Podcast appearances and mentions of mark gainey

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Best podcasts about mark gainey

Latest podcast episodes about mark gainey

Jungunternehmer Podcast
How Strava built a Global Fitness Community with 100M+ users | Expanding a consumer app to 196 Countries | Why Strava never intended to be a Venture Case | Hiring Young Potentials instead of Senior Staff (with Strava Co-Founder Mark Gainey)

Jungunternehmer Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 91:01


Mark Gainey, co-founder of Strava, joins Fabian Tausch to share the incredible journey of building one of the world's most beloved fitness platforms. Mark reflects on the pivotal moments, challenges, and lessons learned from its early beginnings in 1995 as a "virtual locker room" concept to becoming a global community with over 100 million registered users. Strava generates more than $265M in revenue (2023 numbers) and is growing profitably.Mark dives into how Strava found its niche, scaled globally, and maintained its focus on engagement over vanity metrics. He also shares insights on building a mission-driven company, navigating investor expectations, and maintaining perspective as an entrepreneur. What you'll learn:The Origins of Strava:How Strava started as a "virtual locker room" in 1995 and why it didn't workThe role of timing, technology, and social media in Strava's eventual successBuilding a Community-Driven Platform:Why Strava focused on engagement over growth and how this approach led to organic scalingCreating joy and reducing friction for users is important to keep them active and engagedKey Lessons in Scaling:How Strava expanded from cyclists to runners and other sports while staying authentic to each audienceThe challenges of internationalization and adapting to cultural nuances in markets like Brazil and the UKNavigating Challenges with Investors:How Mark balanced user-first decisions with investor expectations for growthThe importance of patience, persistence, and perspective in building a long-term businessAdvice for Founders:Why does exponential growth start slow, and how do you stay motivated during the early stages?The value of maintaining a life outside of work is to avoid burnout and gain fresh perspectives.ALL ABOUT UNICORN BAKERY:https://zez.am/unicornbakery Where to find Mark:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-gainey-b6536/ Website: https://www.strava.com/ Join our Founder Tactics Newsletter:2x die Woche bekommst du die Taktiken der besten Gründer der Welt direkt ins Postfach:https://www.tactics.unicornbakery.de/ Chapters:(00:00:00) The 1995 Origin Story of Strava(00:09:31) Most crucial denominator for the success of Strava(00:16:09) The journey of growth & global ambitions(00:20:51) Defining the critical engagement-metrics(00:29:08) A risky dependency on Garmin(00:44:04) Internationalization: must-have or coincidence?(00:50:06) The layers of product market fit(00:53:45) How to: Build a global community app(00:57:57) Teambuilding & culture at Strava(01:05:38) How to manage growth expectations(01:13:42) Mark's opinion on what makes a great investor(01:17:00) How to: Grow junior staff into new roles and responsibilities(01:21:47) Mark's advice for struggling founders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TAB News
Five news nuggets to know this week

TAB News

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2025 5:50


Welcome to The Weekly, produced by TAB Media Group, which publishes The Alabama Baptist and The Baptist Paper. Each episode features news headlines read by TAB Media Group staff and volunteers. New episodes are released weekly on Wednesday mornings. Articles featured in this episode: State Evangelism Conference with Phil Waldrep (0:41) Simplified disciple-making with Mark Gainey (1:27) Missions training for Africans to reach Africans (2:30) Sudan Christian disowned by family (3:22) Number of imprisoned Christians in Iran on the rise (3:51) Visit TAB Media HERE Subscribe on iTunes HERE

The EverAthlete Podcast
Grand Canyon R2R2R Recap w/ Strava Founder, Mark Gainey

The EverAthlete Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2024 106:04


In this episode, Matt is joined by Mark Gainey, a lifelong endurance athlete and the co-founder of Strava. During the show, Matt and Mark breakdown their recent experience completing The Grand Canyon R2R2R2, an iconic 44 mile run across The Grand Canyon and back. Join Strava:  https://www.strava.comFollow EverAthlete For More:Instagram: @everathleteOnline Training Programs: www.everathlete.fit

Terra Podcast - Stay Fit, Stay Connected
Co-founder and Chairman of Strava: Mark Gainey

Terra Podcast - Stay Fit, Stay Connected

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2023 55:00


We had this podcast with the co-founder of Strava, and the Executive Chairman, discussing the company's growth over the years and its vision for the future. Gainey shared how Strava evolved from a basic performance-tracking platform to a community-driven fitness platform. He also discussed the importance of balancing fun and data analytics to keep users motivated.   Gainey highlighted the importance of user feedback in shaping Strava's development and how the company has grown to over 100 million registered users. He emphasized the need for Strava to continually innovate to stay relevant and discussed the company's strategy for rolling out new features, which involves testing with a subset of users before a larger rollout.   The conversation then shifted to the future of fitness technology, and Gainey shared his thoughts on the potential of new data sources like glucose monitoring and hydration units. However, he emphasized the importance of Strava's focus on community and motivation rather than becoming a preeminent data analytics platform.   Finally, Gainey discussed Strava's vision for the future, which involves improving the community aspect of the platform and building the infrastructure to support it.   Overall, the podcast provides valuable insights into the growth of Strava and its vision for the future, with Gainey emphasizing the importance of innovation, user feedback, and community-building.   00:00.00 - Introduction  00:01.00 - Early days  00:08.00 - The first customers  00:16.51 - Organic Growth  00:19.00 - The first connected device on Strava  00:23.00 - Speaking with Investors  00:26.00 - Focus on Engagement  00:30.00 - Building great teams  00:40.00 - Focus on connecting with all wearables and sensors  00:50.00 - Succession  00:50.47 - The vision for the future The Site ► ⁠http://tryterra.co⁠ More Podcasts ►⁠https://blog.tryterra.co/podcast/home⁠ Twitter ► ⁠https://twitter.com/terraapi⁠ Linkedin ► ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/terraapi⁠

Priority Talk
Local Pastors Talk Discipleship

Priority Talk

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2022 35:12


Greg welcomes Pastors Andy Frazier and Dr. Mark Gainey to the studio for an honest discussion about disciple-making, pastoring and the local church. Check out Andy and Mark's podcast for more information on specific disciple-making strategies. Church Leadership Podcast: https://inciteministries.org

