Cole Heilborn

I started Port Side with $100 in my pocket, a camera in hand, and a passion for mountain bike edits. A decade later, we’ve worked with a number of outdoor brands and interviewed over 200 marketing leaders, creating a database of insights called the Backcountry Marketing Filter that guides us in creating strategic and emotional video campaign work.

In 2015, after completing a job I found on Craigslist, I launched Port Side Productions - without knowing much about the business of video production, but with a clear mission: to create videos that stir emotions and leave a lasting impact. Since then, we’ve grown far beyond those early days, partnering with brands like Mammut, Athletic Brewing Company, SRAM, TruckVault, and Freehub Magazine.

As we grew, we recognized a deeper challenge: creating content that not only emotionally resonated but also is strategically effective. We launched the Backcountry Marketing Podcast in 2020, aiming to understand how to make video content that is not only creative but truly effective. This platform has allowed us to engage with nearly 200 industry experts, featuring brands like The North Face, Huckberry, Cotopaxi, Outdoor Research, and hundreds of others. Through these conversations, we've explored every facet of outdoor marketing, uncovering insights that have shaped our approach to creating emotional and strategic video campaigns