Susan Pieper

Susan Pieper is a five-time Rebelle Rally competitor, successful entrepreneur who built and sold DMOS Collective, and elite business consultant who traded Fortune 1000 boardrooms for the unforgiving terrain of North America’s longest off-road navigation rally—and she’s thriving in both worlds.

EARLY YEARS

Pieper’s pre-racing life reads like a masterclass in high achievement. After graduating from Harvard Business School, she launched a career consulting to CEOs of Fortune 1000 companies at McKinsey and PwC—the kind of elite consulting background that trains you to think strategically under pressure. She also spent time on Wall Street and working with start-ups, building the analytical rigor that would later serve her well when reading topographic maps in the middle of the Mojave Desert.

But Susan wasn’t always crunching numbers in conference rooms. Earlier in life, she was drawn to endurance competition on the water, crewing on sailing yachts and logging over 10,000 ocean miles. She competed in the 1995 TransPacific Yacht Race, where her team won their division. Not content to just crew, she skippered their sailboat from Hawaii back to San Francisco—a 23-day journey that tested her navigation skills and mental toughness long before she ever touched a rally map.

OTHER INTERESTS

When Pieper isn’t off-roading or overlanding, you’ll find her backcountry snowboarding, skiing, mountain biking, or fly fishing—the kind of outdoors enthusiast who doesn’t just dabble, but dives all the way in. Her love for the backcountry isn’t just recreational; it’s woven into her entrepreneurial DNA. Watching her snowboarding son snap yet another cheap shovel in the Wyoming backcountry sparked the idea that would become DMOS Collective in 2015. The company name? Short for “Do My Own Sh*t”—or “Stuff,” if Grandma’s asking. That irreverent spirit perfectly captures Pieper’s approach to both business and racing.

DMOS reinvented the shovel, creating a high-quality, collapsible tool that became essential gear for backcountry enthusiasts. The company earned early endorsements from big names like snowboarder Travis Rice and eventually caught the attention of Navy SEALs and Toyota. Pieper built the business from concept to sale, navigating product development, manufacturing partnerships, digital marketing campaigns, email automation, and warehouse management systems. In 2022, DMOS was acquired by Allsop, Inc., a family-owned consumer and outdoor products company, marking a successful exit for Pieper after years of grinding as a founder.

EARLY SUCCESS

Susan entered the Rebelle Rally driving her built-out 4Runner, affectionately known as “Rocky B 4Runner,” which was sponsored by CBI Offroad Fab and outfitted with Total Chaos Suspension. The Rebelle Rally—an all-women, GPS-free navigation rally covering over 1,500 miles of desert terrain—was a natural fit for someone with her endurance background and love of challenge. The rally isn’t about speed; it’s about precision navigation using only maps, compass, and roadbook, combined with strategic decision-making under pressure. Pieper was hooked.

Over five years of competition, she’s become a formidable presence in the rally community. She’s twice finished in the top 10 in the 4×4 class, proving that her strategic mind translates beautifully from the boardroom to the dunes. In recent years, she’s been sponsored by Warner Ineos Grenadier, racing the rugged Ineos Grenadier Trialmaster—a vehicle built for exactly this kind of punishment.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 1995: Competed in the TransPacific Yacht Race, winning her division, and skippered the return voyage from Hawaii to San Francisco[1].
• 2015: Founded DMOS Collective in Wyoming after watching her son break inferior shovels in the backcountry[2].
• 2022: Named one of the Final Five in SEMA Launch Pad as Founder and CEO of DMOS Collective Inc.[3]
• 2022: DMOS Collective acquired by Allsop, Inc.[4]
• 2024: Finished 8th overall in the Rebelle Rally driving the Warner Ineos Grenadier Trialmaster with navigator Elise Young[5].
• 2025: Secured 3rd place overall in the Rebelle Rally with Elise Young, maintaining their position at the top of the leaderboard throughout much of the competition[6].

INSPIRATIONS

Pieper’s inspiration for both business and racing comes from a fierce commitment to self-reliance and problem-solving. The ethos behind DMOS—”Do My Own Stuff”—perfectly captures her approach to life: figure it out, build it better, and don’t wait for someone else to do it for you. Her partnership with navigator Elise Young exemplifies this philosophy. The two women connected through mutual respect for each other’s careers and shared hobbies including hunting, fly fishing, and skiing. Young has been called a podium-worthy navigator, and together they’ve formed a formidable team.

Susan has also been shaped by her sponsor relationship with Tony Warner of Warner Ineos Grenadier, whom she’s known for years through the automotive aftermarket world. Their team, named “Warner Grins & Grit,” reflects the determination and joy that Pieper brings to competition. She’s described the Rebelle Rally as her “playground”—a test that makes her more resilient and pushes her to continuously improve.

REPUTATION

In the Rebelle Rally community, Pieper is known for her never-give-up, positive spirit and her steady, strategic approach to competition. She’s a multi-time finisher who has consistently improved her results, earning respect from competitors and sponsors alike. Beyond racing, she’s recognized as a successful entrepreneur who built a product used by elite athletes and military personnel, and as a professional speaker who shares insights on personal reinvention and the life cycle of entrepreneurship.

Today, Pieper works as a fractional COO, C-suite advisor, and executive coach based in Park City, Utah, specializing in neuroscience-informed advisory and coaching for growth-stage founders and CEOs. She’s the creator of the SHIFT UP program, helping founders and high-achieving professionals level up both personally and professionally. Her unique combination of elite consulting training, entrepreneurial success, and endurance competition experience gives her a perspective few advisors can match.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

After her strong 3rd place finish in the 2025 Rebelle Rally, Pieper shows no signs of slowing down. She continues to compete in the rally annually, viewing it as an essential test of her resilience and strategic thinking. Beyond racing, she’s focused on her advisory work with growth-stage companies, leveraging AI and leadership neuroscience to help founders scale their businesses. She’s also a board member for Bolinas AI, working on AI-funded corporate travel disruption—proof that even after selling DMOS, she hasn’t stopped innovating.

REFERENCES

[1] Rebelle Rally – Team 128 Warner Grins & Grit 2024
[2] WyoFile – Snowboarding son inspires mom’s shovel invention
[3] SEMA – Launch Pad 2022: The Final Five
[4] DMOS Pro Shovel Tools – DMOS Collective now part of the Allsop family of brands
[5] In The Garage – Automotive News
[6] Rebelle Rally Scoring – Live Standings
Rebelle Rally – Team 128 Warner Grins & Grit 2025
Warner Ineos Grenadier – Rebelle Rally 25
Agile Offroad – Team 128
Susan Pieper – About
Rebelle Rally – Meet DMOS Collective Founder Susan Pieper
Ed Brenegar – Susan Pieper: The Life Cycle of an Entrepreneur
Susan Pieper – Whom We Serve
Park Record – All-women Park City teams gear up for 2500-mile off-road race
DMOS – The History of DMOS and the Rebelle Rally