Sophie Everard, Journalist, Consultant, Entrepreneur, Adventurer, Amplifier and Storyteller of Women in Sport

Growing up by the sea in Greece and Portugal Sophie then moved to the UK for high school and University. After studying she took a year out and did a season learning to snowboard in the Alps. Sophie decided to move to London to seek out her first job in the action sports industry. She started off doing sales for Cooler Magazine but her passion was always to write. She would write stories on the side which lead to her next role working as PR Manager at Oakley. 

Being obsessed with sports Sophie became a personal trainer and would teach classes in the evenings at a female only gym. She saw a gap in the market and started Mad To Live, a media and travel brand putting on adventure and action sports retreats around the world. 

Sophie is currently the women’s editor at Wavelength Surf Magazine and hosts the Drop In Sessions podcast a show which covers amazing women in sport. She is also on the board of trustees for the Wave Project Charity and has just launched a new CBD brand called Lunalixir. 

Tune in to find out about how Sophie got into the action sports industry, her career in marketing and communications and her entrepreneurial journey starting her own businesses plus loads more! 

Listen to the Sophie Everard Rad Season Podcast Episode

Seeking Mentors

Oli Russell-Cowan: On the mentoring side of things, did that happened organically or was that something you were seeking out?

Sophie Everard: I was seeking it out because I had that precedent set for me since I was young. My dad had a very successful career. In his last role at Polaroid, also a marketer he mentored a lot of people within his company.

When I wanted to get into marketing, my sister’s an amazing role model. She was Global Head of Communications at Chanel, across fashion, jewellery, watches, makeup. Having her when I was younger as a role model, helped guide me and work through job applications. She talked to me about what my interests were. I knew I wanted to work within the sports industry, specifically action sports.

And, you know, she was like, that’s cool. You know, obviously, it’s quite nice as well being in London. But yeah, I think you can always find a way. So having that early on, definitely taught me the value of finding mentor like figures. So that was definitely something I was looking for and that I knew I could benefit from. 

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Oli Russell-Cowan: When did you know you wanted to do your own thing?

Sophie Everard: I definitely wanted to do my own thing at one point and something that I felt could be to do something that makes people feel good.

When I was at Oakley, I’m just a sports nut full stop. Working in the industry, racing off to go surfing in Devon, consuming avidly all media, writing for sports magazines. I’ve done that my whole career now as a writer for 14 years.

Starting Own Business

My passion for sport and sport business, straddling different areas, I was also qualified as a personal trainer whilst I was at Oakley. I just love sport and fitness. So I was teaching after work, and I was working in this gym where it was predominantly women. I think back then when I was learning to surf or snowboard, there just still weren’t that many girls doing it. I think it’s changed a lot now. It’s amazing, isn’t it. It’s different now for sure. 

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I could really see firsthand the powerful physical, mental and emotional benefits of having a healthy active life and then also of sports, like surfing and thinking about how I really healed my grief from my father’s death back in the mountains, and then learning to surf again, because I was learning to surf as a teenager.

Watch the FULL Sophie Everard Episode on Rad Season’s YouTube channel or Facebook Page.

You can also follow what Sophie  is up to on Instagram at sophiemadtolive and on her website wearemadtolive.com