Meet Robin Gianakopoulos | CEO/Founder of outdoor products

We had the good fortune of connecting with Robin Gianakopoulos and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Robin, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I truly believe that if we don’t take risks, or push ourselves out of our comfort zones, we eventually regret all the things we might have done differently to make our lives better, or more fun. It can be something as simple as playing an instrument in a recital on stage after you start taking lessons, or trying a sport you haven’t done before, or deciding to try something that can impact your career and income. Yes, it’s scary – sometimes very scary! But at the end, you’ll feel proud of yourself for taking that risk, even if it doesn’t go as well as you hoped.

I’ve taken job risks that didn’t pan out. I’d do those things differently now, but I still learned a lot about myself and life while making those mistakes. After leaving a job I enjoyed to become a stay-at-home mother for a few years, I decided I wanted to write romance fiction. It took me a long time and a lot of work to learn the craft well enough to finally sell to the largest romance publisher in the world, with fifteen published books translated into about ten languages. Putting my work out into the world takes a thick skin, but I believe that serves us well in everything we do. I can’t worry too much about what other people think, or I might never do the next fun or lucrative thing I decide to throw myself into! That’s true now, as we work on building our ski and snowboard products that protect your gear, no matter how you travel. I don’t know what’s coming next, but I do know that this ride is challenging and fun, and I’m ready for it!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I already answered some of this in my prior notes, but I like to think that my keeping a positive outlook and letting myself face my fears and move forward despite them have allowed me to begin this new business.

I have a journalism degree and while I never worked as a journalist, those writing skills have been invaluable in every job I’ve done, including my current venture. I worked in an advertising agency, then advertising sales, which also were a great place to be. Learning about all different kinds of businesses, and what they needed to succeed, was an education into how the world runs, and how people think. About what they want and need. All of that later helped me in writing fiction stories. Now I’m using that knowledge to reach potential customers and make sure they feel heard and appreciated. To think about how to solve problems for them, and why that matters. I hope that, as a company, we always focus on helping people which in turn will help us grow as a brand.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people who have supported me in all of my life’s journeys!

My writing friends, former agent, and editors are all wonderful women who always lift one another up, encouraging each other as we navigated the writing and publishing world.

With my new venture, our manufacturer, Tsuga, has been fabulous to work with as we figured out, then produced, the final product from the rough prototypes my family and I created. Which brings in my family. My husband has supported me in both encouragement and financial support and my three young adult offspring have given me their enthusiasm, knowledge, and contributions to helping build the business even as they have other jobs and commitments. I absolutely would not be on this adventure without them.

Website: https://www.pondoz.com/

Instagram: @pondoz_gear

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076569735179