Changing the Face of Adventure
Adventure. A
word that can mean something different for everyone and spark a deep
sense of emotion that might even be hard to put into words, but instead
brings up a big smile or lights up our face.
Adventure has
the power to change lives. I know so, because it changed mine. There was
a time where I could not run a mile, where I had never spent a night
under the stars, where my perception of what was possible was in a sense
limited. Luckily, slowly but surely the beauty of nature and adventure
made it’s way into my life in my 20s but really in my mid to late 20s
when I was overstressed with business school, working full time, and had
multi-hour commutes. Adventure became my way to preserve balance,
sanity, and creativity. What started in an indoor rock climbing class, 5
years later would lead me to the highest peak in the world. What
started as a mile achievement would lead me to a marathon and a few half
marathons. The point was not to be the fastest or the first at
something, but rather to explore what I was capable of and what was
available to experience in this big world.
Along my
journey the last 8 years, I’ve had the privilege of meeting other women
that have chosen adventure as a way of life. These women do not fall
under a stereo-type, as they are of all different ages, shapes, sizes,
colors, cultures, and skill levels. The thirst for pursuing adventure in
whatever form it means to each of us is our bond and our point of unity
and connection.
There are
millions of women out there that share a love for the outdoors,
human-powered endeavors, and travel. It is a reality that the apparel
and gear for women when it comes to outdoor and adventure travel has
been limited and that the “shrink it and pink it” way of design has been
around far too long. Yet, the face of adventure is changing and women
are driving that change. Women make up almost 50 percent of many outdoor
sports and activities and leading the way in terms of solo travel.
Brands and retailers are starting to respond with better designs and
relatable marketing, but there is a ways to go no doubt.
Through my own
journey and frustration of not finding what I needed or wanted in many
cases, I saw a growing need to create a place where women globally could
find what they needed to go do what they loved without compromising
function for style or style for function, a place where stories and
information was relevant to our interests and desires, a place where we
could align our passion for adventure and protecting the places we love
most, a place where we could celebrate the beauty in our strength,
curiosity, and courage in our desire to explore the world and reach new
heights.
As a result a couple of years ago, fueled with the desire to share the gift of adventure with others, I founded Altitude Seven,
a digital media company, whose platform helps a global community of
women adventurers and travelers discover the best outdoor and adventure
travel products, experiences, stories, and inspiration all in one place.
Our brand was created for a new generation of outdoor, adventurous, and
globetrotting women and poised with a mission: To Inspire and Equip
Women to Live Adventurous, Bold, and Worldly Lives. I look forward to
growing our community, our product assortments and announcing new
partnerships with leading and emerging brands that that have high
quality design principles and embed social good in what they do.
Our #ChooseAdventure Campaign,
where we feature amazing women that have chosen adventure as a way of
life, has been my favorite initiative since our relaunch in November. I
absolutely love asking our community of women how adventure makes them
feel, as for most of us, adventure provides a feeling that almost
nothing else can. It truly makes us feel alive and present. From
traveling the globe, to skiing, to biking, to surfing, to climbing, to
hiking, to a night under the stars, these adventures nurture and enhance
our lives in ways that almost nothing else can. The women we have
featured thus far have been an endless source of inspiration, not only
for where they have gone and what drives them, but for all the places I
know they will go!
I welcome all
of you to see the new face of adventure-our spirit, our courage, our
desire to leave the world a little better than we found it, and our
willingness to go out of our comfort zones. Together we live inspired.
We are currently accepting nominations
for women to be a part of our #ChooseAdventure campaign globally. Our
goal is to have an awesome representation of women living their
adventure life and sharing their stories to inspire others
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