053: Luis Benitez- Luis Benitez's outdoor and government experience began at a young age, he tells us all about it on this episode
First Exposure to the Outdoors
You know I tell people all the time that I was lucky enough to grow up in the outdoor industry and it's really true. My American grandfather, dad's from Ecuador mom's from the United States, my American grandfather owned a sporting goods store. A small specialty fly fishing bird hunting shop that was literally right down the road from my grade school. You know those pictures that you see from the olden days, I would walk a quarter mile down the road my grandfather's shop every day on ice before school and my parents he liked to pick me up after they got off of work. What I really learned at a very young age other than just specialty family-owned retail was that these places in these spaces were really convening spots for folks to talk about things that they loved the most. My grandfather had the normal core customers but those core customers loved spending time in the shop to talk about fishing, hunting, hiking, and boating. He was one of the original Orvis dealerships so if you know anything about fly-fishing that was a fairly significant brand back in those days. So to hang out with some of his old cronies at a really early age and realized that all these folks love talking about policy and access and conservation and stewardship, that was my start.
Things we talked about
Colorado Outdoor Office of Recreation: Economic Development, Conservation and Stewardship, Education and Workforce Training, Public Health and Wellness
Outdoor Research- Dan Nordstrom
Advice, tips
I think it's on all of us as leaders within the industry to make sure people know what's out there. Number one a lot of people younger folks that I talk to think a lot of these jobs it's kind of a wizard behind the curtain. I'd love to be a ski or snowboard shaper but I don't know, do I just call a ski company and ask them? I mean I think that's been the journey up to this point you used to have to hack your way in. I think what the responsibilities of officers like mine and I talk to a lot of my counterparts is that we need to educate everybody about how deep and wide our ecosystem is. So if you have a searchable database that has every outdoor company and nonprofit listed, which we have in Colorado and it's constantly being built bigger and bigger. A young student can go in to be like okay I got a list of fifteen different ski companies. Much like folks wanting to start out their career, they know what their landscape looks like in the backyard. With a little bit of knowledge and then access to some senior level folks, you know you got to get out there. Invite CEOs, not to a closed-door session where you know the general population can't attend but open door sessions where anybody that wants to comment is interested can do a little networking, professionally exchange emails and ideas. We are really working hard to create that ecosystem here so people feel like A they understand that it's an inclusive environment and economy and B they can start to define what a career path could or should look like.
Other Outdoor Activities
Luis does it all
Favorite Books
Undaunted Courage by Steven Ambrose
Everest, West Ridge by Tom Hornbein
Best Gear Purchase under $100
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Connect with Luis
you can follow Luis and the Colorado Office of Outdoor Recreation on Twitter @CoRecIndustry
Welcome to a podcast dedicated to outdoor enthusiasts looking to elevate their outdoor careers while embracing the freedom and joy of outdoor adventure. We dive deep into outdoor recreation, adventure travel and outdoor activities, helping you find the best outdoor jobs that fit your ideal outdoor life. Whether you're seeking career growth or just more time to get outdoors, we've got you covered.