We were lucky to catch up with Natasha Teasley recently and have shared our conversation below.

Natasha, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

I have been working in the outdoor/adventure recreation industry for nearly 30 years. There have been great strides in recent years to have more female and people of color representation in the outdoors industry. However, much of that representation still feels very performative and like it is for marketing sake. I just want to share the love of the outdoors with people who have not had access or not felt welcome in the past. I grew up poor and my body has never fit the industry standard. I know how it feels to not feel welcome in outdoor spaces and I want to break all of those boundaries so others don’t have to experience that feeling. Our public outdoor spaces belong to everyone and we should all feel safe and welcome there. Everyone should know they have a place in the outdoors.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?

I was raised by a single mom who loved the outdoors. She taught my sister and I to not feel trapped in traditional female roles in both work and hobbies. My freshman year in college I joined the canoe and kayak team (club team) even though I was not a skilled or experienced paddler because I knew I loved the outdoors and I wanted to make friends. Joining that team brought me here. I majored in Parks and Recreation/Outdoor Leadership and Instruction and have worked as an outdoor/adventure guide and instructor ever since.

I opened Two Sisters Adventure Company last year after realizing that the only way to fix the problems that bothered me was to do it myself. We run canoe, kayak, and standup paddleboard trips and classes, summer camps, and other outdoor recreation programs.

I think because I have lived the experience of being the person who has not felt welcome and not felt safe I can connect with people on a deeper level of shared experience. I try to stay quiet and listen to people as much as I can. That is a little different than a lot of other adventure guides who can often be more boisterous and outgoing. I try to hear other people’s stories more than share my own.

I am very proud of our Share the Adventure scholarships. We will never turn someone away who can not afford to come on one of our programs. If someone wants to join us we will cover the costs for them if needed. We also have people who make gifts to the fund to help offset that. In our first year of operation we were able to fully fund 7 summer camp scholarships and 12 people on our guided trips and classes (around $3500 in scholarships). This funding is important because if someone doesn’t any kind of personal connection to the outdoors and money is limited they are often less inclined to spend money on something they don’t know if they will even feel comfortable with. If money if a boundary for someone we want to break down that boundary too.

We are also very mindful of having a variety of equipment options so that people who’s bodies don’t fit the industry norms can be a part of our programs. Many places have maximum weight for participation of 250lb. That is because it takes time and effort to find boats that work for a wider variety of bodies. We have boats that can handle much larger bodies. We just purchased a paddleboard that can hold up to 650lb! We also have boats for smaller bodies so everyone feels on even ground.

Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?

I have wanted to own my own company and do things the way I feel is right for a long time but never had the faith in myself that I could financially accomplish this. I didn’t have much in savings and I didn’t have family with money I could ask for help. I was making around $16k a year when finally decided I had to step out and take action. I spent a lot of time crunching numbers and deciding how much money I would need to cover start up. I finally decided that I could use my credit card to purchase 6 boats. That was my start. I knew that I would physically need to do all of the work. I would have to run the office and the trips and wear all the hats. I knew I had my mom and sister who would support me as much as they could.

When I put in my notice to my employer that I was starting my own company I made a comment that I was in the highest debt of my life and the owner of the company told me I would be in debt for the rest of my life. I am happy to say that 1 year out he was wrong. I think being poor made me better positioned to make Two Sisters Adventure Company successful. I buy what I can afford. I pay off debt as fast as I can and I don’t buy more equipment until I can actually afford to do so. I buy used equipment to save money.

After I went public with my plans to open the company I had several friends who believed in me who made investments in me (anywhere from $30-$500). Those small investments really got me off the ground. It is amazing how $30 didn’t just put some gas in the car but also made me realize that people believed in me.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I make every effort to be impeccable with my word. I take pride in my work. I am doing this work because I genuinely love bringing people to the outdoors. I try to treat every single guest the way that I would treat my closest friends and family. I focus on actually seeing each person. I have been keeping our group sizes for our guided trips and classes small so that we can actually connect with everyone we take into the outdoors. Our guests aren’t just a paycheck to us we care about them before, during, and after their time with us. That is the culture that I am building with Two Sisters Adventure Company.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.twosistersadventure.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twosistersadventurecompany/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TwoSistersAdventureCo
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-teasley-0221811ab/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOS_E2Ve4AgC4FVc5ZbQk1w
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/two-sisters-adventure-company-durham