Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Stoner.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started the company in 2005, and an event consulting company focused on grass root marketing activation, which is still part of the marketing side of the company that goes by the brand Seasick Sports Marketing.
After about seven years of working with other events and clients to manage events, I decided to take the company in another direction into event production. At the time a friend of mine in Colorado was selling a few of his trail running races, so he could retire from the business.
I decided to purchase those races, and over the next few years we dropped some of those events for different race locations, and at the same time taking each individual race as a separate brand and market them as one series, creating one brand the Endurance Race Series (which is now our primary company brand). The series in Colorado became the largest trail running series in the state.
In 2014, after a couple of years of Colorado races, I decided to bring the events to San Diego. So we created our first event, the Carmel Valley Trail 15K,10K, 5K, and every year after that added 1-2 events. Now with five events here in San Diego, we are San Diego’s fastest growing trail running series, with the local series called the “Sunshine Series” and operated under the Endurance Race Series Brand.
As our events have grown so has the type of events we do, aside from producing our own five trail running events, we also work with three local and 1 Colorado non-profits to help produce their 5K fundraising events
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. With anything being created from scratch you have to throw ideas at the wall to see what sticks. We have had event ideas that have failed horribly, but those failures taught huge lessons along the way.
When we first started the company, there was an idea to produce a multi-state adult men’s basketball tournament. We did advertising, made deposits on facilities, and bought uniforms, but couldn’t pull any sponsor dollars together. we definitely followed the old saying “we put the cart before the horse.”
We’d love to hear more about your business.
There are two parts to our company… the marketing side and the production side.
The marketing side (Seasick Marketing) specializes in onsite grassroots activation, expo and sponsorship management. Our largest and longest standing client is the Jelly Belly Candy Co. through them and other clients we attend over 30 events per year.
The production side (Endurance Race Series) specializes in the production of trail running events with distances including a half marathon, 10k, 15k, 5k, and 50K (1 event). Our production consulting includes building events from scratch (road or trail) or working with already established events to help with Course or Race Director services, sales, or onsite logistics
What were you like growing up?
Typical Midwest kid… Football and Basketball year round, with a sprinkle of other sports for good measure, ha. I think my family and high school friends would tell you I was a social kid, that like to have fun, but knew where to draw the line. I also liked my private time, and because I grew up with the parents I did, I always tried to stay humble and respectful.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.enduranceraceseries.com
- Phone: 858.259.1501
- Email: jeff@enduranceraceseries.com
- Instagram: @ersevents
- Facebook: @ersevents
- Twitter: @ERS_events
Image Credit:
Chad Lovejoy
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