The Powell Movement

Michael Spencer is a powerhouse of an agent who represents some of the top athletes in ski and snowboard. I'm talking about Shaun White, Gus Kenworthy, Simon Dumont, Torin Yater-Wallace and more. On the podcast, we talk about deep connections to his athletes, starting brands with them, all things agent and of course, Michael's backstory. It's a peek into the life and times of a super-agent. Jossi...

Jackie Paaso has lived a life full of ups and downs. This once-promising mogul skier turned free ride athlete has battled with her mental health throughout her life as an elite athlete. We talk about depression, suicide, getting help, and death on the podcast. But don't worry, it's not all bad. We also talk about her incredible career, her new movie Artic 12 and having a baby any day now. Mike Wil...

While Pat Milbery isn't a household name, if you've been to Denver, you've seen his work. Pat is one of the more accomplished artists in the country, but his story is so much more than just art. Growing up in Minnesota, Pat was a team sports guy until politics rubbed him the wrong way…and while his path took him skateboarding and inline skating, his passion was always snowboarding. We talk about t...

Benjamin Alexander has only spent four months of his life on Jamaican soil, and yet he's now representing his father's birthplace in this week's Winter Olympic Games. Yes, a Jamaican skier, it's like "Cool Runnings" on snow, and Benji's story is an amazing one. While he was a troublemaker of a working-class kid, Benji was smart and always had huge goals: finish university, move to Asia, become a D...

Dave Amirault, aka "Digi Dave" was a visionary in the ski industry at a time the industry really needed it. Dave got into skiing around the time that websites had digital counters on them and by merging his affinity for tech and sliding on snow, Dave created a snow focused career that took him from Sunday River to Freeskier Magazine, to Aspen, to Sierra, and finally, to Snowbird. On the podcast, w...

Josh Dueck is an inspiration.  A working-class kid from Kimberley, BC, Josh took skiing as far as he could afford to before becoming a coach.  His coaching career was cut short due to a life-altering injury that put him in a wheelchair and eventually on Paralympic Podiums.  It's a heavy story, and I ask all the questions that people want the answers to, but were afraid to ask. Josh Dueck Show Note...

Birk Irving got his first ski sponsorship at 7 years old and has never looked back.  While he was the small kid throwing 540's at 7, he's matured and grown into one of the best halfpipe skiers in the world. On the podcast, we talk about his Academy Award winning grandfather, his upbringing in Winter Park, getting signed really young, making the US Team, the X-Games, Olympics and so much more. Tori...

Mark Abma isn't your typical pro skier.  If you break him down, he's part elite athlete, part farm boy, part hippy, part businessman and part dreamer with a work ethic that puts most people to shame.  On part 2 of his podcast, we talk about all his different parts, money, sponsors, adrenal fatigue, video parts and a whole lot more. Mark Abma Show Notes: 3:30:  Early filming with PBP, the end of co...

Mark Abma isn't your typical pro skier.  If you break him down, he's part elite athlete, part farm boy, part hippy, part businessman and part dreamer with a work ethic that puts most people to shame.  On part one of his podcast, we talk about the journey from his dad's welding shop, to the Hemlock Valley Freestyle Team, to the BC Freestyle Team, to the X -Games, to the big mountains, to the big sc...

Paul Crandell is more connected to radical people than anyone I've had on the podcast.  LP, as he's known, has done everything when it comes to events.  He started as the banner guy, complete with all the zip ties and in just a couple years, he became the puppet master, complete with all the Red Bull budgets.  After a decade of creating and executing the most important events in the world, it was...

Zach Crist may have the most complete ski career of any athlete  I've had on the podcast--other than his older brother Reggie. Coming up in Sun Valley, Zach achieved his goal of making the US Team, but it wasn't all the glory that it sounded like and after a second knee injury and retirement, Zach started collecting X-Games medals.  From there he became a guide, went to AK to film, invested in som...

While Mike Rogge is a publisher these days, he cut his teeth writing for some of the most important titles in snow and beyond. These days, life is all about changing the print model from a dying, corporate, ad driven business to a thriving, independent, boutique model that caters to what subscribers want.  On the show, we talk about finding a home in skiing as a writer, Powder, The Ski Journal, hi...

Christina Lustenberger, aka Lusti, is an all-around badass in the mountains.  Before this certified ACMG guide was killing it in the TGR movies, she was a racer out of Canada and paid for it with 5 full knee re-constructions over 10 years.  But even with the injuries, Christina competed in the Olympics and transitioned from race to guide school.  On the show we talk racing, guiding, being a woman...

