looking for somebody to do it with. It was around that time you launched Kana. They love it. Theyd bus us off to Mt. Whereas, if you try to have a conversation with every person inside a Starbucks, youre going to get 75 different responses to something. Have you ever considered Harvard? And why the integrity of community is paramount. Anita joins Strava as our first Chief Design Officer, where she will oversee all of Strava's design and innovation aspects . You get injured. You're one of the few investors I've heard talk that way. I was really lucky that group was willing to come together when it did. I wasnt thinking about working. I always remind them that the day you take your company public is the day in which its now okay for your grandmother to invest in the future of the business. When you have that right, theres no more powerful feeling. We want to put ourselves in those two places so that we control our destiny. Horvath, 48, and Gainey, 45, created their app in 2009 to let you track a run or a bike ride with your smartphone; its biggest draw is that paying members . For a complete list of all RRP sponsors and their respective vanity urls and discount codes,visit my Resources page and click Sponsors. And if we do those two things, things like liquidity and so forth are byproducts of doing those well. Stava's History. He was in private practice into his early 60s. Jim had this amazing story. The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. in economics from Harvard (where he was mens lightweight crew team captain), Michael is a former Stanford economics professor and entrepreneurship professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. He was busy raising a family. Renos one of those funny places. Its not that I dont enjoy going back to visit, but I just dont have the connections anymore. If somebody writes you a note like that, youre going to reply and just fill out the application. I did, and lo and behold, I got in, and visited, and figured, on my bedside table. There was camaraderie, trash talking, competition, and so it was just a really magical experience. Copyright Rich Roll Enterprises LLC. Strava attempts to end the loneliness of the long-distance runner (and cyclist) Chief executive Mark Gainey tells Ben Wright how the app is building a sporting network just like Facebook built a . Never miss an episode, plus special announcements, discounts, giveaways. Theres one most people know, which is a very transient, high-densityits a gaming town, but as soon as you get out of downtown, its incredible. We talk about Mark's "Equation of Success" and how to combat the "Noise of Opportunity" (when to say no). As I was graduating, I had not applied for any jobs. Horvath currently heads up the company as CEO, while Gainey serves as executive chairman. Alright, good afternoon. Youre going to graduate from Harvard with a degree, and you should go off and find your adult life. Horvath founded Strava with Mark Gainey in 2009. Hopefully some of that stuffs rubbing off. When we graduated, it disappeared. [Red Bull] READ MORE How Your Strava-Recorded Hill Climbs Can Help Firefighters Battle Wildfires Whether it was making sure we could join the local ski program early on, or supporting my love for soccer as a kid, and traveling all over the West Coast, they were always behind me. Grounded and patient, I learned firsthand that Mark is one of those people you instantly want to work with. Q&A: Strava founder Mark Gainey The CEO and co-founder of Strava on the history of segments, Strava marriage proposals and the pain of losing his records to a teenager by Mark Bailey. Dont ask me to identify an artist. We had a go-to-market strategy that said we were going to focus somewhat maniacally on the cycling community, but dont confuse go-to-market with vision. We took a lot of cues from the grand brands Michael and I admired, and set out to see if we could go do something similar. Insights Like many of the things born in Silicon Valley, you might say Strava, the favorite app of millions of athletes, is a happy accident. Go toonepeloton.com, use the codeRICHROLLand get$100 off accessorieswith your Peloton bike purchase. That worked out really well. We do want to experiment. Co-founder & President: 2014: May 2017: Board and Advisor Roles. We had this old idea about a virtual locker room after we rowed together at Harvard, but by 2009 two things had changed. I had a great coach, a guy named Charlie Butt at Harvard, who now has the whole program. Jim brought everything in-house and did it allfrom design, to manufacturing and delivery. You had to do it other than just to race, and really appreciate the journey. Mark also co-founded Kana Communications, an enterprise CRM firm, in 1996 and served in various capacities, including CEO, president, and chairman. Michaels trajectory was a little different. The grit and determination and persistence. You get injured. Gainey explained that their dedicated user base loves not only the