Episode 12: Cassondra Spring, Global Brand Manager for Liv Cycling
Cassondra Spring, far left, standing next to Liv Cycling founder Bonnie Tu, standing centrally, at the 2022 Tour de France Femmes
Cassondra Spring is the Global Brand Manager for Liv Cycling, one of the largest cycling brands in the world and one that’s focussed on putting women first in all it does. Liv produces bikes, clothing and gear, and also sponsors a roster of professional athletes and women’s cycling teams, with Liv athletes competing in disciplines including road cycling, triathlon, cross-country mountain biking and enduro.
She chats about how she got into cycling, what exactly it is that a global brand manager does - spoiler: a whole lot of different things! -and some of the work Liv is doing in and around cycling at all levels to grow it as both sport and recreation for women. We discuss the importance of diversity, representation and inclusion, and why it’s important support women at all levels of their cycling journey.
Liv is also the sponsor of the White Jersey at the Tour de France Femmes, the 2023 edition of which is already speeding through the French countryside at the time of writing. The White Jersey recognises and celebrates the best young rider on each stage of the TdFF. Cassondra also shares the emotional experience of being at the 2022 Tour de France Femmes, the first one to take place since 2009 (as the Grand Boucle Féminine Internationale) - her description of hearing the approach of the riders will give you shivers, in a good way! And of course we talk about 2023 plans.
The discussion also covers the state of play with women’s cycling currently, and where she’d like to see it - and women’s sports in general - going in the future.
[AOIFE: Apologies for this, but you’ll notice I listed the wrong job title for Cassondra in my intro - whoops!]
Keep up with Cassondra Spring, connect, and (of course!) follow the Tour de France Femmes:
Cassondra talks about the work of Ayesha McGowan and A Quick Brown Fox. Here’s where to go if you want to find out more about Ayesha and her work:
This episode was produced and presented by Aoife Glass, and edited by Aoife Glass and Francesca Turauskis (Tremula Network)