Inside The Adventure

Vivian James Rigney is an accomplished mountaineer who's climbed all 7 summits as well as the President and CEO of Inside Us LLC, an executive coaching consultancy, where he's helped implement leadership development initiatives for some of the world's leading companies and their executive teams. Vivian is a renowned speaker and expert on mindset and behavior, whose talks and presentations have inspired audiences across the world. Men's Journal favorably compares Rigney's new book to Into Thin Air, where his book Naked at the Knife-Edge: What Everest Taught Me About Leadership and the Power of Vulnerability, uniquely combines Rigney's hands-on and reflective approach with extreme adventure and a raw, revealing personal story.

Based in Boulder, CO, Mike Lewis has worked in the outdoor and action sports industries for more than 20 years. He currently oversees Zeal Optics' brand globally, focusing on driving demand for their sunglasses and goggles, as well as helping his retail partners sell through engaging, creative marketing strategies, content, and storytelling.

Nick Norris (@nick_norris1981) is a graduate of both the United States Naval Academy and Basic Underwater Demolition / SEAL (BUD/S) Class 247. Upon completion of SEAL training in 2004, Nick assumed progressively higher positions of leadership within Naval Special Warfare. His deployed roles included combat advisor to Iraqi and Afghan military units, Cross-Functional Team Leader, and Ground Force Commander during combat operation in both Iraq and Afghanistan.   Nick was most recently assigned to Naval Special Warfare Basic Training Command — SEAL Qualification Training (SQT) as Officer in Charge prior to transitioning off Active Duty. Originally from Chicago, Nick received his Bachelor in Science from the United States Naval Academy in 2003 and his Masters of Science in Real Estate from The University of San Diego in 2013. He is the Executive Director of the C4 Foundation, which provides support and resources through science-based programs to active duty Navy SEALs and their families. Nick is also the Co-Founder and CEO of Protekt Products, a wellness company that is committed to positively impacting customer health via both personal care products and nutritional supplements. Both Protekt and the C4 Foundation value the power of time spent in the outdoors and the positive impact it has on overall well-being.

A few years ago, Mina noticed a consistent pattern of very people of color taking part in outdoor recreation sports so she decided to help change that by creating the BOA, Black Outdoor Adventurers, in October of 2015, to bring diversity into the outdoors.  Mina believes that everyone should enjoy life beyond the concrete jungle and do the things that truly enrich our lives. Her goal is to help more people of color discover this world, be open to the power of nature to heal our burdens, and gain a new perspective on life, one outdoor adventure at a time. A little About BOA: We are an outdoor adventure social enterprise focused on the health and wellness of people of color mainly between the ages 27-42 that live and work throughout the New York Tri-state and Northeast region. Founded by Mina Okpi in 2015, Black Outdoor Adventurers works to eliminate the lack of outdoor participation through our dynamic programming and by making outdoor activities more visible and accessible to Black and Brown people. We want to educate and get more people in the black and brown community excited about new opportunities to expand their community circle, make gains in wellness and challenge themselves to new potential through the outdoors and nature. You can check out more about us on our website - Black Outdoor Adventurers, Instagram, or Linkedin.   

Nathan Pettijohn is an author, talent manager, and entrepreneur. Nathan is a contributing writer for Forbes on topics relating to what business leaders need to know about innovations in media and technology. Nathan is also the coauthor of a short tactical guide, Zen and the Art of Admin Tasks, about outsourcing administrative work. His newest book is a travelogue called Travels With Hafa.

As a National Geographic photographer, writer, creative director, artist, speaker and adventure seeker, Erin is a force to be reckoned with. Whether snowmobiling in Whistler, camping in Alaska, repelling down cliffs or hanging out of a helicopter, Erin will do whatever it takes to capture the seemingly impossible.  Erin's been awarded an X-Games Gold Medal for Action Sports Photography, was selected as an O (Oprah) Magazine insider, and is one of the official Sony Alpha Females. Erin works with clients including Oakley, Red Bull, and more.

Jonathan Cedar is the CEO and of BioLite, a social enterprise that develops, manufactures, and markets advanced energy products for off-grid communities around the world (outdoor + emerging markets). With roots as an engineer (previously working for SmartDesign), Jonathan co-founded BioLite after inventing a cleaner-combusting cookstove that produced 99% fewer smoke emissions than traditional, open-flame fires. After taking the HomeStove to a combustion conference, Jonathan realized the positive impact his product could have on lives in emerging markets as smoke from traditional open flame fires leads to over 4 million deaths a year. BioLite continues to grow within the parallel innovation pipeline, producing similar products for two distinct audiences and using funds from the outdoor market to subsidize the growth within emerging markets. You can read the full impact report here.  Fun Fact: He's a great banjo player.

Have you ever ​​dreamed you could go to class while sailing the sea, watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean, or stare up at the Mediterranean stars? Well, with Semester at Sea you can! Whether in class, studying, or engaging in shipboard activities, students are always a few steps away from friends, the ocean, and a global perspective in learning and life.   In Scott's role as the President and CEO, he's responsible for the overall strategic direction and financial well-being of the Institute for Shipboard Education and the Semester at Sea program.  Scott earned his Ph.D. in International Business from the University of Oregon, a Master of International Affairs from George Washington University, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics from Willamette University.

No matter the situation, Patrick is ready to take off. Whether it's a 5000-meter jump from a helicopter over the Eiger or a detailed lecture about the lessons of his magical moments, his backpack is always full of new experiences and ideas. As the 2nd place finisher of this year's Red Bull X-Alps alongside the longtime uncontested dominator of recent years, Chrigel Maurer, Patrick understands the impact of teamwork to break boundaries. From his early days as a kid stealing his parent's paraglider to becoming one of the world's top pilots today, this is the story of how Patrick defied the odds and climbed to new heights.

