Legends of the Brand

In Part 2 of my conversation with  Henry Druce , we explore the shift from a demanding media career to a renewed, more personal relationship with skiing and storytelling. Henry talks openly about burnout, deadlines, and the moment he realised he no longer felt the spark that once drove his work — a turning point that led him to step away from traditional publishing and rediscover his love for the...

In Part 1 of my conversation with  Henry Druce , we explore the early experiences and career moments that shaped one of the most influential voices in UK snowsports journalism. From discovering skiing on a formative trip to Italy, to working ski seasons in the Alps, to building a career across newspapers, magazines, and some of the most widely read ski publications in the country, Henry shares how...

In Part 2 of my conversation with photographer and storyteller  Leon Butler , we explore the realities of creative life in the outdoor industry — from navigating free-work culture to understanding how a photographer places value on their craft. Leon talks openly about awards, trends, client expectations, and staying true to your style. He also shares the story behind one of the most meaningful pro...

Photographer and storyteller  Leon Butler  joins me for Part 1 of a two-part conversation exploring his journey from the Isle of Wight to Whistler. Leon shares how a single school snow trip opened the door to a life of adventure, how climbing Kilimanjaro reshaped his sense of the world, and why he’s drawn to capturing the  moments in between  — the honest, human moments that happen before and afte...

In Part 2 of my conversation with Luka Grilc , General Manager of the Alpine Business Unit at Nordica and Tecnica Group, we explore the future of skiing — from innovation and sustainability to shifting consumer behaviour and why the soul of skiing still matters as much as the technology behind it. Luka shares his insights about: The changing landscape of ski participation and why rentals are risin...

Part 1 - In this episode of  Legends of the Brand , host Phil Gordon sits down with  Luka Grilc , General Manager of the Alpine Business Unit at  Nordica and Tecnica Group , to explore the human side of one of skiing’s most iconic brands. From his early days snowboarding and racing in Slovenia to leading global teams across Nordica, Blizzard, Tecnica, and more, Luka shares the journey, mindset, an...

Welcome back! In this episode, Part 2, we dive deeper into SOLEMATE’s bold vision for the future of ski boots and custom footwear. From guaranteed-precision insoles to the possibility of 3D-printed ski boots, Tom shares how SOLEMATE is rethinking comfort and performance for every skier. Here’s what you’ll hear: Why trimming insoles is a thing of the past. The “moonshot” plan for 3D-printed custom...

This episode, we're talking with Tom Dell, founder of Solemate, a company that's flipping the custom insole game on its head using iPhone scanning and 3D printing. Yeah, it's as cool as it sounds. Part 1 takes us back to the beginning. Tom calls himself a "late bloomer" to skiing, but once he caught the bug, he couldn't shake a nagging problem: making custom insoles was s...

Legends of the Brand welcomes Amin Momen from Momentum to discuss the 25th anniversary of the City Ski Challenge. Momentum, initially founded as Momentum Travel in 1996 as a bespoke travel agency, evolved to focus on mountain experiences and is now known as Momentum Experiences.  The City Ski Challenge, started in 2000, was created to bring the London business and financial community together in t...

In Part 2 of this Legends of the Brand episode, we dive deeper into the inner workings of Heidi and the personal journey of its founder, Marcus Blunt . Marcus provides insights into the evolving landscape of the ski holiday market, noting the impact of Brexit on traditional chalet holidays and the rise of self-catered options like apart-hotels. He also discusses the shift toward last-minute bookin...

This episode of Legends of the Brand features Marcus Blunt, founder of the ski holiday company Heidi . Marcus shares his unique journey from a childhood filled with international moves, thanks to his diplomat father, to his passion for skiing that bloomed in unlikely places like Australia and Scotland. He speaks candidly about how his early career detours, including stints at British Airways and o...

In this episode of Legends of the Brand, we dive into the world of elite snowsports leadership with Vicky Gosling OBE , Chief Executive of GB Snowsports. Vicky shares her fascinating journey, from growing up in the Wirral to her time in the Royal Air Force , where her experiences included deployments worldwide, and culminated in her role as Group Captain. Her transition from the military to leadin...

