ABOUT US

How’s the hunting on Madison Avenue? Yeah, we don’t know either. And so long as there’s plenty of rock and ice, mud and single-track, elk and elbowroom out here in fly-over country, we don’t care to find out. We are Maven – a company focused on the design and creation of innovative products for, and by, the modern outdoorsman.

You don’t find yourself twelve miles in, four pitches up, fifty feet into your backing, or seventy yards from the buck of a lifetime by accident. Likewise, a company doesn’t sprout from the rocky Wyoming soil without first making some deliberate, unconventional choices. At Maven, we refuse to compromise our mountain town roots to follow the well-worn path to a dollar. We choose instead to make game-changing gear and use it in the places and pursuits that inspire us…everyday. We all know from years in the backcountry that quality, adaptability and relationships are paramount to any successful outing. So Maven focuses on the fundamentals – clean, simple designs with the very best modern materials and technologies – to create uncompromising gear.

We deliver world-class optics straight to the user with no middleman and no retail markup.

UNCONVENTIONAL START

Maven (mā-vən):
1. A trusted expert
2. One with knowledge based on accumulation of experience.

Maven was born out of wanting to solve a problem…out of the idea that we can develop a product with no compromise in quality, and no compromise in performance, without the big box store markup.

Founded in 2013 by Brendon Weaver, Mike Lilygren, and Cade Maestas, Maven was the culmination of decades-long experience in the outdoor industry. After seeing product after product being lowered in quality by price points stipulated by retailers, the three decided to strike out on their own. With their combined experience, relationships, and industry knowledge, they set out to build an optics company that revolved around quality and high performance above price point.

The name Maven comes from a shared interest in the book The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell (2000). In the book, Gladwell talks about mavens and how they drive brand momentum. This really stuck with them, and when it was suggested by Cade that they use the name for their newly fledged brand, the group unanimously agreed.

By building Maven around a direct to consumer business model, they were able to introduce products that compete with the major European brands, all while eliminating retail markup from stores. The rest is history - Maven is making waves by redefining optics one maven at a time.

“Maven was born out of wanting to solve a problem...out of the idea that we can develop a product with no compromise in quality, and no compromise in performance, without the big box store markup.”

THE TEAM

Brendon Weaver
Brendon Weaver - Co-Owner + Design/Marketing
Cade Maestas
Cade Maestas - Co-Owner + Operations
Mike Lilygren
Mike Lilygren - Co-Owner + Admin/Finance
Craig Okraska
Craig Okraska - Photo + Video Content/Marketing
Scott Van Orman
Scott Van Orman - Production Planning/Purchasing
Mollie Sheridan
Mollie Sheridan - Customer Service
Cody McCreary
Cody McCreary - Graphic Design/Marketing
Sarah Hamlin - Director of Systems & Admin
Latane Frank
Latane Frank - Warranty/Repair Tech
Alan Grzenda - Outside Sales Manager
Kyle West
Kyle West - Inventory Control/Purchasing
Scott Sears
Scott Sears - Production
Chris Wisniewski
Chris Wisniewski - Facilities Lead
Carl Asbell
Carl Asbell - Assistant GM of Custodial Services
Chase McFadden
Chase McFadden - Shipping/Warehouse
Ryann Koivupalo
Ryann Koivupalo - Production/Shipping
Jordan Belser
Jordan Belser - Operations Manager
Nick Glover
Nick Glover - Customer Support
Jacob Ramaeker
Jacob Ramaekers - Inspection
Amber Foutz
Amber Foutz - Production