Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Hiner.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Rachel. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
12 years ago, I organized some super unofficial 5k fundraisers for Team in Training with two friends. Like super unofficial. Runners had to “sign up” for the run by donating $25 on our fundraising pages, we had no permits, we printed the bibs on printer paper, we recruited runners by going to bars and getting people to sign up.
We had no idea what we were doing at all, but it worked! One of the friends and I started a running events company that year which lasted for about 5 years until we went our separate ways. I started Sandy Feet Events with a lot more experience and a better understanding of the direction I wanted to go and the industry I wanted to break into.
Has it been a smooth road?
No, it has been the opposite of smooth! Events are fast paced, permits are challenging, partners are flaky, weather is unpredictable, you name it and I am pretty sure it’s something I have learned how to fix. We have never had anyone die at an event though so that good! 🙂 It’s not all bad but you have to be ready for anything and you have to be able to flow with the changes.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Sandy Feet Events story. Tell us more about the business.
Sandy Feet Events produces fun San Diego area athletic and social events with a conscience. We seek to leave footprints that are light on the earth but big in our communities, through environmentally friendly event management as well as partnerships with like-minded local charities.
Sandy Feet steps in a new direction with fun events designed to grow a community that cares and awareness about our partner charities’ causes. We seek to build a sustainable future through our actions and by supporting organizations focused on creating sustainability within our community.
Getting sand on our feet is about health and fitness for participants, communities, and the planet. Just as running barefoot on the beach helps us at Sandy Feet feel connected to nature, we hope Sandy Feet events help our participants feel more connected to the outdoors and to each other. (Don’t worry – a Sandy Feet 5K run does involve shoes and a road).
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
This industry has change a lot in the past 12 years and I am sure it will continue to grow and change. From what I can see young people want to be involved in charity and in their communities more than their parents. We are going to have to find a way to be able to engage them. One of the biggest shifts I have seen is there is a lot more competition than there was before and you have to try harder to stand out from the rest!
Contact Info:
- Website: sandyfeetevents.com
- Phone: 6192697047
- Email: info@sandyfeetevents.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/sandyfeetevents
- Facebook: facebook.com/sandyfeetevents
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