Feb 24 - Jay Levinthal of J Skis

Building real demand through authenticity and scarcity — from the creator of twin-tip skis

The 90’s were a magical time. Extreme Sports were becoming mainstream, and it seemed every sport had an element of going backwards… except skiing. Wanting to change that, one kid in his parents' garage quietly and quite literally reshaped the skiing world.

On today’s episode of Selling Snow, we’re sitting down with Jason Leventhal, the founder of J Skis and the original creator of the twin-tip ski.

Jay’s been in the ski industry for over 30 years. He’s built brands from his parents’ garage, nearly gone bankrupt more than once, sold a company to K2, and then started over again — this time putting everything he’d learned together with a radically different model.

J Skis isn’t sold in shops. There are no sponsored athletes. No massive marketing budgets. Instead, it’s a direct-to-consumer brand built on scarcity, personality, art, email, and a relentless focus on fun.

In this conversation, Jay breaks down why most ski brands struggle to survive, how selling less product can actually make you more money, why email still beats social media, and what small brands can do better than the biggest players in the industry.

If you’re in the ski business, outdoor retail, tourism marketing — or if you’re just fascinated by how niche brands actually succeed — this is one you don’t want to miss.

Now go pull find your favourite chair… sit in it backwards, and let’s get into it with J Levinthal, founder of J Skis.

ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS

1. Limited Supply Creates Demand

Insight: Scarcity doesn’t just drive urgency—it signals confidence. By choosing to sell out rather than endlessly restock, Jay reframes limited capacity as a feature, not a flaw.

Supporting Quote:“I only build a few hundred of each graphic… once they’re sold out, they’re sold out.”

Action: Cap production intentionally and communicate limits clearly.How to apply:

• Release limited, numbered, or seasonal runs

• Show remaining inventory publicly (“Only 27 left”)

• Never restock the same product or experience once sold out

2. Performance Must Match the Story

Insight: Brand personality attracts attention, but performance earns loyalty. Jay’s confidence comes from knowing the skis truly deliver.

Supporting Quote:“These are the best skis I’ve ever designed in my 30-year history.”

Action: Make sure the “cool factor” is backed by real functional excellence.How to apply:

• Invest disproportionately in the core on-snow experience

• Test relentlessly with real, demanding users

• Avoid novelty-only offerings that don’t improve outcomes

3. Make the Product Feel Personal

Insight: Personal touches transform a transaction into ownership. Signing and numbering creates pride and emotional attachment.

Supporting Quote:“I hand sign and number each ski, so you have a one-of-a-kind product.”

Action: Add personal or human touches to the product.How to apply:

• Handwritten notes, signatures, or numbering

• Founder or staff attribution (“Built by…”)

• Story cards explaining why this version exists

4. “It’s Just Skiing” — Reduce Intimidation

Insight: Most people ski for fun, not performance metrics. Jay lowers the barrier by rejecting elite posturing.

Supporting Quote:“We’re not racing, we’re not in the X Games… we’re just skiing for the fun of it.”

Action: Position the brand as relatable, not aspirationally elite.How to apply:

• Use real people, not perfect athletes

• Show average days, not just hero shots

• Emphasize enjoyment over progression

5. Be the Anti-Category Brand

Insight: Differentiation comes from contrast. When the category is serious, playfulness becomes disruptive.

Supporting Quote:“We don’t take ourselves too seriously. People smile in our photos.”

Action: Identify what your category over-indexes on—and do the opposite.How to apply:

• If competitors emphasize prestige → emphasize joy

• If they push specs → tell stories

• If they’re polished → be human

6. Founder as the Brand

Insight: Accessibility builds trust faster than polish. Jay removes friction by being directly reachable.

Supporting Quote:“You’re talking to me. You can email me, you can DM me.”

Action: Put a real human face at the center of the brand.How to apply:

• Founder- or GM-led communication

• Direct replies from real people

• Publicly share decisions and thinking

7. Let Bigger Players Open the Market

Insight: Market education is expensive—let big brands pay for it while you differentiate.

Supporting Quote:“It’s a huge amount of money to create that demand — let the big guys do it for

you.”

