2/28/22 – Episode 34
Ariana Ferwerda is CEO and Co-Founder of Halfdays, a women’s ski-wear brand made for the modern woman. In today’s conversation, Emily and Ariana discuss the importance of learning from consumers, how Halfdays has grown so much in only 15 months, and their mission to make winter sports more accessible.
About Ariana Ferwerda:
Ariana Ferwerda received her B.A. in Marketing and Master’s in Market Research from Michigan State University. She held internships while studying in Michigan, including Wolverine Worldwide, and then moved to Denver to work at NDP Group. In 2020 she co-founded Halfdays, where she now leads as CEO.
In this episode with Ariana, you’ll learn:
- How she fell into entrepreneurship
- How Ariana and her co-founder, former Olympian Kiley McKinnon, balance each other
- The importance of ongoing customer feedback and discovery
- How they’re building a community and making skiing more approachable for women
- Her experience fundraising
- How her view of entrepreneurship has changed
- Her advice for fellow entrepreneurs
Mentioned in this episode…
Companies:
Halfdays
Wolverine Worldwide
The NDP Group
People:
Ariana Ferwerda
Kiley McKinnon
Enjoy this episode and subscribe to Slice’d Podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts!
