Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Phoebe Cross. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Phoebe thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

In order to explain how we came up with the idea for our business, I think you need to know a little bit about my husband and I. Our first date in March of 2020 was a kayaking trip down The Rogue River in forty degree weather, and it was the same day that Michigan implemented the first Covid shutdown. Since then, we’ve climbed mountains, camped in freezing temperatures, adopted five animals, learned how to cultivate gourmet mushrooms, traveled across the country, volunteered at wild animal rehabilitation centers, and started a business.

When we met, Ryan and I were both pursuing careers that were ultimately out of alignment with our true nature. Almost immediately, we realized that we were both passionate about the outdoors, animals, adventure and education. We began brainstorming ways we could integrate our passions into our daily life. It became clear about a year into our relationship that we should start a business. We named our first business Cross Your Hart Adventures.

Cross Your Hart Adventures has allowed us to expand our horizons and start our next endeavor, Restore Eco-Resort. We are currently in the process of buying off-grid land in northwest Michigan to transform it into a thriving ecosystem for wellness and education. We will be integrating an animal sanctuary, permaculture farm, event and retreat space, and eco-resort campground on the same property. We are also interested in incorporating wildlife rehabilitation, as well as renewable resource, mycological, and conservation research as we grow our skills and network.

We are all living through some unprecedented times. Nearly half of all Americans report feeling “serious loneliness” and reported cases of mental health issues are increasing every year. Job burnout rates are higher than they’ve ever been, particularly for service based jobs such as healthcare, hospitality, and education. In many ways, our food systems are failing us and destroying the environment. The disconnection we are experiencing from our food, our environment, and each other, often manifests as a feeling of hopelessness.

We want to teach people how to live healthier, more sustainable lives. Restore Eco-Resort will be a space for like-minded people to gather and create community.
A place where people can come to de-stress from their daily lives through sustainable practices, interactions with animals, educational workshops, and wellness centered retreats. Our business is centered on allowing people the opportunity to experience a lifestyle dedicated to regenerating hope and improving the health of humans and the environment.

We know that our business will work because people are searching for options to help heal themselves and the Earth. We are not only offering structured learning opportunities, we are showing people how connecting with nature creates healthier individuals, communities, and ecosystems. At its core, our business is about getting people to spend more time in nature. We are so excited about what we are offering, because it is what we love to do. We have seen first-hand how spending more time in nature helps us connect to each other, find peace, and maintain open-minds.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I grew up in the little town of Gaines, Michigan, about thirty minutes outside of Flint. I saw first-hand the disparity and hopelessness that comes from living in low-income areas where opportunities feel limited. I have always loved animals and felt called to protect the environment. However, upon graduating college, I found limited career opportunities for animal advocacy, or environmentalism. As a result, I chose my own path and I decided to start a business. I believe that what the world needs now, more than anything, is a way to connect. We want to create a movement to inspire people to spend more time outside. We want to give people the opportunity to connect with nature, themselves, and their communities in a convenient and accessible way. We want to educate others about animals, the environment, and the endless potential that exists to make a profound difference in the world.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I’ve had to unlearn is that only rich people can start businesses. Before I started my business, I didn’t think I had what it took to become an entrepreneur. I had no business experience, no network, and no start-up capital. However, none of that mattered. A truth that I live my life by, is that nothing is created or destroyed, everything is already here, if not in one state then another. The only prerequisite for making the decision to change your life, is do you want to? Once you have decided to change your life, in my case by starting a business, you begin to seek out the avenues, people, experiences, and tools that will help you turn your idea into a reality. Although I may not have had the network necessary to start my business when I first started it, the people that I needed were already out there, I just had to go and find them.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

“Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life” by Bob Proctor, is hands down the book that has changed my life. I started listening to the book on Audible back in April, and I have listened to it almost every day since. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to make positive changes in their life. Other books I would recommend for entrepreneurs are “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” by Robert Kioyaski, “Accounting for Dummies”, and “Start With Why” by Simon Sinek. For those interested in pursuing careers in wellness, environmentalism, or animal advocacy, I would recommend “My Gentle Barn” by Ellie Lacks, “The Resilient Farm and Homestead” by Ben Falk, and “This is Vegan Propaganda” by Ed Winters. I would also recommend the podcast On Purpose with Jay Shetty, How I Built This with Guy Raz, and Ted Radio Hour by NPR.

Contact Info:

• Website: crossyourhartadventures.com
• Instagram: @crossyourhartadventures
• Facebook: Cross Your Hart Adventures
• Linkedin: @crossyourhartadventures
• Youtube: Cross Your Hart Adventures
• Other: TikTok: @crossyourhartadventures

Image Credits
Drew Cornelius