Starting Fresh: How Passion, Community & Values Built Mountain Grit

There’s a version of “starting over” that gets romanticized and then there’s the real version. The one where something you poured your life into is taken away, and you’re left asking whether you still have it in you to build again.

This conversation with Tori Billings is about that real version.

Tori has always followed passion-driven work, from snowboarding, coaching, guiding, sales, leadership in the snowmobile industry and that path eventually led her alongside Tomas, the original founder of TOBE, whose company was taken from him. Instead of walking away, Tomas chose to start again, this time doubling down on the values that mattered most. That decision became Mountain Grit.

This episode isn’t just about gear or business. It’s about community, alignment, and what happens when people who refuse to compromise their values decide to rebuild anyway.

🎧 Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts.

Leading with passion has always been the through-line

Tori shares her winding career path, from growing up in Steamboat Springs to competing in halfpipe, coaching at a high level, and eventually finding her place in the snowmobile world. Every role she’s taken has been fueled by passion first, not comfort or convenience.

That same mindset is what pulled her toward Mountain Grit. When Tomas lost the company he built, the easy option would have been to step away. Instead, he chose to rebuild—without abandoning the values that shaped the original brand. Tori recognized that immediately because she’d been living that same pattern her whole life.

When a company is taken from you, what do you keep?

One of the most powerful parts of this conversation is the honesty around loss. Losing a company isn’t just a business setback, it’s personal. Its identity. It’s grief.

What stood out to me is that Mountain Grit wasn’t built as a reaction fueled by anger or ego. It was built intentionally, with community at the center, and with a commitment to doing things the right way, even when that way is harder.

Instead of chasing massive investors or pouring money into ads, Mountain Grit chose a community-forward approach: crowdfunding, organic growth, and giving people a real stake in what they’re building.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

🏔️ Mountain Grit exists because something meaningful was lost—and rebuilt with intention

🤝 Community isn’t a marketing tactic here; it’s the foundation

❄️ Passion-led careers often don’t look “safe,” but they create deeper alignment

🧵 Gear built by people who actually live in it feels different—for a reason

🔁 Starting over doesn’t mean starting from scratch when your values stay intact

🧠 There’s power in refusing to separate work from what you care about

🌍 Building something smaller, slower, and more intentional can be the point

About Mountain Grit

Mountain Grit is a new lifestyle and snowmobile apparel brand built by people who live the lifestyle, not just sell to it. With roots in Sweden and a strong presence in the U.S., the brand is focused on durability, function, and community-first growth.

If you care about where your gear comes from and who’s behind it, Mountain Grit is worth paying attention to.

🔗 Learn more: mountaingrit.com
📸 Follow along: @mountain_grit_official

More from Tarin It Up

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As always, thanks for listening and for supporting stories about people who choose to build again without losing themselves in the process.