Startup Stories: Making Outdoor Adventures Possible

What’s the problem you’re trying to solve or the gap you’re trying to fill?

While the outdoors should be equally accessible to all, barriers still exist for many. Specialized knowledge, skills, or a lack of friends to go with keep many people from feeling confident in trying new sports such as backpacking or outdoor climbing, while for others, equipment is prohibitively expensive.

Analog Outdoors Club seeks to close this gap by taking a community-first approach to outdoor recreation. We host weekly events that teach participants the skills to feel confident in new outdoor activities and provide them with new friends to explore with. Members can also access our peer-based gear rental model, which makes high-cost equipment available to anyone. Core to Analog Outdoors Club is our mission to make outdoor adventure accessible to all.

What was the moment when you had the idea for this startup?

The idea for Analog Outdoors Club was a few years in the making. While living in Salt Lake City before enrolling at Yale SOM, I started to notice that for those looking to progress into activities requiring specific skills, finding mentors can be difficult.

Once I began classes at Yale SOM, these issues became more apparent to me. I noticed that many classmates wanted to take part in outdoor experiences beyond simple hikes, but were unable to do so due to a lack of gear, know-how, or transportation. Meanwhile, my new schedule as a student left my own tent, camping stove, and more sitting idle. After discussions with multiple friends about different avenues to make outdoor adventure more accessible for our peers, Analog Outdoors Club was born. Today’s community-led approach developed from many conversations with peers and faculty members.

What’s the biggest milestone your startup has hit so far?

We’re still in the early days, but our biggest accomplishment has been helping build the outdoors community at Yale SOM and the traction we’ve seen with our events, both around New Haven and further away. One highlight was an introduction to ice climbing we organized in New Hampshire’s Franconia Notch State Park. Ninety percent of attendees had never climbed outdoors before, and I distinctly remember the “how are we going to do this” looks on many faces. It was incredible to see these same folks attempting more challenging climbs by the end of the day. Enthusiasm from everyone on the trip could not have been higher, and it’s made me excited to lead more trips like these in Salt Lake City next year.

What was the most important resource Yale SOM contributed to your startup?

I’ve encountered many helpful resources during my time at Yale SOM, but hands-down the most important has been Jennifer McFadden’s course Startup Founders Practicum. Founders Practicum provides students with academic credit for working on their ventures, and having this dedicated space has been invaluable. Throughout the course, I’ve engaged with successful founders and received practical, consistent feedback from Jennifer to incorporate into my venture.

Founders Practicum has also given me a community of students exploring their own entrepreneurial ventures across industries. My classmates have always been willing to offer new perspectives based on their own experiences, helping me tackle roadblocks along the way. Analog Outdoors Club would not be where it is today if it wasn’t for the encouragement of my classmates and faculty members like Jennifer, who have helped me move from ideation to action.

Sign up for one of our community events and follow our journey on Instagram.