Founders Unfound
Francisco Baptista - TeamSportz

Founders Unfound

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2022 51:48


Francisco Baptista is Founder and CEO of TeamSportz, a company building an AI sports platform to help team athletes enhance their performance. Francisco was born in Angola, growing during a period of civil war in that country. He used basketball as an escape from this harsh environment, first by watching his mother play, and then finding sanctuary on the courts himself. Francisco moved to Brazil for his teenage years, then to Portugal, and finally now in the UK. All the while pursuing his dual passions for hoops and software development. It's the meeting of these two loves where TeamSportz, with a zed as they say, was born. The company now boasts notable investors including Mark Gainey, co-founder of Strava and Rand Fishkin of Moz fame.Francisco has a great story. You will want to listen in.In this episode Francisco and Dan discussed:growing up in war and in different countrieshow his upbringing matured him past his contemporaries while in schoolhow Portuguese differs from Angola, to Brazil, to Portugalhow asking for advice, led to an investor, and another, and another...playing university-level basketball as a teen, by "being Francisco Sr"OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:Founders Livethe global venue for entrepreneurs to experience events, content, and community.Check out founderslive.com to join and to find a live event near you.MORE on FRANCISCO and TEAMSPORTZFrancisco:twitter.com/tomboalinkedin.com/in/baptistafranciscoTeamSportz:teamsportz.prolinkedin.com/company/teamsportztwitter.com/teamsportz_instagram.com/teamsportzFollow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!PODCAST TRANSCRIPT#blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #sportstech See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Early Days with Tyler Norwood
Strava—Mark Gainey

Early Days with Tyler Norwood

Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2022 51:30


Mark Gainey, the Co-founder and Chairman of Strava shares the story of how he built the worlds largest online athlete community.To learn more about Antler and how you can start your next company with us please come see us at antler.co

How to Win
Marketing a movement over a product with Terminus' Sangram Vajre

How to Win

Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2022 33:47


Key Points: Sangram explains the problem he identified that inspired Terminus (01:00) How Sangram developed the FlipMyFunnel framework in Terminus' first year (02:31) My thoughts on community creation as a moat (04:37) I explain the benefits of developing your company around a clear point of view (07:19) Why Terminus defined their category as account base marketing, rather than the narrower niche of account-based advertising (08:19) I unpack the importance of having both focus and broader resilience in your company with a quote from Strava's Mark Gainey (09:44) Sangram describes three stages companies go through: problem-market fit, product-market fit, and platform-market fit (11:39) Terminus' approach to acquisition (14:00) I describe the advantages of growing via acquisition with a quote from Cisco's former Chief Technology and Strategy Officer, Padmasree Warrior (15:40) How Terminus continued to build demand through community events (18:58) I explain why having a strong point of view is so compelling, with a quote from Celonis' Dave Peterson (20:36) Why Terminus embraces competitors as a sign of a healthy category (22:28) Why creating a new subcategory may be easier than winning a brand preference war (25:10) Wrap up (31:59) Mentioned:Sangram Vajre LinkedInSangram Vajre TwitterTerminus LinkedInTerminus WebsiteMark Gainey LinkedInPadmasree Warrior LinkedInDave Peterson LinkedInMailChimpAugustAmp It Up: Leading for Hypergrowth by Raising Expectations, Increasing Urgency, and Elevating Intensity by Frank SlootmanMy Links:TwitterLinkedInWebsiteWynterSpeeroCXL

How I Built This with Guy Raz
Strava: Mark Gainey and Michael Horvath

How I Built This with Guy Raz

Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2022 82:55 Very Popular


Mark Gainey and Michael Horvath were two friends from college with a good idea and bad timing: in 1995, they set out to create a digital community where athletes could chart their progress and actively compete with one another. But it was just too early: software engineers said it couldn't be built, and investors didn't want to take the risk. So the two founders wound up launching an entirely unrelated business, one that was so perfectly timed that it led to a successful IPO a few years later. Still, Michael and Mark couldn't shake their original idea, and in 2008, they launched a website where cyclists could map and monitor their rides, and compete with riders across the country. The prototype was clunky—Mark jokes that "we wanted to make it as hard to use as possible"—but the timing was perfect, and Strava was born. Today, it's a mobile app used by 100 million athletes in nearly 200 countries around the world. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

ipo strava mark gainey michael horvath
EO 360°: A podcast by the Entrepreneurs’ Organization
100 Million Users, Strava Co-Founder | Mark Gainey

EO 360°: A podcast by the Entrepreneurs’ Organization

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2022 56:14


Mark Gainey is the co-founder and chairman of Strava, the popular social platform for athletes and the largest sports community in the world. Founded in 2009 with over $150 million in funding, Strava's story is one of growth and opportune timing. Growing up, Mark had always had an inclination towards anything athletic, whether it was skiing, running, sailing, or soccer. Listen in as Mark shares how he took his passion and created one of the world's largest fitness social platforms with over 100 million users! Links Strava: https://www.strava.com/

The Founder Hour
Mark Gainey | How Strava Made Running and Cycling Social

The Founder Hour

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2022 68:16


Mark Gainey is the co-founder and executive chairman of Strava, an app for mostly runners and cyclists to track their physical activity and engage with others on its social network.We spoke about Mark's upbringing and early career all the way up to what inspired him to start the company and his vision for the future of the space.SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER & STAY UPDATED > http://bit.ly/tfh-newsletterFOLLOW TFH ON INSTAGRAM > http://www.instagram.com/thefounderhourFOLLOW TFH ON TWITTER > http://www.twitter.com/thefounderhourINTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR? EMAIL US > partnerships@thefounderhour.com

The Consumer VC: Venture Capital I B2C Startups I Commerce | Early-Stage Investing
Holiday Recap: Mark Gainey, Founder of Strava

The Consumer VC: Venture Capital I B2C Startups I Commerce | Early-Stage Investing

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2021 36:13 Transcription Available


Presenter: Burkland Associates helps you build the right systems that can keep up with your growth and can handle all the finance, accounting, tax and hiring services that consumer startups need to scale. For more information head to burklandassociates.com Presenter: Skillful runs online, immersive programs that help people launch and accelerate their careers in business roles in tech - Strategy & Ops, Product, Strategic Finance and Growth. Early bird applications for the Core Sprint are now open - use the exclusive code EARLYBIRD2021 if you apply before Dec 1 Click Here to Apply to the Next Cohort   This episode is a highlight of my conversation with Mark Gainey, Founder of Strava.

