We recently connected with Isaiah Adams and have shared our conversation below.

Isaiah, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with talking about how you serve the underserved, because in our view this is one of the most important things the small business community does for society – by serving those who the giant corporations ignore, small business helps create a more inclusive and just world for all of us.

Anchors Outdoor Adventures serves youth with barriers to recreation. This is most often a financial barrier, but we also work with kids experiencing disabilities, substance abuse, and many other barriers. Action Sports offer a unique blend of personal expression and challenge based activity. The combination of these two provide a space for kids to learn and grow in ways many other team sports do not. We believe all kids should have access to this form of sport. We often hear stories of participants who have never been to the mountain, even though they have lived 45min away from it their entire lives. There are a lot of barriers that people do not think about when trying to go skiing/snowboarding. Even if you could afford the gear & lift tickets, you need a parent available to drive you and you need 4×4 vehicle capable of making the drive.

Isaiah, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I started this organization alongside my childhood friends in 2018. Anchors O.A. was born because of a problem I saw in the Action Sports Community: exclusivity. Most participants are from upper middle-class families, with similar upbringings and experiences. This turned the whole community into an echo chamber, and created a really stagnant space for conversations about ways to grow the sports. I grew up participating in these activities and saw the many personal benefits they had on my life. I still maintain my life-long friends and mentor relationships. I also learned many coping mechanisms because of the challenges I faced competing in these sports. The skills I learned as a child led me to compete in top-tier events all around the country.

Starting Anchors was an opportunity for me to share of those things with youth who may not have had the opportunity otherwise. Our core tenet is not only providing the coaching & events, but resources, gear, and tools for kids to continue their actions sports journey after they leave. Kids receive skate completes (and helmets) from Club Distribution at every skate event. Our fishing events offer rod, reel, tackle, and an annual fishing license to take home. We strive to ensure that any participant has the tools necessary to find a new “Anchor” in their life.

Any advice for managing a team?

Team morale is key to our organization since we are 100% volunteer run (including myself and the board of directors). The passion to provide these life changing events for youth must be present at all times for our team. We meet twice a month to continue to plan and build our organization. One element that I think has made us successful has been encouraging ALL team members to feel like owners. We focus very little on our org. chart or hierarchy. Instead, we function as a small family; dividing and conquering the varies tasks in the most efficient ways possible. By empowering everyone to have a sense of ownership, we ensure that all voices are heard, and that the organization is moving in the direction we all agree.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A lesson I had to unlearn early on was that my vision as founder, may not be shared by the team, and that okay. I had years to dream about the direction I wanted to take this organization, but the beauty has been seeing it grow into something better than I could imagine. This often meant letting go of things I thought were priority, in order to make space for new ideas and pathways. Our team has grown and changes significantly since 2018 and with it lots of new events and ideas. Embracing this change, instead of resisting, has been the key to continued growth.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.anchorsoa.org
• Instagram: @Anchors_oa
• Facebook: @anchorsoaPDX
• Linkedin: Anchors Outdoor Adventures
• Youtube: @anchorsoutdooradventures4923