Introduction
Shannon Pen G: Hello everyone and welcome to the Philly Made Podcast, the podcast where we build community by learning more about our fellow Philly friends in the business world. I’m your host Shannon Pen G’s partnership coordinator, and I’m joined here today with a very special guest, Ian Campbell from Run the Day. Thank you so much for joining me. I really appreciate it.
Ian Campbell: Thanks for having me, Shannon. I’m excited for our conversation.
Shannon Pen G: Thank you. So again, thank you for joining me. Could you please introduce yourself a little bit? I know I just introduced you, but you might do it better. And also, just tell us the audience anything about you on your journey to this point in your professional career that you think would be important and helpful.
Ian Campbell’s Background
Ian Campbell: Certainly. My story begins back in 1993, born and raised in the greater Philadelphia area. I grew up in Media. After high school, I spent a year in South America, came back to the States, spent three years in Ohio, one year in California going to school. I launched my career, spent the beginning of it in San Francisco working in investment banking. I then came back to Philadelphia in 2017, which aligned quite nicely with the Eagle Super Bowl run, go Birds. I spent about five years working at a great investment firm in Philadelphia. When COVID came in 2020, I got a nagging feeling that I wanted to do something where I could feel more impactful. I left my old day job with the goal of building technology to really make an impact. From there, I got partnered up with Tim and the great team at Run the Day, which I can talk more about. But that’s kind of the short version of Ian Campbell.
Getting Involved with Run the Day
Shannon Pen G: So I would really like to know how you got involved in doing this work specifically. I know that you mentioned that you were really into exercise, but what made you want to set up these kinds of formats for other people doing that kind of thing?
Ian Campbell: When COVID came and the world shut down, I thought it was really important that people have the opportunity to come together and exercise. Two of the most important things that humans do are being part of a community and getting active. There’s a lot of research about how humans are social creatures and how being a part of something, having social connections, is really good for all types of health. Exercise has been widely considered the best way to live a long and healthy life. It’s the most potent longevity drug, as they say. Having the ability to do both of these things at once and create an impact was a big motivation for me.
Shannon Pen G: That’s wonderful. I really like hearing how what inspires someone is able to inspire others because I think that’s just a really wonderful thing to hear, especially in different business spaces. It’s not always the case where people are as passionate about the mission behind their work. It’s really nice to hear that that’s something you’re involved in.
How Run the Day Fosters Community
Shannon Pen G: So how does Run the Day, in your perspective, foster a sense of community among race organizers and participants and volunteers beyond just the management tools that you guys have?
Ian Campbell: Great question. There’s a lot going on with Run the Day, so let’s take a step back and time travel to 2003 when my partner Tim, Run the Day’s founder, volunteered at his daughter’s school. He was tasked with putting on a race, which went fantastic and even turned into the school’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Tim came away thinking, “Geez, for such an awesome event, that was damn complicated, especially since I have another full-time job.” So, he cobbled up equipment, wrote software, and Run the Day was born. Fast forward to today, we’ve supported over 10,000 community events, focusing entirely on community races with less than 5,000 runners. That focus allows us to help event organizers streamline their events while keeping that community element strong. We do it through a combination of technology and people. We have a technology platform to help runners register for races and raise money for charities. Then, we also have teams of race timers who show up on race day to support events. We believe in empowering event organizers with technology and the human component of having people to call and text when they need support during the race.
Technological Innovations
Shannon Pen G: Is there anything that’s part of this technological aspect that you’re excited about for the future?
Ian Campbell: There’s lots I’m excited about, so I’ll do my best to restrain myself. One thing that happened recently is the mobile app that has really helped with race registration. Before, everyone would have a label with their name on their bib. Volunteers would have to dig through stacks of bibs to find a person’s name, and it took a lot of time. Now, with the mobile app, participants just type in their name, and a volunteer assigns a bib number in seconds. That simple improvement has cut down on event prep and streamlined race day. We even had an 83-year-old volunteer using it, which we’re very proud of.
The User Experience Focus
Shannon Pen G: That’s really awesome because I think it definitely helps people. Keep using the product because everything else is really helpful, but then they get down to that one aspect and it’s frustrating. It’s nice that you’re constantly adjusting to new things that you see as issues. So, what’s your strategy for expanding Run the Day’s reach, not only regionally but also in terms of the types of events that you support?
Ian Campbell: We work with races nationwide, from California to Florida, Michigan to Vermont. If you’d asked me five years ago, I would’ve thought running races weren’t that big of a market. But now, almost every school nonprofit holds a 5K as a fundraiser. Running has had a moment, and the numbers speak for themselves. The Chicago Marathon had a record 160,000 applicants. There’s a huge market for these events, and it’s only going to grow. We believe that focusing on supporting these running events gives us the ability to grow by working with more races and expanding the events themselves. The way our economics work is that as the race grows, Run the Day grows.
Sustainable Practices
Shannon Pen G: You also have an interest in sustainable events, right?
Ian Campbell: Yes, we believe in reducing paper. I’m always against paper. I use a notebook, but I prefer to bet against paper as much as possible. The sustainable impact comes from reducing paper, like moving registration and results to mobile apps. We’ve made race day more sustainable by eliminating paper forms and printouts, making everything digital through QR codes and the app.
Philly-based Community Events
Shannon Pen G: It’s really great to see a business supporting this because I think people are starved for activity, especially after the events of COVID. It’s nice that you’re supporting community-based events in Philly.
Ian Campbell: Exactly, it’s a great opportunity to get involved in your community. Running and being active has so many benefits for your body and mind.
Rapid Fire Philly Questions
Shannon Pen G: Alright, it’s time for our Philly questions. Are you excited? Ready?
Ian Campbell: Super excited.
Shannon Pen G: What’s the first word you think of when you hear Philadelphia?
Ian Campbell: Tough.
Shannon Pen G: I would agree. What celebrity do you think of when you think of Philadelphia?
Ian Campbell: Rocky.
Shannon Pen G: Favorite cheesesteak spot? This one’s controversial.
Ian Campbell: Woodrow on South Street.
Shannon Pen G: What’s the one small business you frequent the most?
Ian Campbell: Philly Runner.
Shannon Pen G: What’s your favorite place for a drink or a meal?
Ian Campbell: JJ T.
Shannon Pen G: If you were to change something about Philly, what would it be?
Ian Campbell: I’d want Philly to be more innovative and embrace the future.
Shannon Pen G: I really like that. What is your favorite neighborhood in Philly?
Ian Campbell: Rittenhouse.
Shannon Pen G: That’s fair. Well, that’s all the time we have today. Thanks again, Ian.
Ian Campbell: Thanks, Shannon, and thanks everyone for listening.
Shannon Pen G: Thank you, and thank you for joining me again. Everyone, don’t forget to like and subscribe to see more Philly favorites like this. Thank you so much.