Elliott Lyons is the founder and CEO of EnVision, a revolutionary visualization app. Elliott's mission is to empower people to ‘go for it' - whatever the ‘it' is. Through the EnVision app he hopes to bring the tool of visualization to the wider world, giving people a powerful opportunity to help them fulfill their potential and achieve a meaningful vision for their life.  Elliott is passionate about creating cutting-edge technology, loves to get out in nature, and is an Ironman triathlete in his free time. Before founding EnVision, Elliott built App Magna, a mobile app company, which has over 3 million downloads and a monthly passive income of $15k+. 

Danny McGee is an adventure photographer and filmmaker who went from a kid with a passion for digital media to a professional who travels around the globe taking photos and making films for clients like Redbull, Google, and United Airlines. His goal is to not only share his vision of the world, but to inspire people to get out and explore it for themselves. Danny's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mcgee/?hl=en

Dylan Bowman is a professional ultra runner from Portland, OR, who was raised in the endurance mecca of Boulder, CO where he spent his early competitive years as a team sport athlete -- eventually focusing on lacrosse in high school and college. After graduating and living in Aspen, CO, Dylan began running in the mountains which quickly became his passion and lifestyle. Now, more than a decade later, Dylan works with companies like The North Face and Red Bull and is one of the top ultra runners in the US. UltraRunning is devoted to covering the sport of long distance running, also known as ultramarathoning, or, as we call it, ultrarunning. So how far is an unltramarathon? The standard definition is anything past the marathon, or 26.2 miles. However, the shortest standard distance that is considered an ultra is 50 kilometers, or 31.07 miles. Other standard distances are the 100 kilometer and 100 mile races as well as a series of events that last for specified time periods: anywhere from 6 hours to 6 days.

Isaac is a professional kayaker who got his start in whitewater kayaking as a member of the national slalom team and then went on to be a 2x Green Race Champion, 2012 Canoe & Kayak magazine paddler of the year, and a Go-Pro Games Steep Creek champion. As a 32-year-old from John's Creek, Georgia, Isaac now lives in White Salmon, Washington, where he's been for the last 9 years. Now he spends most of his time kayaking or in flying sports.

Ari Delashmutt is a professional action sports athlete, particularly skilled in skiing, paragliding, and highlining, where he's set multiple distance records. He hosts a podcast, Ari in the Air, that features leading-edge thinkers on psychology, philosophy, and spirituality, as well as other athletes who have gleaned deep insights from their sports. He is a filmmaker, specializing in both educational paragliding videos and adventure travel films. Ari has said that he is trying to grow up, and it is turning out to be harder than he previously thought.

As a New Jersey native, Pete graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and started his career at Fila before joining the team at Nike. At Nike, Pete worked primarily on the ACG brand and Nike Advanced Design team. After Nike, he worked for Spyder, then eventually opened his own design and creative agency where he spent over a decade. He was eventually recruited to work for The North Face where he served as Vice President of Global Creative for over six years. During his time with TNF he worked on some of the streetwear's biggest lifestyle collabs. He left TNF to join the ranks of Mountain Hardwear where he serves as the VP of Product and Creative for the core climbing brand. Pete is also an avid mountain biker when he's not brainstorming the next creative move for MHW. 

Bill Gamber might be the most influential person in the outdoor industry that you've never heard of. Over the past 20 years, he's helped to build two of the best known and fastest growing brands in the outdoor retail category. His innovations in outdoor gear have become mainstays for people who love to camp as well as creating a whole new category of race nutrition. He's been massively influential in building Colorado's outdoor economy and shaping the state's recreational future, but Bill fundamentally believes that actions speak louder than words, so he rarely touts his successes.  He's a product pioneer, a born leader and hard charging when it comes to running a growing company in a competitive market. Bill started his first business in a Pennsylvania college dorm room at Lock Haven University in 1985. Needing money to pay for triathlon race entry fees, Bill began selling homemade bike and triathlon shorts out of the back of his Jetta. This side hustle would become Bwear Action Products, otherwise known as BAP! Eventually, Bill would graduate and move to Steamboat Springs, Colo., where he found a permanent home for BAP! In 2000, Bill co-founded Big Agnes and launched with a simple, but revolutionary idea: save weight and space with a unique, integrated sleeping bag and pad system. This would be the first in a long line of products “firsts” that would revolutionize the outdoor industry.  In 2001, Bill co-founded Honey Stinger, which specializes in honey-based nutrition. You could say honey runs in Bill's blood – his family has been in the honey business for more than 60 years and his grandfather invented the original plastic honey bear. Today, Honey Stinger is known throughout the endurance sports world, and products like Honey Stinger chews and waffle are favorites for runners, cyclists, skiers, hikers, climbers and more. In 2019 Bill transitioned away from Honey Stinger after a significant third-party investment and now focuses on Big Agnes and BAP!. Bill is competitive, but not just when it comes to camping and nutrition. He holds the 12-hour solo record for the 24 Hours of Steamboat mountain bike race. He's completed more than 100 triathlons, including 16 Ironmans.  For the past 28 years, Bill has been living off the grid in Steamboat with his family, in a solar and wind-powered home and spends most of his free time camping, fishing, cycling and skiing.

