Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Dannwolf.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My husband (then boyfriend), Jordan, and I founded Powder7 in 2007. I had just graduated from Boston University, and Jordan had just quit his job as a Denver Police Officer. He had been selling skis on eBay for the past several years and could see his side gig had a lot of potential. I had always felt a strong pull toward entrepreneurship but figured I would have to live out a regular 9-5 corporate life before I could ever make that dream a reality. It never occurred to me that I could leap into starting a business as a 22-year-old with no industry or real-world experience, but that’s exactly what I did.
For the first few months, we operated out of our garage and kept the business on eBay, but by the fall of 2007 we had rented an office and warehouse space and were teaching ourselves how to code a website. Those early days were just spent figuring things out. And by “things” I literally mean everything – every aspect of business and every aspect of life. At 22, I wasn’t just figuring out how to build and run a business, but also how to be an adult and handle things like relationships, rent checks, and credit card bills.
I was new to Colorado and I didn’t know anyone except for Jordan and his family and some of his friends. Most of my friends were still back in Boston, going to grad school and getting fancy jobs, and hanging out with each other like we’d be doing for the last four years. Meanwhile, I was working in a cold warehouse, boxing up skis, my fingers dry, cracked and bleeding, thousands of miles from all of my friends and family. I felt really alone, and that was kind of miserable, but I think that helped me to dig in my heels more. (Someone told me “oh you’ll be back – no one from Jersey lasts out there” and all I wanted to do was prove him wrong.) It also helped that even in those early hard days, I could see the silver lining of what entrepreneurship offered: I could make time to run or ride my bike every day, we could ski in the middle of the week and not deal with weekend crowds. I didn’t have a fancy title or a big salary, but I was in charge of my own destiny and I really liked that.
It also helped that Jordan was by my side through all of it. We’d have a big sales day and go to Cici’s pizza for the $5 all-you-can-eat buffet. On a huge day we’d go to Chipotle and splurge on guac. We rode out the highs and lows together, and thankfully, the highs have vastly outweighed the lows. We’ve had double-digit percentile growth every year since our founding and have always been profitable.
In 2009 we hired our first real employee (our good friend, Ofer, had been with us in 2007 and 2008), by 2011 we had four employees and it grew from there, adding more people to our team each year. This winter we’ll have a team of over 30 of the best, friendliest, most knowledgeable people in the ski industry working to serve our customers. We’ve been ranked in Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work top 50 in 2017 and 2018 (results are not yet out for 2019).
We continue to be 100% dedicated and focused on selling skis and ski gear, even during the summer. That was a decision we made in 2013 – to plant our flag in skiing and not water down our product offering by selling products just for the sake of chasing dollars. We sell skis because that’s what we are passionate about and what we know better than anything else. In 2007 we sold mainly past season skis, but today, in addition to used demo skis, we carry over 50 brands of current year skis, bindings, boots, clothing, helmets, goggles, and more. We started out strictly eCommerce, but the need for a brick and mortar presence increased, so we met that demand by building out a nice retail space within our warehouse and HQ, in 2015. Everything we carry on our website is in stock and ready to ship, shop, or pick-up from our Golden location.
Has it been a smooth road?
As I touched on earlier, the biggest obstacle I faced was myself and my pride. I had just graduated with a good degree from a good school and I was spending most of my day packing and shipping skis in a cold, dingy warehouse while my friends were working toward graduate degrees and impressive corporate titles. Entrepreneurship was not glamorous – I didn’t get to wear a fancy suit and impress investors with my presentation deck. It was gritty and hard, and ultimately, I know that is why our business has thrived – Jordan and I are both incredibly gritty, something I didn’t think about or value when I was 22…our grittiness wasn’t a choice, it was a necessity. Neither of us would give up. Like many women, I suffered from — and continue to suffer from — imposter syndrome. So, I failed to see that even though my day included a lot of physical labor, I overlooked the hours spent writing code and laying the groundwork for a successful business.
We’d love to hear more about Powder7.
I’m most proud of our ranking on Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work list in 2017 and 2018, and I’m also proud of our philanthropical efforts. We work closely with, and support Conservation Colorado, Protect Our Winters, and other non-profits in support of environmental policies and the fight against climate change.
I’m also incredibly proud to have been able to build this business with Jordan. We got married in 2010, and had a kid in 2014 and another one in 2017. I’m proud of our business, but I’m even more proud of the life we’ve built together and how we built it – with honesty, integrity, hardwork, and love. When we started dating in 2004 (we met on the Boston University track team), I never could have imagined our life unfolding like this.
What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
My advice to young women would be to be gritty. Growing up, my favorite quote was “Passion plus perseverance equals possibility.” (admittedly from fellow NJ native, Jon Bon Jovi) Nothing is going to land in your lap. Forget the manicure and get some dirt under your nails. Do the job no one else is willing to do, and do it better than anyone can imagine. Don’t whine, don’t complain, and above all else – don’t step on others to climb to the top.
Contact Info:
- Address: 880 Brickyard Circle
Golden, CO 80403 - Website: powder7.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/powder7/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/powder7
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Image Credit:
Jeremie Drainville (all other ski photos – Jordan holding me on mountain top, me skiing BC pow action shot) / Casey Day (photo w/ Loveland cat) / Jason Grubb (office shots)
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