Meet the Team: Beth Brennan

Beth Brennan​ is the General Manager of TREAD Agency.

Q: You have a passion for the outdoors. Where did that start?

A: I’ve always loved the outdoors and grew up on 10 acres in Ohio building forts in the woods and exploring. I also started skiing at a young age with my friends at a small town hill near Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Later, I ended up working there through high school.

However, what really solidified it was when we took a trip out west when I was about 12 years old. I immediately knew that was where I wanted to be. I remember telling my mom I wanted to go to summer camp, not in Ohio like my friends but out west. She told me I would have to research some options to see how much they were and if it would be possible. At the library, I found a book called “Ranches of the American West” that changed the trajectory of everything for me. At the back of the book, the author listed five camps. I wrote to each one, and they sent brochures. I got a scholarship to Teton Valley Ranch Camp in Jackson Hole the following summer and spent five weeks horseback riding, hiking and fishing. Later, I applied to colleges only in the Rocky Mountain West and went to Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. Since then, I’ve lived in a few different places in the U.S. and abroad, but I have always felt a strong connection to the mountains. 

Q: How did you get started in the outdoor industry?

A: I was working for Aramark out of Monterey, California, as part of their Leisure Division. It works in the hospitality industry, running concessions and hotels in many national and state parks. I had the chance to start to learn more about the outdoor industry that way. Then I saw a listing for an interesting startup I had once seen at a local event. Even though I had no real outdoor industry experience at that point, I had a lot of the same marketing experience Tepui Tents was after. Joining Tepui was a seamless transition because I had spent so much time in the outdoor market as a consumer. Tepui went from startup mode to being acquired by a major global outdoor brand (The Thule Group) fairly quickly. For me, that was a pivotal point in my career. I rapidly gained experience and saw what it looked like to bootstrap a business, grow a brand and ultimately work for a large corporation. After the acquisition, I was able to pursue a personal goal I had put off due to Tepui’s success by moving back to the mountains of Montana. 

Q: How did you get involved with TREAD?

A: I like to think I live between two niche industries – outdoor and aftermarket automotive. I ran in some of the same circles as the folks at Kahn Media. When I saw that they were starting a new outdoor agency, it piqued my interest. With TREAD, I get to have one foot in automotive while also helping to grow the new agency from the ground up. We are really fortunate to launch an agency in a new space while also having the foundation and reputation of Kahn Media. Most new agencies don’t have that type of leg up. 

Q: Where is TREAD headed next?

A: Now that we have our foundational marketing pieces in place, our focus is on attracting the right clients. We operate in the outdoor rec, off-road, overland, hunting, fishing and shooting sports industries. We’re also innately attached to tourism and travel since outdoor recreation is vital to that industry. This year we’re also excited to roll out our experiential events for brands and media, called the Traction Series. It’s a unique opportunity for brands to tell their stories authentically in the field. We want to create something different that solves some of the pain points for brand marketers. A lot of thought and feedback from brands went into the programming for the series. It will be a busy year for TREAD, but we’re excited to dig in on this new media format and provide value and experience for brands. 

Want to work with us? Connect with Beth beth@treadagency.com, and get started.