Trail Runner Nation
EP 541: Improving Performance Through the Aggregation of Marginal Gains

Trail Runner Nation

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2021 60:14


Adam Kimble and Strava Co-Founder, Mark Gainey, were recently talking about Eliud Kipchoge's attempt at the sub 2-hour marathon.  They focused on every little detail that his team worked on improving. These small improvements can make a big difference.  How can we implement this strategy in our lives?   British Cycling Team Performance Director, Dave Brailsford, did this with the team back in 2003 turning their mediocre winless team into a powerhouse of competitors with his philosophy of the "aggregation of marginal gains": tiny margins of improvement in everything they did. Read more about the British cycling team from James Clear HERE Check out Adam Kimble's new running journal, "Chasing Twilight" he wrote with Connor Crouch and Jim O'Brien Learn more about Adam by checking out his web site and his coaching site, Run On Dirt Coaching. Adam's social channels: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

Singletrack
Mark Gainey | Co-Founder of Strava, Trail Running, Athlete Creators

Singletrack

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2021 62:45


Most conversations on this show take place at the intersection of business, culture, and performance within the sport of mountain ultra trail running. This episode captures that spirit perfectly.  On today's show, we have the co-Founder of Strava and current Chairman, Mark Gainey.Strava is a fitness tracking and social media app designed primarily for endurance athletes. And it's had a considerable impact on the culture of our sport in particular. As Mark will explain, Strava was born out of desire to recreate the community element of team sports typically strongest in high school and collegiate settings, and to leverage the power of the internet to reinstate this phenomenal social support system for athletes at every stage of their lives.Mark's thesis was that amazing things happen in this teammate environment - you might push a little harder, stay more motivated, be held more accountable, exercise more - even when its being replicated digitally And we get into all that. Specifically, Mark and I go in depth about - His entrepreneurial philosophy of going an inch wide and a mile deep, how it applies to the creation of Strava, and the importance of separating go to market strategy from overall vision The debate about building a social media platform versus a training platform, and whether Strava can invest in both and still delight customersThe ways Strava is thinking about and investing in community building on the platform and increasing the serendipity of athlete connectionsThe pros and cons of increasingly bridging the physical world and virtual world when it comes to exercise and sportWhat the future of sport looks like for amateur athletes and how Strava is taking that into consideration How Strava can help content creators and business owners active in the endurance communityAnd more! Give it a listen.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/singletracknews)

Subscription Stories: True Tales from the Trenches
How Strava Built a Subscription Business within a Social Platform with Strava CRO David Lorsch

Subscription Stories: True Tales from the Trenches

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2021 39:00


Just over 10 years ago, I had my first conversation about the idea that would become Strava with serial entrepreneurs Mark Gainey and Michael Horvath. They talked to me about their bold objective of building the world's largest community of athletes. Since then, they've achieved that goal, touching over 90 million athletes and logging over five billion activities across more than 30 sports in virtually every country in the world. While subscriptions have always been a part of Strava, in the past year, they've moved some of their most popular features behind the paywall and an introduced a bunch of new features for paying subscribers. I recently interviewed David Lorsch, Strava’s CRO for the inaugural D2C Summit, a new conference I co-created with Global Media Association FIPP, and want to share that conversation with you here on the podcast. We discussed how Strava determined what should be free and what should be paid as they build a subscription business around a social platform, and how to guide members to make the most of their membership. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join the Subscription Stories Community today: robbiekellmanbaxter.com Twitter Facebook

How I Built This with Guy Raz
How I Built Resilience: Michael Horvath and Mark Gainey of Strava

How I Built This with Guy Raz

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2021 32:28


Strava is a social fitness platform with more than 76 million users in nearly every country worldwide. Co-founders Michael Horvath and Mark Gainey spoke with Guy about the recent surge in users joining their virtual fitness community. They share how they've focused on creating new content and features to meet peoples' increased need for connection in a socially distanced world. These conversations are excerpts from our How I Built Resilience series, where Guy talks online with founders and entrepreneurs about how they're navigating turbulent times.

Investing In Florida Technology
Paul Holland - The Precursors of Success

Investing In Florida Technology

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2021 38:21


When you hear about a new idea, how can you be sure it’s good or bad? As an investor, you have to be a calculated risk-taker. Of course, there’s the due diligence that can help you decide whether the business that’s presented to you is worth funding, but you still need a dose of courage to financially support an idea Netflix is one of those successful businesses that weren’t short of ups and downs – and in this episode, you will hear the story of Netflix seen through the lens of one of the early investors: Paul Holland. Why did he choose to invest? What’s the background between Paul and Reed Hastings? And how did Netflix become one of the clear winners of the streaming wars? Tom and Paul also discuss the important role Paul’s new firm, Mach49 plays in helping global businesses drive meaningful growth to beat the startups at their own game. Paul Holland is Managing Director and VC-in-Residence at Mach49, where he leads the company’s Corporate Venture Investing Practice. Paul works with global businesses to design, launch, and manage corporate venture funds that leverage the experience, deal flow, global network, and success of his top-tier Silicon Valley VCs. Prior to joining Mach49, he was a General Partner for 18 years at leading venture capital fund Foundation Capital, helping take startup companies from zero to $100M, to IPO, or acquisition. His amazing background also includes partnering with Reed Hastings at Pure Software and joining Mark Gainey at Kana Communications. Paul enjoys being on the front lines, working side by side with entrepreneurs developing fast-growing, dynamic new ventures. His investing stories are diverse and interesting, so tune in and find out how he met Reed Hastings and invested in Netflix, how he supported Chegg, as well as what Mach49 is all about.Listen on SpotifyListen on Apple PodcastsListen on Google Podcasts Some questions asked:How did the investing in Netflix come about? (02:47)When did you realize Netflix is really something special? (14:17)What do you look for in founders? (18:03) In this episode, you will learn:Paul’s journey to where he is today. (00:54)The landscape of venture capital in the late ‘90s. (06:02)The challenges faced by Netflix in its early beginnings. (08:36)How Chegg became a decacorn. (20:23)Linda Yates’ journey to founding Mach49. (24:41)The five preconditions for success. (27:04)The reason more and more people are migrating away from Silicon Valley. (30:33) Connect with Paul:LinkedInMach49 Website Resources:Something Ventured – the movie See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Driving Force Podcast
Episode 50: Mark Gainey - Co-founder & Chairman of Strava