Spencer Sutlive originally started Rugged Road Outdoors as a UGA student dedicated to changing the cooler game, making the world's lightest high-performance cooler. Spencer spent years developing an ultralight high-performance cooler that would be the perfect addition to any outdoor adventure.  His newest cooler release, the Rugged Road 65 weighs in at just under 10 pounds, but remains tough as nails due to its Rigorite coating, originally developed to make the walls of the Pentagon blast-proof after the attacks on 9/11. It also holds ice for up to ten days, and floats upright, even when fully loaded. Spencer's biggest motivator to grow Rugged Road has been his goal of providing clean drinking water to communities in need. At the end of each year, Rugged Road donates 10% of its profits to build wells and bring clean, reliable water to underdeveloped communities. We aim to use our platform for good and to provide others with the opportunity to help make the world a better place.

Adrian Ballinger is a world class mountaineer, skier, business leader, and professional speaker. As founder and head guide of the internationally acclaimed Alpenglow Expeditions, Adrian envisioned a more holistic climbing experience for his clients than the status quo. This vision, with a focus on small groups and client education, continues to change the way big mountains are climbed. What started in 2004 with three trips on one continent with one lead guide has grown into a thriving company running 30 trips annually on 5 continents with six lead guides. In 10 years, Alpenglow has helped more than 100 clients successfully summit Everest, Lhotse (the 4th tallest mountain in the world), Manaslu (8th tallest), and Cho Oyu (6th tallest). How was Alpenglow able to expand to 10 times its size in 10 years all while setting new industry standards and expectations? Adrian believes running a business is a lot like climbing a mountain and attributes his extensive mountaineering experiences to his company's success. In his forthcoming book, “Why Everest Matters – Lessons Learned from the Roof of the World,” Adrian explains essential business concepts such as leadership, teamwork, and risk management from a climber's perspective. Adrian's inspiring stories from the amazing places he's traveled embolden audiences to integrate these important concepts into their own lives and businesses. As a professional athlete first and foremost, Adrian is the only American who has skied two 8,000 meter peaks, was the first person to ski Manaslu, the 8th tallest mountain in the world, and in 2011 became the first person to summit three 8,000 meter peaks in only 3 weeks (Everest twice and Lhotse once). He is the only American guide to have both AMGA/IFMGA guide's certifications and has achieved more than 10 summits of 8,000 meter peaks (including 6 summits of Mt. Everest). Adrian is a sponsored athlete for Eddie Bauer, La Sportiva, Kaenon, Goal Zero, Hypoxico and Alpenglow Sports and welcomes new sponsors who are committed to aligning with high altitude achievement.

Shane Rogers is Co-Founder and CEO of RPM Training Co. An entrepreneur at heart, Shane's background in Engineering, along with his love of training and the outdoors, took him from leading engineering teams at Gore Medical to the creator of the RPM speed rope, adding to his running list of patents. Even as CEO, Shane still leads all manufacturing initiatives and does most of the technical design for RPM. In his (very) limited spare time, you can find him teaching entrepreneurship classes for Santa Clara University and exploring the beaches of Santa Cruz, CA with his wife, Jackie, and their 2 young kids. Josh Rogers is Co-Founder and CCO of RPM Training Co. As the owner of one of the earliest CrossFit affiliate gyms, Josh used his love of design and training to create the RPM brand along with his brother, Shane. He now drives the long term vision and strategy for the brand, breaking daily at noon of course to train with the rest of the RPM team. When he's not writing copy, recruiting athletes, or building out RPM's ever-growing product line, you'll find him taking up some new project at his home in the hills of Santa Cruz, CA with his wife, Alicia, and their 4 homeschooled kids.

Born and raised in Colorado, Tony headed to Tulsa, Oklahoma for college and walked onto the D1 track and cross country teams, eventually becoming the team captain. More importantly, Tony fell in love with running. With ambitions to train harder and get faster, Tony moved to Massachusetts and started training with a few top runners on Boston's North Shore. Unfortunately, his goals were often thwarted by injury, over-training, or ill-fitting shoes. Like many runners, he began working in the shoe industry where he learned everything he could about making footwear. After almost 30 years in the industry, Tony knew there was still something missing from the market—a shoe that allowed runners to access the important benefits of natural running while maintaining some of their favorite features found in traditional running shoes. Intent on delivering the best natural running shoes in the world, Tony sets out to establish his own footwear company. He launched Topo Athletic, founded on common sense, simplicity, and comfort, for runners seeking a more natural running experience.

Quin Schrock is an adventure and lifestyle photographer based out of Southern California. As a kid, Quin spent his free time outside surfing, skating, and pushing the limit on acceptable backflip locations. That sense of wonder and freedom that Quin got from nature as a child never went away, and there is still nothing he would rather do than play outside. Although now you'll find him with his camera in tow!   Quin is always one to forge his own path and his distinct photographic style captures the intrepid human spirit engaging with diverse, remote, and off-the-beaten-path landscapes. Quin genuinely enjoys living on the edge, and the excitement and anticipation that he experiences for each new destination and adventure comes through in his unique and creative compositions. 

We're back! Season 3 will launch a new episode every other Wednesday, starting July 28th. We hope you enjoy these amazing new interviews! 

Will Gadd is one of the top outdoor sports athletes of his generation. He has done first ascents on ice and rock globally, kayaked first descents of wild rivers, and flown his paraglider over the Andes, Rockies, and Alps while setting the world distance record twice. He’s also won national and international titles in multiple mountain sports. His writing appears regularly in some of the top publications in the world, and his book on ice climbing has been translated into five languages and is the top seller in its field. He has produced or presented more than 100 television programs ranging from the Discovery Channel to the BBC, and his films have won multiple awards. He is a guide and frequent speaker on risk management to groups ranging from at-risk youth to some of the largest companies in the world. His most recent expeditions have focused on helping scientists do cutting-edge research in remote locations from Greenland to the top of Kilimanjaro, and he recently co-authored a paper on Greenland’s melt cycle. He is most proud of leading his family up his local peaks and sharing the amazing natural world through his work. 

