This week we sit down with Imi Scott, the designer and founder behind Pimp My Poles — the custom ski-pole wrap brand changing the look, feel, and fun of the snow industry.

What started as a spontaneous leopard-print bike wrap has become a global side-hustle-turned-business, now seen on mountains across Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada and beyond. Imi joins Austin live from the trade show to talk creativity, building a brand with personality, and why ski poles deserve as much style as jackets and skis.

We get into:

🎿 How Pimp My Poles started (by total accident)
✨ Sustainability + giving scratched poles a second life
🔥 Wrapping poles at après parties (yes, really)
👀 Disability-friendly cane wraps
🤝 Collabs with Nobody’s Princess + future artist projects
🌏 Going global: Whistler, NZ, Japan, Europe
😂 Trade show chaos, TikTok fame, and the “Fairy Pole Mother” energy

It’s equal parts founder story, snow culture, and pure creativity — with plenty of laughs and ski-bum honesty along the way.

If you love skiing, design, or people building fun things from scratch… this one is an instant favourite.

#pimpmypoles #skiseason #australiansnow #snowpodcast #skiaustralia #customgear #sustainablegear #snowsportslife #womeninsnowsports #apresski #snowculture #fallscreek #hotham #perisher #queenstownnz #whistlerblackcomb #snowmachine #skiinglife #leopardprintlife #skiindustry #snowcommunity #mountainsarecalling #wintervibes #aussieskiers #snowvibes #snowcrew #skifashion #onlyfriendsonapowday #poldaddy #fairypolemother

Support the show

Thanks for listening, stay frothy and have fun!

From a lost wallet in Hawaii to a global lifestyle brand — Thread Wallets joins Austin live from the Snow Sports Industry Tradeshow to share one of the best founder stories you’ve ever heard.

Austin chats with Trevor and Mark from Thread Wallets, diving into how a simple elastic wallet inspired by surf culture grew into a worldwide accessories brand stocked in surf, skate, snow, and boutique stores around the globe.

This episode covers:

• The Hawaii moment that sparked the brand 🌊
• Turning minimalism into expression through colour + design
• Collabs with The North Face, Brixton & Cotopaxi
• Entering the Australian market for the first time 🇦🇺
• Why quality + intention + culture build the strongest brands
• And… the great “fanny pack” vs “bum bag” cultural revelation 👀

A feel-good, high-energy conversation about creativity, business, and building something meaningful.

🎧 Listen now and meet Thread Wallets — the brand built on simplicity, expression and a whole lot of love.

#onlyfriendsonapowday #threadwallets #lifestylebrand #brandstory #surfskatesnow #australiansnow #skiindustry #snowindustryaustralia #wallets #outdoorstyle #brandbuilding #globalbrand #entrepreneurlife #australianpodcast #powdayvibes

Support the show

Thanks for listening, stay frothy and have fun!

From rental shop to marketing boss — Lachy Keevers has done it all.

Live from the Snow Sports Industry Tradeshow, Austin and Matty sit down with long-time mate and XTM Marketing Manager Lachy Keevers to unpack his 20-year career in snow, from Falls Creek beginnings to managing Olympians with Oakley and leading one of Australia’s biggest winter brands.

🎙️ Recorded on-site at SIA Tradeshow 2025, this episode dives into:

• Lachy’s 20+ seasons and how he turned passion into a career
• The evolution of the Aussie snow industry — and the comeback post-COVID
• From Oakley goggles to Olympic glory — managing athletes like Scotty James
• Why mateship and community keep this industry alive
• Plus, concussions, golf simulators, and a lot of laughs

🎧 Listen now, leave a review, and back your local snow legends

Support the show

Thanks for listening, stay frothy and have fun!

Australian ski royalty meets pub-story gold. Steve Lee and Pete Forras join Austin and Matty for an unfiltered deep dive into World Cup glory, near-death powder days, and how XTM and ROJO shaped the snow scene from Falls Creek to Japan.

Recorded live at the SIA Australia Tradeshow, Episode 17 of Only Friends on a Pow Day celebrates the legacy of Australian skiing legends Steve Lee and Pete Forras — two mates whose friendship carved the path for generations of snow lovers.

From racing in Europe and jumping the infamous Camel Humps in Val Gardena, to launching ROJO, XTM, and mentoring the next wave of Aussie skiers, this is a masterclass in grit, guts, and good humour.

💥 Highlights include:

• Steve’s wild World Cup memories — and the day he defied his coach and jumped the Camels.
• Pete’s transition from Olympian to building one of Australia’s biggest snow brands
• How ROJO and XTM became household names
• Legendary Japan powder missions, darts in Verbier, and that one tow-surf gone wrong at Bells

An unforgettable yarn about courage, mateship, and the golden era of Aussie snow.

