In our relatively new feature looking at the talented women behind the scenes, we chat with the girls from Naish who work at the marketing department. Oodles of talent and that oh so important feminine touch! Get inspired by clicking here!

We got to know the Naish's marketing team; Jennica Lowell, Audrey Davis and AJ McCormick (we know we've excluded two of you; sorry boys!), but in this feature of INSIGHT, we're proud of the women in the industry that don't often get the recognition that they deserve!

Hey, it's great to meet you all, can you tell us a bit about yourselves and how you got started in your careers?

JL – Hey, I'm Jennica Lowell, thanks for having us! I think all three of us grew up on boards of some kind. AJ and I on skateboards and snowboards and Audrey grew up windsurfing and kiteboarding, so we all have backgrounds in action sports. I started my career in marketing at The Snowboarder's Journal, as well as shooting freelance photography, which brought me to Maui and ultimately to Naish. 

AD – Hi, I'm Audrey Davis! I think what you are doing is amazing! It's good to shine a light on what goes on behind the scenes and to get to know the women who are helping run the show. Growing up in Hood River, OR, I started windsurfing and kiteboarding at a very young age. I always knew I would work in the industry, one way or another, and I am really stoked it is with Naish!

AM – I'm AJ McCormick, it's good to meet you! As Jennica mentioned, I grew up snowboarding and went to a small college in the mountains, where I got my degree in graphic design. I started off by interning in the ski and snowboard industry. Since then, I have mostly worked in the sports industries designing apparel. I worked as an illustrator for a bit in the food industry, but I'm glad to be back in board sports!

We bet you get asked this one often, but what is it like living and working in Maui? Is it as perfect as it seems?

JL - When the weather and waves are good, it's the best place ever, but Island Fever is a real thing! By travelling and getting off the island, it helps keep things fresh, and when you do fly home to Hawaii, it's also pretty incredible; it's like going on vacation straight from your vacation!

AD - Maui is a dream come true for me, and I can't think of a better place that fits my lifestyle. It's a place that pushes you to work hard, but also inspires you to enjoy life to its fullest. Naish is a perfect representation of this lifestyle, we work hard, but we are also encouraged to be outside and take advantage of all the elements Maui has to offer – wind, waves and sun! Not every day is a beach day, but getting to see the ocean every day and knowing that the ocean surrounds me, makes me feel alive.

AM - For water lovers, it's pretty close to perfect. There are definitely some trade-offs compared to living on the mainland, but everyone, for the most part, is stoked to live here. People are just in a good mood, all the time! It's nice to work in a place where people genuinely enjoy their jobs. Nothing beats great year-round weather and being able to walk your dog to the beach!

Where are you from, and how did you end up working for Naish?

JL - I am originally from Washington, but I grew up on the lakes of Northern Idaho and Montana; snowboarding and wakeboarding, mainly. Over time, I migrated back to the PNW and was a snowboard bum at Mount Baker for some years. After a bad head injury, I started surfing a lot more, moved to Mexico for a couple years before settling in Maui. I started working at Naish last year. 

AD - I grew up in Washington State and Hood River, OR. Learning to kiteboard and windsurf at a young age brought me to where I am today – Maui! I moved here for the love of the sport and the ocean. I attended college at the University of San Francisco and graduated with a degree in Marketing. When I moved to Maui three years ago, I was working with GoPro and Dakine. From the day I got here, it was my ultimate dream to work in the kiteboarding industry, and I just recently landed this position with Naish; I couldn't be happier!

AM - I moved here from Colorado. I always wanted to live in Hawaii and learn to surf. I got lucky and transferred here with a previous job, and when I saw an ad for a Graphic Designer opening at Naish, I jumped on it! 

Can you describe a typical day in the office?

JL – A Typical day at the office includes a lot of emails and photo-related work, for me at least. We are a very collaborative brand, and we have frequent team meetings to discuss everything; from foil demos to our new kite line, new riders and events happening around the world. Robby is always there; it is refreshing to see the founder of such an established company still so highly involved with all the details from start to finish. We also spend some time (and a lot of money I'm sure by now) at the coffee shop below our office. We probably pay half their rent just from our weekly cold brew orders!

