We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alison Glowinski. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alison below.

Alison , appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Happy People Hike is a business that was never intended to be a business. It started as a simple comment on a hike. During one of my first times hiking up a real mountain I made the comment to my partner about how amazing it was that everyone we had met or passed on the trail was so happy. “Ya know, it’s kind of like happy people hike!” The phrase stuck with him and when we returned home, he decided to make a sticker. It was a fun side hobby to make a few things and throw them on Etsy. While there was definitely a vision that this could be a fun little side business, there wasn’t an initial intention of building something big. We gradually started selling more and exploring what else could align with the outdoor lifestyle and brand. This included the blog, hike groups, and looking for other events and places to get involved. Eventually we had to decide if it would continue to be a fun side project or if there was really something that could we could grow into a legit business, all along knowing we wanted to do more than just sell cool things. We wanted something that would positively impact the world around us. We were presented with an opportunity to participate in a larger trade show which required a bit more of an investment. This was the moment we knew it was time to take the leap and fully commitment. From there, the company has grown into a lifestyle brand that encompasses gear, events, community and outreach that all fall under our set of values and company’s mission.

Alison , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a bit of an accidental entrepreneur. I actually started in real estate where my first business was a small brokerage in West Michigan. Building that company taught me a ton about how to build a brand that is very different then everyone else around you. That skill set has allowed me to build Happy People Hike into something that spans a variety of categories while all serving one sole purpose. We find other non profits and community groups that are aligned with our values and help support them in terms of physical items like shirts and water bottles, financial support from the sale of our items, and man power by way of volunteers and helping to coordinate events. We aim to bring the healing power of the outdoors to the every day person. Many outdoor brands focus on extreme sports and those who already love nature. We try to make nature accessible to those who haven’t experienced that or may have limitations or lack of access to the outdoors. The idea being you don’t have to climb a mountain to reap the physical and mental rewards of being outside. A simple walk down the road or a few breaths of fresh air can make a huge impact. I think what sets us apart and what I am most proud of is that we work for that authentic connection with our community and focus on those who have been overlooked and underrepresented. One the most impactful moments in my career was bringing a group of at risk youth on a short hike and hearing how most of them had never been to a park, let alone on a trail then later hearing how that one simple hike affected so many other parts of their life in a positive way.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

We started with an initial investment of about $200 of our own money and profits were continually reinvested. The business has been completely self funded. When we needed a larger amount of money for inventory for a specific event, we chose to use our business credit card. While it may not have been the best option in terms of interest rate, we needed a minimal amount of capital and it was easier then applying for a loan. I think it’s important to know you don’t always need a large amount of money to get started. Work with what you have and grow from there.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

It started with a few items in an Etsy shop and grew very slowly over time. I believe it was about 3 years in where my partner and I had to have the conversation of if this would continue to be a simple side hobby or if we were ready to make the commitment to growing a legit business. We were being presented with various opportunities for growth, but both were extremely busy with our other careers. After making the commitment it varied who was the lead for business growth just depending on what else we each had going on. When we personally split up, we made the decisions that I would take over the company and he would work to support and jump in as needed. I run and operate various companies, but consider Happy People Hike to be my full time career.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://happypeoplehike.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happypeoplehike/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/happypeoplehike/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKu-Uuw33BXG5APa5XVPJAw