Action: Let large competitors educate the market—then position yourself differently.How to apply:

• Don’t explain skiing—explain your skiing

• Ride demand waves created by bigger budgets

• Position as the authentic alternative

8. PR Compounds Faster Than Paid Media (When You’re Different)

Insight: Earned media accelerates when the story is genuinely interesting.

Supporting Quote:“If it’s interesting enough, people just write about it.”

Action: Focus on being story-worthy, not ad-heavy.How to apply:

• Design experiences people want to talk about

• Re-share coverage to trigger more coverage

• Pitch narratives, not products

9. User-Generated Content Is the Core Channel

Insight: Customers are more credible than brands. Jay’s marketing engine is customer stoke.

Supporting Quote:“My campaign is just share the stoke.”

Action: Build systems that encourage organic sharing.How to apply:

• Repost customer content constantly

• Publicly celebrate guests and locals

• Make ownership visually distinctive

10. April Fools = Permission to Experiment

Insight: Humor creates a low-risk environment for testing ideas and building affinity.

Supporting Quote:“I just like fucking around on April Fools and seeing what happens.”

Action: Use culturally accepted moments to test bold ideas.How to apply:

• Run playful, on-brand joke campaigns

• Observe what resonates, then refine

• Let humor humanize the brand

11. Email Is the Highest-Leverage Channel

Insight: Email outperforms social because it’s direct, owned, and personal.

Supporting Quote:“Email is by far our best channel.”

Action: Treat email as a primary product.How to apply:

• Write like personal letters, not promos

• Prioritize voice over polish

• Keep a consistent sender and tone

12. SMS Is Tactical, Not Universal

Insight: SMS works best for simple, low-consideration purchases.

Supporting Quote:“Texting works better when you’re selling a hat than an $800 ski.”

Action: Match channel to purchase behavior.How to apply:

• Use SMS for merch, drops, reminders

• Use email for storytelling and big decisions

• Protect trust by limiting frequency

13. Multiple Touchpoints, One Voice

Insight: Audiences are fragmented—but brand voice shouldn’t be.

Supporting Quote:“Everyone’s different, so you need lots of different touchpoints.”

Action: Be everywhere your audience is—but sound the same everywhere.How to apply:

• Repurpose one core message across channels

• Avoid channel-specific personalities

• Reinforce identity through repetition

14. Direct-to-Consumer Is the Only Sustainable Path for Small Brands

Insight: Owning the customer relationship is the only way small brands survive financially.

Supporting Quote:“That’s the only business model that can sustain itself.”

Action: Eliminate middlemen wherever possible.How to apply:

• Sell directly online

• Own customer data and communication

• Reinvest margin into experience quality

15. Stay Ruthlessly Lean

Insight: Lean teams move faster and stay focused on what matters.

Supporting Quote:“There’s only four people working at this company, including me.”

Action: Only do what you’re uniquely good at.How to apply:

• Keep teams small and decision-making tight

• Avoid unnecessary overhead

• Focus on vision, not bureaucracy

16. Let Specialists Do the Heavy Lifting

Insight: Owning infrastructure creates complexity without differentiation.

Supporting Quote:“Why would I spend $2 million building a factory to make a few thousand skis?”

Action: Partner with best-in-class vendors.How to apply:

• Use existing infrastructure

• Customize inputs, not systems

• Pay for expertise instead of owning complexity

17. De-Risk the Purchase Completely

Insight: Confidence converts. Guarantees remove the biggest barrier to DTC.

Supporting Quote:“You ski them for five days, and if you don’t like them, send them back.”

Action: Shift risk from customer to brand.How to apply:

• Offer trials or demo-style guarantees

• Frame returns as learning tools

• Use confidence as a conversion lever

18. Talk to Customers Before They Buy

Insight: Honest guidance builds trust and reduces regret.

Supporting Quote:“I’m fine telling someone to buy a ski I don’t even make.”

Action: Make pre-purchase communication easy and human.How to apply:

• Live chat with real people

• Encourage DMs and emails

• Reward honesty over short-term sales

19. Build Pride of Ownership

Insight: Visibility turns customers into ambassadors.

Supporting Quote:“People point at them in the lift line. That person feels proud.”

Action: Make ownership socially rewarding.How to apply:

• Feature customers publicly

• Highlight rarity and uniqueness

• Encourage moments worth showing off