We interviewed Tyler, a Northeast Wisconsin native, and past employee of Run Away Shoes. He stayed in the industry and is now working as a running brand representative for specific brands sold at Run Away Shoes. Take a peek into his history in the running world in our community and beyond!
Meet Tyler: Running Brand Representative
My name is Tyler and I am a rep for Implus, parent company to 20+ footwear accessory brands including Balega, TriggerPoint, Spenco, Yaktrax, and more! Northeast Wisconsin was my first home and I graduated from Kimberly High School. I ran cross country and track collegiately in undergrad at Clemson University in South Carolina and at UW-Oshkosh. Here, I specialized in the 3,000m Steeplechase. I still love to compete and have enjoyed moving up to the marathon and half marathon distances.
What Does a Running Brand Territory Manager Do?
As a Territory Sales Manager in the Midwest, I represent Implus brands to independent retailers in the midwest. I am responsible for selling the product to retailers, and “teching” their staff members on the features and benefits of our products. Engaging with consumers during group runs and expos around my territory is another part of my job. It is really rewarding to help retailers meet the needs of their customers. Especially when it is through fun, creative ways for people to engage with my brands. Some ways I have done this have been a Balega sock-swap demo run or a TriggerPoint foam rolling session with beer, something I’ve coined “TriggerPint.”
I grew up competing in the sport and have always had a passion for all things running. Run Away Shoes was a part-time gig for me while at UW Oshkosh. At that point in life, working on the floor was my escape from homework!
How Else Are You Involved in the Running Industry?
After moving to Minneapolis, I worked part-time at Mill City Running, while pursuing a full-time career in advertising. I got connected with Twin Cities Track Club. Through them I competed in road races while coaching for their youth cross country program, Kids City XC. It has been fun to combine my passion for running with my career in the fitness industry at Implus.
I truly enjoy the relationships I make with my accounts. Connecting with small business owners and employees who desire to partner with our brands is great. I enjoy going into stores all over the Midwest and seeing familiar faces and catching up on what’s new in the running world.
Implus is a great company with awesome leadership and co-workers who have become like family.
Your Relationship With Run Away Shoes
Run Away Shoes is a great partner of Implus. They carry many of our brands in-store and online and do a great job in the running specialty industry. We have partnered during the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon, Community First Fox Cities Marathon and multiple group runs.
Supporting Others
My current training status is for Comrades Marathon, an 89km ultramarathon in South Africa this June. I will be representing Balega with two other reps as we raise funds through the Lesedi Project to support the Ethembeni School. We will be working to support visually impaired and disabled children to provide educational opportunities. Balega has always been a brand that gives back. I am excited to journey to South Africa where it all started to race for others in need. A common phrase we use within the Balega community is Ubuntu, which is a Zulu word meaning “I am, because we are!”
If you would like to donate to our cause, you can do so here: https://www.gofundme.com/lesedi-project-comrades-marathon
More About The Brands
Balega is a South African brand of socks that brings performance and comfort into the perfectly engineered sock. You’ll feel the difference on your feet with our superior moisture wicking Drynamix thread and added cushion for a comfortable, blister-free journey.
TriggerPoint brings foam rolling and self-massage to a new level with products designed to make you recover faster and move more freely. Engineered to release those tough-to-reach body aches and trigger points, there are numerous products tailored to your specific needs as an athlete.
RockTape provides the world’s best kinesiology tape, topical pain relief products and joint support products. Our tape is designed with movement in mind and provides the stickiest adhesions to allow for long-lasting performance benefits.
Yaktrax are lightweight, durable traction devices that provide grip on ice and snow. We offer various styles from spikes to coil to chain-based products so you can find the right traction for any slippery surface mother nature throws your way.
Spenco designs premium insoles and products to help you move better. These doctor recommended insoles will provide the comfort or stability your specific foot-type needs to perform at your best.
Our Community Runs
Our Community Runs Series interviews people in our communities to share stories about the impact running has on their life. You can find them all on our blog.
For more stories from this series, click Our Community Runs under categories in the right-hand panel on a desktop and at the bottom of this page on a mobile phone.
Do you have a story to share? Contact Us HERE!
Recent Comments