It all started when Matthew purchased a van as he was winding down 5 years spent working in Tech, first at Airbnb and then Robinhood. He wasn’t exactly sure of his plan; if it would be his home, weekend adventure vehicle, or something totally different – but he knew it was the right next step. After a trip to Joshua Tree he realized he needed an awning and started a search for one that was both rugged and packable. As you’ve likely already guessed, he didn’t find one.  He started working on a design and called his friend Henry who had made a career of producing things (brands, marketing campaigns, films, etc.) for young companies – a handful of them in the Outdoor Retail & Overland space. From that, Moon Fabrications was born. 

Connect with Immersed and Renji on Instagram and Twitter.    Renji Bijoy founded Immersed with the belief that a future where humanity is able to live wherever/however they want without the constraints of the physical office is fundamentally more freeing than one bound to an office.   Today, Immersed is actively developing the technology to remove the barriers of remote work in order to empower productivity, with the ultimate goal of restructuring civilization to be more efficient, and thus, more enjoyable.

Connect with Kate Schade and Kate’s Real Food on Instagram. Try some  Kate’s Real Food at their website here.   Kate Schade moved to Jackson Hole in the early 90s, never dreaming that her pursuit for adventure would give rise to Kate’s real food. Kate created a tasty, portable, organic, whole foods energy bar with the premise that the taste and quality of her food must match the amazing experiences of her adventures.    After years of sharing, she finally brought her recipes to customers, with the aspiration of inspiring more people to eat healthier, eat organic, and get outside to adventure.

Connect with Viktor and 57hours on Instagram!   Viktor Marohnic was born in Croatia where he grew up and graduated from the computing science college. Today, Viktor is a serial entrepreneur running a product design agency called Five out of Brooklyn, New York as well as a passionate skier, climber, runner and kitesurfer.    As a combination of his passion for business and adventure, an idea for a new product was born. 57Hours is a platform that connects individuals with certified guides for outdoor adventures all over the world. Viktor founded this new company with his wife and Perica Levatic, also an accomplished climber and a math science graduate in 2019, based on the belief that every weekend should involve time spent in the outdoors, enjoying it to the fullest — which means taking advantage of the full 57 hours from 3pm on Friday to midnight on Sunday. Their mobile app makes it easy to find and book adventures worth tackling and guides worth booking, all gathered from locals and first-hand experiences. The platform also enables a passionate community of independent mountain guides to share their amazing itineraries, fill up their trips quickly, build up their client base faster and make guiding a successful and sustainable career. 57hours aspires to benefit everyone involved — guides, clients, local communities, and our environment — and promote safe, accessible outdoor recreation for all.  

Connect with Kieren and the Lady Alliance on Instagram here and check out their upcoming event on Nov 13th, the Winter Adventure + Safety Workshop Tour with Mammut!   After being told too many times that she was "brave for a girl,” Kieren Britton, Founder of The Lady Alliance, had enough. Bravery is in all of us, regardless of your gender, race, or background, and Kieren is determined to bring this to light.   The Lady Alliance started as an online social community where women had the chance to share their stories. Whether it was a photo or adventure article, ladies could submit their adventures and speak through The Lady Alliance.   As the community grew, so did the demand for a chance to meet everyone in person. The Lady Alliance's first all-women meet up was held in September 2017 in Glacier National Park.   This meetup was titled the "First Annual Long Weekend Meet-Up" as there was no original intention of this becoming an adventure traveling community.    The meet up reached capacity in only a matter of weeks and was full of inspiring women from all over the globe.   Since that first trip, The Lady Alliance has grown to include other adventures, retreats, and courses. Through the Lady Alliance, she’s empowered thousands of women to embrace adventure through inspiration, action, and awareness. They’ve yoga'd in Bali, surfed in Tofino, learnt avalanche safety, and so much more, including partnering with brands such as the Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC) to help extend their reach to empower women of all ages and backgrounds to embrace a new level of courage through an empowered sense of adventure and community.   How to join:   The Lady Alliance is a community of women dedicated to encouraging and empowering other women to be the best versions of themselves. Easy peasy. You can join the community through our Facebook Groups, Instagram, or by purchasing a membership. We want to encourage involvement and you can do this in many ways: local or global events, applying to be a Chapter Coordinator, submitting photos for our Instagram page, or writing posts for our stories, and more!

Tom Fabbri has not only dared to dream, but he’s mastered the art as an author and lifestyle coach, inspirational speaker, top trainer, award-winning athlete, corporate helicopter & jet pilot, and culinary arts graduate, just to name a few. Tom has learned to harness fear to achieve his dreams, and he now uses this unique insight to inspire and motivate others through his books, blogs, and personal coaching. He is constantly challenging himself while acquiring valuable life lessons of inner strength, passion, and motivation. Tom is a world-class adventurer in every sense of the word and is currently on a journey to complete the Adventure Grand Slam, summiting the tallest peak on each of the seven continents and skiing to the North and South Poles. In one year, he climbed four of these peaks in his quest to fulfill his dream, (Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, Mt. Elbrus in Russia, Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia, and Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina) and Mt. McKinley, Alaska in 2013. His most recent climb took him to Mt. Vinson Massif in Antarctica where he faced a storm with hurricane-force winds and extreme temperatures to summit on December 7th, 2017. With the mountain of all mountains left, Mt. Everest, and skiing to the North Pole and back to Antarctica to ski to the South Pole, Tom is well on his way to becoming part of an elite group of Adventurers. Tom’s equation is simple. Once he decides to do something, he does it! Whether it’s becoming a corporate helicopter pilot, captain of a major airline, landing the title of Mr. Natural Universe at the age of 52, graduating from culinary school, becoming a certified personal trainer, or publishing books.