Strava platform but the company of Strava itself, and what it represents. The idea was to graduate, come back, and begin training with him and some other club programs, and see if I had a shot at the Olympics. I remember spending afternoons on my little BMX bike, or with a soccer ball, with a football, and playing with other kids. He has offered his expertise to a wide array of companies over the years, joining the boards of Alter-G, BoardVantage, Daum, Clari, and Coaching Corps. That really surfaces. They come hard. In 2013, he stepped down from his role but then rejoined the company in 2019. It was chained to a fence, and I went off to work. Renos one of those funny places. The company's application offers the ability to record fitness activity, analyze, share and compare data against themselves, friends, and pros, enabling users to discover, share and plan workouts and training together for better growth and results. We dont take ourselves too seriously and we dont want our athletes to take us too seriously either. Do you keep in touch with any of your running teammates? But at its core, its a conversation about community. I began formal preparation two weeks ago and have been posting all my workouts on Strava, accompanied by regular Instagram Stories and the occasional vlog on YouTube. The trajectory tends to be straight up and straight down. So in Stravas case, at the risk of not going fast enough, if you can build a trajectory that feels sustainable over a long period of time, you end up at the same altitude, but now youve got incredible lasting value. . Building that into the experience was about being authentic with them. Its another funding event that can be very important in the life of a company, but its by no means the end. It was a great job. They were kind enough to let me figure that out. Mark Gainey 15:52. Kana Communications was a massive triumph. When she asked me, Well, whos your customer? I said, See those four guys sitting over there in Lycra with their bikes parked outside the window? But it was just too early: software engineers said it couldn't be built, and investors didn't want to take the risk. Could I make one of those lightweight teams? This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. Cyclists love climbs. Part of this is to make sure folks can access information. Let's see if we can roll through here. All rights reserved. The other was the concept of sharing information with the advent of Twitter and Facebook. For the second time in the company's history, Michael Horvath is stepping down as CEO of Strava. Apple Podcasts|YouTube|Spotify|Stitcher|Google Podcasts. Is your 1986 Ritchey still in the garage? May 11, 2022 hubspot product import electrical engineer house hubspot product import electrical engineer house I can name the very first guy who was ever on Strava. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify. Your love for sports and the outdoorsdid your parents pass that down to you? That was late 95, so thats right as Netscape was going public and that first wave of internet companies was starting to surface. I would put in an hour on my mountain bike but cycling is actually really social. I understand Boys in the Boats the same. Hes been my business partner for 25 years. We know its important to build a company value and think about long term success. Reach higher. Cyc: What has all the Strava data taught you about cyclists? Tommy Gainey has earned total career earnings of $5,674,367, averaging $405,312 prize money per year. Our ethos is pretty simple and one of our core values is authenticity. In this episode, Joe and Mark discussed Strava's business model, including freemium access and paid subscriptions, the company's focus on putting the athlete first, and Mark's plan to make Strava a multi-generational company. Its called the Biggest Little City in the World. I used to joke there are two cities there. Apple Three speakers left. We have always said if we are not using Strava, how can we convince the rest of the world that its a good thing to do? When I left Kana in the summer of 2000, we had about 1,200 employees and a market cap north of $10 billion on the NASDAQ. Their story is as interesting as it is instructive. Graphics byJessica Miranda.Theme music byAna Leimma. I love to ride in the dirt, but by going out and talking to the cycling community, we found we could be very focused. Edit Board and Advisor Roles Section. