Author, influencer, and public speaker Kara Richardson Whitely today announced the launch of her new advisory service for outdoor brands. A trained specialist in disruptor strategy from Harvard Business School Online, Whitely is now offering to “help brands build compassion and understanding in the often ignored extended-size market.”
“I partner with brands like L.L. Bean, Columbia, and Keen to showcase diversity, inclusion, and belonging because I know what it’s like to not fit in in a world I love,” Whitely wrote on her website, explaining the motives behind the new service. “I help brands partner with the plus-size market, an often untapped audience prime for authentic growth.”
Whitely’s two bestselling books, Gorge: My Journey Up Kilimanjaro at 300 Pounds and Weight of Being, detail the struggles and triumphs of her life as a plus-sized adventurer. She also travels as a public speaker, and has most recently written for Backpacker about weight discrimination on the Long Trail.
Earlier this year, we interviewed Whitely about her work. In that discussion, she outlined some key tenets of her message of inclusivity, including assumptions the outdoor industry has about plus-size people; the connections between trauma, emotional eating, and nature; how, even though 67 percent of women are over a size 12, apparel sizing often doesn’t reflect that reality; and more. Our full interview is available below.