Standing in the common area inside Summit High School, Donny McCauley unloaded his bag and displayed the several handmade clothing items he had spent hours working on the night before.

As the bell rang out loudly and signaled the start of a new period, McCauley continued to talk to students as they passed by, urging them to purchase an item.

Although business was a little slow at first, McCauley’s persistence and dedication eventually resulted in items steadily being sold and the official inception of his brand — Shredhead. 

“The brand as a whole started when I was in high school,” McCauley said. “It was me and a bunch of my friends who were mountain bikers. I wanted to create a clothing brand around that aspect of our lives. I started making clothing and selling it in high school.”

It was the early days of Shredhead that ultimately set McCauley up for the future. After showing up to school before class to sling products to fellow classmates, McCauley saw an opportunity for Shredhead to expand beyond clothes.

“About a year later, I was trying to go mountain biking at Trestle, but I didn’t have anyone to go with,” McCauley said. “I then started to think of ways to quickly and efficiently find people to mountain bike with.”

McCauley — who graduated from Summit in 2021 — looked at several Facebook groups and phone apps, but found that the process of finding people in the area was often cumbersome. Identifying a need in the action sports industry, McCauley began exploring app development while attending the University of Colorado in Boulder. 

“I started using the computer at my university,” McCauley said. “I started writing the code and putting everything together.”

Embracing his entrepreneurial spirit, McCauley would then visit local ski resorts and strike up conversations with fellow skiers and riders about what they use to connect with other people on the mountain. 

What McCauley found was that the majority of the people he talked to had the same problem and did not have a good way to connect with other skiers or riders. Using the information he gathered, McCauley started developing the app while balancing his classes and college life.

“I used Apple’s proprietary coding software to develop the app,” McCauley said. “I sent a code to a third party who connected it to a backend server. The app is super secure and encrypted.”

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Since the Shredhead app officially launched in Dec. 2024, McCauley has been blown away by how many users have downloaded the app. Not only have thousands of people downloaded the free app, but users are also enjoying the features the app provides.

The simple, but effective app operates similar to a dating app, allowing users to swipe on skiers and riders in their area. The app will pair users together if they both swiped right on each other, allowing them to message one another and organize meetups.

Shredhead is so simple that the app currently does not require users to enter any personal information beyond their name, the resort they frequent and what kind of pass they have. 

While the app has so far been a success, McCauley recognizes there is still room for growth and improvement.

“We are looking to pivot to more of a group matching connectivity,” McCauley said. “Where you are not swiping left and right on people, but you are able to find people in groups. That makes the app feel less like a dating app and more ambiguous.”

Beyond offering a place for skiers and riders to meet, McCauley would like to introduce new features to the app that get more people and activities involved.

“I would like to implement mountain biking features and next winter have a backcountry edition for backcountry skiers to connect,” McCauley said. “That would be based on your AIARE certification level, what zone you like to ride the most and all that.”

Sticking true to his roots as a kid who once sold clothing inside Summit High School, McCauley wants to grow Shredhead as a lifestyle brand. From selling clothes at places like Limber Grove in Breckenridge to becoming a vendor at mountain biking and skiing events, McCauley continues to find ways to evolve as a young businessman.

“I am looking to buy a custom Shredhead tent,” McCauley said. “I have a lot of high-end bags that are branded with Shredhead. I would like to attend those events and spread the word. The app would be the centerpiece of the brand, but the clothing would be that physical expression of the brand.”

Just recently becoming a multi-person business model, McCauley in need of help from local businesses and community members in order to expand Shredhead’s market reach. 

“We are looking to gain more momentum locally,” McCauley said. “We want to work with local ski shops and bike shops and have them be meet-up spots in the app. It is pretty hard to do that if no one knows what the app is.”

With much of McCauley’s money being spent on developing the app and purchasing licensing fees, further funding is needed in order to buy the necessary equipment and inventory for future skiing and cycling events. 

To donate to McCauley and Shredhead, visit GoFundMe.com. To download the Shredhead app, visit Apps.Apple.com.