AD – As Jennica mentions, a lot of emails, photo organising and on-going contact with our team to keep the stoke alive! I am continuously perusing our social media channels looking for fresh content and engaging with our audience and athletes. We have weekly team meetings, which is always a great way to collaborate and get up to date on what's going on in each department. Naish is awesome because everyone intertwines in some way or another, and we are always collaborating and bouncing new ideas off of each other.

AM - Yes, after a "team-building" trip to the coffee shop with the gals, I usually put on some podcasts and dive into design projects. The day often goes by quick because there's always work to do. Sometimes, we change it up and have a photo shoot, or something fun and different, that gets us out of the office for the day. 

If you had to choose just one watersport, what would it be and why?

JL - Don't tell my boss, but it would have to be surfing for me. I love being able to just have my board at the beach with my dog and go surf. So many other sports involve crazy amounts of gear. I like the free-surfing feeling, just myself and the ocean… and the twenty other surfers in the line-up but who's counting!

AD - If I had to choose one watersport, it would be kiteboarding. For me, nothing quite compares! I continuously want to learn and improve, and spending every day on the water, I can progress and try new things. It can be humbling at times, but nothing good comes easy.

AM - Surfing but I'm going to learn to kiteboard soon!

What does your job role include? What are the pros and cons of the job?

JL - Audrey and I organise all the media, marketing, social media and editorial happenings at Naish. I am always in contact with our team riders, magazine editors (like yourself) and organise the advertising and editorial side of things, while Audrey has been a master at our social media lately. I think the creative side of the job is the best part; we have the space to figure out what is working and fix what isn't. We're seeing a lot of positive hype lately around the brand, so it seems to be working! Together we do all the press releases, product launches, news sharing, etc. for the 5 sports - kiteboarding, windsurf, SUP, foil, and wing-surf, so we stay busy! It is a lot of time on our computers which is hard for anyone, but we work with an epic team in a fun industry, so it doesn't really get old.

AD - I am the Marketing Assistant here at Naish. I work directly with the Marketing Coordinator, Jennica, and we are continually collaborating with the Art Director + Graphic Designer, AJ. I manage our media coming in from our team riders, the Naish social media channels, write press releases and e-blasts with Jennica. The marketing and social media world are regularly changing, so we are working on staying on top of the trends and finding our own niches to make Naish a forward-thinking company. Social media have the incredible ability to connect people as they share their personal stories through images and video. Being able to tell Naish's story and share the brand with the world is what motivates me each day.

AM- My job is graphic design and production. I work mostly with Al, the Art Director, and we are usually working on a product that is almost 2 years out! Depending on the time of year, I'm doing anything from creating magazine advertisements, product graphics and catalogue design to editing photos and designing web content. Pros: the location and the people are great. Cons: It's a lot of time on the computer, but that's all the more reason to appreciate every minute on the water.

What kiteboarding events do you mainly follow?

JL - Red Bull King of the Air is always a highlight for me. We had a few of our riders; Ross-Dillon Player, Stuart Downey, Ewan Jaspan, and Clement Huot, competing this year which made it extra fun to watch and help promote on our own social media channels. Those guys are going so big these days, it is really wild to watch.

AD - The event that I have followed longest is Kiteboard for Cancer. In 2012, my dad and I participated in this event in honour of my grandma, who passed away from brain cancer. It is a special event for me as it takes place in my hometown. I also follow the Red Bull King of the Air event as we have a few of our athletes who compete in it. The KOTA is a thrilling event; I get goosebumps whenever I watch it – it is always epic to watch our athletes send it as big as they can.

Your Naish Kiteboarding team is expanding, and you've got some epic new riders on board! What sort of relationship do you need to establish with the riders? How do you keep them motivated to create new content?

JL - We are super stoked on our line-up of new riders this year. There are a lot of new faces and big talents on board; it has been fun getting to know them. We are in close contact with a lot of our riders daily - that is a big part of our job; to build and keep up relationships with all our team riders, working together to make and share content and to get people stoked on kiteboarding. Our team manager, Scott Trudon, and kite guru, Des Walsh, have been an enormous help making the most of all our team trips, supporting our riders in any way they can and give them the chance to build their careers with Naish. We get to be creative as a team, and that is the best part of our job, I would say!

