The Cleveland Outpost
2020 INTERVIEW
2022 UPDATE: The Cleveland Outpost began as a community-driven gear destination with a focus on sustainability and affordability. As of May 2022, it has begun to transition from its physical retail location to an Adventure Club.
Description of your Business
The Cleveland Outpost, located in Rocky River is a used gear exchange business where community members can donate, exchange, or consign their used outdoor gear to pass it along to someone new! Our central goal is to make the outdoors more accessible through reduced prices and instruction tailored for everyone – from the beginner to the expert. We also hope that keeping high-quality gear in use and facilitating its transfer to a new owner and new adventures will make the outdoor industry more sustainable, protecting our planet and the places we love to explore.
Share your recent business success!
We opened our doors in June 2020 and have remained afloat during the COVID-19 perspective thanks to the genuine, generous support of our community! We have just introduced our "Adventure School" and hope to introduce a full calendar of workshops in a variety of disciplines from kayaking to backpacking to photography.
How did the SBDC at CSU help you?
We worked with Katie and Jessica at the SBDC during the earliest stages of our company's development, when we were absolutely "green" and still building our business acumen! They gave us the confidence and connections we required to turn our idea into a reality, and they have been a reliable resource for us throughout the first few months of our operations. We are so grateful!
Have you recommended the SBDC to anyone?
Oh, yes! We have a bunch of freelance friends in the outdoor industry and beyond who are looking to operationalize their ideas in a business format. We always recommend the SBDC as a great place to start. Anything else that you would like to add?
Inspired by this Success Story?
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If you are exploring starting a business, have a business idea, or are just getting your business off the ground and need to create a business plan, please plan on attending a FREE Virtual Startup Essentials Workshop on business planning with Director Katie Van Dyke.
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In this workshop, learn the essential information needed for your business planning. Topics include: understanding your market, learning how to validate who your customer really is, the feasibility of the business itself, and starting a business in Ohio.