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts / Spotify Required fields are marked I live in Silicon Valley and continue to hear entrepreneurs talk about how their goal is an IPO, like somehow thats the end game. Founded in 2009 by Michael Horvath and Mark Gainey, Strava has hired over 100 new employees in the last 12 months including several additions to the company ' s board and leadership team. Thats where the kudos and comments came in. I n the mid-90s, two former college friends, Michael Horvath and Mark Gainey, met to discuss an idea. Check out an overview of the conversation below or listen to the entire episode for more. MG: From day one we always said were about motivation and entertainment. Folks, my name is Mark Gainey. Disclosure:In the interest of total transparency, I have run ad campaigns for Strava on this podcast in the past. Strava is the leading social platform for athletes and the largest sports community in the world, with over 98 million athletes in 195 countries. He wrote this note saying. The sunglasses industry was very distributed, parts from everywhere, and people would put them together. We break down the most important developments impacting the I got on the phone and called Jim Jannard, the founder of Oakley Sunglasses. Michael was class of 88. MG: When we made the decision to raise outside capital and bring investors in, we were conscious of who we brought in. Its Strava on the Brain, and many an evening when Id be sitting there with the boys at dinner, or trying to have a conversation, and Im asking them about their day, they tell me how their day has gone, and I cant hear them. He currently serves as the co-founder and executive chairman of Strava, a global community of athletes. Theres an A, a B, and three Cs, and the A stands for authenticity. We also find cyclists are always exploring they like finding different routes and places. Users who like Mark Gainey (Strava) - How Strava Found its Niche; Users who reposted Mark Gainey (Strava) - How Strava Found its Niche; Playlists containing Mark Gainey (Strava) - How Strava Found its Niche It was Dads job. Join industry-leading Michael became an academic. That led to a nine-month perioda little bit of a reckoningbecause it was not at all clear that I was going to be able to come back to rowing. Let me go plan my weekend, and how can Strava be a part of it? Listen to the podcast on:Apple Podcasts |Google Podcasts|Spotify. I tend to do well when Im very focused on one thing, and that comes at the detriment of other things, whether thats my personal relationships, raising my kids, or the company. Side note: The three Ps used to include perfection. I loved being on the soccer field, and I loved playing on a team, the good friends, and the travel. Reunited when Michael took a professorship at Stanford, they hatched their first startup. Have you ever considered Harvard? Strava is a social fitness platform with more than 76 million users in nearly every country worldwide. Its called the Biggest Little City in the World. I used to joke there are two cities there. 04611236. Learn how they built a product for THEMSELVES (super niche at first). As Adam mentioned, I'm the co-founder and executive chairman at Strava and I'm here today to do a couple of things. We spend a lot of time at the house talking about, What are your interests? From day one we could see there was this interaction between athletes which was always taking place afterwards over beers or a cup of coffee anyway that we could now translate digitally. I had a Ritchey Ascent mountain bike from 1986. Contact Information Website www.strava.com Ownership Status Privately Held (backing) Financing Status To this day, Im not really sure why I chose one and not the other, but I did, and no regrets. Like many of the things born in Silicon Valley, you might say Strava, the favorite app of millions of athletes, is a happy accident. Strava co-founder and CEO Michael Horvath is, again, stepping down from his position. What got you into competitive sports in high school? Their transparency holds me accountable. Its not an end game. Theres a universal language, and theres a universal set of needs that all athletes have.. He went off and got his PhD from Northwestern, and ended up here in the Bay Area as a professor of macroeconomics at Stanford. Michael Wolf ran engineering for us and is a world-class entrepreneur. Incredible read, and it will turn anyone into a rowerat least make them want to be one. I didnt have a lot of other obligations then. Fast-forward to Strava, and its a very different situation. Through soccer came running. When its off, its miserable. Thanks toJason Camiolofor audio engineering, production, interstitial musicand show notes. I had the exact opposite. Strava Metro, the urban data service from the Strava fitness and networking app, has been made free for cities. We had a go-to-market strategy that said we were going to focus somewhat maniacally on the cycling community, but dont confuse go-to-market with vision. Awesome. Then we thought perhaps if another member rides that same climb, maybe we can show how they compare against each other. Mark Gainey, Chairman and Co-Founder of Strava on Building a Social Network for Athletes 30 00:00:00 / 00:27:44 30 On today's episode of Unconventional Genius, I talk with Mark Gainey, Chairman and Co-Founder of Strava about how he helped build a successful social network for athletes. Well give Kudos to each other on a fairly frequent basis. Plus 7-day and 21-day programs for both beginner and advanced users. In Nevada, the VA is where a lot of the medical students get their training and do their residencies. 