We recently connected with Lindsay Ryder and have shared our conversation below.

Lindsay, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Day to day the world can seem like a tough place, but there’s also so much kindness in the world and we think talking about that kindness helps spread it and make the world a nicer, kinder place. Can you share a story of a time when someone did something really kind for you?

When I started out building Moonspin I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I have a background in law and social justice, so pivoting to creating a women’s outdoor apparel brand led me into entirely unchartered territory. I was full of ideas, visions, and creative aspirations and was trying to take small steps to bring them to fruition.

I was eager to launch with a small, simple product so that I could begin generating a little bit of revenue, establishing a brand presence, and building a customer base while I pursued developing a bigger product line.

When I learned of an amazing women-owned cycling sock brand that a friend was connected to, I decided to reach out to see if they would want to do a collaboration. I was so nervous sending that cold email to introduce myself and see if they would be open to doing a collaboration! After weeks of ideating, creating a brand name and logo, and doing tons of Google research, this email was one of the first external-facing steps I took in starting Moonspin, and it was SCARY!

Jess and her wife and business partner Vanessa responded right away, with a “yes!” From there, an email exchange turned into a Zoom meeting, which turned into a collaborative design process and finally a joint launch of our Moonspin x The Athletic cycling socks. Along the way, these two incredible women (who were pretty new to being product-based business owners themselves) could not have been more supportive, kind, encouraging, and generous.

Their actions taught me what “community over competition” means in entrepreneurship. It’s a mentality and approach that not only aligns with my values and personality, but embodies how I want my journey of entrepreneurship to look and feel. Jess and Vanessa’s generous support instilled a confidence that continues to boost me in what is oftentimes a lonely and challenging role of founder.

My network of incredibly (mostly women!) founders and small business owners has grown, but Jess and Vanessa will always be the ones who instilled in me the mentality that “a rising tide lifts all boats.” I’m excited to be the one to reach a hand down and lift up the women+ founders and entrepreneurs that are coming up behind with the same warmth and camaraderie that I received from that cold email I so nervously sent early in my journey.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m the founder, operator, owner, and everything-er of Moonspin, a by-women-for-women+ mountain biking and adventure apparel brand.

I founded Moonspin after a long career in law and advocacy work, with a desire to connect more deeply with the world of cycling and add to the industry a unique take on what it means to be a women/femme mountain biker. Moonspin is a brand grounded in purpose and built for the ego-less. It’s a brand for riders and adventurers who connect deeply with the places they explore and honor the people and environments of these places.

I founded Moonspin the year I turned 40, after years of pursuing my passion of adventuring by bike. And while I saw more and more women coming into the sport, and more brands and companies offering products accordingly, I still did not see myself reflected in how they depicted women in the sport.

So, I created Moonspin to welcome women into the world of mountain biking – whether they’ve been skinning their knees on a steel framed bike since the 80’s, or whether they are just starting out. Our apparel is designed for versatility, so women can move through their day on and off the bike and feel confident and comfortable, no matter what age they are or what kind of riding they enjoy.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

No margin, no mission.

I came into entrepreneurship from a career in nonprofits, where mission was everything. I took that ethos into building Moonspin, leading with my values and not wanting to make any compromises.

This approach provided a quick learning opportunity and need to adjust. The first big product line I developed for Moonspin was a capsule of hemp-blend casual bike tops. I pulled out all the stops to fulfill my creative dreams and align with a values-driven purpose. Premium textile of hemp and organic cotton was sourced from Canada. I partner with a women-led U.S.-based manufacturer to cut and sew the tops. I commissioned artwork from an incredible female mountain biker and professional artist to print on the tops using an eco-friendly process.

The tops came out beautiful, and will always be something I’m incredibly proud of. But the margins are next to zero.

I realized I couldn’t make this mistake again or I wouldn’t be able to continue building this brand. In other words, without profit margins on Moonspin’s products, there would be no Moonspin. No brand whose mission is to support women in deepening their relationship to community, environment, and self through mountain biking.

No margins, no mission. This doesn’t mean you need to compromise your values, but only that your business decisions need to hold your values in balance with viability.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

The book “Tiny Experiments” by Anne-Laure Le Cunff has affirmed my approach to business-building. I read this book only recently, and it provided an affirming conceptual framework to my entrepreneurship philosophy: iterate, take things step-by-step, and approach things with curiosity and a mentality that you will never fail, only learn.

I could have easily gotten too paralyzed – and nearly did many, many times – by a fear of failure or overwhelm of the “bigness” of what I was setting out to do. But this book showed me that what at times felt like a haphazard and un-strategic approach of just building Moonspin piece by piece was actually a pathway to creating an authentic business.

In today’s world where capitalism, consumerism, and ready-to-go templates for launching a product-based business are a dime a dozen, a slow-burn and playful approach to building a business is key to creating something that will actually break through the noise. Check out this book if that feels aligned with how you want to approach being a small business owner.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.moon-spin.com
• Instagram: @moonspin_
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MoonspinMTB