TrackFly (Midvale, UT) empowers independent retailers with data-driven solutions, boosting profitability, reducing overstock, and revolutionizing brand-retailer connections in overlooked markets worth billions.
February 21, 2025, Midvale, Utah
In a world where independent retailers are often overshadowed by big-box giants, TrackFly is flipping the script. The Midvale, Utah-based company, which officially launched in January 2023, connects local retailers with brand partners, empowering them with real-time data to make smarter buying decisions and optimize their supply chains.
And the results?
A 99% customer retention rate in 2024 leading to a nearly 200% increase in net revenue retention—numbers that prove TrackFly is more than just another startup; it's a revolution in retail intelligence.
From Fly Fishing to Founding TrackFly: The Stephen Baird Story
My dad loved fly fishing. As a young kid I would follow him down to the river, even if just to watch him cast,” Baird recalls. However fishing wasn’t always recreational. “I remember going with my dad when he was literally trying to put food on the table for our large family. We would stay out until he caught something for dinner.”
That upbringing instilled in him a deep appreciation for hard work and resourcefulness—values he’s now passing on to his own children in Salt Lake City, Utah. But his path to entrepreneurship was anything but conventional.
After earning a degree in Exercise Science from Brigham Young University, Baird worked as an audiologist before making the leap into Utah's tech sector. Over nearly a decade, he played pivotal roles at NetDocuments, Teem, Dsco, and Strata Fund Solutions, helping them scale and navigate acquisitions.
“After four companies and four acquisitions, I realized it was time to take my own shot,” Baird says. That moment came when he walked into a local retailer and started asking questions about their business operations.
“What tech do you use? How do you buy products? How do you work with suppliers?” he asked. The answers stunned him.
“It was archaic. Retail had evolved in so many ways, but this particular segment—independent retail—was stuck decades behind. That’s when I knew I had to do something.”
TrackFly: Leveling the Playing Field for Local Retailers
Baird founded TrackFly to solve a critical problem: independent retailers are passionate about their businesses but often lack the tools and resources to compete with larger chains.
“Most of these store owners have put everything on the line for something they love—whether it’s a fly fishing shop, a boutique fashion store, or a ski shop,” Baird explains. “But the deck is stacked against them.”
That’s where TrackFly comes in. The platform provides retailers with a data-driven way to optimize inventory, reduce waste and improve profitability. While TrackFly is built for retailers, the business model is brand-funded—with companies like Patagonia, Simms, and Benchmade Knives subscribing to TrackFly’s platform to better understand consumers’ demand for local commerce.
Smarter Supply Chains, Bigger Environmental Impact
TrackFly isn’t just about boosting sales; it’s also tackling one of the outdoor industry’s biggest sustainability problems—overproduction.
“Brands have been over-manufacturing products because they don’t have clear visibility into what’s actually selling at independent retailers,” Baird explains. “That creates a massive inventory issue and a huge environmental impact.”
By connecting retailers and brands through a real-time data platform, TrackFly helps manufacturers produce only what’s needed, reducing excess inventory, cutting costs, and lowering carbon emissions.
“What happens when brands manufacture more efficiently? They lower costs and sell at the highest margin,” noted Baird. “At the end of the day, everyone wins.”
The Future of TrackFly: Beyond Outdoor Retail
With proven success in the outdoor industry, TrackFly isn’t stopping there. In 2025, the company is continuing to grow that footprint, while scaling the technology to service demand in other retail industries like fashion apparel, automotive, beauty supplies, and the list goes on.
Baird believes the industry has severely underestimated the power and scale of independent retail.
“People write off independent retail because it looks small from the outside. But we’ve seen the truth—it’s a massive, overlooked market worth billions, if not trillions, of dollars,” he says. “The data hasn’t been aggregated, and until now, no one has connected the dots.”
TrackFly is changing that.
“Our technology is bringing this entire channel into one unified view,” said Baird. “With consumer preferences turning back to local retailers, we believe this channel will surge as one of the largest sales channels for brands in the future—When we connect it together.”
For decades, independent retailers have been the forgotten piece of the supply chain. TrackFly is here to change that.
For more information, visit TrackFly's website.
