TPM Episode 77: Derek Westerlund, Founder Freeride Entertainment
The Powell Movement
Mike Powell
4.9 • 860 Ratings
🗓️ 9 July 2018
⏱️ 76 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Derek Westerlund founded Freeride Entertainment and is known as an award-winning filmmaker who came up in the trailer parks of Kamloops, BC. His tough childhood that taught Derek the hustle that he still has in him and a passion for skiing and biking. He parlayed that passion into brief "pro" mountain bike career and then graduated to becoming the filmmaker who changed the look and feel of the mountain bike industry.
Derek Westerlund Show Notes:
2:00: What did the landscape of biking when he starts Freeride Entertainment
4:00: Growing up poor in Kamloops BC, trailer parks, post high school scams, and sports
16:00: Vancouver, Nelson, College, Magazines and being a sponsored rider for Specialized and Gary Fisher and then moving on to movies
22:00: Greg Stump, "Nothing's For Free"
27:45: Evo (Use the code TPM10 for 10% off at checkout)
RESQWATER (enter the code resqwatertpm for a 20% discount on a 12 pack)
The 10 Barrel Brewery: My favorite is Out of Office Pilsner
30:00: Starting Freeride Entertainment, New World Disorder/MSP, and Crested Butte, and DVD Sales in Nelson
40:00: The Sherpas story and loss in the FE Family
53:00: Guns n Roses gets back together and Derek parties so hard he almost dies
61:00: Inappropriate Questions
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Strap yourselves in and hold on tight. You're listening to the Powell Movement. |
| 0:12.4 | Welcome to the Powell Movement. I'm your host, Mike Powell, and with America Week behind us, |
| 0:19.4 | I thought it would be important to bring a Canadian |
| 0:21.8 | on the show. |
| 0:23.2 | My guest this week is known for founding free ride entertainment and producing some game-changing |
| 0:28.7 | mountain bike videos. |
| 0:30.5 | I'm talking about Derek Westerland, and he's a visionary, a guy who looked at what was |
| 0:34.9 | happening in the world of biking. |
| 0:36.8 | In the 20 years since he founded free ride entertainment, the bike world has changed, |
| 0:41.3 | and Derek's fingerprints are all over it. |
| 0:44.2 | The best part about Derek, though, is what a cool person he is. |
| 0:47.6 | He's fun to be around. |
| 0:48.8 | He tells great stories, and he's a nice guy who's not afraid to share his thoughts and opinions. |
| 0:54.4 | Before we jump into the interview, I want to thank you for listening to the show. |
| 0:58.9 | Ask you to please follow me on Instagram at the Powell Movement, |
| 1:02.5 | share my posts on Facebook, and shoot me an email if you have any questions or concerns. |
| 1:07.1 | My email is Mike at the Powellmovement.com, and I'd love to hear from you. |
| 1:11.8 | Finally, I want to thank my sponsors who make this show happen. |
| 1:15.4 | They are Evo, Rescue Water, and the 10-barrel brewery. |
| 1:19.2 | Now, let's talk to Derek Westerlund. |
| 1:22.6 | I'm downtown in Seattle at the offices of free ride entertainment, |
| 1:27.3 | and if you've heard of free ride |
... |
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