Connect outside exists because of the crossing of paths. Of course when John and Emma ‘s path crossed and they shaped a vision for offering coaching, and workshops in the outdoors was important, but like any business there’s a lot more to it than that. In this blog post John attempts to join the dots of paths crossed so far in the growth of the business as we wonder where connecting outside will lead us next.

My love of the outdoors, mountains and walking goes back to childhood spent on family holidays in the lake district. Weeks spent camping in Anglesey, Aran and Lochgoilhead with the Scouts, a summer solo exploration of the Pyrenees and a rekindling of a passion in my 30s that led onto career change and retraining as a mountain leader. But it was the people along the way, sharing their own skills and passions that helped me learn when my own purpose was and have the confidence and drive to move toward it. Parents, Grandparents, scout leaders, DofE leaders and friends I shared adventures with all helped me along the way.

Probably one people most responsible for me doing this work now is Karina Simons. We sat next to each other as business analysts or project managers trying to help make the business IT systems better serve the needs of the good people of Dyson. Karina was quietly training as a yoga teacher alongside her job and quietly encouraged me to follow my own calling into the outdoors. We even hatched a plan to co-host a weekend of walking and Yoga in the Brecon Beacons long before we’d each qualified and when we actually did it, it felt very naturally the right thing to be doing and was a magical couple of days!

I would never have even met Emma if it wasn’t for her crossing paths with Caroline Tierney when they both worked at TSB. Now one hopes to share a path with ones wife not cross paths, but as we do so it’s Caroline’s encouragement and support to follow my heart towards the vision of growing the business, whilst she’s busy working 4 days a week that often keeps me at it. We have two young children and their needs come before that of Connect Outside. crossing paths with them has both enabled me to step away from full time employment and encourages me to let the connect outside business emerge at the pace it’s ready to. I’m not writing this blog post from 2:45 – 7pm because I’m picking the boys up from school and getting ready to be a Beaver Scout leader this evening)

When it came to the first mountain trips we called upon people we knew who ran small businesses and developed our walk and workshop offering with their support and boots on the ground!

A chance meeting on the lane where I live with Simon Coleridge led to a 2 day board retreat in the Brecon Beacons for the directors of Gardiner Bros. As well as a lasting friendship.

Simon introduced me to Ruth – we went onto exhibit together at the festival of work at Olympia in London in 2023. We continue to collaborate and have become close friends.

We found Jackie and Ian using good old Google. They run Like work but different where we love to go for its hidden away feel, sustainable ethos and warm hearted welcome. We went first time for the venue. We keep going back because of the people.

Encouragement from Nick Edgar and Nick Elston and validation form Josh Cononley when he came on a trip with us cannot go unmentioned in this context.

In 2024 LinkedIn brought us Matt. Matt was very keen to connect, talk all things walking and coaching. It turned out he’d coached an old friend of John’s and was a very keen walker as well as just the ingredient Emma and I needed at the time to catalyse how we communicate and grow the business. I’m still excited to see where working with Matt will take us.

I was introduced the Carmen Rendell we both felt that we’d known each other forever despite only meeting that day on a zoom call. I don’t think I’ve yet uncovered the reason I’ve met Carmen and her partner Andrew who lead Soul Hub but I know we need to stay conencted and see what emerges.

Which brings me to why I’m even writing this blog about paths crossing. Simon a passionate farmer, winemaker and pioneer of regenerative agriculture. We met by chance on a Brecon hillside as I was supervising some young people and he was solo walking for self confessed spiritual purposes! I knew we’d met for a reason. Conversations with Simon both on the hill, on email and when visiting his winery have given me confidence to redouble the more spiritual reasons I have for investing time and energy in the business and be a little more open about this. I haven’t got into the mountain walking for teams game to make a fortune, I genuinely believe in the power of time together int he outdoors as a catalyst for growth and change and hope to serve as many people as I can through this work. This isn’t a business for me, though I do love a good walk it’s much easier to just go for one on my own! This is a business built for it’s clients.

Of all the paths I’ve crossed, these are the ones that come to mind as I look at the way the business has grown, for sure Emma will have her own list. But what connects these people?

I can only say that it’s connection each of the people here I’ve connected with deeply. I’ve felt understood by them. I’ve trusted them, been encouraged by them, and they’ve seen what were creating and wanted to be part of it, champion it and help it grow. I’m excited to see who we meet next.