Rising Stars: Meet Jamie Sewell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Sewell.

Hi Jamie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in Lake Tahoe and my entire life revolved around the outdoors – whether it be wakeboarding, hiking, or ski racing in the winter – I was always up to something fun. When my time came to decide on a college, Boulder was my top choice. Although I was unsure what I wanted to do (and ended up with a degree in Psychology and Neuroscience), I knew I loved the outdoors and if there was a way to combine my love of the outdoors and my career – I wanted that.

After college, I stumbled across a craigslist posting for event help at the Birds of Prey ski race in Beaver Creek – I immediately called and worked the event. From there, I fell into an events role with an outdoor brand based in Boulder and continued to work my way up through the company – in both marketing and sales – learning a lot about the outdoor industry as I progressed.

At the beginning of this year, I was fortunate enough to be offered a spot on the Super Fluent team – a job I had my eye on for quite some time! It has been a really great transition and career move for me – being able to learn about other sectors of the industry such as apparel and e-bikes. I am really happy with where I am at, but it definitely took A LOT of determination and hard work to make it to this point in my career.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Ha! No – it has not. I faced a lot of long days and hard work to get where I am, but it was definitely worth it. I absolutely love what I do and I would not trade it for anything.

I think a lot of people think that jobs in the outdoor industry are “easy” and “fun” – which can be true, but I can also guarantee that every person in the outdoor industry has been through some tough times – whether it be working a 10-day event for 15 hours each day non-stop, or simply being at the bottom of a company and having to take on a lot of roles that may not fall under your job description.

As long as you are willing to start from the bottom – you will be able to excel and find a job that you truly are excited about. Make your own path!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to work in a variety of positions in both marketing and sales. Currently, I am a Sales Rep on the Super Fluent team here in Colorado. Our agency covers Colorado, Eastern Wyoming, and New Mexico, and we have 7 people on our team. I cover the Central Colorado territory.

Being able to join the Super Fluent team has allowed me to broaden my skillset drastically. We carry 7 brands, so I’ve been able to learn a lot more about a lot of different sectors of the outdoor industry. I’d say I specialize in relationship building and positivity! I have a very positive outlook on life and my career – I believe your life is what you make of it, so make it great – every day!

I take every opportunity I can to bring adventure into my daily life – whether it be mountain biking with my accounts, or grabbing a beer with a coworker. I am most proud of the growth I have seen in my career. Over the last 12 years, I have constantly pushed myself to reach further and set higher goals and expectations for myself, and I feel I have done a great job of attaining those goals and continuously furthering my personal and career growth.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out.
Never. Give. Up.

I have definitely had some turbulent times in my career – where I wanted to give up and get a desk job because the hours were too long, the expectations too high, you name it. However – I reminded myself that the outdoor industry is where I want to be – not sitting in a cubicle for hours on end, and if I can just stay positive and push through the hard times – it will bring me to a better place.

I think setting goals and expectations for yourself is paramount. Without something to reach towards, you will find yourself just kind of rolling with the punches, and often getting beat up along the way. Goals give you something to strive for and a positive happy feeling when you reach them!

Image Credits
Allison Dobbs Photography