Girl Gotta Hike
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Melissa Goodwin, Founder of Girl Gotta Hike
Melissa Goodwin was one of our first guests at the Tailwind Jungle Lodge. I was delighted by our connection and we kept in touch for over a decade! Our paths finally crossed again this January 2020 in Philadelphia where I was a speaker at the American Library Association Convention (ALA). Melissa invited me to go for a hike through Philly and be a guest on her Girl Gotta Hike podcast. I was delighted to explore Philly’s “Rocky steps” with Melissa. You can tune into our chat on her podcast here.
Tune into Melissa’s wild inspiration here:
Describe your perfect day as a wildpreneur.
A perfect day as a Wildpreneur is one where I’m bringing smiles to the faces of others. It’s a day that doesn’t feel like work. It could be anything from sharing a slideshow and giving a talk to a group of people interested in backpacking the Appalachian Trail, introducing a beautiful view to a group of hikers I’m guiding or working out the logistics of an upcoming trek.
Is this work your passion? What keeps you motivated?
I am very passionate about getting more women into the outdoors and away from the stresses of a busy city / family / work life. It is too easy to stay inside, tied to our devices and our routines these days. By purposely making the time to get away, breathe in fresh air and have in-person conversations with other women, we can begin to feel more connected to ourselves, to each other and feel more grounded in general. What keeps me motivated to introduce others to time in the woods, is simply remembering that I always come home thinking clearer and having a better understanding about what’s going on in my own life after some time spent out on trail.
Did you make any personal sacrifices to get your businesses started? Any funny examples of living on a shoestring budget?
I sacrificed the peace of mind that comes with consistent work. Before starting Girl Gotta Hike, I relied solely on my income as a freelance photographer and photo-retoucher. In fact I am still a busy freelancer and earn a great deal of income from my photography. But for years I was operating under the misguided advice of a former employer who suggested I “never say no” when a job presented itself. While that mindset can help keep money in the bank, it also kept me in a perpetual state of fear. I was afraid of spending money on anything but the essentials. I was afraid that if I turned down a job that I wasn’t really interested in doing or one where I was underpaid, I may never work again. I was afraid that if I took an extended vacation, I might regret it in a few months when rent came due. It took me a few years of reading and listening to audiobooks and podcasts about finding my passion and entrepreneurship, taking some online courses and the support of friends and family to begin to really change my mindset from one that was operating from fear, to one that was open to new opportunities. Once I began to really get in touch with my own true calling and to explore my personal passions, (not knowing, or caring, if they would generate income), is when Girl Gotta Hike really began and opportunities presented themselves.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start their own wild business?
Stop thinking about it and just begin. Having an action plan is a good thing, but you don’t have to have all the details worked out ahead of time to start. Know that as you work on your business, it will naturally develop and change over time as you hone in on what it is you are offering to the world. If possible, keep other income streams coming in before you make the leap full time into your own business. You can always start slowly with it – build it on nights and weekends or set aside a few hours a week outside of your other obligations. If you begin to rely financially on what you are super passionate about before you get some of the kinks worked out, you may end up resenting what you began or forgetting the true reasons behind what got you excited about it in the first place.
What do you wish you’d known prior to getting started?
That in the beginning, learning about your business is more important than turning a profit from it. Starting a business takes a huge investment of money and of time and it’s only natural to want to start making that back immediately. But there is a great deal of value in testing out your business model and in learning from your experiences before charging (or charging much) for your services. By taking people out on hikes for free, I was able to hone in what I needed to do to prepare both myself and my clients for future trips, without the pressure of feeling like the whole experience had to be perfect from the start. After a bus-scheduling mishap, I learned how to work out logistical kinks by testing the experience out ahead of time. Photos taken on all of my trips allow me to bank content for my website and social media feeds and most importantly, I have been able to talk directly or in post-hike surveys with my clients about their expectations. Doing this kind of legwork ahead of time brings so much more value to your business, that when it does come time to charge for your services, you will feel confident that your prices are justified.
What’s your favorite part about being a wildpreneur?
My favorite part of being a Wildpreneur is that that working on my business often feels so natural and easy. By establishing a business that works in sync with my abilities and interests and one that allows for me to be helpful to others, brings me a feeling of confidence in my own skin that I haven’t always felt in previous jobs or roles. Even when creating new experiences for my clients, I don’t get paralyzed by feelings of doubt or feel that imposter syndrome that so many skilled and confident people fall prey to when faced with new challenges. Just knowing that the business and myself are always growing and learning, helps me to tamp down on any fear monster that pops up and I’m able to draw strength from my past successes and feel confident forging ahead.
What was your inspiration to create Girl Gotta Hike?
A few years after hiking the Appalachian Trail, I regularly found myself leading friends on day hikes and overnights within a few hours of NYC. I was advising acquaintances on what type of gear to bring on backpacking trips and I was helping others navigate the logistics of getting to trailheads without a car. I loved helping people and I loved the sense of camaraderie I felt when leading a group of friends to a waterfall or an overlook. I could see that same sense of adventure and triumph that I had felt while hiking long-distance trails in the faces of the people I brought out. I started to recognize that it’s hard for many women to get out there on their own and that I had the experience and the skillset to help them achieve their outdoor goals. After some prompting from my husband and friends who recognized that leading people is part of my true calling, I got licensed to guide camping and hiking trips from New York State and Girl Gotta Hike was born.
Do you have a favorite motivational quote or book?
There are so many great books, quotes and podcasts about entrepreneurship, overcoming your fears and finding your passion, that it’s hard for me to narrow it down to one. Over the last few years I’ve found major inspiration and encouragement from fellow adventurous females Elizabeth Gilbert and Cheryl Strayed. Elizabeth Gilbert’s, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear and podcast Magic Lessons take you through her own and other’s creative processes and discuss how to work through your fears in order to work on the projects that are truly in your heart. I have found endless understanding about life and all that we face in terms of ups, downs, triumphs and tragedies through Cheryl Strayed’s collection of advice columns, Tiny Beautiful Things and her subsequent podcast, Dear Sugars. Cheryl’s natural ability to connect with and empathize with other humans has helped me to shape how I relate to my friends, loved ones and clients. Mel Robbins’, The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage and Jen Sincero’s, You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and and Start Living an Awesome Life have really helped me to take action on the tasks that I’ve hesitated on in the past and I will regularly put their audio books on repeat when I’m feeling the need for a kick in the pants. Both Mel and Jen were already well into their 40’s when they began to make some major life transformations. So in addition to the inspirational stories of others that they share, their own personal stories are a reminder that it’s never to late to learn and grow.
Anything else you’d like to share about your journey?
I am so grateful to be able to do this. Helping others gain confidence in their natural abilities by summiting literal mountaintops or overcoming their fears of spending a night in the woods helps me to feel more confident in myself. Nothing feels better than bringing women together who have not previously met and seeing them laughing and sharing stories at the end of a day on trail together. It continuously astounds and humbles me that just by doing something I love, I’m able to bring joy to others as well.