Driving Force Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2021 64:49


Today's guest is Mark Gainey. Mark is the co-founder and Chairman of Strava, the leading social platform for athletes. Mark grew up in Reno, Nevada and was slated to run cross country for Harvard. However, after being sidelined by an injury, he then got recruited to join the crew team where he would meet his Strava co-founder, Michael Horvath. It would be many years before they would start Strava, and Mark's first job after graduating college was at the growth equity firm TA Associates. While at TA, Mark spent nearly 5 years talking with entrepreneurs and learning about their businesses. He wanted to be on the other side of the table. And so, Mark and Michael reconvened in the mid-90's and began brainstorming a business that would eventually become Kana Communications, an email management software company. Kana became wildly successful and Mark left the company after four years. After several years of advisory type work, Mark was itching to start something again and thought back to the idea he had of somehow re-creating the team-like atmosphere he experienced while on the Harvard Crew team. He then reached back out to Michael Horvath and they began creating what would become Strava. In this interview, we discuss Mark's time growing up in Reno, Nevada, his experience on the Harvard Crew team, his time talking with entrepreneurs at TA, Kana Communications, and of course, Strava. Timestamps 00:02:53 Growing up in Reno, Nevada 00:07:00 Path to Harvard 00:09:50 Harvard Crew Team experience 00:16:01 Career ambitions while at Harvard 00:17:35 Time at TA Associates 00:20:57 Launching Kana Communications 00:23:14 Kana overview 00:28:51 Unfinished business with Kana 00:33:40 Strava overview 00:35:33 Genesis of Strava 00:38:26 Go an inch wide and a mile deep 00:42:12 How the Strava user base has grown 00:44:46 Strava's business model 00:47:31 Building community at Strava 00:50:12 Ultimate vision for Strava 00:54:07 What he wants to create 5 years from now 00:55:40 Time in Strava app vs. time spent being active 00:59:23 His daily routine 01:00:50 His driving force 01:02:24 Advice for the aspiring entrepreneur

Outspoken Cyclist
Outspoken Cyclist – 10/31/2020

Outspoken Cyclist

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2020 44:06


Strava CEO and founder Mark Gainey talks about the app and the newest iteration - Metro. Josh Crisp started Pedal for Alzheimer's and now it's a nationwide organization.

Beneath The Grandstand
The Future of Connected Fitness with Strava Co-founder Mark Gainey - Beneath The Grandstand (Ep.22)

Beneath The Grandstand

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2020 74:06


Today's episode features Strava co-founder Mark Gainey. COVID has awoken an arms race in the wearable device and connected fitness industry. Through it all, Strava has remained open and adaptable to every new platform thrown at it. Mark and Alex dive into what the gamification of endurance sports will look like moving forward, as well as the corporate responsibility that comes with fostering our community's data.

Running Industry Podcast
Running Industry Podcast #2 - Gareth Nettleton - Strava

Running Industry Podcast

Play Episode Play 27 sec Highlight Listen Later Sep 4, 2020 60:19


In Episode 2 of the running industry podcast we talk to global VP of marketing at Strava, Gareth NettletonFounded in 2009 by Mark Gainey and Michael Horvath, Strava has become one of the world's most popular sports tracking apps in the last decade. During an hour packed with insight surrounding the brand, Matt and Gareth examine its growth, its journey through Covid-19 and what the future holds for Strava and its millions of users around the globe.Host: Matt WardProduced by amplifi www.amplifi.mediaIG @amplifimedia Tw @amplifimedia_www.runningindustrypodcast.com IG @runindustry Tw @runindustry All episodes of the running industry podcast are ©amplifiFollow Gareth Nettleton viaStrava: www.strava.com/athletes/garethnettletonIG and Twitter: @garethnettletonFollow strava.comYou can also show your support by donating to the running industry podcast via Patreon www.patreon.com/runningindustrypodcast

The Run Healthy Podcast
The Healthy Social Network: Mark Gainey (Co-Founder: Strava)

The Run Healthy Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2020 30:06


Get the Recover Athletics App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/recover-athletics/id1488347465  Original music and Audio Editing by Dan Langa; Follow Dan on Instagram; Follow Dan on Spotify https://recoverathletics.com

Fitt Insider
#37: Mark Gainey, Co-founder & Chairman of Strava

Fitt Insider

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2020 36:45


Today I’m joined by Mark Gainey.    Mark is the co-founder and Executive Chairman of Strava, a global community of athletes with more than 50M members.    In this episode, we 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.    More from Mark >>    Mark has been building successful companies for 20+ years. He currently serves as the co-founder and executive chairman of Strava, a global community of athletes. Founded in 2009, millions of athletes have joined Strava for the competition and camaraderie found in tracking and sharing their fitness activities. Mark also co-founded Kana Communications, an enterprise CRM firm, in 1996 and served in various capacities, including CEO, president, and chairman. 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. Mark holds an AB from Harvard University.

Church Leadership Podcast
Episode 70 – Episode 70 – Andy Frazier, Mark Gainey, Daniel Edmonds, & Robert Mullins on Crazy Stories in Ministry

Church Leadership Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2020 29:10


On this week’s episode, Andy and Mark have a hilarious conversation with Daniel Edmonds and Robert Mullins as they all...

Church Leadership Podcast
Episode 67 – Andy Frazier & Mark Gainey on the Unrest and Dissension in our Nation Today

Church Leadership Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2020 16:06


This week on a special episode of the Church Leadership Podcast, Mark and Andy address the current climate of our...

Noah Kagan Presents
The Strava Story — Co-Founder Shares Early Growth & Scaling Strategies

Noah Kagan Presents

Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2020 69:29


Mark Gainey is the Co-Founder of Strava, the #1 app for runners and cyclists. Learn how they built a product for THEMSELVES (super niche at first). We talk about Mark’s “Equation of Success” and how to combat the “Noise of Opportunity” (when to say no). Full show notes at https://okdork.com/podcast/150  

Church Leadership Podcast
Episode 55 – Andy Frazier & Mark Gainey on Identifying, Recruiting, & Developing Volunteer Leaders

Church Leadership Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2020 31:47


Happy 1st Anniversary to the Podcast! It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since our launch! Most churches have...

Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Video Series
Mark Gainey (Strava) - How Strava Found its Niche

Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Video Series

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2020 48:29


Mark Gainey is the co-founder and executive chairman of Strava, a platform where more than 50 million athletes around the world track their workouts and compare their stats. In this talk, he explains the "inch wide, mile deep" strategy that informed both Strava and his previous startup, Kana Communications. He explores how, by first focusing intently on the niche category of passionate road cyclists, Strava earned a credibility that ultimately allowed the company to scale into many other sports.

Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders
Mark Gainey (Strava) - How Strava Found its Niche

Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2020 49:15


Mark Gainey is the co-founder and executive chairman of Strava, a platform where more than 50 million athletes around the world track their workouts and compare their stats. In this talk, he explains the “inch wide, mile deep” strategy that informed both Strava and his previous startup, Kana Communications. He explores how, by first focusing intently on the niche category of passionate road cyclists, Strava earned a credibility that ultimately allowed the company to scale into many other sports.

Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Video Series
Mark Gainey (Strava) - How Strava Found its Niche

Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Video Series

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2020 48:29


Mark Gainey is the co-founder and executive chairman of Strava, a platform where more than 50 million athletes around the world track their workouts and compare their stats. In this talk, he explains the “inch wide, mile deep” strategy that informed both Strava and his previous startup, Kana Communications. He explores how, by first focusing intently on the niche category of passionate road cyclists, Strava earned a credibility that ultimately allowed the company to scale into many other sports.

Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders
ETL returns Jan. 22!

Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2020 1:10


New episodes of the Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders series return on January 22nd! Guests this season include Sam Yam, co-founder and CTO of Patreon; Mar Hershenson, managing partner of Pear VC; and Mark Gainey, co-founder and executive chairman of Strava. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get new episodes delivered straight to you every Wednesday!

Church Leadership Podcast
Episode 44 – Mark & Andy Wish You A Merry Christmas!

Church Leadership Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2019 6:00


In this special episode, Mark and Andy wish all of our listeners a Merry Christmas!

Church Leadership Podcast
Episode 33 – Craig Etheredge

Church Leadership Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2019 27:59


On this week’s episode of the Church Leadership Podcast, Mark and Andy are joined by Craig Etheredge. Craig serves in...

Gritty Founder
00022. The Story of Strava, the Social Network Used by Millions of Athletes, with Founder Mark Gainey

Gritty Founder

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2019 37:06


On today's episode of Gritty Founder, Kreig Kent talks with Mark Gainey about his journey as an entrepreneur and how he built Strava. Mark shares excellent advice on the importance of knowing your customer and going after niche markets. Mark Gainey has been building successful companies for nearly 20 years. He currently serves as the co-founder and chairman of Strava, the social network for athletes. Founded in 2009, millions of athletes worldwide have joined Strava for the competition and camaraderie found in tracking and sharing their fitness activities. Mark also founded Kana Communications, an enterprise software firm, in 1996 and served in various capacities, including CEO, president, and chairman. 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. Some Questions Kreig Asks Mark: - How did you get the idea for your company? (9:46) - Can you share a story of failure in your entrepreneurial journey? (12:55) - What is your advice for founders who are in the process of starting a company? (19:45) - How do you manage all the different ideas from investors, employees, etc.? (28:48) - At what point should founders start talking to venture capitalists? (29:05) - What is the most important ingredient a founder needs to succeed? (32:22) In This Episode, You Will Learn: - Mark's background and how he became an entrepreneur (4:30) - Solve a problem that you are passionate about (9:53) - The story behind Strava (11:28) - Why Strava started with an app for cycling (17:53) - Whatever idea you start with is not going to be the one you end with (20:02) - Establish leadership by going after a niche market (21:40) - Don't confuse go-to-market with vision (24:01) - Figure out who is not your customer (27:45) - You are always fundraising (29:30) - The importance of patience, persistence, and perspective (32:39) Connect with Mark Gainey: LinkedIn Strava Also Mentioned on This Show... Mark's favorite quote: "Great things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle." ―Abraham Lincoln Mark's book recommendation: Built to Last by Jim Collins

Church Leadership Podcast
Episode 32 – Larry Hyche

Church Leadership Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2019 24:01


On today’s episode, we have our first return guest Larry Hyche. Larry is a state missionary with Alabama Baptist State...

Church Leadership Podcast
Episode 31 – Rob Jackson

Church Leadership Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2019 20:57


On this week’s episode, Mark and Andy get to sit down with Rob Jackson. Rob serves at the University of Mobile...

Church Leadership Podcast
Episode 30 – Mark Gainey and Andy Frazier on the Pressures of Attractional Church

Church Leadership Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2019 24:11


On this week’s episode, we get to listen in as Mark shares with Andy about the pressures and expectations of...

Finding Your Summit
Mark Gainey: A champion runner in high school led Mark to being part of the Harvard rowing team and taught him about the principals of team work, discipline and building something great. This is what he has done with one of the world's top fitness app's

Finding Your Summit

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2019 56:09


Monocle 24: The Entrepreneurs
Mark Gainey, Strava

Monocle 24: The Entrepreneurs

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2019 28:56


Mark Gainey is the co-founder and chairman of Strava, the rapidly growing social network used by more than 40 million people in 195 countries. From gold-medal efforts to weekend jogs around the park, Strava allows users to share their workouts. Gainey is a Harvard graduate and former venture-capital executive whose earlier venture, Kana Communications, was valued at $10bn and provided a solution to customer-service email in the early days of the internet.

Christopher Lochhead Follow Your Different™
080 B2B & B2C Entrepreneur Strava CoFounder Mark Gainey

Christopher Lochhead Follow Your Different™

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2019 110:26


In this episode, Mark Gainey, a serial entrepreneur with big-time success B2B and B2C, joins us for another insight-packed conversation. He is the co-founder and chairman of Strava, the athlete’s social network. Today, he talks about entrepreneurship and success, despite major setbacks in his life. The Virtual Athlete’s Locker Room The Swedish word for strive is strava, which is defined as “to make great efforts to achieve or obtain.” This is perfect for a team of individuals who have the ambition and attitude to achieve more. Strava’s mission is to build the most engaged community of athletes in the world. Co-founders and former college colleagues Mark Gainey and Michael Horvath dreamt about this company way back in 1995. They had the concept of creating a virtual locker room and they called it “Kana Sports.” “We had this concept at the back of our minds, how Kana sports morphed into Kana communications, we had a great time building that, no regrets.” - Mark Gainey From B2B to B2C Mark was previously the CEO of Kana Communications which went public late 1999. With a market capital of 11 billion USD and an upcoming new CEO at that time, Mark found himself moving to a different chapter in his life after. “I distanced myself in a pretty meaningful way. I often joked to people, if you give your child up for adoption, don’t stay living in the house.” - Mark Gainey, after IPO of Kana Communications Mark further shares his experiences working in a B2B setting, as a CEO and now B2C setting, as a stockholder.  18 Surgeries in 51 years One of Strava’s irony is they serve the world’s cyclists, but Mark quips that he must have been one of the worst ones on the planet. For one, he had been in a major biking accident which required 11 surgeries. These surgeries are on top of other surgeries from skiing accidents and car accidents. “Nobody is dying anytime soon but it is a test. You just get back to the saddle. You learn and say okay now I can have three more runs, good to play some other day.” - Mark Gainey Mark continues narrating his accident and further says that when he is inactive, he feels like he is a different person. Mark shares that ultimately, this is their goal at Strava: to forget trying to push people to go fast and perform well, just encourage them to engage in activities and sweat at least once in a day. “I think thats the balance. As much as I know that I take the risk everytime to go out there but the idea of not doing that, that is what would kill me.” - Mark Gainey To hear more about B2B to B2C entrepreneurship and more relevant information from Mark, download and listen to the episode. Bio: Mark Gainey is a serial entrepreneur, co-founder, and Chairman of Strava - the social network for athletes. Mark co-founded Kana Communications Inc. (Kana Inc.), in January 1996 and served as its Chief Executive Officer & President from January 1996 to June 1999. He has been building successful companies for nearly 20 years. Prior to Kana, from April 1991 to September 1995, Mark Gainey served as an Associate with TA Associates Management, L.P. (TA Associates, Inc.), where he focused primarily on technology and business services investments. Mark served as President and Chairman of SWK Holdings Corporation. Further, he served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kana Communications Inc., from July 1996 to July 2000. In addition to these, he has been a Director of Clari Inc. since April 2014. Mark serves as a Director of TA Associates, Inc. He served as a Director of GlobalSight Corporation, AlterG, Inc. and BoardVantage Inc. He served as a Director of Kana Communications Inc., from January 1996 to June 1999 and SWK Holdings Corporation since January 1996. Mark Gainey holds a B.A. in General Studies from Harvard University. Links: Strava.com Strava: Mark Gainey Linkedin: mark-gainey We hope you enjoyed this episode of Follow Your Different™! Christopher loves hearing from his listeners. Feel free to email him,

