Q: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and about how OUTDOORS SOCIETY got started?
A: Hey team, I’m Jonny the Brand & Community Manager at Goodlids/ Outdoors Society. Being the silly goose of the team, I’ll be flying the flag for the crew for this one. Evolving from The Goodlids Store Outdoors Society was born in March 2025. With our two core brands, Goodlids and Moreporks growing over the last few years Goodlids had taken some of the light off Moreporks due to the stores original name (The Goodlids Store). Outdoors Society has now allowed both brands to grow equally. It has also created a hub for like-minded groups and individuals who can get around epic activities, rad products and a community who love all things outdoors.
In the past few months, we’ve hosted a bunch of epic events and workshops from our Routeburners run club and bouldering sessions with Auckland Climbing Gym, to a gardening workshop with our mates at OMG. We’ve also teamed up with legends like FAT, SloRide, and Neighbourhood NZ, with plenty more exciting collabs and events in the future. Keep an eye on our Community Calendar for all the latest happenings!
Q: What’s your relationship with movement, do you have a favourite way to move outdoors?
A: Movement has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. From cricket pitches in summer and rugby fields in winter, to endless hours flipping on backyard trampolines or surfing and snowboarding across New Zealand’s natural playground it’s always been there. Over the years, I’ve only strengthened my connection with movement and realised just how much it means to me. I’m no superman, I’ve had my fair share of injuries but for me any form of movement helps. It helps my body, my mind and even helps the people around me. It’s black and white. My energy, my mood, the way I show up for friends and family it all comes back to how much I’ve been moving. My favourite way to move? Just reminding myself that something is always better than nothing.
Q: If someone’s never been to an OUTDOORS SOCIETY event, what should they expect?
A: Ask a silly question, fall off the bouldering wall, walk instead of run at our run club. We just want you to come along and give it a crack and get involved. I think as we grow older we shy away from trying new things or meeting new people because we get stuck in that ‘comfortable’ zone. We have had amazing people come to our workshops and events so far and all bring their own cool, quirky, creative, corporate, young or old twists with them. So, yeah no expectations at all, just yourself is awesome enough for us.
Q: What’s one thing people often get wrong about “moving” or “being active”?
A: That you need equipment to be active. Push ups, star jumps and squats don't require a Nike contract to get started. Your body is a form of weight, if it’s moving then so are you!
Q: Can you give us 3 pieces of advice you'd share with someone looking to reconnect with their body, their energy, or their community?
A:
1: Just get started.
- It’s cliche but SO true. That first step is literally the hardest one.
2: Get a little competitive.
- See how many days you can string together an activity and watch it slowly turn into a habit that becomes your normal.
3: Climb a Hill.
- Walk up a hill, take a deep breath and smell the roses. It’s amazing how inspired you will feel.
Q: What’s your favourite outdoor memory that captures what OUTDOORS SOCIETY is all about?
A: We recently teamed up with our friends at Neighbourhood NZ for an overnight hike we called ‘Aim for the Bushes’. We brought together 30 strangers, aged 20 to 40+, for a weekend packed with hiking through rain-soaked native bush, foraging for wild produce, bunkering down in a DOC hut, card games by the fire, swigs from a hip flask, meals so hearty they’d give your mum’s best a run for their money, stargazing, morning mobility and meditation, river swims, and a bus ride that reminded everyone how good it feels to live like a kid again.
Not every activity was for everyone, and the weather definitely didn’t play ball to begin with but everyone gave it a crack, left their comfort zones and had such a wicked time and that’s what Outdoors Society is all about.
Q: Are you more of a sunrise run session or sunset workout kind of person?
A: Sunrises are for movement. Sunsets are for beers.
Q: Top 3 ways to shake off a bad day?
A: A HIIT class of sorts. Cold or Hot therapies. A verbal conversation with a mate.
Q: Anything to add about our next event coming up?
A: A sunrise. Morning movement. Being Outdoors and free coffee… I’ll see ya all there!
Q: If you could host an event anywhere in NZ, no limits, where would it be and what’s happening?
A: I’ll leave this one out, I could talk for days.