In this exciting inaugural episode of The Wild We Share, we sit down with Charlotte Massey, the Co-Founder and COO of Gnara Apparel, an award-winning apparel brand that is making the outdoors more accessible through patented pee zipper designs. 

Charlotte co-launched Gnara (formerly SheFly) in 2019 from her college dorm room via an iFundWomen crowdfunding campaign that raised $55,000, tripling the team’s goal and earning press in Forbes as an example of successful crowdfunding. Gnara won the 2022 and 2023 Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards, was named Best Hiking Pant in Women's Health Magazine, won the $100,000 MassChallenge Diamond Award, and launched nationwide in Moosejaw Mountaineering stores. Charlotte is a Tory Burch Fellow, Thomas J Watson Fellow, and has a background in digital marketing and community organizing. 

Show Highlights:

0:00 - Introduction

1:44 - Meeting Charlotte Massey, her background, and her path to create SheFly (now Gnara Apparel)

6:07 - Rebranding from SheFly to Gnara 

9:42 - The role of companies to make the outdoors more accessible and inclusive

19:19 - The role of community in shaping Gnara’s growth

23:00 - The feeling of empowerment and belonging after bringing Gnara pants to life. Feeling like you belong in the outdoors allows you to be yourself. 

28:41 - Expanding the zipper technology into other products and environments

31:10 - How can listeners support Gnara?

33:28 - Charlotte’s next outdoor adventure

36:03 - Closing thoughts

Key Takeaways:

• The story behind Gnara Apparel - turning problems in the outdoor industry into opportunities.

• Gnara's innovative zipper technology and how it's making the outdoors more accessible and inclusive. A sense of belonging in the outdoors can be life-changing.

• Discussion on the future vision for Gnara Apparel and the broader implications for the outdoor industry.

Connect with Charlotte and Gnara Apparel:

Website: Gnara Apparel

Instagram: @gnaraapparel

LinkedIn: Charlotte Massey

Thanks for joining us for this fascinating conversation!

Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review The Wild We Share, and stay tuned for more conversations on connecting with nature and each other, right here on The Wild We Share.

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