In this second part of our conversation with Molly Butler, we dive deeper into the life of this remarkable athlete and artist.  Molly shares how her creative passion for painting and design has helps her decompress from the pressures of skiing, but is still a vital part of her journey as an elite skier.  With the high costs of training and competing, Molly’s artwork, which includes mountain-inspir...

Such a pleasure to have the opportunity to speak with Molly Butler on the podcast especially as we ramp up to the winter season and her schedule gets full. Molly, is a rising star in British alpine skiing, recently promoted to the Europa Cup squad for the 2024/25 season. Known for her determination and skill on the slopes, she competes in various disciplines, excelling in slalom and giant slalom e...

If you are a snowsport professional, a ski instructor - or someone looking to get involved in this path; you should have a listen. In this, Part 2 of our conversation with Jeff Marks and Perry Schmunk from the PSIC we go deeper to learn about the this new organisation and the Method - which is the holistic foundation of the principles of how they teach. As always, we ask our guests about the legac...

We start Season 5 with not 1 but 2 guests on the podcast. Jeff Marks and Perry Schmunk from the PSIC, a new ski school organisation slide on to the Podcast and share with us about the first year of this organisation. Jeff an Perry go into the ethos of the PSIC and share with us about the way they approach things which is called The Method, a holistic approach to the development of the skier &...

Last year I had the fantastic opportunity to interview the Legend -Glen Plake. Taking some inspiration I thought, why not grab some highlights of the podcast and put it to some music. So that's what this is. A small edit & remix of some quotes from our conversation. The goal, is to help share Glen's enthusiasm, expertise and passion for all things skiing in this small edit. Hope you enjoy.

Join us in Part 2 as we delve beyond the gates and racing lines, exploring Lesley's journey alongside Mike Jardine and Rare Management. Lesley lives and breathes for the outdoors, her infectious joy is as exhilarating as any downhill rush. Picture her slicing through untracked snow, conquering mountain bike trails, or simply soaking in the crisp Scottish air – with a smile as wide as the Highland...

A life shaped by snowy slopes and Scottish spirit, Lesley Beck isn't your average athlete. This effervescent adventurer carved her name in ski history as a one of the youngest female slalom competitors at the 1984 and 1988 Winter Olympics and beyond - tackling the slopes with the tenacity of a Highland beast. But Lesley isn't  just about ski racing, though we talk about her origins, progression an...

Part 2 In part 2 of our conversation we go deeper with Tim Sweeney into his book "Yank Down Under: A Drink and a Look Around Australia"  - and he  shares some his favourite parts of the book as well as who it’s for.  We also take some time to find out who Tim thinks is a Legend,… and ask what would George think!!!  In this the 76th year of the company, what would George Salomon think of the organi...

Part 1 Sports, travel and writing have been consistent themes for Tim Sweeney, even from his early days growing up in Massachusetts where he was a hoops and baseball guy. Tim was got into writing from an early age and found inspiration in the sports coverage from the journalists in news papers like the Boston Globe. He’s had the chance to expand his writing and his passion for communication by doi...

Part 2 of our conversation with James Gambrill Managing Director of the Ski Club of Great Britain this week. We dive deep into the history of the club's origins in Part 2 - which was founded in Cafe Royal in 1903 by 12 founding members,.. or was it 14??? In the 120 year history, the club has had to adapt and change with the times & trends and we hear about how they are adapting and bringin...

Ski Club of Great Britain Managing Director James Gambrill kicks off season 4 of the Legends of the Brand podcast. In part 1 we learn about the orgins of the Club which this year celebreates 120 years, and has been around, pretty much since the start of the modern skiing era. From ski trips around the globe , discin the alps and meet up's in London - the Ski Club looks to build an inclusive or...

In this episode we go deeper in to the conversation about INTERSKI 2023 with Team Manager and Head of Product and International relations - Jas Bruce from BASI. Jas lets us in as to who the 12 members are of the team covering Alpine, Snowboard, Telemark, Cross Country and Adaptive skiing. We also hear about some of the presentations that the British team will deliver and the themes they will cover...

Every 4 years, snow sport nations from around the globe come together to discuss and show the various ways of achieving success with guests and customers when it come to ski and snow sport instruction.  This year, 2023, BASI, headed by Team Manager Jas Bruce are going to Levi Finland to showcase how the British Teaching system & methodology works and can be applied on todays ski slopes. I...