We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dane Rauschenberg. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dane below.
Hi Dane, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
Being involved in the running and exercise world from almost ever aspect (participant, race director, expo vendor, spectator) I found myself listening to what many people were needing to meet their fitness goals. The two major desires were safety and companionship. I knew that the thing keeping many from exercising when they could was not only the accountability of having someone waiting for them but the feeling of being safe when they went. So it was a no-brainer to combine the two in order to help get as many people exercising as possible
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I did not grow up a runner so I don’t see the running world the way those who have been wrapped in it from birth. I therefore am lucky enough to be able to look at it not as something that everyone will absolutely want to, or crave to do, every day. This allows me to think of ways to motivate others other than “Well, why don’t you want to?!” When I raced 52 marathons in 52 consecutive weekends, what I have found people most admired was not only did I not come from a running background but I put all I had on the line every weekend. While working a full-time job, I almost averaged a Boston-Qualifying time for all 52 races. When later I learned I have Gilbert’s Syndrome, a liver disorder that makes it markedly difficult to recover from strenuous activity, I showed I live by my motto of Ignore the Impossible.
Have you ever had to pivot?
The pandemic has been absolutely awful to everyone in their own unique ways. I felt I had a foolproof plan to handle anything thrown at me when but when COVID shut down speaking engagements and book signings, as well as cancelling most races so the vast majority of the athletes I coached had to pull back from that and I had to also cancel all renters of my properties, I realized that even if you have a four-legged stool, they might all me swept out from under you.
But I had faced this same carpet-pulled out from me adversity on numerous occasions, usually when I thought I was most protected. I am fortunately not much of a panicky person and instead focus on solutions rather than worry about what is happening. I think in order to work for yourself you do have to be made of different stuff. Pivoting towards the sunlight is something you gave to always be able to do.
How did you build your audience on social media?
I have never been a salesman. I hate plugging what I am doing and trying to convince people of how much they need it or how cool I am. I know there are better ways to do things, and easier ways if you don’t mind compromising your principles. But the following, I have built on Social media might not be the biggest in numbers but I know they are the most loyal and good people simply because they are the ones who stick with me, even when I take stands on social or political issues. While other celebs or business people shoot for a down the middle approach in order to garner as many favorable impressions, I sleep better at night knowing those I surround myself with have similar, even if differing viewpoints. By being consistent and being who I am, but also standing up for those who don’t have what I might possess, I have attracted many. I says what I am going to do, don’t make excuses when I fail, and I think that really speaks to people.
Contact Info:
- Website: GoWithSherpa.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/gowithsherpa/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaneRuns
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dane-rauschenberg-51399b1/