How a CRM-First Platform Powers the Future of Endurance Events

When haku’s own Chief Strategy Officer and co-founder Jackie Levi joined Kamal Datta on the What Runs a Run podcast, their conversation turned into something deeper than just a tech talk. It was a close look at the state of the endurance industry as a whole. The two explored several topics, including: 

• How a CRM-first platform drives better participant experiences
• Why loyalty and connection matters for endurance event organizers
• What demographic changes have occurred within the endurance space
• The role of AI in endurance event management technology
• And more.

In the interview, Jackie explained how haku began with a single frustration. While our co-founder Carlos Escobar was trying to register for a race on a mobile device and could not, he realized there was a need for new technology in this space. That one moment led to building one of the industry’s first CRM-first platforms. The philosophy behind that decision still drives every product release and partnership today: when data, registration, and communication live in one system, technology stops being a barrier and starts being an advantage.

The Story That Started at the Start Line

The story Jackie told on What Runs a Run might sound familiar to anyone who’s ever managed an endurance event. It’s also the start of our story here at haku.  In 2011, registering for a race on a phone simply wasn’t possible for most platforms. That small barrier revealed a bigger truth: endurance organizers were running events on a patchwork of tools that didn’t speak to each other.

Instead of building yet another registration site, Jackie, Carlos, along with Carlos’ brother, Jose Escobar, decided to start where every other platform stopped. They made the CRM the foundation of haku’s technology, not an afterthought. That single choice changed everything.

A CRM-first platform means that registration, communication, e-commerce, and participant data aren’t separate silos. They’re part of a single system designed from the beginning to support the participant journey. For event directors, having all of these capabilities in one place means spending less time wrestling with spreadsheets and integrations and more time focusing on what actually builds community: human connection and memorable experiences.

What a CRM-First Approach Looks Like in Action

Jackie described haku’s approach to CRMs best on the podcast: “We built ours natively into the platform. It’s not an add-on.” 

It might seem like a simple fact, but that distinction matters. A CRM designed for the endurance industry means that segmentation, automations, and audience building are already built for race logic, not corporate pipelines. 

Because the CRM is native, not bolted on, organizers can launch campaigns, track purchases, and view participation data without exporting or reconciling reports. Everything connects in one place: the registration path, the store, the marketing suite, and the event day experience.

Built for Real Event Workflows

haku’s platform has evolved over twelve years of partnership with endurance organizers of every size, ranging from community 5Ks to world-class marathons like Chicago, Houston, Vienna City, and Marine Corps. Whether it’s the first day of registration or onsite on race day, haku’s platform delivers the results our clients need when they need them.

Each feature is built to eliminate friction from real workflows:

• Registration and membership management for every race format, from lotteries to team relays.
  
  
• E-commerce and inventory management to sell merchandise online or on-site from one unified system.
  
  
• Onsite tools like dynamic bib assignment, fulfillment tracking, and check-in automation.
  
  
• Reward and loyalty programs that run automatically based on performance or participation history.
  
  

All of it runs on the same data core. That’s the quiet power of a CRM-first model. Where you would otherwise need separate systems, haku ensures you can do it all with no double entry, no lost insights, and far less manual work.

Why Data Is the Backbone of Innovation

One of the strongest points Jackie made during her conversation with Kamal Datta was about the future of the endurance industry and the rise of artificial intelligence. 

“When you look at where technology is going,” she said, “the backbone of it all is still data.”

That’s the key. Any technology (and especially AI) can only be as good as the data it draws from. For endurance organizers, that means the path to smarter automation and predictive insights begins with clean, centralized participant data. 

With one source of truth, AI can help event teams work faster and smarter. It does this by suggesting segments, automating communications, and revealing performance insights without manual data pulls. Jackie was quick to point out that this is “not about replacing human work”. Instead, the goal is to give teams back time to plan, innovate, and grow their events. That’s just one reason haku released our own AI, named after on Carlos and Jose’s childhood pet, Nacho. Nacho is now haku’s AI solution for event organizers. 

Loyalty, Visibility, and the Next Chapter for Running

The What Runs a Run discussion turned naturally toward the state of running itself. Is the sport in another boom? Possibly, but both Jackie and Kamal agreed the real question is whether that growth is sustainable.

Jackie shared that endurance participation is trending younger and more visible, thanks to short-form video and a renewed cultural enthusiasm for movement and connection. That’s an opportunity and a responsibility for organizers: to turn curiosity into community, and first-time participants into lifelong runners.

She further identified that haku clients have been able to use a CRM-first approach to support that shift. When organizers deliver personalized experiences that build loyalty, not just one-time registrations, they keep participants engaged like they never could before. This is critical when the future of running depends not just on who shows up at the start line, but also who comes back year after year.

Listen to the Full Conversation

The full What Runs a Run episode with Jackie Levi and Kamal Datta dives deeper into haku’s founding story, the evolution of endurance technology, and the trends shaping the next decade of running.

It’s an inspiring listen for anyone who builds experiences that move people—literally.

→ [Listen to the podcast episode here.]

To learn more about haku’s CRM-first endurance platform, why not connect with our team to see how it all comes together?