Daniel Robinson is an F-22 Fighter Pilot & CEO of Red6 a new tech company that’s revolutionizing augmented reality (AR) for military training applications, bringing the Virtual and Constructive assets into the real-world by allowing pilots and ground operators to see synthetic threats in real-time, outdoors and, critically, in high-speed environments. By blending augmented reality and artificial intelligence and using both the indoor AND outdoor space around us as a medium, Red 6 has redefined the limits of how the world will experience, share, and interact with its information. 

Rob Rast, the founder of FLX Electric Bike and Miles Board Electric skateboards, is a college dropout that left it all to move to China. Between becoming a Chinese TV star and taking the leap into product-focused entrepreneurship, Rob’s story eventually lands him in the same AirBnB with Pete Leaviss in Beijing five years ago, and the story of the Babymaker was born, the worlds’ sexiest electric bike! Within a year, Rob and Pete got to work sourcing motors, frames, components and drawing up unique e-bike designs. They launched their first design, the FLX mountain bike, a year later on Indiegogo, raising $2 million and shipping nearly 3,000 units. The success of the FLX motivated Rob and Pete to go even further with the inception of the Babymaker, the world’s first single-speed “stealth electric” road bike, which incorporates the best of both worlds — the sleek styling of modern road bikes and the pedal assistance of electric bikes. The result is a bike that lets the rider go fifty miles on a two-hour charge without sacrificing style. The Babymaker is redefining what it means to be an e-bike. In a world of clunky, heavy pedal-assist bikes, the Babymaker offers a sleek, lightweight alternative at a price point similar to traditional entry-level bicycles -- proving that with good design and a strong following, you can shatter records. And that’s exactly what they did. In just a few months, the Babymaker’s unique combination of performance and style launched it into the record books by raising over $13 million on Indiegogo, putting it among the top Indiegogo campaigns of all time.  

So many of us are going down the path that we think we want, only to realize that something is missing. The same was true for Chelsea Yamase (@chelseakauai) who found herself heading into a potential career that wasn’t fulfilling her in the way she had hoped. Through a winding path of architecture, graphic design, journalism, and a myriad of side hustles, she found herself faced with the big question: pursue the unconventional life of your dreams or stick to a “real job”. So, she took the leap. Today, Chelsea is a sought after freediver, model, photographer, influencer, creative, and movement enthusiast from Hawaii with a focus on mindful living. She’s been featured in Travel and Leisure & Cosmopolitan to name a few, and has worked with numerous brands such as Canon USA, Adidas, Google, Athleta, GoPro, DJI Global, and The National Parks Foundation.... and this is her story.

"What makes the difference between the ones who succeed and those who fail? Why do some choose to quit while others come back even stronger when facing adversity? Today’s story with Karina Hollekim answers these questions in an incredible way.  Karina Hollekim is an international keynote speaker, author, computer programmer, and professional athlete where she competed for Red Bull as a big mountain skier and Base jumper. Karina is a truly inspirational female pioneer, being the first woman in the world to perform a ski BASE jump. Karina shares her story about those moments that change our lives forever, about raw willpower and passion.  She inspires us to be targeted as living proof of the importance of little changes and how they make a difference in the long run. By raising awareness of our choices, she challenges our willingness to change. She shows the importance of stretching your comfort zone to achieve your goals. Karina’s incredible journey, her gripping story about struggle and resilience together with her indomitable spirit makes a story to remember.   In 2006, Karina’s life was turned upside down when she had a freak, near-fatal skydiving accident, leaving her in a wheelchair with the low odds of ever walking again. After 20 surgeries and years of relearning how to walk, she’s returned to skiing and is living life to the fullest today.  Her autobiography ‘The Wonderful Feeling of Fear’ is internationally published and her speech is part of the exclusive group of TedX talks.  Karina’s coaching skills comes from a background in Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Active Commitment Therapy, and working as a performance consultant since 2012, with clients ranging from professional athletes to top business executives.  Her ability to push boundaries, stay focused, and re-mobilize through hardship are core qualities she transmits through her coaching & speaking and serves as key themes all throughout her life story.       

Aaron Fitzgerald, known as ‘Fitz’ to his friends and colleagues, grew up in Wenatchee, Washington. Wenatchee is home to a USFS Tanker base and Aaron grew up watching airplanes and helicopters overhead as they fought fires in the surrounding mountains. Seeing these aircraft in the skies all summer instilled in him a strong desire to fly. After serving in the US Army as a Paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division, Aaron began formal flight training in Long Beach, CA in 1994 and quickly earned his commercial rating. He went right to work flying news helicopters in Los Angeles. Throughout his career, Aaron has primarily focused on flying for the film and television industry. He is a member of the prestigious Motion Picture Pilots Association, and the Screen Actor’s Guild. He has performed and filmed for over 100 films and television shows. He has also flown in various other capacities such as utility flying in mountainous terrain and offshore support. He has flown in flight test programs for NASA and Lockheed/Martin. He was the aerial coordinator for several projects that broke world records and he continues to work as an aerial coordinator and stunt pilot for the movie industry. His company, Airborne Images, provides aircraft, pilots, and support services for aerial production worldwide. Aaron has two Emmy nominations and a BAFTA award for his work in aerial production. Aaron was introduced to Helicopter Aerobatics in 2017 when he was trained by Rainer Wilke and Blacky Schwarz, the masters of Helicopter Aerobatics. He joined The Flying Bulls that same year, becoming the only American pilot on the team. He has performed aerobatic helicopter displays for millions of spectators throughout North America. In March of 2000, Aaron was awarded the Medal of Valor for rescuing two people from a burning helicopter. When not flying or performing, Aaron lives with his family in Los Angeles. He spends most of his spare time on the ocean; fishing.

