Presented by Altra
Saturday, October 17 in Philadelphia!
A summit inspiring people to start, stay, and grow in the running industry. FREE to attend!
The running industry is bigger than you think.
Come see it from the inside.
Built for early-career people who are curious about the running industry and have never had a clear way in. Panels, mentorship conversations, and workshops led by the people already building careers across brands, retail, race events, and beyond. This event is for college students and recent grads, collegiate athletes, retail employees, career explorers, and more. If you care about sports, fitness, culture, or community, there's a role here for you.
Run the Industry: Career Summit is not a career fair.
Instead, it’s a full-day education and access event. The running industry employs designers, buyers, coaches, race directors, brand marketers, retail owners, and more. We want to create the access that allows more people to know what jobs exist in the industry. You’ll hear directly from professionals across every corner of the industry, get inside the rooms most people spend years trying to find, and leave with a clearer understanding of where you fit. Plus, attendees will gain exclusive access to the RIDC job board and be the very first to hear about new and upcoming job openings from our attending sponsors.
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Check in, get settled, and enjoy coffee and snacks before the summit starts.
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After an RIDC welcome, explore four key sectors of the running industry: retail, brands, race events, and coaching. Discover how these sectors operate at large, the organizations driving them, and the career paths available within each.
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Grab a quick refreshment before the next session; snacks, coffee, and water are provided. Restrooms, quiet rooms, and spaces for phone calls will also be available.
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Hear from a diverse panel of professionals thriving in coaching, product development, marketing and sales. Learn how they found their fit, what their day-to-day looks like, and how to find your own stride.
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Enjoy lunch on us while casually connecting with mentors who have years of experience in the fields that interest you most. This is your chance to ensure you leave with a valuable connection that goes beyond the event day. We will support you with conversation starters and ways to identify which mentors are most relevant for you.
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Conclude our speaker programming with a message from the RIDC and our keynote speaker. Discover why your perspective is essential to the running industry before moving into the afternoon activities.
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Take 15 minutes to change before a 2-mile walk or run hosted by Philadelphia Runner, featuring brand activations. We’ll wrap up back at the venue with a light yoga cooldown. The yoga is expected to start when the majority of participants have returned.
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Inspired by our largest and most widely celebrated event, THE COOKOUT. Join us as we wrap up the day with music, light bites, tons of giveaways, and guided networking in a relaxed atmosphere. Browse partner tables, strengthen connections, and kick back with fellow attendees, industry leaders, and mentors. We will provide you with tips and engagement opportunities to help you navigate this space.
THE COOKOUT is coming to Philadelphia
Inspired by our largest and most widely celebrated event, THE COOKOUT. Join us as we wrap up the day with music, light bites, tons of giveaways, and guided networking in a relaxed atmosphere. Browse partner tables, strengthen connections, and kick back with fellow attendees, industry leaders, and mentors. We will provide you with tips and engagement opportunities to help you navigate this space.
This event is about creating a space to connect, build community, and explore your lane.
Speakers
We are excited to share our incredible lineup of speakers coming soon! Check back here for announcements.
Our industry insiders will share valuable insights, trends, and stories to help you learn more about the running industry. From keynotes to panel discussions, these sessions are designed to inspire, educate, and help you find your lane.
Interested in being a sponsor?
If you’re interested in sponsoring RIDC’s RUN THE INDUSTRY Career Summit, we’d love to chat! Please send an email to our Executive Director, Kiera Smalls, at hello@runningdiversity.com, for more information.
Ready to experience RIDC’s Run The Industry: Career Summit?
We’ll see you in Philadelphia in October.
FAQs
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There is NO COST to attend this event. RIDC values accessibility to the sport and industry of running, thanks to our partners we're able to offer this program at no cost to you.
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Although this event is FREE to attend, registrants can add an optional donation at registration or through this link to support RIDC’s mission and programming.
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All attendees must be 18+ to attend this event.
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Yes! We will provide lunch, snacks and beverages throughout the day, along with light bites during the mixer. We encourage you to have breakfast before arrival. Though we have taken allergies and dietary preferences into account, the venue can’t guarantee cross-contamination standards therefore if you have a severe allergy please make sure to bring additional snacks for your needs.
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Although there is no formal dress code for our event, the suggested attire for RUN THE INDUSTRY is office athleisure. This is not a career fair, however, appropriate and comfortable clothing should be worn.
The event also consists of a 2 mile walk/run for which you should bring comfortable clothing and athletic shoes. There will be a free shoe demo if you would like to try new sneakers, based on sizing availability.
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Although RUN THE INDUSTRY will not have any in-person hiring opportunities, it is recommended to have these materials prepared. There will be opportunities to connect with industry professionals throughout the event and you will gain access to our job board to see actively open positions from various RIDC partners.
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We will have WiFi available for your laptop or mobile device needs. You do not have to bring your laptop but are welcome to do so.
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We have a 15 minute window allotted to transition from your event clothing to athletic clothing for the walk/run if needed. The venue has bathroom spaces for changing and coat rooms for storage. Staff and volunteers will remain in the event space during the walk/run.
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Yes, please see the details below.
Nearby Parking - please see linked parking pages for cost details.
Commerce Square Garage - 2005 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Entrance on 21st Street between Market Street and Cuthbert Street
(267) 765-3665
Patriot Parking - 2040 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 563-1059
Nearby Bus Station
21st St & Market St: 7, 31, 44, 48, 62, 124, 125
Nearby Train Stations
SEPTA Regional Rail and Amtrak 19th Street Trolley Station
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Yes, please see the venue’s suggestions for nearby hotels here.
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If your question is not answered in our event or registration page, please reach out to our team at programs@runningdiversity.com. Please note it may take us 1-2 weeks to reply.