Long Run Labs
Long Run Labs
Podcast Description
Long Run Labs is a weekly series exploring the intersection of endurance and entrepreneurship from the team that brings you For The Long Run Podcast. From brand builders to movement makers, we spotlight the runners driving change in the outdoor and endurance space.
These are the untold stories behind the tools, companies, and communities that shape the industry, told with curiosity, honesty, and heart. Hosted by Jon Levitt.
New episodes drop every Tuesday.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores themes such as the challenges of building brands, inclusivity in sports, and the stories behind endurance athletes. Specific episodes feature topics like the entrepreneurial journey of Cadence founder Ross Mackay, the importance of authenticity in sports discussed by Olympian Kara Goucher, and marketing strategies in the outdoor sector with expert Allison Lynch.
Long Run Labs is a show about the business of endurance sport.
Host Jon Levitt talks with the founders, operators, and investors building the running and outdoor industry: how brands actually get made, how sponsorships actually work, and what the people inside this industry know but never write down. Recent guests include Precision Fuel & Hydration’s founder Andy Blow, Zuckerberg Media founder Randi Zuckerberg, and Ketone-IQ founder Michael Brandt.
Jon also hosts For The Long Run (440+ episodes), all about exploring the Why. He lives in Boulder, Colorado.
New episodes every Tuesday.
Joe Earley co-founded Tifosi Optics more than 20 years ago after spotting a gap in the market for high-quality eyewear at an accessible price. What started with 24 SKUs has grown into a brand carried by thousands of retailers around the world.
Joe joins Jon to talk about bootstrapping Tifosi, building through relationships and customer feedback, and how the business has evolved from cycling specialty into running, direct-to-consumer, prescription eyewear, and beyond. They also go deep on how Tifosi is using AI to analyze data, automate time-consuming work, understand its customers, and make a small team dramatically more efficient.
They also dig into sustainable growth, why bigger isn’t always better, and what more than two decades of building a business has taught Joe about success.
Support our sponsors:
Halo: Racing is easy. Getting there is not. Halo is a hospitality platform built by runners that turns race weekend lodging into a branded clubhouse where your athletes and community actually stay together. Whether you are a brand, an event organizer, or just heading to a race yourself, visit poweredbyhalo.com or reach out and tell them you heard about it on Long Run Labs.
Popfly: If you’re a brand trying to reach outdoor, travel, and adventure audiences, Popfly is where to do it. It connects you with the largest communities of adventure creators and handles the entire process from start to finish. Creators click here: https://popf.ly/longrunlabscreators. Brands click here: https://popf.ly/longrunlabsbrands
San Francisco Running Company is now a partner of Long Run Labs. SFRC is bringing one of trail running’s most storied specialty shops to a national audience, online and in store. Shop here: https://store.sfrunco.com
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.