Jason raises the bar high when it comes to customer services and customer appreciation. It would be pretty hard for you to walk through those doors and not receive a welcoming hello if he’s on the floor.
Are you a Des Moines native? If not where did you live prior?
While I’m not a Des Moines native, I’ve lived here for almost half my life. I grew up in Cedar Rapids. I spent a few years in Iowa City at the University of Iowa before moving to Des Moines.
Give us a quick rundown of what life looks like for you when you’re not dropping wisdom at Active Endeavors.
With two little ones in diapers, my adventures outside AE are in parenting. As most parents know, the free time you once had is now spent with the kids. Which is a great thing. Luckily they don’t mind hopping in the stroller and joining me for a run. It gets us all out of the house for a little fresh air. Hopefully as they get older, they will want to try skiing or snowboarding, climbing, surfing, hiking, anything that gets out enjoying mother nature together.
How long have you been an Active Crew member?
I started at Active Endeavors in Iowa City while I was in college. That would have been November of 1994. I moved to Des Moines in June of 1996 and have been here ever since.
What is your favorite part about working at AE?
As cliché as it sounds, the best part is definitely working with our customers. As the owner, many of my days are filled with office work that keeps from the sales floor. I truly enjoy those times when I get to focus solely on taking care our customers. I love the challenge in helping them find what they’re looking for. We are very lucky to have so many people put their trust in us to provide them with the best gear possible for whatever their adventure is. I always try to do my part to live up to that trust.
What type of gear do you like talking about the most?
Gear is just fun to talk about. The best customer to work with is the one with a list for some big adventure that they’re going on for the first time. You get to talk about it all – hiking boots, backpacks, sleeping bags, jackets, pants, insulation, shirts, base layers and socks. Outsoles, midsoles, pack volumes, temperature ratings, waterproofing, packability, down vs. synthetic, warmth to weight ratio, wicking, breathability, wool vs. synthetic, drying time and UPF rating. And this is all with the same customer and we haven’t even begun to talk about accessories yet. Now that is fun!
What are you most excited about from our Spring/Summer collection?
I like the new generation of super light stretch/waterproof jackets. The Patagonia Stretch Rainshadow Jacket and the Mountain Hardwear Stretch Ozonic Jacket are a couple of favorites that everyone should have in their jacket arsenal.
What is your favorite activity to do outside?
Going for a run. It’s about as simple and pure of an outdoor activity there is. As long as you have a good pair of shoes and the right clothes for the weather, you can run anywhere, anytime. It’s great for mind, body and soul.
Top 3 favorite local spots.
Brown’s Woods, the Jester Park/Saylorville/Big Creek area and Ledges State Park.
Best trip you’ve taken to date? Anything cool coming up?
Ventura, CA. Several summers ago, we took our entire staff out to California to spend a couple of days with the fine people at Patagonia. We got to tour their headquarters in Ventura and had the opportunity to meet with some staff who are responsible for bringing us the fantastic products we get to sell each season. They were also gracious enough to take us surfing for a couple of days as well. For many of our staff, it was their first time to California and their first time on a surfboard. Good times!
If you were stranded in the wild - what 3 pieces of gear would you want with you?
A good tent, a Swiss Army knife and deck of cards.
