Colby College Jan Plan Interns – Jack Childress ’26, Ella Madden ’26,  and Caroline
Thornton ’27 – made significant strides in promoting SnoYak, an
innovative adaptive skiing equipment company, during their Jan Plan internship. Their
social media campaign generated impressive results, with over 39,000 views and
substantial increases in engagement across all platforms.

Through hands-on experience and customer research at Quarry Road Trails’ Demo
Day, the team discovered that experienced skiers adapted more quickly to the SnoYak
equipment. This led to their recommendation for tailored teaching approaches based on
prior skiing experience. Their social media efforts caught the attention of Alpine Canada
Ontario’s head paralympic ski coach, opening doors for potential high-level athletic
applications.

The interns’ research revealed that about half of surveyed skiers experience boredom
with traditional skiing, suggesting a market for alternative snow sports equipment. Their
recommendations for future marketing included focusing on emotional storytelling,
maintaining daily posts, and utilizing strategic hashtags.

The month-long project not only boosted SnoYak’s visibility but also provided the interns
with valuable experience in startup operations, social media management, and
customer research – skills that will serve them well in their future careers.

By Rob Thompson, Founder of SnoYak.

Enhancing access to outdoor recreation for people of all abilities and means .