Expert

Alex has been launching e-commerce companies for over 5 years, starting with multiple successful crowdfunding campaigns (like Coolbox which ended up on ABC’s Shark). He is best known as CoFounder of the viral hit Dollar Beard Club.  DBC hit $10M in their first year with no performance marketing or affiliate help, and has gone on to become a scalable and globally known brand with over 300M video views.

For the last 19 years, Ashton Maxfield has provided value to organizations with strategic PR services. Ashton leads PR and marketing programs that connects company’s stories to the audiences their success depends upon. In a crisis situation, Ashton’s team moves quickly with expert counsel and takes action. PR is powerful, and Ashton’s expertise allows companies to leverage that power! 

Bill Byrne is the co-founder and managing director of Remedy Public Relations in San Diego. He manages a worldwide team that handles media relations for an enviable list of clients in industries that include the active-outdoor lifestyle, along with corporate finance, craft beer, consumer and B2B tech, healthcare, and general consumer goods.

Brian White is a highly-skilled, experienced, and successful entrepreneur and sales professional with an extensive leadership background in the areas of sales management, GTM, marketing, and business development. This experience ranges in categories from footwear, apparel, and accessories to hardgoods.

Merging a background in technology-based sales and marketing, with a love for outdoor, actions sports and lifestyle brands, Colleen is part of Centric Software’s mid-market initiative for the Western US where she helps brands streamline product development and enhance productivity and creativity.  

With more than 20 years in the apparel industry, Derek has held many roles in different divisions, but most relevantly was the VP of Global Sustainability at Volcom between 2011-2015. After 19 years with Volcom, Derek left the company to play a co-founding role at KOZM, the yoga centered, sustainability driven, lifestyle brand that he currently manages.

John Ward has been leading marketing teams and initiatives for over 20 years in various industries from fashion, automotive, professional sports, entertainment and higher education. With a background on the brand side at companies such as American Apparel, SUPRA Footwear, Vespa and DIRECTV along with agency experience, John brings a unique point of view to consumer brand efforts. Specializing in digital transformation, John has built and grown several direct to consumer businesses and is perhaps best known, among his many accomplishments, for expanding American Apparel's DTC business globally and growing revenue 100% year over year for over 2 years. 

Kelly has been creating engaging brand experiences for over 15 years for brands such as Red Bull, Microsoft, Nike and more.  He describes Experiential Marketing as the most honest form of advertising and a valuable means of contributing to culture and community by creating memories and stirring emotion.

Justin McKibben has been operating in the fashion industry for 25 years. McKibben serves as a Business Development Executive for Melmarc; a vertical private label apparel manufacture. During his 10 year tenure at Melmarc, McKibben has enjoyed executing clear strategic plans and carefully cultivating relationships resulting in increased company sales nearly $70M to date.