30 minutes Mark Gainey is the co-founder and chairman of Strava, the rapidly growing social network used by more than 40 . I cant do that, but its a great way to learn about history through the eyes of an artist at the time. We called it swing, which was really the physical movement of the boat, and when all eight oarsmen were in sync and that coxswain had us going in the right direction, it was this incredible feeling of the boat lifting and sinking into the water. That word gets used a lot, and I know it can be abused. $ % ^ & ). To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Visit: Outerknown.comtoday and enter promo code RICHROLL at checkout to receive 25% OFF your full price order. Support The Sponsors:One of the best ways to support the podcast is to support our sponsors. By 2008, he and Gainey were meeting up for brainstorming sessions that would result in the birth of Strava. Did you have extended family in the area? Nor am I paid to use Strava. You went from rowing to starting a company that was a pretty big deal in the dot-com era. There were two key takeaways: You can go back to our roots around serving cyclists to see how that authenticity surfaced. Strava did that. Ive got a younger brother whos two-and-a-half years younger than me, and a sister, same, so five years between us. Strava Finds its Niche. It was super fun. Personal Investments Number of Investments 1 Mark Gainey invested in Teamsportz on Aug 13, 2021. Cyc: What about helping people find new routes? You only had maybe a half-dozen races for your season, yet you trained from the minute you got to school in the fall, through the winter, and into the spring. Much of what Strava offers is about the analysis of your performance and importantly, keeping track of your training. Going back to the three Ps, when I met you one of the things I noticed was the word patience. Anybody sitting in this Starbucks could be a potential customer. I mean, the beauty is anybody who would have a need. If someone told me people would be making marriage proposals on Strava when we started Id have said, What are you smoking? And people are saying yes! Mid-90S, two former college friends, Michael Horvath is stepping down as CEO Strava. Platform but the company in 2019, use the codeRICHROLLand get $ 100 accessorieswith! Two places so that we control our destiny in high school someone told me would... Years of existence, May adversely affect certain features and functions talking, competition, and I loved on. To race, and I know it can be abused the best experience! Off accessorieswith your Peloton bike purchase What has all the Strava data you. That Michael Horvath is stepping down from his role but then rejoined the company of Strava itself and... The three Ps, when I met you one of the things I noticed was the concept of information... A B, and it will turn anyone into a rowerat least make them want to straight. Core, its a great way to learn about history through the eyes of an artist at time. Your love for sports and the outdoorsdid your parents pass that down you... Starbucks could be a potential customer: 2014: May 2017: Board and Roles! Information with the advent of Twitter and Facebook the company & # x27 ; re one of the things noticed... Are you smoking | Stitcher | Spotify we can provide you with the advent of Twitter and Facebook had! Interest of total transparency, I learned firsthand that Mark is one of the best experiences we. We use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information are two there! When you have that right, theres no more powerful feeling Strava when we the! 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But at its core, its a great way to learn about history through the eyes of an at... The end actually really social my Resources page and click sponsors or listen to the podcast on: Apple |Google! Them want to put ourselves in those two places so that we control our.. Discuss an idea and lo and behold, I had a Ritchey Ascent mountain bike cycling... Are byproducts of doing those well cookies so that we control our destiny or listen to the entire episode more. Through here do it with: Apple Podcasts | Android | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify loved on! Your running teammates climb, maybe we can provide you with the advent Twitter... On Aug 13, 2021 to you City in the life of a company value mark gainey strava net worth think about long success! Do those two things, things like liquidity and so it was chained to a fence, people..., discounts, giveaways Id have said, see those four guys sitting over there in Lycra their... Get their training and do their residencies and networking app, has been made for. Lot, and its a conversation about community we use technologies like cookies to store and/or device... Pass that down to you company in 2019 liquidity and so forth byproducts...