Marathon Talk
Episode 493 - Mark Gainey (Strava co-founder)

Marathon Talk

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2019 92:42


On this week’s show Martin speak to the co-founder of Strava Mark Gainey about segments, set up, the Rim to Rim and the future. We remember American track star Gabriele Grunewald, young Brit track stars re-write the record books, Kara Goucher runs Leadville, Kenyan marathoner banned for rat poison. We talk summer speed work to sharpen you up, you rate your run, talk about what keeps you going, wear your MT kit at Comrades and stand on the MT podium.

The Rich Roll Podcast
The Strava Story: Building A Fitness Community Fueled By Emotional Connection

The Rich Roll Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2019 120:27


“If you sweat, you're an athlete. It's as simple as that.”Mark Gainey & Michael HorvathRiding up a local canyon climb back in what must have been late 2009, my Airstream-dwelling, frequent cycling compadre Stu Bone couldn't stop talking about this brand new social network specifically aimed at the 2-wheel community.Always eager to test new tech, I signed up immediately, quickly fell in love and have been evangelizing the platform every since.Meet Strava – the fitness social network designed by athletes for athletes.Evolving beyond it’s cycling roots as a platform for all who sweat, today Strava is widely embraced as the premier workout sharing fitness network — a rapidly expanding ecosystem of Olympic, professional, elite, amateur and beginner athletes that boasts over 1 million new registered new users every month and growing.What distinguishes Strava from other fitness trackers and social media platforms is the positive emotional connection it engenders. Encouraging and community oriented, it’s devoid of the negativity and toxicity that plagues most sharing networks. There’s something uniquely special about being privy to the daily grind of my favorite multi-sport athletes. Their transparency holds me accountable. In turn I help hold my community accountable. And openly sharing our collective fitness experience – the highs and the lows — makes all of us better.So just how did Strava become the only fitness app that matters?To get the story behind the story, today I sit down with Mark Gainey and Michael Horvath — the dynamic duo co-founders who gave birth to Strava and continue to guide it's ongoing growth and evolution.Currently Strava’s interim CFO, Michael Horvath previously served as Chief Executive Officer from 2010-2013 and President from 2014-2017. Holding a Ph.D. in economics from Northwestern University and an A.B. in economics from Harvard (where he was men’s lightweight crew team captain), Michael is a former Stanford economics professor and entrepreneurship professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Prior to Strava, Michael co-founded enterprise software firm Kana Communications and was the CFO and VP of Operations at GlycoFi, a biotech company.Mark Gainey currently serves as the co-founder and chairman of Strava. Also a Harvard graduate, Mark is a former venture capital executive and seasoned entrepreneur who has been building successful companies for nearly 20 years, including Kana, which he co-founded alongside Michael as CEO, president, and chairman. In addition, Mark sits on the board of Alter-G, BoardVantage, Daum, Clari, and Coaching Corps.Michael and Mark initially met on the crew team at Harvard. Friendship ensued, but after graduation they pursued disparate paths. Mark went into venture capital in Palo Alto. Michael became an academic. Reunited when Michael took a professorship at Stanford, they hatched their first startup. Kana Communications was a massive triumph. Little did they know that their follow up act — a passion project born out of a mutual love for fitness — would eclipse their first company's success, reshaping the fitness landscape for millions of athletes across the world.This exchange canvasses everything from technology, business and entrepreneurship to fitness, sports and social media.But at it’s core, it's a conversation about community. How to create it. How to nurture it. And why the integrity of community is paramount.I love Strava. As an early adopter (I was the 14,443 person to sign up for the service), it's my pleasure to share Mark and Michael's story with you today.Disclosure: In the interest of total transparency, I have run ad campaigns for Strava on this podcast in the past. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Church Leadership Podcast
Episode 2 – Mark Gainey

Church Leadership Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2019 22:54


In this episode, Andy interviews co-host Mark Gainey. Mark discusses the danger signs in ministry and how God’s grace can...

Run to the Top Podcast | The Ultimate Guide to Running
An Inside look at Strava, the social network for runners

Run to the Top Podcast | The Ultimate Guide to Running

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2018 49:59


Mark Gainey - Social Media For Runners This week we hear from Mark Gainey, co-founder and Chairman of Strava, the social network for athletes. Founded in 2009, millions of athletes worldwide have joined Strava for the ability to track and share their fitness activities as a community whether they are running, cycling, hiking, racing, skiing, swimming or just working out.   Mark is a runner, cyclist and fitness enthusiast. Started as a youth soccer player later moving to Cross Country in high school, winning the individual State Championship as a Senior. After a collegiate career as a rower, Mark returned to running in the 1990’s and has participated in local 10k’s, marathons and an IronMan and has completed the Chicago, New York and Boston Marathons. He now has his sights set on an Ultra Marathon.   In this episode we learn how and why Strava was developed and has evolved over time and why so many athletes choose to connect through its website and app. Strava is device-agnostic, so you don’t have to spend a lot of money on a GPS watch just to use it.   Mark mentions some notable Strava users, but some he didn’t mention include NASCAR drivers (7-time champion) Jimmie Johnson, (2003 Champion) Matt Kenseth, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.; former MLB player, Barry Bonds; fashion model, Candice Huffine; and former New England Patriots linebacker, Tedy Bruschi. Log in to Strava and search for your favorite celebrity or local athletes to follow and enjoy all that Strava has to offer.