AD - Establishing a fun and friendly relationship with our athletes is great because they are all super rad humans and when you are working with your friends, it's just that much better. Luckily, our athletes are stoked to continue to create content, step out of their comfort zones and always wanting to push their limits. They make it easy on us – I basically open my email every day to new content from our riders. When they come into town, they always make sure to come by the office. Jennica and I will usually have a meeting with them to see what they are up to, what their future plans are and when we start bouncing ideas off of each other, that's where the content magic happens!

What are your interests besides watersports?

JL - Pretty much any adrenaline-fueled sport on two wheels or a board; snowboarding, skating and dirt bikes! I try to take it easy these days after a series of bad concussions (the main reason I haven't fully taken on kiteboarding, yet!) I have to be pretty careful. I also have a dog, and I love taking hikes around Maui and go to the beach to watch the sunset. I love cooking and gardening, as well. So, amid this global pandemic and lockdown in Hawaii, we are all working from home and thriving haha… ask us again how we are in another couple weeks the answer might be different!

AD - I am really into health and fitness. Cooking and eating foods that fuel my body is a passion of mine. I am currently training for a Half Ironman that will take place in Kona, HI – my training regimen is basically a 2nd full-time job! I love pushing myself, this Ironman is something that is both mentally and physically challenging. With all the training, I need to be fuelling my body with the proper food so learning more about nutrition is my passion project. I also love snowboarding; I grew up spending winters in Mammoth Mountain and Mt Hood and feel at peace when I am in the mountains. Living in the tropics makes it hard to get to the mountains as much as I would like, but I try to get on a snowboard at least one time per season.

AM- I'm also an artist and painter, so when I'm not adventuring around the island, I'm be painting landscapes or checking out art shows. I also just got a pup and I hiking with him and taking him to the beach. 

What advice would you give women that underestimate themselves?

JL – Don't be afraid to embrace your talents and creativity. Speak up for yourself and don't be scared to follow dreams you've always had even if everyone tells you you're crazy - there is no greater feeling than really falling into flow with the path you choose for yourself.

AD - It is so easy, as a woman, to fall into the mindset of not being good enough but knowing self-worth and knowing how badass we really are is so important. Fake it till you make it and change that mindset! Our thoughts become our actions, thus changing how we see ourselves and thinking positively can change your life – when you are confident in who you are, you become a stronger person in all aspects of life.

AM - Keep going. I applied for this job a couple of years ago and didn't get it. When I saw there was an opening again last year, I re-applied even though I doubted myself because you never know!

What new mindset or habit has most changed your life, for the better?

JL - I am a firm believer in writing down goals, dreams, and ambitions. I make lists and will leave them up to see daily, and it's incredible how many things happen without even realising. They say you subconsciously start to make plans around the goals you seek, to align yourself in a place to achieve them. 

AD - Mood follows action. This is something my mom repeats to me all the time, and I have taken it to heart because it is so true! Show up and do the work. When you're telling yourself negative things, your actions become negative. Be kind to yourself, be positive and be motivated because life is so much sweeter and brighter when you are!

AM - Hawaii taught me patience. The pace is slower, so you have no choice but to go with it.

Where do you most want to travel, but have never been? Why?

JL – Tahiti; I have a thing with small desolate islands in the middle of nowhere! I have photos in my mind I've wanted to take there as long as I can remember.

AD - JAPAN. The food, the snow, the culture; I am enamoured by it all. I am so excited for the day I finally book that flight.

AM - Australia and New Zealand. We're halfway there so I'd like to go visit some friends and check out the surf.  

How do you think your work team would describe you?

JL - Our sail designer, Nils, likes to call me a loose cannon. I do have a low-key wild streak, and I definitely talk too fast as well!

AD - The newbie!

AM- Short, curly hair and a sense of humour!

Is there any exciting news in the Naish pipeline you can share with us?

JL - We will be launching our new kite line in the next month and have a ton of online content on our social media channels daily including IGTV Live Q+A with our team riders, day in the Life videos from our riders, and new photos! 

Thanks, girls, it's been epic!

Thanks, Jen!

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By Jen Tyler
Italian/Egyptian Jen Tyler grew up on the sandy beaches of the Red Sea and has been on the IKSURFMAG & Tonic Mag team since 2017.

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