This week, we're honored to welcome Austin Whitehead from Salt Lake City, Utah, who made a pivotal decision 15 years ago that would shape the entire trajectory of his life. Growing up in suburban Charlotte, North Carolina, Austin felt the pull of something beyond the traditional path: a calling to step away, explore, and discover who he truly was before diving into college.
Austin takes us on a journey through his transformative gap year, from that first step onto the Appalachian Trail as an 18-year-old, to working on organic farms in the Italian Dolomites, to returning as a caretaker at a legendary trail hostel. He describes those pivotal moments: breathing in the mountain air, finding simplicity in the rhythm of walking, and meeting people from all walks of life. These experiences gave him the context and confidence to pursue a life aligned with his deepest values.
In this episode, we explore the profound power of the intentional pause, the difference between falling behind and gaining clarity, and how Austin's deliberate choice to take a gap year became an accelerator rather than a detour. Join us for a deep and moving conversation about listening to your inner compass, the medicine of moving your body in nature with others, and what it truly means to figure it out as you go, one adventure at a time.
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This week, we're honored to welcome Austin Whitehead from Salt Lake City, Utah, who made a pivotal decision 15 years ago that would shape the entire trajectory of his life. Growing up in suburban Charlotte, North Carolina, Austin felt the pull of something beyond the traditional path: a calling to step away, explore, and discover who he truly was before diving into college.
Austin takes us on a journey through his transformative gap year, from that first step onto the Appalachian Trail as an 18-year-old, to working on organic farms in the Italian Dolomites, to returning as a caretaker at a legendary trail hostel. He describes those pivotal moments: breathing in the mountain air, finding simplicity in the rhythm of walking, and meeting people from all walks of life. These experiences gave him the context and confidence to pursue a life aligned with his deepest values.
In this episode, we explore the profound power of the intentional pause, the difference between falling behind and gaining clarity, and how Austin's deliberate choice to take a gap year became an accelerator rather than a detour. Join us for a deep and moving conversation about listening to your inner compass, the medicine of moving your body in nature with others, and what it truly means to figure it out as you go, one adventure at a time.
Episode 175: Unlocking Your Wildest Business Ideas on the Trail with Jessica DeAngelo
Inspire Campfire
45 minutes 58 seconds
5 months ago
Episode 175: Unlocking Your Wildest Business Ideas on the Trail with Jessica DeAngelo
This week, we're honored to welcome Jessica DeAngelo, Chief Hiking Officer and founder of Hike to Become, with a background in global sales and strategy. Having worked with Fortune 500 companies like Amazon, Nike, and Uber, Jessica made a dramatic pivot from the corporate boardroom to the hiking trail, where she discovered something profound—that nature holds the key to unlocking our greatest business potential.
Jessica takes us on a journey through her transformation from high-achieving corporate executive to passionate advocate for nature-based business innovation. She describes that pivotal moment on a mountaintop in December 2023, when a simple question from her three-year-old daughter—'Mom, get off your phone'—sparked a revelation that would reshape her understanding of presence, purpose, and professional fulfillment. That moment of clarity led to her signature methodology and the creation of the Hike 31 Challenge.
In this episode, we explore Jessica's accidental discovery of the transformative power of unplugged time in nature, her unique 'HIKE' methodology that combines movement, nature, technology-free time, and daily practice, and how she now guides business leaders and executives to their boldest, most innovative ideas on the trail. Join us for an inspiring conversation about finding clarity through discomfort, the science behind nature's impact on our cognitive function, and what it truly means to hike to become who you're meant to be.
Inspire Campfire
This week, we're honored to welcome Austin Whitehead from Salt Lake City, Utah, who made a pivotal decision 15 years ago that would shape the entire trajectory of his life. Growing up in suburban Charlotte, North Carolina, Austin felt the pull of something beyond the traditional path: a calling to step away, explore, and discover who he truly was before diving into college.
Austin takes us on a journey through his transformative gap year, from that first step onto the Appalachian Trail as an 18-year-old, to working on organic farms in the Italian Dolomites, to returning as a caretaker at a legendary trail hostel. He describes those pivotal moments: breathing in the mountain air, finding simplicity in the rhythm of walking, and meeting people from all walks of life. These experiences gave him the context and confidence to pursue a life aligned with his deepest values.
In this episode, we explore the profound power of the intentional pause, the difference between falling behind and gaining clarity, and how Austin's deliberate choice to take a gap year became an accelerator rather than a detour. Join us for a deep and moving conversation about listening to your inner compass, the medicine of moving your body in nature with others, and what it truly means to figure it out as you go, one adventure at a time.