Dane Jackson knows whitewater. The freestyle kayaker grew up traveling the USA in an RV with his family, getting homeschooled by his mother and chasing kayaking competitions with his father, Eric Jackson, an Olympic paddler and founder of the popular paddling company Jackson Kayaks. Dane dominated nearly every junior world title early on in his career and by 2011 he'd started winning pro-level contests, including the Whitewater Grand Prix and the IFC Freestyle World Championships. Dane has been featured in Kayak Session and Rapid Magazine, launched first descents of waterfalls in Mexico, has bagged seven 100+ waterfall descents, and has racked up over 80 first-place finishes in freestyle kayaking competitions. Dane travels eight months out of the year, attending events, clinics, and living his passion from an RV by the river. As an avid videographer, photographer, and content creator, Dane documents these amazing pursuits on his Instagram and TikTok and describes in today’s episode the inside story of his amazing journey to becoming one of the most elite paddlers in the world.

As a Toronto schoolgirl, Jill was fascinated by the Apollo program and wanted to be an astronaut. However, Canada did not have a space program, and it wouldn’t be until 1992 that Dr. Roberta Bondar became the first Canadian woman in outer space. Instead, Jill navigated a path to inner space and is recognized as one of the world’s most prolific underwater explorers. Jill’s expeditions include exploring and mapping some of the world’s longest submerged caves, documenting ancient Mayan remains along the way. In Florida, Jill was a lead technical diver on the ground-breaking Wakulla2 project, where she piloted the first 3D underwater cave mapping device - technology that will be bound for Jupiter’s moon Europa. When the largest moving object on the planet, the B-15 iceberg, calved from Antarctica, Jill led a dive team into the labyrinth of frozen underwater caves beneath the massive iceberg’s surface, discovering a diverse, colorful ecosystem of life in one of the harshest environments on earth. A pioneer of technical rebreather diving, Jill has made extreme conditions her specialty. Her ongoing expeditions to document the changing climate of the Arctic resulted in Jill being awarded the prestigious Canadian Polar Medal. From the desert oases of the Sahara to the cold waters of Baffin Bay, Jill Heinerth continues to explore what lies beneath the surface, sharing images of places where no person has gone before. Through collaboration, she becomes the hands and eyes for climatologists, archaeologists, and engineers, extending their reach into the depths. In her role as the first Explorer-in-Residence of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Jill visits schools and universities, sharing her love of exploration and science. She is a frequent online educator, leveraging technology to inspire classrooms full of eager young people from Anchorage, Alaska, to Mumbai, India. Jill is a presenter on radio and TV broadcasts, including PBS, the BBC, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, the CBC, and networks from Japan to Australia. Over two million people have learned about climate change, water advocacy, and exploration by viewing Jill’s passionate and motivational TED Talks. A gifted storyteller, Jill is an associate editor and columnist for Diver Magazine, and a contributor to publications as diverse as Canadian Geographic and the Los Angeles Times. Her recent book, “INTO THE PLANET - My Life as a Cave Diver” was published in late 2019 by Harper-Collins in the United States and Penguin-Random House in Canada. Jill’s accolades include induction into the inaugural class of the Women Diver’s Hall of Fame, first presentation of the Sir Christopher Ondaatje medal for exploration, and the Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences “NOGI” award. Jill has recently been named a member of the 2020 class of the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame and receives the William Beebe Award from the Explorer's Club in March 2020. Jill Heinerth is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, the National Speleological Society, and the Explorer’s Club.

Sarah Milby is the Founder and CEO of Valor Performance, an enterprise software company that supports some of the highest performing global organizations with the skills, analytics, and coaching for professionals to stay on top of their game, even under pressure. Prior to starting Valor, Sarah was an Entrepreneur in Residence at F-Prime Capital Partners. She also launched Grokker's enterprise division as VP of Business Development and Partnerships, and lead health plan relationships for Castlight Health from start-up through its IPO in 2014. Sarah has a BA from Yale, an MPA from Harvard, and an MBA from Stanford. While not an Olympian herself, Sarah did play varsity soccer at Yale for 4 years, and became a competitive runner, running for Greater Boston Track Club and Strava Sarah’s experiences both in athletics and business gave her the inspiration and conviction to start Valor, and this is her story.  

Trask Bradbury, a longtime legend in both the recreational and industrial world of rope access. Whether on ice, rock, or dropping from wind turbines, Trask is equally at home in the vertical world. Trask has worked and rigged in a variety of industries including petroleum tanks, bridges, wind turbines, skyscrapers, paper mills, and grain silos, and has also designed and managed rigging for several popular climbing movies. Born in Arizona, Trask moved to Colorado Springs at twenty, where he’s been climbing for twenty years and turning his passion into a job every day. Trask owned his own rope access company Gemini Rope Access Solutions for 6 years and has since sold it to an engineering firm. Now based out of Denver, Trask is currently a Co-Owner and operator of Master Point Rope Access Solutions. In addition, he is an EMT, and holds both a SPRAT level 3 and an OSHA 30 certification. Trask puts safety above all else.  

