In our latest edition of Beyond the Brief, we sit down with Anthony Armsby, Vice President of FLY Racing and Rider Gear at Western Power Sports (WPS).
A dynamic leader who describes his team as the “Avengers of the Powersports industry,” Anthony oversees a complex portfolio that bridges wholesale distribution and direct-to-consumer lifestyle branding. From founding a helicopter company to orchestrating viral moments with Kanye West, Anthony shares how he navigates the unique “handshake” culture of powersports, balances dealer relationships with digital growth, and empowers his team to take the creative handcuffs off.
Q: Anthony, thank you for joining us. You have one of the most unique background stories we’ve heard. You went from a psychology degree to building a helicopter company, and now you’re a VP in powersports. How did that path unfold?
Anthony: It’s definitely been a journey. I actually went to school for psychology because both my parents were psychiatrists, but I quickly realized that field wasn’t my passion. Ironically, that background helps me understand consumer buying habits now.
The helicopter venture happened through a connection with a friend. We started with 13 employees and, within three years, landed State Department contracts and produced 13 aircraft a month with a team of about 700. When we sold the company, the new owners wanted me to move to Alabama. Being an Arizona native, I don’t do humidity well, so I pivoted. That led me to Rigid Industries and eventually to Western Power Sports. I told the former owner I could be in Boise in seven days, and I’ve been here for seven years.
Q: Western Power Sports has a complex structure. It’s a massive wholesale distributor but also owns flagship brands like FLY Racing. How do you approach marketing when you are wearing lots of different hats?
Anthony: That is the biggest challenge. We distribute 400 different brands to an 11,000-person dealer network, but we also own about nine brands ourselves.
The critical shift we made recently was defining brand identity. We had to ask: Is FLY Racing just a distributor brand designed to fill a hole in a catalog, or is it a true apparel lifestyle brand? It’s the latter. To support that, we strategically split the business. I now oversee FLY Racing and Rider Gear, including partnerships with brands like Alpinestars and 100%, while a separate team handles parts and hard goods. You market a lifestyle brand very differently from how you market tires. Tires can be ordered monthly; apparel has distinct buy windows. Resourcing those teams correctly was the game-changer.
Q: You’ve described your leadership style as removing the “handcuffs.” Can you elaborate on how you foster creativity within that new structure?
Anthony: In the past, under previous ownership, the company was very controlled; decisions on everything from budgets to designs came from the top. When I took over the flagship brand, I told the design and development teams, “The handcuffs are off”.
I challenged them to stop using the same logo placements and to get wild. I told them, “Go play. You are the specialists”. I honestly believe our team is the “Avengers of the Powersports industry” because of the sheer talent and passion we have in the building. My job is just to put the right industry people in the right spots and let them run.
Q: Speaking of “going wild,” you’ve executed some incredibly agile marketing pivots. The collaboration with the Yeezy brand stands out. How did that come together?
Anthony: That was about capitalizing on a trend. I saw rappers wearing race suits to the Grammys, and Kanye West was appearing in Alpinestars gear. I cold-called the Yeezy team and said, “If you’re doing anything in motorsports, we want to be part of it”.
They called me on a Wednesday for a “Donda 2” experience in Miami happening that Friday. They needed 500 helmets. My logistics guy said we couldn’t fit them on a plane, so we trucked them overnight from Georgia. We pulled it off in 72 hours. The result was 120 million views in 48 hours, which eventually led to product placements in the John Wick and Jurassic Park movies. You have to be ready to pivot quickly when those cultural moments happen.
Q: Not every brand in your portfolio is as high-profile as FLY. How do you build a brand around utility products, like your ATV/UTV brand Open Trail?
Anthony: We realized that even if the product isn’t “sexy”, like plows or axles, the customer’s passion is. Open Trail is a lifestyle brand because the overlanding community is a lifestyle.
Instead of just showing parts, we focused on community. At the Overland Expo, we hosted a bonfire and pizza night. It wasn’t a sales pitch; it was just people hanging out with their rigs. That approach allows us to tell stories and even build a monetized YouTube channel. We aren’t just selling parts; we are selling the community aspect of the ride.
Q: There is often tension in the industry between Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) efforts and the dealer network. How do you balance building your digital presence without alienating your partners?
Anthony: Dealers are our bread and butter, and we are transparent with them. But we also need DTC for brand awareness and to build our email network, that’s our insurance policy if social media platforms ever shut down.
To bridge the gap, we created the “FlyFam Loyalty” program. A customer can buy from any of our dealers, upload their receipt to our website, and earn points toward free product. It drives traffic back to the dealer while allowing us to capture that data. It turns a potential conflict into a partnership.
Q: Finally, Anthony, looking ahead to the rest of 2026, what is the primary focus for you and your team?
Anthony: The focus is on brand identity, creating true “brand bibles” for everything we touch. We are applying the 80/20 rule to our resources, ensuring we aren’t spreading ourselves thin and that every product line is fully supported. We have the right structure now; it’s about executing on that identity.
Q: Anthony, for those who want to follow your work or connect, what is the best way to reach you?
Anthony: I’m definitely open to connecting. You can find me on LinkedIn.