NÅ ER DET ALVOR
#22 - La oss snakke om Strava. Paneldebatt med Sky Blazers og intervju med Ainhoa Ostolaza

NÅ ER DET ALVOR

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2018 103:26


Strava-debatten på LofthusLørdag 23. juni 2018 samlet det seg 12stk ultraløpere rundt en storskjerm på Lofthus i Oslo for å følge årets store begivenhet, nemlig ultraløpet Western States Endurance Run. Dette er et race som vinneren, Jim Walmsley, brukte 14.5 timer til å fullføre. Racet er 160km langt, det har ca 5000 høydemeter og i år var det over 40 varmegrader i skyggen.Etter som dette er et race uten video-live-dekning måtte vi ta til takke med å stirre på en twitter feed, følge emneknagger i sosiale medier og fylle dødtid mellom tweets'a med å se dokumentar-filmer og andre videoer fra foregående år. Med så mye dødtid, hvorfor ikke dra fram mikrofonen og ha en paneldebatt om et tema som har vist seg å være veldig ømt og kjært for mange - nemlig Strava. Er det en bra greie? Blir du motivert av det? Eller er det rett og slett bare en stressfaktor? Personer i paneldebatten:Tyler Jones (@goskiracer)Olav HoldenPeter DannevigLise Bergmann (@lise.bergmann)Molly Strimbech Bazilchuk (@wildbazilchuk)Bjørnar Eidsmo (@bjornareidsmo)Johannes Rummelhoff (@johannesr)Jeffrey Spronk (@jeffrey_spronk)Mads John (@madsi_john)Pål A.Hans Kristian Smedsrød (@hanserino).. med innslag av et lydklipp fra forrige episode med Sondre Amdahl (@sondreamdahl)Ainhoa OstolazaAinhoa på Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/7628798Ainhoa på insta (@aostolaza): https://www.instagram.com/aostolaza/Andre sakerSjekk forresten også ut Billy Yang's podcast/intervju med Mark Gainey, CEO/grüder av Strava her: http://billyyangpodcast.libsyn.com/mark-gainey-byp-004Jeg har kontektet Mark for å muligens gjøre et intervju, men har ikke fått noen respons. Enda. Hvordan kan du støtte podcasten?1. Patreon

Christopher Lochhead Follow Your Different™
163: Paul Holland Creating a Legendary Silicon Valley Life

Christopher Lochhead Follow Your Different™

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2018 62:12


Paul Holland is a partner at Foundation Capital and an expert in venture capital, taking startups from zero to $110M. He's also the producer of a critically acclaimed documentary and a champion of living a 'green' lifestyle. Three Things We Learned Environmental awareness is the future About the time Paul was preparing to build a new home, he attended a TED Talk by Bill McDonough, a leader in LEED design, technology and construction. His focus became environmentally regenerative design LEED for Home. His home "Tah.Mah.La" is the greenest home in America. Paul sees the future of green and how the current mindset of water and conservation has to change to save the land as we know it. Taking a chance can pay off Paul is lucky enough to own a part of Netflix. Around 2003 his buddy, one of the sharpest software minds of our generation was mailing DVD's from him home. He wanted a business he could easily run from his house in Santa Cruz. Many of the smart minds around him considered it a hokey business but we all know now what Reed Hastings built and 'the rest is history'. Who you associate with is important Paul says it's important to associate with really successful people. But it's not always easy. A lot of the time, those people are not the ones you are socially comfortable with. He was fortunate and smart enough himself to associate with successful people and those early connections led him to his current place in life. Now where he's at, the Silicon Valley, it's a way of life and people are very comfortable combing social and commerce. It's become the way of life there. Paul Holland is a partner at Foundation Capital where he invests in IT, consumer, and digital energy sectors. Paul currently serves on the boards of Homesuite, Peerspace, SkyCure, Dreambox Learning, KiK and InsideView. Past investments include Chegg (CHGG), MobileIron (MOBL), Coverity (acquired by Synopsys), Averail (acquired by MobileIron), Conformia (acquired by Oracle), Ketera (acquired by Rearden Commerce), RouteScience (acquired by Avaya), Talking Blocks (acquired by Hewlett-Packard), and TuVox (acquired by West). Before Foundation Capital, he worked at -- and helped take public -- two software start-ups, Kana Communications with Mark Gainey, and Pure Software with Reed Hastings. His two start-ups ended up being worth over $13 billion in aggregate. He's also the past president of the Western Association of Venture Capital. Paul is co-executive producer of Something Ventured, a critically acclaimed documentary on the origins of the venture capital industry. http://foundationcapital.com http://www.tahmahlah.com/

The Common Threads
Mark Gainey, Strava Co-Founder on Entrepreneurship, Life and Sport

The Common Threads

Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2018 30:57


We sit down with Mark Gainey, Chairman and co-founder of Strava, to talk about growing up, building Strava with Michael Horvath and Strava's future. The post Mark Gainey, Strava Co-Founder on Entrepreneurship, Life and Sport appeared first on Prokit.

CB Insights - A Conversation with ...
A Conversation with Mark Gainey, Co-founder & Chairman of Strava

CB Insights - A Conversation with ...

Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2018 21:59


Mark Gainey, Co-founder & Chairman of the worlds largest fitness network app, Strava, chats with CNBC's Ari Levy.

Billy Yang Podcast
Mark Gainey | BYP 004

Billy Yang Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2017 52:59


Mark Gainey, the co-founder and chairman for Strava, Inc. joins me to discuss his journey into becoming a successful entrepreneur and the unfortunate personal events that pushed him to reevaluate his perspective on career and life.  >Strava: https://www.strava.com/ >Winning Just By Starting: https://youtu.be/CJFoixp0EmE    _____ Facebook.com/BillyYangPodcast Twitter.com/BillyYang Instagram.com/BillyYangPod

Voxpro Studios
Strava - Mark Gainey, Co-founder & Chairman

Voxpro Studios

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2017 21:40


Big data is rocket fuel for customer experience. Strava is the social networking app for tens of millions of athletes, and the data collected from their wearables and devices allows the company to provide them with a world-class experience. In this episode, Stava's co-founder Mark Gainey explains how. 

