We were lucky to catch up with Tracy Stephens recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Tracy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

I was brainstorming ideas for what the club’s name would be. I went back & forth on a couple of different names. The name BLK Hiking Club didn’t come to me until I started working on the logo. All I could think was, “How can I make this name stand out?” It is easy to think you need this creative name that pops, but sometimes the simple names are the names that stick out the most. This group was going to be for black men and women, so it was necessary to let that be known. So instead of using the actual word black, I went with the abbreviation BLK. Once I added BLK Hiking Club to the logo, I knew that was the one. I showed my family and friends, and everyone loved it! From that point on, the club grew, and the rest is history.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My introduction to the outdoor space was Memorial Day weekend 2018. I was trying to find something to do for the three-day weekend. My supervisor made the recommendation I should come up there and hike. At first, I was hesitant, but I figured I’d get out of my comfort zone and do something different. The first two trails I hiked were Bell Mountain and Brasstown Bald. I became hooked from that day. All these trails offered beautiful views, but one thing was missing; black people. I was used to seeing people that looked like me at Stone Mountain and Kennesaw Mountain, but not seeing us in the North Georgia mountains was weird. At those moments, I knew I wanted to start a hiking club. There’s strength in numbers. Sometimes the more of us it is in an unfamiliar space, the more comfortable we feel.

Once I started up BLK Hiking Club, I knew it could be special. To see the growth we’ve made from year one to year two is phenomenal. Our goal for every hike is to have fun on these hiking trails. Many of our ancestors didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy nature like we do today. As a club, we want our hikers to know that this is a space for us too. The more we can normalize hiking in the black community, the more the outdoor participation rate can increase. I could sit here and try to make this sales pitch about how we’re this or that compared to other clubs, but we’re simply trying to make a difference. It’s that simple!

What makes me proud as the founder is that I have a team of hiking leaders with the same mindset. We want to be an asset to our people and show them the positive side of getting outdoors. I can honestly say BLK Hiking Club has become what it is because of my leaders. Anna, Blair, Josh, Kendra, Kiana, Kim, Malachi, Marqiece, Marshelle, and Whitney deserve all the credit. I’m so thankful for them all, especially for being able to keep the club going even when we faced adversity. None of them were afraid to step up when I needed them.

Any advice for managing a team?

Listen to your team without trying to have an opinion. As a leader having effective and frequent communication is an important ingredient to having a successful organization. I always want my team to have a voice in the big decisions that impact BLK Hiking Club. Building that rapport with them has led to us coming up with ideas that change how we operate as a hiking club. Every business is different, but I learned the relationships you build with your team take you to the next level. I love my team and wouldn’t trade what we have for anything. What we have is deeper than business. We have real friendships outside of BLK Hiking Club.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Starting a business social media page can be intimidating. You hope that your family, friends, and strangers follow and support what you’re promoting. If you’re in it for the likes, the first few months will be tough for you. I learned the best way to grow your audience on social media is for your followers to share your content. Whether we’re posting a hiking announcement or a recap from a hike we always have over 100 shares of those posts. It attracts other hikers or those interested in hiking to our page. We keep our content simple and straight to the point. I thought that wasn’t enough, but when other groups tell you they like the content you post, there’s no point in reinventing the wheel and being something you’re not. We live in a time that reels have become the focus on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Yes, you can attract many followers by making them, but ensure those followers align with your organization and get your brand to where you want it to be.

Contact Info:

• Website: blkhikingclub.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/blkhikingclub/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/BLKHikingClub