Inside Outdoor Magazine - Fall 2018

Inside Outdoor | FALL 2018 12 O n demand apps have disrupted just about every industry, from hospitality to transportation to healthcare. By now more than 86.5 million Americans have used an on-demand service in some form or another, and this figure is growing by the day. The outdoor industry is right in the thick of the on-demand revolution, as retailers are leveraging a variety of ser- vices to streamline backend and customer-facing processes. One of the most interesting services we have seen to date is Lyfx, an app that instantly connects outdoor enthusiasts across the U.S. with local experts offering guided adventure tours. Launched in 2017, Lyfx is available in both the App Store and in Google Play. As the story goes, about three years ago Lyfx co-founder and CEO Pedro McCardell was on a solo motorcycle trek through Pa- tagonia when he saw a range of mountains that he wanted to climb. However, he didn’t know the best way to reach them. McCardell looked for a local to take him to the mountains, but as he explained, it wasn’t easy to find one. “That’s when it dawned on me,” McCardell said. “I needed to develop a way to make it easy for travelers to connect with locals that are experts in outdoor adven- tures. The thing is, if you want to get to know a region like a local, you need a local. A local is the only person who can take you to the best views and remote loca- tions with safety and knowledge. So, that’s when and where the idea of Lyfx was born.” Lyfx ultimately was created to give people that love the out- doors an opportunity to connect and share their passion with oth- ers, McCardell added. “We are determined to help people create memorable life experiences, hence the name Lyfx (pronounced life-x). Our team is made up of adventur- ers that are the happiest in the outdoors.  We love adventure. We protect mother nature. We believe that people should have opportu- nities to earn a living doing what they love. We want to encourage people of all ages to get off the couch, explore the outdoors, and create lifetime experiences.” Tech Savvy By Gerald Baldino OnDemand Adventure The Lyfx adventure app is a way for retailers to leverage their local Lyfx co-founder and CEO Pedro McCardell

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