Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Key things
- Technology is not the enemy – the same mechanics that connect people to screens can push them out.
- Consumers are moving from buying products to buying experiences.
- Partnerships, not individual brands, will define the next era of the outdoor industry.
Robin Thurston thinks the most dangerous product of modern life may be the screen staring back at you.
“This is really the new tobacco,” says the CEO of Outside Inc., who believes Silicon Valley has spent years developing products designed to keep people inside. “When you bring big tech into it, their primary goal is to get our attention,” he says.
Public sentiment is starting to catch up. In March, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube negligent in a high-profile social media addiction case involving a young woman who said addictive features like endless scrolling and autoplay contributed to anxiety and depression. The companies were ordered to pay roughly $6 million in damages, one of thousands of similar lawsuits now going through California courts.
Even on social media—the root of the problem—you can feel the backlash. TikTok’s digital detox content and challenges reward opting out instead of promoting doom, and influencers rack up views by quitting the apps that made them famous.
Related: How to Find the Right Balance Between Screen Time and Me Time (And Why It’s So Important)
From screen to green
“The antidote to all of this is nature,” says Thurston. His relationship with nature is personal. The long-time endurance athlete and cyclist describes being outdoors as a reset from the noise and overstimulation of modern life. “To me, it’s the church,” he says. “It’s my time to meditate.
That’s why his company runs outdoor publications like Outside and BACKBACKERhiking and trail apps, mapping tools and experiences designed to open the way for people. Outside’s mission is to inspire everyone to get outside while reducing the friction that occurs when people don’t know where to start. Together, these pieces are designed to move people from inspiration to participation—stories spark thought, apps and maps make it possible, and trips and events make it habit.
Outside Days is one response to this friction. Denver’s four-day festival of outdoor culture and industry gathering features live music from bands like Death Cab for Cutie, outdoor sports, fitness classes, movies, wellness experiences and talks focused on adventure, community and the outdoors. This year’s event begins May 27 in partnership with the Colorado State Office of Outdoor Recreation and is presented by Capital One and REI Co-Op.
“I believe in what we’re building and that it will have a big impact on millions of people when it comes to their outdoor activities,” says Thurston.
Related: After Addiction and Ironman Failure, This Founder Adopted a Rule That Changed Everything
Getting people to “touch grass”
But Thurston is no Luddite. He doesn’t believe the answer is to abandon technology altogether. He just thinks that companies trying to get people out need to be smarter about how they compete for attention.
Some companies like Niantic, the creator of Pokemon Go, have gotten millions off the couch and wandering around parks and neighborhoods hunting virtual creatures on their phones.
“Pokémon Go used the same tactics as Facebook and Instagram, but used them to get people out.”
Thurston says it’s not that the technology itself is the problem. The thing is, the same behavioral mechanisms designed to keep people glued to screens can just as easily be used to push them out. Companies trying to get people into nature, in his view, need to build with the same sophistication as platforms competing for the same attention.
The same idea now influences much of Outside’s strategy. With Thurston at the helm, he leveraged his technology background—he led all things digital at Under Armor—to expand into events, travel and partnerships that aim to provide people with community and memorable experiences.
The bet also follows a broader shift Thurston is seeing in reshaping consumer behavior: “I think there’s a push to move from buying more products to buying more experiences,” he says, pointing to consumers who would rather spend money on a week of fishing in Patagonia than another piece of gear. For Outside, this shift is at the heart of where the business is headed. Outside’s partnership with Marriott Bonvoy International underscores this shift, activating and rewarding members for their travel activities while immersing guests in nature, adventure and storytelling.
Related: How to build strategic partnerships that really drive growth
Strength in numbers
Thurston admits that simply telling people to spend less time on screens is no match for sophisticated systems designed to keep them connected.
She has three children, ages 9, 12 and 14, and says keeping them off their devices can be nearly impossible even without social media accounts.
Part of the problem, he argues, is scale. Outdoor companies compete with some of the largest and most sophisticated technology businesses in the world, many of which are based on maximizing engagement and screen time.
“We have a paper clip in a gunfight,” he says.
This imbalance is one reason Thurston believes partnerships will matter more than individual brands. Outside has already partnered with like-minded companies, including Jeep and REI, and Thurston says the larger opportunity may include collaborations with airlines, hotels, parks and outdoor brands.
He envisions campaigns that encourage states, schools and communities to compete for outdoor activities, along with apps and reward systems that make spending time outdoors more social and engaging. The momentum is there – it just needs to be captured.
“I don’t believe anyone on their deathbed wishes they had more screen time,” says Thurston.
Related: Four Things Entrepreneurs Don’t Need, According to This Outdoor Adventurer and Creative Founder
Key things
- Technology is not the enemy – the same mechanics that connect people to screens can push them out.
- Consumers are moving from buying products to buying experiences.
- Partnerships, not individual brands, will define the next era of the outdoor industry.
Robin Thurston thinks the most dangerous product of modern life may be the screen staring back at you.
“This is really the new tobacco,” says the CEO of Outside Inc., who believes Silicon Valley has spent years developing products designed to keep people inside. “When you bring big tech into it, their primary goal is to get our attention,” he says.
Public sentiment is starting to catch up. In March, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube negligent in a high-profile social media addiction case involving a young woman who said addictive features like endless scrolling and autoplay contributed to anxiety and depression. The companies were ordered to pay roughly $6 million in damages, one of thousands of similar lawsuits now going through California courts.
