An athlete, engineer, entrepreneur, ambassador, and keynote speaker, Dominique Perret really needs no introduction. Named Best Freeride Skier of the Century at the Board Awards in Paris, he has long been considered a game-changer to the sport.
Beyond being an athlete, he is a marketing expert and product developer for the ski industry and the world’s first athlete to become “carbon positive”.
He joined WEMountain and is the particle shaker of the start-up, offering the world’s top mountain and avalanche training.
We had the opportunity to speak with him about momentum, his vision for the future, and why passion makes the difference.
Thank you so much for taking the time!
Let’s perhaps start at the beginning, since our readers may not be familiar with WEMountain. What is it all about and what drove you to create it?
At the end of a beautiful and long career of Freeriding that took me beyond my expectations, I realized that I had lost almost 30 friends over these 3 decades! Few sports have such a bad record… I said to myself that it was time to give back to this passion that brought me so much and that’s how I came up with the idea of creating, in collaboration with the great network of experts that I had the chance to build, this international training program for riders from all over the world.
There is a lack of general knowledge about the risks in the mountain and poor use of rescue equipment is reflected in the increasing number of accidents that will result in regulation of the sector. Whilst much work and investment have been made in developing state-of-the-art rescue accessories (airbags, beacons, probes, shovels), there is no standardized international training or education course for backcountry skiers to date such as for similar sports like PADI for scuba diving. By engaging all stakeholders in education (Riders, Instructors, Brands, and destinations) we will deliver better results and avoid prohibition.
WEMountain is an online education platform for skiers and snowboarders interested in learning about safety in the mountain. We offer online courses, terrain experiences, exclusive rewards, and a community-conscious about mountain risks. Our mission is to grow outdoor sports safely through education and technology. WEMountain has clearly been founded with the objective of saving lives and reducing risks by delivering outstanding training and customer experience.
Being an athlete, do you approach your financial life differently from other people?
As an athlete, if you want to stay on top of the game, you always have to innovate, so I’m not afraid to hear people telling me that I’m nuts! And also having experienced very high altitude, you are used to progressing into very thin air with no assistance. As an athlete, I chase the vision, not the money, if my vision is right, the money will follow.
Are there any parallels to be drawn between the world of freeride skiing and the world of finance?
I think that in both worlds it is vital to be agile and to adapt very quickly to Human and Environmental changes. It is essential to build your strategy on solid, sustainable, and transferable values. Today, WEMountain makes the first track, opens new ways, and offers unique investment opportunities. While a lot of energy, means, and money are invested in brands that develop “tools” (mapping, sport, or rescue equipment) that give a false sense of security and push users to take more risks, we are the only ones to care about training “craftsmen”. In this sense, WEMountain is the missing link of the outdoor sports industry in full growth.
For me, the key to success is to know how to read and surf the “fall line” in order to benefit from the energy from gravity, from the momentum, how to catch the best return between Effort and Performance, and above all not to be in opposition with the flow.
How has freeride skiing impacted your mindset, beyond money?
For me, the key to success is to know how to read and surf the “fall line” in order to benefit from the energy from gravity, from the momentum, how to catch the best return between Effort and Performance, and above all not to be in opposition with the flow.
The dangers of climate change must be very close to your heart, considering the Alps are endangered. Can you imagine Switzerland without ski slopes?
Yes, there is clearly a huge challenge to face but I am convinced that skiing will remain very present in Switzerland. It is a reality that skiers will have to go higher and higher – in the Alpine zone – to find snow and practice their passion. Hence the increased importance of educating and training them because the higher you go, the more mistakes are paid for in cash, sometimes at the cost of your life. At WEmountain, this is one of our missions – to teach riders to appreciate the common space and to protect our precious natural playground.
When it comes to saving the Alps, there are many ways to make a difference. For you, does investing represent a real opportunity for change?
Yes, it is vital to invest in education and training! This goes far beyond skiing. Thanks to our education program, we have:
- A human impact in saving lives and reducing accidents. All our partners share knowledge and best practices and together we raise awareness among clients about necessary training. Gear is good, but knowledge is vital.
- An environmental impact. Everyone who signs on to our charter and practices mountain sports has a duty to act respectfully and be considerate of people, plants, and animals. Together let’s make the mountains safer!
- A social impact in making our society better through education. WEMountain provides the skills and knowledge needed to evaluate and prevent risks in the mountains in order to increase pleasure and safety. This sector is at a risk of being regulated or even prohibited and we don’t want that!
This investment is not only beneficial but necessary. Allow me to quote Mr. Abraham Lincoln:
“If you think education is expensive, try ignorance…”
There are clearly important investments to be made in this area. WEMountain offers a great opportunity to be seized for creative and innovative partners.
Life has shown me that the Power of Passion is unbreakable!
For you personally, what does it mean to invest in yourself?
Life has shown me that the Power of Passion is unbreakable! Am I lucky – or privileged – to have always taken the risk to listen to my heart? Yes. Can you buy authenticity? I don’t think so, it is lived. Perhaps this is what convinced my partners, what motivates the formidable team that joined and reinforced this adventure with remarkable skills? Deep down, I am convinced that Vision, and hopefully Success, only make sense if they are shared.
Thank you very much!
An athlete, engineer, entrepreneur, ambassador, and keynote speaker, Dominique Perret really needs no introduction. Named Best Freeride Skier of the Century at the Board Awards in Paris, he has long been considered a game-changer to the sport.
Beyond being an athlete, he is a marketing expert and product developer for the ski industry and the world’s first athlete to become “carbon positive”.
He is also the founder of Swiss startup WEMountain, offering the world’s top mountain and avalanche training.
We had the opportunity to speak with him about momentum, his vision for the future, and why passion makes the difference.
