Slope to ‘Shark Tank’: Ashbaugh ’18 Redefining Ski Gear with Yardsale

When most people think of ski poles, they don’t think of innovation or design – but Cristina Ashbaugh ‘18 and Kelly McGee are out to change that as the co-founders of Yardsale. 

Founded in November 2023, Yardsale designs innovative, elevated ski equipment for recreational skiers who love the outdoors but aren’t chasing perfection on the slopes.

“We are addressing the needs of these recreational skiers who we call the 90% of skiers,” said Ashbaugh. “We have a product that people have really latched onto, but we also have a brand that people are starting to know and love.”

Ashbaugh and McGee appeared on the November 1 episode of the TV show Shark Tank. They quickly struck a deal with shark Kendra Scott, the founder and executive chairwoman of her eponymous fashion jewelry brand.

For those not in the know, “sharks” on Shark Tank decide whether to invest in entrepreneurs pitching their company through business presentations on the show. Scott agreed to provide Yardsale with $250,000 in exchange for 10 percent equity and a royalty of $5 per unit sold up to $300,000.

The brand’s approach is simple: create gear packed with thoughtful features to simplify the skiing experience. The company’s ski poles feature magnetic handles for easy carrying and adjustable designs, allowing each user to adjust them to suit their needs. Customers can also customize their ski poles with various color options.

“[Kendra Scott] immediately understood the name Yardsale, which is kind of,  ‘if you know, you know’ trope in skiing and snowboarding. She quickly proved to us that she understood the brand, which was very important,” said Ashbaugh. “What was really exciting about Kendra was her overwhelmingly positive energy and her experience having grown and scaled her own business from her spare bedroom to become a billion dollar business, she did that through hard work, and determination.”

Scott’s experience in wholesale is already paying dividends, securing placements with prominent companies in the outdoor and skiing industries such as Recreational Equipment Inc., Backcountry, and Vali Resorts. 

“Her experience in wholesale particularly stood out to us,” said Ashbaugh. “It was exciting to have somebody who knew that world, balancing the direct consumer side as well as expanding it into retail.”

Ashbaugh and McGee’s partnership dates back to their college years, where Ashbaugh’s fiance introduced her to McGee, a mechanical engineering student at MIT. When Ashbaugh first came up with the idea for Yardsale, she immediately turned to McGee for his expertise. 

“My background was in marketing, so I didn’t know anything about manufacturing or product design or making physical products,” explained Ashbaugh. “But Kelly had worked at Apple in product design and packaging and had even started his own medical device company after that. He was the one person I knew who understood this world very well.”

He was initially skeptical, viewing ski poles as a low-priority item for skiers. But for Ashbaugh, that only solidified her vision for Yardsale.

“That’s the point,” said Ashbaugh, in response to McGee’s skepticism. “Skiers invest so much in every other piece of gear they have, yet ski poles are always an afterthought—a pile you pick up at the rental shop. I told him, ‘Why don’t we make something people actually care about?’” Kelly then saw the potential and jumped on board.

Their differing backgrounds have created a well-balanced partnership in running Yardsale as McGee takes the lead on product development and operations while Ashbaugh focuses on wholesale and marketing.

“It is a very collaborative environment,” said Ashbaugh. “We are definitely a small team but it’s nice to have balance in those departments.”

Ashbaugh’s time at Emerson College played a pivotal role in shaping her path to entrepreneurship, even if her initial career aspirations were far from founding a ski pole company.

“I started off studying political communication and worked on political campaigns, including for [former Massachustts] Governor Charlie Baker,” she said. “But I realized I did not want to work in politics at all — it felt too slow-moving. Public service is admirable, but I wanted something faster-paced, and I realized that I wanted to live in California.” 

This realization prompted Ashbaugh to pivot during her sophomore year, switching her major to marketing communication and immersing herself in the tech-focused environment of the West Coast through internships.

“The beauty of Emerson is that so many students have internships because we are in the city, receiving real-life work experience while we are in school,” Ashbaugh said. “That work experience was incredibly valuable compared to friends at other schools in rural areas who didn’t have the same access. Even though my first two years were spent in industries I didn’t ultimately pursue, I wouldn’t have known that without the chance to try those jobs while I was still a student.”

Ashbaugh credits Emerson for providing a strong foundation in marketing and advertising fundamentals, recalling the mentorship of [former] Professor Stanley Miller, who recently retired.

“Accounting was not my strong suit, but he had a great perspective from his time in the consumer world and he underwood how to teach students with all different career paths,” said Ashbaugh. “I connected with him a lot, and I used him as a resource even after I graduated.”

Her advice to Emerson students looking to pursue entrepreneurship is simple: lean on their network.

“I have built a very strong network in San Francisco and so has Kelly, so when it came down to starting Yardsale, we leaned heavily on people that we knew had worked in consumer products in the past,” said Ashbaugh. “Even just blindly reaching out to people you don’t know or have connections to, you would be surprised how many people would be willing to take the call and have the conversation with you and try to share what they know.”

She also highlighted the importance of taking bold risks.

“If you don’t do it, somebody else will,” Ashbaugh urged. “If you really want to do it you should just do it. It’s definitely risky and scary, but you’ll never know until you try.”