In Jossi Wells part two, we pick up talking about Jossi's recent wedding in NZ, and then it's back to his still going, legendary career.  We talk about being the youngest ever competitor at X, the change that comes with a sport entering an Olympic era, his Olympic experience, heading out into the backcountry and a round of 'Inappropriate Questions' with Tom Wallisch. Jossi Wells Part 2 Show Notes:...

Jossi Wells became one of skiing's rockstars in the 2000's and he wasn't one of those skiers born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He was born into ski patrol, and he was destined to become a skier.  Along the way he and his family made all the right choices and he went from the little kid who shreds anything from Wanaka to an X Games Gold Medalist and an Olympian who became a household name in t...

Before Dr. Evan Raps, there was no hip hop in skiing, but back in the late 90's early 2000's , this New York kid took over the ski world and ushered in a new, fresh style to the sport. On the podcast we talk about his roots in moguls, the season that made him famous, the C-Crew, contests, filming, and too many knee surgeries…It's a rare chat with a true innovator in the sport. Evan Raps Show Notes...

Part 2 with Chris "Uncle E" Ernst picks up where we left off, when Uncle E was on top of the world announcing every event that mattered…but things were not as perfect as they appeared.  On the podcast we talk about the continued success, the partying, the travel, the double life, the corporate life, getting caught, disappearing for 5 years, and slowly but surely, rebuilding a life and career. Uncl...

Chris "Uncle E" Ernst is a legend on the microphone and in the ski industry.  Uncle E is known for being that wacky, zany guy on the mic who knows all the athletes, all the history, and brings the excitement of the X Games and many other events into living rooms around the world.  What you don't know about him is his private school upbringing, cutting his teeth with bungee jumping, how he helped i...

Seth Wescott has roots that go back to the 80's in snowboarding, which means he's old, but being that he's won the past two Mt. Baker Legendary Banked Slalom events, he's now beating his peers and the ids out there…and that's something he's done his whole life.  From his CVA roots to Western State, the US Team, to the World Cup, to the Olympics, to riding in the big mountains, Seth has dominated e...

If everything is based on talent, Lucas Wachs should be a household name in skiing. But in today's world of professional skiing, talent is expected and for better or worse, self-promotion determines how far a pro will get to some extent.  Lucas Wachs is one of those guys who isn't comfortable promoting himself, he lets his skiing do the talking and its afforded him a 12-year career.  While Lucas d...

Mike Arzt has been behind the scenes in the snowboard industry since he was 16 years old.  He's been a shop grunt, salesman, buyer, Burton factory store employee, RED Sales and Marketing guy, athlete tech, Blue Torch Snow Director, Airwalk employee, freelancer and eventually, entrepreneur.  He's done everything and you've for sure seen some of his work….  Between the Red Bull Cold Rush like events...

While Corey Smith is the mastermind behind the shape changing snowboard brand Spring Break Snowboards, it's not snowboarding that defines him.  Corey is an artist first and foremost and he's responsible for creating religions, spoof snowboard brands and some of the most popular snowboard graphics of the past decade.  If that's not enough, he was a also a pro rider who played in bands and lived the...

Trennon Paynter is a legendary Canadian mogul skier, he's also an Olympian for Australia, and the Head Coach of the Canadian National Halfpipe Team.  In part 2 of his podcast, we talk about going to the Olympics for another country, shifting to coaching park and pipe, his elite athletes, getting halfpipe into the Olympics, and a whole lot more. The godfather, Mike Douglas, asks the Inappropriate Q...

Trennon Paynter is a legendary Canadian mogul skier, he's also an Olympian for Australia, and the Head Coach of the Canadian National Halfpipe Team.  His unbelievable ski story starts with cigarettes, partying, and good times in Banff before Trennon became a self-taught badass in the moguls of Kimberley BC.  From there, Trennon competed against the New Canadian Air Force and beat them, made the Na...

I traveled to Prineville, Oregon for the ultimate in what a big mountain slopestyle event can be, Proving Grounds. I talk to all the players including, Carson Storch, Camila Noguiera, Kyle Strait, Reed Boggs, Jonny Salido, Travis Rice, Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Jaxon Riddle, Hanna Bergman, and more... Proving Grounds Show Notes: 2:00:  Muddy courses, Katie Holden, and Carson Storch 5:30:  Hannah Berg...