Head Up Eyes Forward: How Every Purchase Gives Back to Our Community

When you buy a Head Up Eyes Forward product, something unusual happens: every cent of net profit goes back to the community. Not a percentage. Not a portion. All of it. That is the promise Landon and Susan Moss made when they separated HUEF from the retail side of their business, and it is a promise they have kept since day one.

As of 2023, Head Up Eyes Forward has donated over $30,000 to local charities in the Danville, Virginia area, including God's Storehouse and House of Hope. But to understand why those numbers matter, you need to know the story behind those four words.

Four Words on a Canvas

In 2015, Ryan Moss painted a canvas for his older brother Landon's 26th birthday. It showed a faceless figure in outdoor gear against a vast landscape, with four words written on the side: Head Up. Eyes Forward. It was Ryan's way of encouraging Landon, who was struggling with depression, anxiety, and weight issues at the time.

In June 2016, Ryan lost his life at age 24 at Black Canyon of the Gunnison during a solo camping trip. He loved the mountains with every part of who he was -- hiking, camping, skiing, skateboarding. The outdoors was his life.

After Ryan's passing, Landon spiraled. He avoided Ryan's belongings for nearly two years. Then, around 2018, he found the painting in a box of Ryan's things. Something broke open.

"For myself, this message quite literally saved my life. When I found this painting...I dropped 175 pounds and just got rejuvenated." -- Landon Moss

Landon took his brother's words literally. He started walking. Then running. Then climbing. He dropped 175 pounds through clean eating and embracing the outdoors. The trails became his therapy, and with his mother Susan, he began to imagine a way to turn Ryan's message into something that could help other people find their way forward too.

From T-Shirts to a Movement

In 2020, Landon and Susan launched Head Up Eyes Forward as an online apparel shop, using Ryan's painting as the logo and his four words printed on merchandise. What started as a small operation quickly grew into something neither of them expected. People from across the country connected with Ryan's story and the message he left behind.

On March 23, 2021, Susan and Landon opened a physical store on Main Street in Danville's River District under the name Head Up Eyes Forward. Ryan's original painting hung above the register. The store became a beloved part of the community almost immediately.

But as the business grew, Landon felt a tension he could not ignore. He was uncomfortable profiting from his brother's memory. So in July 2022, they made a decision that changed everything: rebrand the retail storefront to Moss Mountain Outfitters and make Head Up Eyes Forward strictly nonprofit, with 100% of net profits going back to the community.

The name Moss Mountain says it all -- "Moss" is the family surname, and "Mountain" represents Ryan's love of the mountains and the outdoor life that transformed Landon. Today, Moss Mountain Outfitters is the for-profit retail store carrying premium outdoor brands, while HUEF is the charitable lifestyle brand that exists purely to give back.

Where the Money Goes

Every dollar of HUEF net profit is donated to organizations that serve the Danville community. The charities that have received support include:

• God's Storehouse -- Providing food and essential supplies to families in need across the region.
• House of Hope -- Supporting individuals and families working to rebuild their lives.

Over $30,000 donated as of 2023, and that number continues to grow with every HUEF purchase. This is not a marketing strategy or a corporate social responsibility checkbox. This is a family keeping a promise to their son and brother.

A Mother's Perspective

For Susan Moss, the impact of HUEF goes beyond the dollar amount. Every interaction at the store, every conversation about Ryan's story, every person who walks in and connects with those four words -- it all matters.

"Every time I get to share this message and encourage another person, it's another stitch in my heart that has a hole in it." -- Susan Moss

What started as a way to honor Ryan has become something larger than his memory alone. As Susan puts it:

"It's starting to evolve in more than just his memory, but also our story of overcoming the loss of him." -- Susan Moss

That evolution is visible in every part of what the Moss family has built. The store on Main Street is not just a place to buy gear. It is a place where people come to be encouraged, to hear a story that resonates with their own struggles, and to leave feeling a little more ready to face what comes next.

How You Can Get Involved

Supporting the HUEF mission is straightforward. Here are the ways you can make a difference:

• Shop HUEF gear -- Every HUEF product you purchase puts 100% of net profits back into the community. Browse the collection at headupeyesforward.com or visit us in store.
• Shop at Moss Mountain Outfitters -- The retail store supports the family behind the mission. Visit our online shop or stop by 326 Main Street in Danville.
• Share the story -- Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is pass four words along to someone who needs to hear them. Share HUEF on social media or simply tell a friend.
• Visit the store -- Come meet Susan and the team. Hear the story in person. See Ryan's original painting. It is an experience that stays with you.

To learn the full story of the Moss family and the HUEF mission, visit our Our Story page.

The story of Head Up Eyes Forward is not finished. It grows with every person who hears those four words and decides to keep going. It grows with every dollar donated to families in need. And it grows with every customer who walks through the doors at 326 Main Street and becomes part of something bigger than a transaction.

Head up. Eyes forward. That is how we move through this world -- together.