Meet Charley, our company mascot. He is our beloved english bulldog who loves hanging out in our backpacks. You will see him occasionally throughout our social media pages.
Competition to Company!
Competing on the U.S. Ski team for 5 years was truly a great experience. As with many things in life, it had its ups and downs emotionally and physically. I just missed the 2010 Olympic team by one spot. It was one of the hardest things to swallow. It is something I probably won’t ever get over, but something I have accepted. Missing the Olympic team gave me the courage to take a different path, attend college, and pursue other passions of mine.
Taking 5 years off from school and then heading to college was a scary thought. Going back, sitting in a classroom, taking timed tests and writing papers was nerve racking. However, my drive, work ethic and determination that I had learned from ski racing, ski camps, and dryland training allowed me to accomplish that goal. I accepted a full-ride scholarship to the University of Denver and competed for the ski team. I was 2x All-American athlete, winning both a NCAA and World University slalom titles. On top of it all, I finished college in 3 years with the highest GPA in the Daniels College of Business Management Department.
With my business degree, and knowledge of ski racing, I co-founded a lifestyle backpack company called Sterling O’Keefe with designer Stephanie O'Keefe.
Traveling around the world, I noticed a lack of fashion in sports equipment backpacks and wanted to start something that I was passionate about and knew people would love and have fun with. They are durable, weather resistant to rain, blizzards, and subzero temperatures with the surprise element of being fashion-forward.
Moral of the story - Never give up. If a dream doesn’t happen make a new one and strive for it. Dream big and take action. When doors are closed, others will open and it's about taking the chance to step through them.