Unconventional Genius
Mark Gainey, Chairman and Co-Founder of Strava on Building a Social Network for Athletes

Unconventional Genius

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2017 27:44


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. What began in 2008 as a website for cycling enthusiasts has become a community of tens of millions of runners, cyclists, and triathletes around the world. Mark shares the mission of Strava and the challenges that come with leading a global social community in a niche athletic market. Men’s Journal says that Strava is “the only fitness app that matters.” That kind of recognition didn’t come overnight. Now eight years old, Strava is adding one million new users from around the world each month. Mark shares how his athletic background and desire to motivate others through social connection led to the inception of Strava. The secret to Strava’s success During our conversation, Mark Gainey explains how he and Michael Horvath created Strava with the goal of trying to recapture the competition and camaraderie they experienced through college athletics. Mark says what makes Strava special is the ability to connect with other users. The community aspect of being able to compare performance against your peers and even engage in good-natured trash-talking is what users really enjoy. Mark also says that they never set out to develop an app that helped people get fitter or faster or stronger, but rather their goal in creating this social network for athletes was to “keep it fun.” The international appeal of a social network for athletes One of the unexpected accomplishments of Strava is its international appeal. Mark Gainey attributes this broad reach to the fact that they focus on universal sports. I talk with Mark about how that reality affects the way he leads the company and how it impacts user experience. Mark says that “the noise of opportunity” within a global social network for athletes presents a layer of complexity. He shares how they adjusted to fully capitalize on their global reach, not only getting the technology and language right, but also understanding how cultural differences change the dynamic of particular sports. Keys to the growth of Strava Strava started out small. Mark Gainey explains that they originally only targeted cyclists in their go-to-market strategy. This allowed them to understand the potential opportunity and then build a full-scale social network for athletes based on what they learned. Mark says, “We always said It is better to be great than to be big. Big will come with time, let’s focus on just being great.” Starting small allowed the Strava team to focus on the quality of the experience. It also helped them stay true to the mission of motivating people to be active and athletic. Mark shares more about the keys to growth and his aversion to what he calls “vanity metrics” during this conversation. Strava’s commitment to serving users Because users log their workout experiences, Strava has access to an incredible amount of data. This data helps Mark Gainey and his team maximize the experience of those utilizing his social network for athletes. It also helps them develop new features on the platform for the diverse group of people that use Strava. Mark says that because of the data, they know who they serve. Their commitment is to keep current users engaged and motivated to meet their goals, whether it’s training for the Olympics or running their first 5K. Listen to my entire conversation with Mark Gainey on this episode of Unconventional Genius. If you are with a consumer technology company planning to launch a new product at CES or are even looking ahead to CES 2019, the Max Borges Agency can help you succeed. To learn more, check out: www.maxborgesagency.com. Topics Featured In This Episode [2:42] Introduction of Mark Gainey, Chairman and Co-Founder of Strava a social network for athletes [3:11] What is Strava? [4:05] The genesis of Strava and how the company started out right [7:42} How the Strava team stays committed to their mission [9:21] The impact of the international audience on the user experience [11:25] Mark Gainey shares keys to the growth Strava continues to see [14:33] Insights about runners and cyclists from the data collected through the app [17:40] The diversity of athletes who are using Strava [20:14} How future innovation might create new opportunities for Strava [23:58] Mark Gainey on what he’s learned from building a social network for athletes Resources & People Mentioned Strava Connect with Mike Gainey https://www.strava.com/athletes/10 https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-gainey-b6536/ Connect With Max Borges www.MaxBorgesAgency.com LinkedIn Subscribe to Unconventional Genius onApple Podcasts, Otto Radio, Player FM, Soundcloud, or Spotify  

The Build Cycle
Ep #022 - Create a Social Platform for Massive Growth w/ Strava co-founder Mark Gainey

The Build Cycle

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2017 83:57


Strava has created THE unifying platform upon which cyclists share their rides, amassing tens of millions of users, and creating a massive platform of paid subscribers and valuable data. They did this by making it device agnostic, gamifying the experience, and making it incredibly easy to use. The result? A service that's able to push more services and products to their customers, sell aggregated data to municipalities, and attract massive venture capital. Here, co-founder Mark Gainey shares their startup story and growth tactics. For full show notes, links and images, check out this show's post at TheBuildCycle.com/Podcast Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast FM, or wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review and rating! And let me know who you'd like to hear interviewed...just message me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

The Coach Jenny Show
The Coach Jenny Show with Mark Gainey CEO of Strava

The Coach Jenny Show

Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2017 48:44


In this episode of The Coach Jenny Show, I talk with Mark Gainey, CEO of Strava, the social network for athletes. Mark shares the story of how the Strava brand was created, how it evolved its fanatical following (and saved one rider's life), and how Strava empowers a global community of everyday athletes to share their active stories.  We're super excited to share Mark's passion for growing the Strava community and what we can expect on the road ahead in this episode. Enjoy!

Regen360: Creating a Green Legacy
Episode 6 - Mark Gainey

Regen360: Creating a Green Legacy

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2016 35:51


David sits down with Mr. Mark Gainey, the Co-founder and CEO of Strava, a social network for athletes. Strava connects a global community of runners, cyclists and triathletes and brings them together to help unlock their potential. Listen as David and Mark discuss the essentials of starting a movement and the vision behind Strava.

The Consumer VC: Venture Capital I B2C Startups I Commerce | Early-Stage Investing
Mark Gainey (Strava) - Building the social network for athletes

The Consumer VC: Venture Capital I B2C Startups I Commerce | Early-Stage Investing

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 1970 43:01 Transcription Available


Thank you Mike Ghaffary for the introduction to our guest today, Mark Gainey ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-gainey-b6536/ ) , the founder of Strava ( https://www.strava.com/ ). Strava is the #1 app for runners and bikers and is the destination to record any activity. In this conversation we talk about how Mark's passion for sports compelled him to Strava, what focus really means as a founder and Mark has some amazing examples of that, we also talk about scaling and his approach to building community. Without further ado here's Mark. Some of the questions I ask Mark * The first company you founded was in the B2B space, which did really well Kana Communications. What made you want to build a B2C company? Finding motivation, staying inspired * Why did you decide to focus on cycling, since I remember when we first spoke you were a very competitive runner and you were very competitive in college at crew? * What was the insight that led you to found Strava? * What was the initial go to market strategy and how did you think about how the go-to market ties into the vision? * How did you acquire your first customers? * Athletes are normally aren't one sport athletes * How did you approach the balance of focus on a core problem/customer set vs. expanding to different use cases? * How did you approach growth? * Growing by partnerships * When did you decide to not just focus on biking but to also focus on measuring other activities? * What was the moment or several moments on your journey that helped made you stop and realize "ok, there's certainly something here", some type of validation? * How did you think about competition and who is a competitor vs. partner? * How did you approach your pricing strategy and what you to make free vs. premium? * What was your approach to community? Was that always the intent? * I know you were a huge athlete growing up and very competitive. How has that helped shape you as a leader and influenced your approach on how you've build Strava? * How do you make sure it's decentralized * What's next? What do you see is next for Strava? * What's the best piece of advice that you've received? * What's one piece of advice for entrepreneurs?