🎧 Subscribe & follow the stoke: https://www.youtube.com/@OnlyFriendsonaPowDay

#OnlyFriendsOnAPowDay #SteveLee #PeteForras #XTMPerformance #ROJOOuterwear #SkiAustralia #FallsCreek #HakubaJapan #SkiLegends #SnowIndustry #SIAAustralia #SkiCulture #PowDayPodcast

Support the show

Thanks for listening, stay frothy and have fun!

In Episode 16 of Only Friends on a Pow Day, recorded live at the SIA Australia Tradeshow in Canberra, Austin sits down with Liv, Morgs, and Sophie — three women who’ve carved out inspiring careers in snow sports.

From Rhythm Japan roots to repping brands like Nitro, Blacklight Distribution, and Smith, plus leading retail at Perisher and beyond, these women share the highs, challenges, and lessons from the snow industry.

We cover:

• 🎿 Sophie’s path from housekeeping to Rep of the Year for Nitro
• 🏔️ Morgs’ journey from Hotham retail to leading with Vale/Perisher
• 🌊 Liv’s shift from surf to snow, running Rhythm guest services, and now Smith Optics
• 💪 Female leadership, representation, and building careers in snow sports
• 🍜 Trade show chaos, ramen dinners, and what keeps the froth alive

A celebration of women in snow, culture, and community — with plenty of laughs and trade show energy.

🎧 Full episode → https://www.onlyfriendsonapowday.com.au/episodes/ep16
🔥 Subscribe → https://www.youtube.com/@UCssIXwWwt9e_wVsj5UOZNfQ

Support the show

Thanks for listening, stay frothy and have fun!

Recorded live at the SIA Tradeshow in Canberra, Only Friends on a Pow Day sits down with Tommy “Tomba” Costa — Falls Creek local, mogul competitor, freestyle pioneer, and Niseko guide to Shaun White, Tanner Hall, and some of the biggest names in skiing.

From cork 3s to iconic film segments, gear talk (K2 Reckoners, Pettitors), and decades of influence on Australian and Japanese ski culture, Tomba’s story is raw, inspiring, and hilarious.

👉 Listen now on Spotify, Apple, YouTube & more

Support the show

Thanks for listening, stay frothy and have fun!

In Episode 14 of Only Friends on a Pow Day, Austin sits down with Clayton Kernaghan - Canadian shredder, founder of Black Diamond Lodge, and one of Hokkaido’s most respected guides.

Clayton shares:

• His early days arriving in Japan during the snowboard boom 🌊
• Building Black Diamond Lodge and guiding the world’s best pros 🎿
• The rise of heli & cat skiing in Niseko 🚁
• Why Japan’s real estate market feels more like crypto 💰
• How Niseko shifted from powder chasers to status seekers 📸
• The future of ski culture in Japan and beyond 🌏

Clayton takes us deep into the history of Niseko, starting with his first trip in the mid-90s when snowboarding exploded in Japan. He shares how he built Black Diamond Lodge, grew a guiding business that attracted the world’s best pros, and eventually pioneered heli and cat-skiing operations in Hokkaido.

But Clayton isn’t just here for nostalgia. He’s brutally honest about the real estate chaos gripping Niseko - where agents legally flip properties within a day, driving prices through the roof and reshaping local culture. From wild bubble years to today’s luxury-focused scene, Clayton explains how Niseko has changed and what that means for staff, locals, and visiting riders.

This is an episode about snow, business, culture, and the fine line between progress and profiteering. Whether you’re a powder hound, a snow industry insider, or just curious about Japan’s ski boom, this one’s for you.

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all major platforms
👉 Don’t forget to like, comment & subscribe for more ski stories!

Support the show

Thanks for listening, stay frothy and have fun!

In this episode of Only Friends on a Pow Day, Austin sits down with New Zealand snowboard royalty, Will Jackways. From humble beginnings in Wanaka to competing on the world stage, Will shares his journey through competition, sponsorship, film trips, and the deep love that kept pulling him back to Japan.

They dive into:

• Growing up in Wanaka and swapping rugby for snowboarding
• Competing at Junior Worlds and the transition from comps to filming
• Life as a sponsored athlete with Volcom and Burton
• Memorable film trips to Alaska, Europe, Japan, and beyond
• The personal side — coping with the loss of his sister Francie, and finding balance in family, work, and snowboarding today

Will’s story is one of passion, resilience, and carving a life true to the mountains.

Support the show

Thanks for listening, stay frothy and have fun!