15 Years of Foghorn Labs: Lessons in Growth, Leadership, and Partnership

In 2010, I started Foghorn Labs with a simple goal: help outdoor brands navigate the emerging world of direct-to-consumer eCommerce. I wanted to apply the knowledge I gained over seven years at Google to an industry that aligned with my personal passions, like outdoor sports, national parks, public lands, and the transformative power of time spent outside.

(You can read our founding story here)

Fifteen years later, what started in a San Francisco apartment has evolved into a team of passionate marketers helping leading outdoor brands grow their online presence. It has been an incredible journey, filled with lessons about business, leadership, and the importance of staying true to our niche.

Here are a few reflections as we celebrate this milestone:

Staying Focused is a Superpower

From day one, we chose to specialize in helping outdoor brands grow online. That decision, and sticking with it, became our biggest advantage. There were no shortage of opportunities to expand to other industries, but our focus allowed us to build deep expertise, ride out market shifts, forge strong partnerships, and develop client relationships based on a shared love for the outdoors.

In a world that often rewards chasing the next big thing, staying niche allowed us to grow sustainably and authentically.

Think Long-Term, Especially When It Is Hard

Short-term metrics like daily sales or month-over-month trends are important, but real brand growth happens over the course of years. It is like the power water. Steady pressure over time, hard to recognize at first, but transformative in the long run.

Keeping a long-term mindset has helped us guide our clients and team through market downturns, platform shifts, and unpredictable seasons (e.g. COVID).

Always Build Your Farm Team

Some of our best employees started as interns. Some of our most successful client partnerships began when they were startups still figuring things out. We invest in relationships early and often, with team members, technologies, and partners, because today's potential often becomes tomorrow's proven.

Being small and independent has allowed us to take calculated risks on clients and employees based on perceived potential rather than being limited by rigid engagement minimums and applicant prerequisites. 

Relationships Matter More Than You Think

Every industry is its own small world. Burn a bridge, and word travels fast. We learned early that doing great work, treating vendors and partners with respect, and paying attention to the details pays dividends over time.

Our growth, averaging 35 percent year-over-year for over a decade, was built largely on referrals, trade shows, SEO, and strategic partnerships. Word-of-mouth and reputation were, and still are, our best form of business development. That being said, we’ve expanded our marketing efforts because what got us to this place may not be what makes us successful in the years to come.

The House Always Wins

Whether it is Google, Meta, Amazon, Shopify, or Klaviyo, the platforms ultimately set the rules, and they are not in it for their customers. Prices rise. Formats change. Algorithms evolve. These platforms are created by technologists, not marketing or professional service providers.  

Our job has always been to put the brand’s interests first and help them navigate an ecosystem designed to benefit the platforms. Accepting this reality helps us better prepare our clients for the road ahead, not just the challenges right in front of them.

Take Care of Yourself to Show Up for Others

Effective leadership begins with being fully present, both mentally and emotionally, as well as physically. I have learned that when I take care of myself, I am better equipped to care for the team and serve our clients. Self-care is not a luxury in leadership, it is a responsibility.

In the same spirit, collaboration and in-person connection still matter. No tool, platform, or SaaS process can replicate the small, compounding benefits of working together in real life. Hybrid work offers the best of both worlds, but proximity still plays a significant role in creativity, problem-solving, and fostering a culture.

Trust is Earned Over Time

People buy from people, especially when it comes to services. Trust, honesty, transparency, and loyalty are not marketing slogans; they are habits. Over the years, some of the best advice I have received came from clients who cared enough to tell us how we could be better. We view every client not just as a project, but as a partnership built on mutual trust and shared goals.

Fifteen years in, and it still feels like we are just getting started.
To everyone who has been part of this journey, clients, teammates, partners, and mentors, thank you.

Here’s to the next chapter.