How Wild Rye is Redefining Women’s Outdoor Gear

What shaped your journey to becoming a founder? 

Growing up on an island outside Seattle, Cassie was immersed in sports and the outdoors from day one. “My mom used to take us out of school on Mondays in the winter for P.E. days to go skiing,” she recalls. Her athletic journey expanded significantly after moving to Sun Valley in third grade, where skiing became her passion. This foundation in sports continued through college where she played lacrosse and later coached at the collegiate level. “Sports and outdoors have always been just a huge part of who I am as a human being,” she reflects. This multi-dimensional athletic background would later prove invaluable in understanding her customer base.

What was the catalyst for starting Wild Rye? 

The outdoor industry’s glaring gaps in women’s representation and products drove Cassie to action after years of working in the sector. “I myself, someone who was in the industry, had trouble finding products, particularly apparel pieces that fit and performed at the level I’d expect,” she explains. The problem went deeper than just fit – many women’s products were simply dumbed-down versions of men’s gear with reduced technical features. When her dream job relocated from Sun Valley to Portland, she saw an opportunity to create something meaningful while staying in the Wood River Valley. “I was really passionate about creating something here to employ young professionals and enable locals to have a long career in this place that I love so much.”

What’s the biggest misconception about Wild Rye? 

 “We’re not just a bike brand. We are a multi-sport outdoor brand,” Cassie states directly. While the company has become well-known for their bike apparel, they’ve actually been in snow sports and other categories since their inception. “I think that’s really important to continue to hammer home,” she emphasizes. The company is now making a significant push to showcase their full range of outdoor gear and apparel designed specifically for women.

What innovations are on the horizon?

Wild Rye is making bold moves in the technical outerwear space. “We’re launching snow sports outerwear – highly technical women’s outerwear that’s super innovative, highly sustainable and high performance,” Cassie reveals. This strategic expansion builds upon their existing base layers and insulated layers offering, filling a crucial gap in the market. The new line has already been introduced to industry insiders, though it hasn’t been publicly announced to consumers yet. It represents a significant step forward in their mission to provide women with high-performance outdoor gear that doesn’t compromise on technical features or sustainability.

As a founder, what keeps you up at night? 

“The money and the people,” Cassie says frankly. These fundamental aspects of the business require constant attention and strategic management. Like many founders, she’s found that financial planning and team dynamics are intertwined challenges that demand continuous focus. When pushed on this topic, she acknowledges these concerns are probably universal among founders, but that doesn’t make them any less pressing. The challenge lies in balancing growth with sustainability while maintaining a strong team culture.

How do you approach hiring? 

Project-based evaluation has become central to Wild Rye’s hiring process, though Cassie admits they’re still refining their approach. “We’ve started implementing projects in our hiring process – it’s almost just as much about the thought process and how they communicate rather than the actual results,” she explains. This method allows them to evaluate not just technical skills, but also how candidates think through problems and express their ideas. It’s proven to be a more effective way of identifying candidates who will truly thrive in their team culture and contribute to the company’s mission.

What do you wish you’d known before starting? 

 “Shit’s hard,” Cassie says bluntly. But through the challenges, she learned a crucial lesson early on “not to be paralyzed by perfection” – a mantra that’s helped drive progress despite inevitable setbacks. “The number of emails I ended up putting out there that had a typo in it… I beat myself up over it, but ultimately, the alternative is just paralyzing myself and never sending that email because I wasn’t confident it was 100% perfect,” she reflects. This mindset shift from perfection to progress has been fundamental to Wild Rye’s growth.

How do you maintain work-life balance? 

Group fitness (bootcamp, specifically) has become Cassie’s non-negotiable anchor. “I block it on my calendar, everyone on the team knows that my Mill time is sacred,” she says. She’s also made intentional choices about how she spends her social time, prioritizing activities like Thursday night ladies’ bike rides over traditional networking events. “They absolutely kick my ass, and so getting that size and I build my days around it,” she explains. The investment in these classes isn’t just financial – it’s a commitment to maintaining physical and mental well-being while running a growing company.

Looking back, what would you do differently? 

“I fucked up a lot, but I would not do anything differently because I learned every step of the way,” Cassie reflects. She particularly values their methodical early approach and strategic timing with outside funding. “I like that we were slow and methodical in the early days and didn’t take outside funding until much later in the business, until we had built a solid brand platform. We knew who we were, we knew who we were for,” she explains. Even the process of buying out her business partner provided valuable lessons she wouldn’t trade.

What’s your advice for Gen Z?

 “Be accountable,” Cassie states firmly. “If you mess up, own it and learn from it.” She emphasizes that accountability and clear communication are the fundamental qualities she seeks in new team members. “I think accountability is the number one thing that I look for in a new employee,” she explains. This extends beyond just admitting mistakes – it’s about taking ownership of both successes and failures, and maintaining transparent communication throughout. In a world of increasing complexity, these foundational traits stand out more than ever.

Where do you find inspiration? 

Cassie draws significant inspiration from her mentor Missy Park, founder of Title IX, who says “business is a team sport.” As a former athlete, this philosophy shapes both her internal team dynamics and industry collaborations. “I’m talking like, you know, internally, the team, we’re on this team together, but overall the whole industry is in this together,” she explains. This collaborative mindset extends beyond company walls, encouraging sharing ideas and even mishaps across competitive lines. It’s an approach that’s served as a cornerstone for Wild Rye’s growth and success.