This laidback Canadian dude, who lives wherever he lays his paddle and moves wherever the white water takes him, is not only super cool, he’s also one of the best kayak surfers on the planet. Benny Marr has placed himself firmly at the top of the list of epic big water kayakers in recent years and just finished filming a new short film on big wave surfing on the Ottawa River.  In a boat since the age of two, he’s paddled everything from the Stikine Canyon to the Zambezi River, but loves nothing more than a day trip ‘front surfing’ on the biggest waves he can find.  

Kayleigh Grant is a shark naturalist, conservationist, free-diver, and Safety Diver for One Ocean Diving where she spends most days working with the sharks and marine life on the North Shore of Oahu. Born and raised in the Philadelphia area, Kayleigh moved to Hawaii shortly after graduating college in pursuit of an exciting new journey that would help her further connect with her passion for travel and the ocean, an obsession began at a very young age when she first saw the Little Mermaid and dreamed of exploring the ocean depths alongside Ariel.   While living in Hawaii and going through a bad breakup, she remembered looking around at her life and not being entirely happy with everything that she saw. She had a good job, lived in Hawaii, amazing friends, but there was something missing and she had no clue what it was.  So, she decided to take a step back. She moved out of her place, quit her job, bought a plane ticket to Thailand, and went on a month-long, soul-searching journey. When the time was up she vowed to herself that when she got back home to Hawaii, she would never do a job again that she didn’t love. Kayleigh was already diving as a weekly hobby, but it was around this time that she made it her life’s work.  After completing her Dive Masters training and some initial work in the field, she met Ocean Ramsey and Juan Oliphant, two of the world-leading experts in shark conservation, and begun a life dedicated to helping the world fall in love with the Ocean and the amazing life within.    

From Scottsdale, Arizona, 25-year-old Sierra Blair-Coyle has been competing professionally in the world of rock climbing since the age of 14. She’s also been a World Cup Competitor, was a two-time National Champion as a junior competitor, and was voted one of the Top 99 Most Outstanding Women of 2015. Sierra graduated in May 2016 from Arizona State University with a degree in marketing and now travels the world competing and doing what she loves full-time.    

Tucker ‘Cinco’ Hamilton is an Experimental Fighter Test Pilot for the United States Air Force and is the previous Commander of the U.S. Air Force F-35 Integrated Test Force. Tucker Hamilton started his Air Force career as an operational F-15C pilot where he supported multiple Red Flag Exercises and real-world Operation Noble Eagle missions where he protected the President of the United States, at times escorting Air Force One. He served as an Air Liaison Officer in Germany where he was the director of operations for a key command and control squadron. While serving in Germany, he was hand-selected to be the initial cadre for the first MC-12 squadron in Afghanistan as a part of the Air Force's first tactical Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance aircraft. After Afghanistan, he attended Test Pilot School where he flew over 30 different aircraft. After Test Pilot School graduation, he became an F-15C and F-15E Instructor Experimental Test Pilot, leading 11 test programs, supporting the newest software and weapons for the 450-plus F-15 fleet. He then served as the Developmental Test & Evaluation Lead for the Joint Strike Fighter, F-35, overseeing the entire Developmental Test & Evaluation effort for the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marines. He then transitioned to Edwards Air Force Base, California, where he began to fly all three variants of the F-35 as the Developmental Test Director of Operations. I’ve personally had the pleasure of knowing Cinco in our work together with the US team at Gravity Industries, and while it’s no secret how incredible Tucker’s career has been, I actually didn’t know most of that until putting together this podcast! The most inspiring thing about Cinco is his incredible humility and servant leadership mindset, always putting the needs of others before himself. While I’m biased from knowing Cinco well, I can easily say this is one of our best stories yet.        

Luke Peters has started over 5 businesses. His current brand NewAir is growing with over 50 employees and multi 8 figure sales, which Luke started as a side hustle out of his garage, and has been ranked as one of the fastest-growing private Internet retailers in America for three consecutive years according to Inc. Luke's newest venture is a new ecommerce service business at www.retailband.com and he is the Host of The Page 1 Podcast, a twice-weekly Podcast featuring a variety of guests and thought leaders on topics ranging from channel strategy, tariffs, influencer marketing, product launches, and the details about how to grow ecommerce with big box retailers. To listen in and stay current with the most recent Page 1 Podcast please visit: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-page-1-podcast/id1478811133 You can see his linked-in profile here  https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke--peters/    

During the winter, you’ll find Leigh Coates free diving in the crystal clear waters, soft sands, and vibrant rainforests of the Big Island in Hawaii. In the summer, look up into the Alaskan sky and you might see Leigh rising over rugged glaciers and snow-laden mountains as she owns her own piloting business, VS Helicopters, where she leads helitours for tourists, carries workers into the Alaskan wilderness and mines, and once in a while stops to strike some epic yoga poses on the remote mountaintops along the way! She shares her experiences in these brilliant landscapes through her Instagram, where her followers can live the magic of her adventures with a vivid lens into her blissful world. But what her pictures don’t immediately express is the journey she took in order to reach this place of success and joy.  Leigh’s attraction to snowy terrain began during her youth, when she spent her time snowboarding professionally. In 1998 she was ranked as the fifth-best snowboarder in the world, specializing primarily in boardercross. Leigh was preparing to compete in the Olympics once snowboarding was considered an official Olympic sport, but at 26 years old, a freak accident ended her career as a professional snowboarder when a moving car pinned her leg to another vehicle, only to drive off without any help or remorse. Leigh went through ACL surgery and extensive physical therapy, working tirelessly to return to the sport she so loved — but a second surgery revealed an overgrowth of muscle tissue that permanently ended her ability to fulfill her snowboarding dreams. Yet instead of allowing this tragic change to consume her life and identity, Leigh held tightly to her resilience and positivity. She opened her heart to new possibilities such as adventures in Hawaii, becoming a helicopter pilot, starting her own helicopter business in Alaska, and most recently training as a Jet Suit Pilot and the first woman to fly both the Gravity Jet Suit and the JetPack Aviation JetPack. This is truly an incredible story of a woman who lives a life driven by her dreams and who never lets a fear of failure hold her back!  

