ActiveJunky.com, a concept created and developed by DU graduates Kevin McInerny and Tommy Joyce, offers promo codes, coupons and cash back for top-of-the line outdoor gear and clothing – from tents to jackets to skis.
ActiveJunky has partnered with over 100 retailers to provide discounts and cash incentives on more than 80,000 products.
After earning a degree in finance and graduating in 2006, McInerny – now CEO of the company – was living in Venice, Italy, and making acquisitions at a real estate firm when he drew up a newsletter featuring testimonies about outdoor adventures and the appropriate gear to accommodate them.
He ultimately decided to return to Colorado, becoming involved with a marketing affiliate and expanding the foundation of the original newsletter by adding a price comparative tool.
In August 2011, free membership to the site, as well as the cash back exchange – which involves the consumer receiving 5-10 percent of any sum spent on gear in a check or money transfer through PayPal – was introduced.
For every friend recommended, members of the site will be awarded $10.
Creative manager Tommy Joyce graduated in spring 2011 and connected with the ActiveJunky project through a help wanted ad posted on the DU Careers website. McInerny was specifically looking for a social media intern.
“I started out working two to three hours a week and most of what I was doing involved updating the ActiveJunky Facebook and Twitter,” said Joyce.
Joyce quickly advanced from social media communication to a managerial position.
“We planned a huge gear-testing trip to Chile last summer to take 50 different brands of gear and try them out. The plan before I was involved was to bring some go-pro cameras and get as many pictures as possible, so when I said I was interested in going, I offered to be in charge of filming the whole trip. I didn’t know much about filming, but we returned with a lot of content and footage that many brands really liked, so I decided I wanted to work harder at film and stayed around the office until it turned into a job,” said Joyce.
Joyce is now responsible for all graphic design and video and photo production of ActiveJunky.
Since graduation, he has also remained directly involved with the DU community, designing T-shirts for the Pioneer Leadership Program, as well as stickers for Alpha Phi and the Global Education Fund.
ActiveJunky has been expanding rapidly but is still perpetuated by the efforts of only four employees.
“We are kind of lean and mean right now,” said Joyce. “Our main goal at this point is to grow fast.” According to the website, the group is “always looking for talented, creative people to get involved with [their] team.”
