Episode 175: Unlocking Your Wildest Business Ideas on the Trail with Jessica DeAngelo
“What if we didn’t have to wait to be the people we ultimately wanna be to do the things we wanna do in life? What if we could just show up as if we already are those people.”
This week, we're honored to welcome Jessica DeAngelo, Chief Hiking Officer and founder of Hike to Become, with a background in global sales and strategy. Having worked with Fortune 500 companies like Amazon, Nike, and Uber, Jessica made a dramatic pivot from the corporate boardroom to the hiking trail, where she discovered something profound—that nature holds the key to unlocking our greatest business potential.
Jessica takes us on a journey through her transformation from high-achieving corporate executive to passionate advocate for nature-based business innovation. She describes that pivotal moment on a mountaintop in December 2023, when a simple question from her three-year-old daughter—'Mom, get off your phone'—sparked a revelation that would reshape her understanding of presence, purpose, and professional fulfillment. That moment of clarity led to her signature methodology and the creation of the Hike 31 Challenge.
In this episode, we explore Jessica's accidental discovery of the transformative power of unplugged time in nature, her unique 'HIKE' methodology that combines movement, nature, technology-free time, and daily practice, and how she now guides business leaders and executives to their boldest, most innovative ideas on the trail. Join us for an inspiring conversation about finding clarity through discomfort, the science behind nature's impact on our cognitive function, and what it truly means to hike to become who you're meant to be.
Jessica and Scott also discuss:
00:27 Meet Jessica DeAngelo: From Corporate to Trailblazer
02:40 The Birth of Hike to Become
04:18 A Life-Changing Epiphany on the Mountain
07:09 The Hike 31 Challenge: Concept and Commitment
12:40 The Hike Methodology: H.I.K.E.
18:51 The Transformative Power of Nature
22:37 How to Join the Hike 31 Challenge
23:24 Embracing the 'What If' Mindset
24:37 Embracing the 'What If' Mindset
25:36 Nature as a Source of Healing and Self-Discovery
30:05 The Birth of Hike to Become
34:09 Transformative Client Experiences on the Trail
36:03 The Role of Chief Hiking Officer
37:45 Working with Clients: Methods and Experiences
41:19 The Journey of Writing 'The Wild Advantage'
43:17 Final Thoughts and Future Aspirations
You can learn more about Jessica by following her on LinkedIn and by visiting Jessica’s website JessicaDeAngelo.com.
See below for photos Jessica shared from her adventures.
Watch the Full Behind The Scenes Episode
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