In March 2007 Gary sold his house, started traveling, and has probably done and seen more in that time than he has in the rest of his life combined. So far Gary has visited all 7 continents, over 130 countries, all 50 US states, every Canadian province, every Australian state and territory, over 150 US National Park Service sites and over 315 World Heritage Sites. In 2014 Gary was named as the Society of American Travel Writers Photographer of the Year, the 2013 & 2015 North American Travel Journalists Association Photographer of the Year, and a 3x Lowell Thomas Award Winner.  His blog Everything Everywhere is widely considered one of the most popular travel blogs in the world. In 2010 Time Magazine named it one of the Top 25 Blogs on the Internet and it earned a Gold Medal in the Travel Blog category in the North American Travel Journalist Association (NATJA) awards. As if that wasn’t enough, Gary has also hosted his own podcast since 2009 as the co-host of This Week in Travel, an award winning weekly podcast which covers travel industry news.  He is also the host of The Global Travel Conspiracy on the CBS Podcast Network.  And today, Gary shares the story of how he turned his passion for travel into a career in photography, and how before 2003, he didn’t even own a camera.    

Chris Korbulic is one of the world’s leading expedition whitewater kayakers, with first descents and incredibly grueling expeditions that have taken him all over the world. His philosophy of life is to “appreciate what you have, enjoy the day for what it is, and say yes to new experiences.” Growing up on the Rogue River in Oregon, Chris had an extremely early introduction to the river lifestyle as some of his earliest memories where the wilderness, culture, and excitement stuck with him for the rest of his life. His parents and their friends inspired and taught him to enjoy and appreciate wilderness, especially on the river. Years down the road, or river, he’s still following the water and enjoying it more than ever!        

Bryan and Shannon love creating self-sustaining, innovative companies as the Co-Founders of BELAY, a leading virtual services company, and NoFO Brewing Co. They started BELAY in late 2010 after resigning from their full-time jobs on the same day where they cashed in their 401(k)s to start their company all during the "Great Recession." As leading voices for remote work, Bryan and Shannon’s entire company works remotely, empowering their employees to work from wherever best suits their needs. On this episode, we’ll learn how Bryan and Shannon built a business that empowers a lifestyle balance of work and travel along with the concept of virtual culture.    

As one of the best whitewater kayakers in the world, Nouria has more incredible accomplishments than I can count in canoe, freestyle, and extreme kayaking where her achievements in the various disciplines prove she’s truly one of a kind. In 2013 she won the Ottawa XL, one of the most important freestyle world meetings, followed that by taking K-1 silver at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships, and just a few months later she was crowned extreme kayaking world champion. The following year she won team gold at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships and team bronze at the European Championships. In 2016 she was runner-up at the Sickline Extreme Kayak World Championships and in 2017 took first place at the GoPro Mountain Games Steep Creek Championships. As if competition wasn't enough for this seemingly inexhaustible athlete, Nouria ventured on multiple solo kayaking trip and first descents around the world. It’s hard to understand how such an outstanding athlete would have any spare time to partake in any 'normal' activities, but she also has a masters in journalism and political science saying that “Journalism is actually very similar to kayaking. You always have to adapt!” But that’s Nouria, always where you least expect her.    

David Clapper is a long-time media marketing and branding professional with 20+ years of experience in promotion, marketing, and branding. From launching the successful Classic Hits radio station, 97-1 The River in Atlanta - to the creation of its eclectic sister station at 97-7 - The OTHER Side of The River - David Clapper has transitioned into other areas of media in the last few years. After a short stint with Nashville based record company - Big Loud Records, David has launched his own business Scamper Van LLC and spent some time as the Ad Directory of the legendary ALT/Weekly Newspaper in Atlanta - Creative Loafing. Outside of launching the brand and business for Scamper Van, David has been a hired hand to assist in amazing Atlanta area events like Food That Rocks and the Southern Wing Showdown as well as regional promotions rep for Canada’s FOD Records. David has thrived in the creation and execution of the ideas of others as well as building a vision and implementing his own successes as an entrepreneur.    

Pierre Carter has been climbing since 1982 and paragliding since 1988 where these activities have taken him all over South Africa, her neighboring countries, and around the world. Pierre is currently attempting to hike, climb, and fly off the Seven Summits, the tallest mountain on all seven continents (including Everest), together with living life, and saving up the money required for these massive expeditions. The adventure has taken him almost 10 years, where he’s so far completed five of the Seven Summits. During those 10 years, he was also a bit distracted by the Red Bull X Alps in 2009, 2011, and 2013, commonly referred to as the world's toughest adventure race where athletes race non-stop across the Alps from Salzburg to Monaco only by paraglider when the conditions are good to fly and by foot when they’re not.  Pierre is currently on track to fly off Everest in 2021!    

Jeremy is an entrepreneur, speaker, flow junky, and mountain sports athlete - passionate about helping people lead authentic and intentional lives with rich with experiences that make them feel alive. His interests lie at the intersection of flow science, life design, and action/adventure sports. He’s the cofounder of Outwild, a community and event series focused on helping people design more intentional lifestyles, creator of the Adventurepreneur Playbook podcast, which shares the stories of unconventional entrepreneurs and change makers building businesses and lifestyles in the adventure and outdoor space, and a consultant for the Flow Research Collective.